Wrights On A Mission

Day 23 – When God Changes the Itinerary

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” — Proverbs 16:9

Today wasn’t the day we expected.

It was Saturday, the day before we had planned to get back on the road. We woke up with excitement, believing this would be our final day in North Pole before continuing our adventure toward Denali. After a quick breakfast, Mark and Melvin dropped me off at The Wash House so I could take a shower and catch up on our laundry while they made a quick trip to the auto parts store for a few supplies.

By mid-morning we were all back at Mark’s place, eagerly watching and waiting for the FedEx truck. Every vehicle that drove by caught our attention. Surely today’s delivery would bring the new sprocket Melvin’s bike desperately needed.

Noon came… but no FedEx.

We finally called the company where we had ordered the part to get the tracking number. That’s when we received the news we never wanted to hear. The overnight shipment had been delayed and wouldn’t arrive until Monday.

Our hearts sank.

For a few moments we searched for another solution. Maybe we could track down the package ourselves. The tracking simply said it was in Fairbanks, so we climbed into the truck determined to find it. We stopped at one FedEx location where the employees were incredibly kind, but they only handled freight shipments. They pointed us to another location, which turned out to be only a shipping center. From there we were directed to the FedEx hub on Airport Way.

Hope flickered again…

Until we learned the hub was closed on Saturdays.

There was simply nothing we could do.

I even tried rerouting the package online to Anchorage, hoping we could somehow adjust our travel plans, but every door seemed to close. Sometimes we work so hard trying to force our plans forward, only to discover that God has quietly closed them for a reason we cannot yet see.

Isaiah 55:8-9 came to mind:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

With our disappointment still lingering, we finished the errands we could control. We picked up a few bolts and oil so we could finish changing the oil on Freedom, our Africa Twin, that needs a little TLC. Then we stopped for groceries before heading back to Mark’s place.

While shopping, Melvin noticed two young men and walked over to introduce himself. Their names were Ray and Tyler, and they work on wind turbines—a job that certainly requires courage and a healthy respect for heights! As always, Melvin shared a Gospel tract and mentioned that we had ridden all the way from New York. Tyler smiled and replied that he actually lives in Albany, New York and was only in Alaska for a couple of weeks for work.

What are the odds?

It’s another reminder that this world isn’t nearly as big as it seems when you take time to meet the people God places in your path. Every unexpected conversation is another opportunity for Him to work.

We even decided to treat ourselves to ice cream sundaes, hoping they might soften the sting of our disappointment. While they certainly lifted our spirits for a little while, the greatest comfort came from remembering how incredibly blessed we already are. We have a faithful God who has carried us over 4,000 miles. We have wonderful friends like Mark, whose generous hospitality has provided us with a place to stay for more than a week. And we have the peace that comes from knowing God is never surprised by the detours in our lives.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” — **

As the evening came to a close, we spent time visiting with many of the local Alaska Natives at the local radio station KJNP, weekly show called “The Village Voice.” The host, Pastor Marvin, even had us introduce ourselves on the air, where we are from, and how we are evangelist on motorcycle.

It was well after 10:00 p.m., yet the Alaskan sky still held its soft evening glow. We headed back to Marks place and built a campfire for another evening of fellowship. By midnight, we finally settled down for the night not knowing exactly what tomorrow would bring. We had planned to be riding again, but instead we would spend another unexpected day waiting.

We went to bed with hearts that were a little disappointed and plans that had been rearranged, yet we were also filled with gratitude. Gratitude for faithful friends, for unexpected opportunities to encourage others, and for a God who is never late, even when our deliveries are.

Psalm 30:5 reminds us, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

So tonight we choose to trust instead of worry, to be thankful instead of discouraged, and to rest knowing that the Author of our journey is still writing this story. We may not understand every delay, but we know the One who holds tomorrow.

With hopeful hearts, we’ll wake up expecting new mercies, new opportunities, and believing that tomorrow will bring renewed joy—because every day the Lord gives us is another chance to see His faithfulness unfold, one mile, one conversation, and one unexpected blessing at a time.