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b'After a while, I kept walking. Mercifully, the sun continued its course in the sky and no longer beat down on me. I pulled a crust of stale bread from my pack and ate as I walked. I tried to remember an old hymn to turn my thoughts to praise, but I was too tired to sing.\\nThen I realized night was falling. The path sloped downward, and soon I wassurrounded by trees. \\u201cGreat,\\u201d I thought. \\u201cI guess I chose the wrong way. What now, God? Should I go deeper into the forest? Should I turn around? What do I do!\\u201d I strained to get a better look at the path, the terrain, anything\\u2014but it was so difficult to see in the dark. My breath came faster. I rubbed at my eyes and realized I was crying. I sat on a rock, my head in my hands. I was so tired. So tired.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Dear one,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d the words came on the breeze. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I\\u2019m here.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I wanted to hear more of the voice, but I held back. I had to figure out what to do about the path, and the voice would just lull me to sleep. How was I supposed to fix this mess? I was such a fool! \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Dear one.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d The voice was closer. And then I felt a hand on my shoulder. I shivered at the warm touch. I hadn\\u2019t realized until now that I was cold. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Dear one, I love you.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I buried my head deeper in my lap. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153How? How could you love me?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I could hear the bitterness in my voice.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I love you,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d He said again, with such tenderness that I looked up at Him. When I saw the compassion on His face, the tension I\\u2019d been holding in my shoulders released. I felt like I might collapse, but He caught me, gently, and held me in a warm hug. I didn\\u2019t want to pull away, and He didn\\u2019t want to either. He just held me. And slowly, ever so slowly, my tired limbs began to warm. I cried. Eventually I told Him about the hot sun and the confusing path. I told Him I was angry at Him. He listened, and He kept holding me. Finally, I had said all that was inside me to say, and I felt\\u2026lighter.\\nThen He whispered, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Dear one, I am the way.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d My breath caught in my throat as I recognized the verse. He nodded, knowing my thoughts. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153You\\u2019ve been asking me and asking me which way to go\\u2026\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d It was so clear to me now. All I wanted was to be near Him, to be loved by Him. Could I really be loved? He smiled, then said, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I want you to be with me. The way\\u2026is with me.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d \\u2022 Hannah Howe\\n\\u2022 When was a time you felt lost? Jesus seeks us when we\\u2019re lost (Luke 19:10). He died and rose again so that we could be close to Him. How might God be inviting you into His presence today? \\nJesus answered, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I am the way and the truth and the life.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d John 14:6a (NIV)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nMatt.6.25-Matt.6.34|Matt.11.28-Matt.11.30'