My morning walk started like most. A walk through the front gate, across the street, and onto the mile and a half long walking trail that heads to a pecan orchard. About 2 blocks into my walk, she appeared. She inched her way out from under the shrubs, stretching long and then arching her back. She walked towards me, meowing and rubbing the ground with the side of her head. This was not the first time I came across this sweet fur-baby. Two weeks prior, she met me as I returned from my walk. Last week, she peeked out from under the shrubs and followed me for a block, turning back as we approached the road. This time, she looked a little thinner, definitely dirtier, and much more persistent.

She continued to purr and rub my feet, pawing at my hand for a wanted pat, and reaching for me as I stood up. Something was different this time and it made me pay attention.

I picked her up and went to the front door of the house nearest the path. No one answered. So, in my attempts to try to fix the situation, I decided to bring her home. I walked a few steps from the location where I found her and she struggled to jump down. Once on the ground, she turned and walked back to her home under the shrubs.

When I returned home, I googled our local lost pet site, searched for missing cats, and there she was. Her distinct markings and tiny frame displayed on the screen. I read the description and the timing and location of where she was lost and it all made sense. Her name was Minnie. She had been missing for three weeks.

I immediately responded to the posting, provided all the information I could to help them find her. Then my rescuer’s brain kicked in. I’ll bring her food and water and see if I can coax her to come home with me. I asked my neighbor for dog food, she has a Shih Tzu and his kibble is tiny, grabbed a water bowl and headed back down the path. I called as I walked, “Minnie, come here girl!” But Minnie was no where to be found. She was no longer under the shrubs, no longer rolling on the sidewalk. Minnie was gone. 

I returned home to find a response to my post, “Thank you, Minnie is safely HOME!” 

I later learned that Minnie was exactly one block from her home. All she had to do was walk down the street from where she was hiding in the shrubs. One block, a few steps, yet she was lost, hungry and unwilling to allow anyone to help her. She was stuck, a prisoner of her own confusion, a victim of fear. 

Each morning when I walk the path towards the orchards, I think of Minnie. I’m reminded of how I can get lost in places that can lead to imprisoned thinking and fearful thoughts. She reminds me that getting lost is not the problem. The problem is when we grow comfortable wandering in the weeds. The problem is magnified when we refuse to acknowledge we are lost.

So, like Minnie, we convince ourselves that this new reality is home and we setup camp, forgetting God never intended for us to live this way. And as we stubbornly sit in this space, we begin to assemble walls of self-protection and self-control. We surround ourselves with more and more excuses as to why we should stay put, and soon we have made the final shift – a heart and mind that can no longer hear the voices encouraging us to come out of the rubble, to come back home. 

I wonder if you’ve had a “Minnie” moment in your life. A time when being lost became more than needing to take a few steps down the street, making your way back to God’s loving arms. I wonder if you’ve ever built walls so high and impenetrable that you could no longer hear God’s sweet voice offering to take your hand and lead you out of the weeds. Here is the funny thing, just like that wayward fur-baby, we can be inches from our Father’s protection and guidance and never take a step, or change direction, or acknowledge his presence. 

If you are feeling lost and alone today, I want to encourage you to take one small step of courage and listen for your Father’s voice. And when you hear his gentle call, take another brave step and turn to him.

Minnie’s family did all they could to get their precious baby back. God has done the same for you. Please don’t let a few weeds of false thinking deprive you of your Father’s loving home.

Be Blessed,