Reflections on a Sabbatical Journey - 4

Sometimes God Has a Better Plan

I believe God always answers prayer. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes no, sometimes not yet—but sometimes He answers by saying, “I have a better plan.” I experienced that firsthand this past week.

As part of my sabbatical, I had planned a time of solitude. But I didn’t want the typical option, one of those retreat centers for ministers where you pay a lot of money to sit in silence. To be honest, many of them seemed more “religious” than spiritual, and that just didn’t look like what I was seeking. I wanted something different, something personal, connected to nature, and rooted in stillness where I could hear God more clearly.

So I planned a seven-day hike on the Appalachian Trail, starting in New York and heading through Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. But a few days before I left, a huge storm started building. I prayed it would pass, but as I arrived in New York, it became clear the storm was only getting stronger and it would last the entire week.

I’ve camped in bad weather but this time, I just didn’t want to. So I downloaded a weather app with radar and found clear skies in Niagara Falls. I changed course and drove seven hours there.

The weather was perfect. Hiking through the gorge, standing by the Falls, and watching the sunset over Lake Ontario was nothing short of majestic. The scenery was awe-inspiring—exactly what I needed. But eventually, the storm caught up with me again.

I found another break in the storm over the Finger Lakes and drove there next, but as I began to set up camp, the rain returned. I was beginning to feel pretty discouraged.

Then I discovered that my campsite had a massive shelter, big enough to park under. So I set up my tent, started a fire, and watched the rain fall in peace. It reminded me that sometimes things don’t go as planned and that’s okay, maybe even better  

The next morning, I still didn’t have a plan. But I noticed another hole in the weather, this time over the Appalachian Trail in West Virginia. I looked it up and saw that Harper’s Ferry is home to the official headquarters of the Appalachian Trail. It was 6½ hours away, and the visitor center closed in 7. I packed everything into my car and drove, praying I’d make it in time. And I did.

When I arrived, I found myself surrounded by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River—just like the song “Take Me Home, Country Roads” describes:

Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin’ like a breeze…

It felt like I had arrived at the heart of my journey.

That night, I stayed at a hostel and the next morning I was hiking again through lush, sunlit trails still glistening from fresh rain. Everything felt new. The quiet beauty of it reminded me of another song: Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens, originally written as a hymn in 1931 by Eleanor Farjeon:

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word…

The rain returned later in a couple days, so I decided to drive up to visit my sister in New York. It was completely unplanned but better.

Now, as I write this from my mom’s house on Mother’s Day weekend, I’m amazed at how God has been moving through all these detours, delays, and unexpected moments. This journey has brought me closer to Him, and to the people I love.

So if you find yourself in a place of uncertainty, remember to pray and if you don’t get what you prayed for, maybe it’s because sometimes God has a better plan.