Cal sat on the porch of the halfway house, his fingers drumming his knees. When Evan approached, he blew out a breath. His mentor would have the answers. He stood and shook his hand, then the two men settled into chairs.

            “What’s on your mind today, son?” Evan asked, always direct and to the point. Cal liked that about the older man.

            “I don’t know what do to next,” Cal said.

            “What do you mean?”

            “I accepted Jesus into my heart. I’ve been sober for 6 weeks now. I need to get a job and start supporting myself.”

            “Sounds like that’s exactly what you should do next,” Evan said.

            “But what job?”

            Evan laughed. “I can’t tell you that. That’s up to God, my friend. He has one for you. Just ask Him.”
            “But I’ve been asking Him, and He hasn’t told me anything. I thought once I followed God He would tell me what to do.”

            “He does, but He won’t lay your whole life out in front of you.”
            “Why not?”

            Evan leaned back in his chair and his brow furrowed. He was silent for a few moments. “Tell me about the first week you were here.”

            “Are you kidding me? It was awful. I couldn’t stop shaking, I was sick to my stomach, kept breaking out in sweats. Then came the seizures. I never want to go through that again. I craved a drink so bad, but they wouldn’t let me out of here to get one.”
            Evan raised his eyebrows. “If you had known that’s how you were going to feel, would you have checked into the program?”
            Cal shook his head. “No way.”
            “But are you glad you did?”

            “Of course. Alcohol took my life away. I finally have a chance to get it back.”

            “So not knowing what was ahead of you was a good thing?”

            Cal stared at Evan, understanding dawning. “So God doesn’t tell us what’s coming because we won’t want to deal with it if we know ahead of time?”

            “Sometimes that’s true.”

            “But all my friends already have plans. They have jobs or girlfriends and have their futures all mapped out.”

            “Very rarely can you have your future all mapped out. Life has a way of interrupting our plans.” Evan stood and leaned on the porch railing, facing Cal. “Do you remember us talking about Paul?”

            “Sure. He’s the dude that went from throwing Christians in jail to becoming one. You told me if God could forgive him, God could forgive me.”

            Evan’s lips curved into a smile. “I’m glad you’ve been paying attention. What happened to Paul after he became a Christian?”

            “He dedicated his life to sharing Jesus with people.”
            “That’s right,” Evan said. “He was the greatest missionary in the history of the church. And even he didn’t know what God wanted him to do.”
            Cal straightened. “Really? How do you know?”
            “In the book of Acts, it says Paul and his companions tried to preach the word in Asia, but they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit. They then tried to go to another place but were stopped again. Paul had the right motives. He wanted to preach about Jesus, but God had a specific plan for him. Paul didn’t know what it was at first. Finally God sent him a vision and told him where to go. But He never laid out the whole plan for him.”

            Cal shook his head. “I haven’t seen any visions. How will I know if I’m doing the right thing?”

            “You said you’re looking for a job. Have you found anything interesting?”
            “Yeah. I applied for a bunch and I got two offers.”

            “That’s great news. So now you’re trying to figure out which one you’re supposed to take?”

            Cal palmed the back of his neck. “Yeah. They both seem like they’re pretty good. Pay is about the same and so is the distance. I have to decide by Friday.”

            “You have your phone in your pocket?” Evan asked.

            Cal pulled it out. “Yeah, why?”

            “Type in Philippians 4:6-7, then read to me what it says.”

            Cal did as Evan asked. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” He looked up at Evan. “OK, so I should pray and not worry. But it doesn’t tell me which job to take.”

            “If you pray about it, God will give you peace about the one you should take. Think about each path and travel down it in your mind as far as you can go, and if you feel peace, that’s the way. I’ve got another verse for you. Look up Psalm 119:105. P-S-A-L-M.”

            “What kind of weird word is that?” Cal asked.

            “It comes from a Greek word for a song,” Evan said. “Look it up.”

            “Yeah, yeah. You’re pretty bossy today.”

            Evan chuckled. “That’s kind of my job.”

            Cal found the verse. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”

            “Exactly. When you’re not sure what to do, read the Bible and God will direct you. You should know, however, what the Bible is talking about is an oil lamp. A tiny wick holding a flame. The lamp is not a modern flashlight that will shine 100 yards in front of you. You only get one step at a time. But if you follow that one step, the lamp will show you the next step. Your job is to take that step, and God will keep showing you the way.”

            “Wow. How did you get to learn all this stuff?” Cal asked.

            “By reading that book,” Evan said. “That and having godly teachers over the years.” He sat back next to Cal. “You’re on the right track, son. The angels are rejoicing in heaven that you turned to Jesus. Just take one step at a time. By Friday, I’m confident you’ll make the decision in complete peace.”
            Cal reached out his hand and shook Evan’s. “Thank you. I think I’m already starting to feel some of that peace.”

Father in heaven, thank You for Your Word. Whenever we need guidance, we know we can find it there. Thank you also for those who have followed the call to be pastors, teachers, and mentors to help us on our path. Thank you for understanding what is best for us, for only showing us one step at a time, for that is all we can handle. But thank you for that lamp that points us in the right direction. Please help us always to walk in the way You’d have us to go. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.