We thought we were miles away from danger when the alerts first came through our phones…

In October of 2017, my husband and I slipped away for a quiet anniversary getaway. We traveled up the Northern California coast to a small town where the ocean air was cool, the pace was slower, and for a few days, life felt calm.

The night before we were scheduled to head home, I received an alert on my phone about a fire in Napa. It was far from where we were and far from our home in Napa County, so I thought little of it and went to sleep.

Later that night, my phone lit up with frantic messages from our oldest daughter asking if we were safe. The fire had grown quickly and spread into another town—one we would be traveling through on our way home. Soon my husband began receiving messages from a man in our church asking the same question.

Are you safe?

Suddenly the situation felt different.

We decided it would be wise to leave early and head home.

As we started the drive back, we quickly discovered that many of the normal highways were being shut down because of fires breaking out across Northern California. With our usual routes blocked, we turned on the GPS to find another way.

The directions led us onto smaller and smaller roads, each one a little narrower than the last. Before long, the pavement turned to gravel, and we began to wonder if we had made a mistake. Yet homes still appeared along the road, so we continued on.

Eventually we came to the end of the road—literally. In front of us was a small drop-off where the road seemed to disappear. But we could see across the way was a completely paved road. My husband stepped out to examine the situation. After a moment he came back and calmly said we could make it across.

What he didn’t tell me until later was that we were about to drive across a dry riverbed.

If we had been in his truck, this would have seemed fairly normal. But we were in my brand-new hybrid C-Max—that has no spare tire, only a small repair kit. Slowly we bounced across the rocky riverbed and climbed up the other side. To my relief, we found ourselves on a nicely paved road once again.

We continued until we reached a fork in the road. The GPS told us to turn left, but as we approached, we saw flashing lights ahead, a California Highway Patrol officer had set up a roadblock deep in the mountains.

When we stopped, he informed us that the road our GPS was directing us toward led straight into another large wildfire.

As he explained the situation, I quietly worried he might send us back the way we came—knowing that the smooth road behind us would once again end. Instead, to my surprise, he told us to simply turn right and continue on. Nothing ahead was closed.

We followed his instructions and continued through the hills until we eventually reached the small town of Willits, California. We decided to stop for fuel and grab a few snacks before continuing the long drive home.

The moment we stepped out of the car, we could sense a tension in the air.

People were moving quickly in and out of the gas station and convenience store. Conversations were hurried and anxious as people talked about fires spreading and roads closing. 

Even though the flames were miles away, the weight of the situation could be felt everywhere.

When we got back on the road, we followed the winding route that eventually led us out to California State Route 1. By then the immediate danger was behind us, though massive plumes of smoke still rose in the distance.

What should have been a beautiful and peaceful drive along the Pacific Ocean had become a long, stressful, very winding detour just to make it home.

When we finally arrived home, we discovered that our town was also under fire watch due to the surrounding wildfires. This was unusual, as we are not in a fire danger zone. Because of the growing fires and strong winds, we were asked to be prepared with go bags and important papers—though, by God’s grace, we never had to use them.

Even so, the reality of what was happening all around us was sobering.

Many other towns were not so fortunate. Entire neighborhoods were destroyed, and lives were changed overnight.

The Roadblocks God Places

As I reflected on that experience, I realized how much it mirrors the Christian life. Sometimes everything feels calm and safe, until suddenly circumstances change.

Sometimes the path we think is right turns out to lead us straight into danger.

The Bible warns us about this very thing:

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)

How thankful I am that God sometimes places roadblocks in our lives.

There are moments when the Lord redirects us away from relationships, decisions, or plans that would ultimately harm us. At the time those detours can feel frustrating or confusing.

But what if those interruptions are actually protection?

Just like that officer standing in the road that day, God may sometimes say,

“Don’t go that way.”

The path He sends us on may be longer. It may feel unfamiliar or inconvenient. But His direction is always guided by wisdom and love.

The Bible promises that God guides His people:

Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. (Psalm 73:24)

That day our journey included gravel roads, a rocky riverbed, a roadblock in the mountains, and a long detour along the coast. But every unexpected turn moved us farther away from danger and closer to home.

And in much the same way, God is faithfully guiding His children through dangers we cannot see—until one day we arrive safely home.

Reflection

Have you ever experienced a “detour” in your life—something that changed your plans or redirected your path?

Could it be that God was protecting you from something you could not yet see?

Prayer

Lord, help me trust Your guidance even when the road changes unexpectedly. When my plans are interrupted or my path is redirected, remind me that You see dangers I cannot see. Give me faith to follow where You lead, knowing that every step ordered by You is a step toward safety and purpose. Amen.