Choosing Your Line

It's not hard to understand that looking forward is important if we charge down a mountain on a bicycle. There are obstacles and pitfalls along mountain trails that could cause us to crash. The most notable obstacles are rocks and trees. In mountain biking, choosing your line, refers to a bikers attentiveness to the trail ahead as he mentally plots a course to stay on the trail and navigate around obstacles. It also refers to the process a person takes in designing a mountain biking trail to flow with the features of the mountain yet avoid the obstacles. Looking forward to evaluate the paths we are on in the important arenas of life requires just as much attentiveness and prudence, but sometimes we just don't evaluate and plan our paths as we should.

• The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it. (Proverbs 27:12)

In part one of Destinations,we were introduced to the principle of the path; direction, not intention, determines destination. In part two, we discussed how looking forward is the answer towards staying the course and directing our lives to the place we want to be relationally, financially, spiritually, etc. Proverbs 27:12 teaches us that to stay on course, we can't ignore the warning signs. It takes courage to take the first steps to right our course, but relief will follow. One of the best ways to maintain personal guard rails in our lives is to connect ourselves to a small group. Another is to seek input from the people around you that care and have the courage to encourage you.

We can't wait for the next Longleaf LIVE and Part 3 of Destinations on March 14. We're excited about our new venue and the direction of our church! We are certainly applying the principle of the path as we plot the course of Longleaf Church. See you on March 14!