Finding God’s Purpose in the Detours of Life

We had been looking forward to this for months.

My husband and I were finally on vacation in the Florida Panhandle — and we had a plan. Meandering bike rides along a smooth, flat trail hugging the beach. Stopping in little towns along the way. Salt air and sunshine and no agenda whatsoever.

It was going to be perfect.

Except when we showed up to rent the bikes, we were greeted with a sign.

The Bridge Is Out.

Three Options When the Path You Planned Is Gone

Standing there with our helmets in hand, we had a choice to make. And honestly? It felt a little like standing in front of every unexpected detour life has ever handed me.

We could give up entirely and just drive everywhere. Safe. Predictable. A little disappointing.

We could ride the short portion up to the bridge, turn around, and drive to the other side — technically still biking, but without the adventure we came for.

Or we could take the wooded trail the rental agent mentioned with a casual wave of his hand. “Oh yeah, totally doable,” said the twenty-something who surfed and exercised in his sleep.

We chose door number three.

We said yes, let’s do it — and pushed our bikes into the woods.

What “Totally Doable” Actually Looked Like

I led the way, fully convinced the trail would be short. The map made it look simple.

The map lied.

Around every bend, a new obstacle presented itself:

• Tangled root systems that required careful navigation
• A brush-covered trail that grabbed at our handlebars
• Bumpy wooden bridges that rattled every bone
• Patches of deep mud that sucked at our tires
• Sandy stretches where the wheels spun and slid
• And eventually — other bikers, fully equipped, enjoying every bit of it

I realized somewhere in the middle of the mud that we had gotten significantly more than we bargained for.

But when we finally emerged on the other side: adrenaline surging, legs burning, laughing in disbelief. I felt something I hadn’t expected.

Great joy.

Not in spite of the hard parts. Because of them.

What I Realized on the Other Side of the Woods

Here’s what struck me as I caught my breath: I had been training for that trail for months without knowing it.

A few years ago I started working out — slowly, consistently, building strength and flexibility. My original motivation was wonderfully Grammy-specific: I wanted to be able to get down on the floor and play with my grandchildren as I age. That was it. Nothing heroic about it.

But somewhere in those quiet, ordinary workouts, God was building something I couldn’t yet see:

• The strength to maneuver a bike over roots and rocks
• The cardio endurance to keep pace with my husband
• The mental resilience to push through when quitting felt reasonable
• A muscle memory of perseverance that showed up exactly when I needed it

I hadn’t been preparing for a workout. I had been preparing for an adventure.

And I almost missed it because a sign said the bridge is out.

LISTEN TO MOM~2~MOM MENTORING Episode 99: The Calling Shifts The Purpose Holds For Christian Moms 

The Question That Stopped Me

As I reflected on that trail, a quieter and more uncomfortable question began to surface.

How many times have I come to a roadblock in life — planned for a smooth, enjoyable journey — and found the bridge out?

And more honestly: How many times have those obstacles caused me to stop, take the easy way out, or turn around entirely; and miss what God was actually trying to show me?

A quiet sadness moves through me when I sit with that honestly. Not condemnation, just a gentle grief for the adventures not taken. The growth avoided. The version of myself I could have met on the other side of something hard, if I’d only pushed through the woods.

Here’s what I wonder: how many times have I attributed an obstacle to the enemy when God was simply trying to reveal something: about Himself, about me, about what He’s been quietly building in me all along?

Obstacles Are Not the End of the Story

I want to be the kind of woman who embraces every opportunity for growth and adventure. I want to live a life of yes, let’s do it; even when the trail looks nothing like the map.

Maybe you’re reading this in the middle of your own bridge-out moment. Maybe one of these sounds familiar:

Perhaps you’re trying to find an alternative route right now and nothing looks doable.

Perhaps you’ve been going around the same mountain for years, stuck in the same rut, longing for a path that actually leads somewhere life-giving.

Maybe you took a new path, stepped out bravely — and now you feel alone, lost, and a little beaten down.

Perhaps you want to build your endurance before the next obstacle arrives, so you’re ready when the moment comes.

Perhaps you’re simply ready to discover what you were actually created for.

Wherever you are, the bridge being out is not the end of your story. It may be exactly where God’s preparation meets your moment. The strength you’ve been quietly building. The faith muscles you didn’t know you were developing. The resilience you almost didn’t believe you had.

It’s all been training for something.

Want to go deeper on this? Listen to my conversation on the Mom2Mom Mentoring podcast: Episode 34: Choose to Value Your Values and Thrive.

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Get Back on the Bike

Coaching has a way of doing what the trail did for me. It reveals what you’re actually capable of when someone comes alongside you for the journey.

As a Women’s Life and Leadership Coach, I love helping women gain new perspectives as they seek to overcome obstacles, get unstuck, and discover life’s great adventure. I love watching a woman realize that what looked like a roadblock was actually a re-route, and that God had been preparing her for it all along.

A Free Clarity Call is the perfect first step. We’ll look at where the bridge is out in your life, what God might be building in you for what’s ahead, and what one brave step forward could look like together.

No pressure. No homework. Just clarity and a fresh perspective.

👉 Schedule your Free Clarity Call here

Where is the bridge out in your life right now, and what if the detour is actually the destination?