Lost—and found

God guided me out of the Alaskan wilderness.

By Denise Elliott Shane

Alone, Deep in the woods, I was lost. Clouds and mazes of tall spruce trees blocked any view of the sun from which to calculate my direction. With sinking heart, I realized my foolishness in entering a wilderness area unaccompanied and unprepared. Worst of all, no one knew I had strayed there.

I had come to Alaska to spend the summer with a friend and her family—and to pray. I was looking for a career path where I could best express my talents and love for others. My friend's rural homestead lay at the edge of a beautiful wilderness about a mile from a secluded lake, which we had visited before she left to spend the weekend away.

This afternoon I had set out to see the lake again, taking along the family dog. Uncertain about my path, I followed the dog, who eventually led me to the lake; then she trotted off unnoticed. I reentered the dense woods looking for a more direct route home. Not only had I lost the trail, but I couldn't even retrace my steps to the lake.

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