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Sometimes We Make A Wrong Turn Day 15 of Exodus 90: A Journey Toward Freedom and Brotherhood

Sometimes We Make A Wrong Turn

Day 15 of Exodus 90: A Journey Toward Freedom and Brotherhood

One of my favorite movies growing up was Cannonball Run. It’s a wild story about eccentric competitors in an illegal cross-country road race, each willing to do whatever it takes to win. My two favorite drivers were Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin, who posed as Catholic priests driving a red Ferrari 308 GTS. What made them even more memorable? They had a secret weapon—God was their co-pilot.

Now, what does this have to do with Exodus 90? Well, much like those two drivers, I started this journey thinking I had everything mapped out. With God as my co-pilot, I assumed I was on the straight road to spiritual growth, discipline, and transformation. But here’s the truth: sometimes, even with God in the passenger seat, I’ve still made a wrong turn, especially this past Saturday when I feel like I failed across each discipline.  I had a snack, had a brownie that Brendan was dangling in front of me, and then things spiraled out of control from there.  Well, I already failed once, so what does it matter if I do it again, and again? 

This original post was going to be about brotherhood, but then I listened to the Daily Rosary Meditation and Mike Scherschlight told this story which immediately connected the dots between the detour I took on Saturday and how just because of one mistake, it didn’t need to knock me off course towards my final destination.  A lot of people know that the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years before entering the Promised Land. But what many don’t realize is that they actually made it to their destination much earlier. They reached the land God had promised them after only three months, but they didn’t enter. Instead, they turned around and wandered for decades.

Why? Discouragement and overconfidence.

And that’s exactly what I’ve experienced on Exodus 90. There were days I thought I had everything under control—waking up early, fasting, sacrificing comfort, and committing to prayer. And then, suddenly, I’d take a wrong turn and turn the temp up in my shower, snitch that snack, take a glance at the news app to see what in the world was going on, or this Saturday $h!t the bed completely.  Maybe I’d fall into old habits. Maybe I’d lose focus. Maybe I’d feel like I had already “arrived” spiritually, only to realize I still had miles to go.

Like the Israelites, I’ve faced moments where God was leading me somewhere, but I wasn’t ready to follow. I wanted the reward without the struggle, the transformation without the sacrifice. But just like in Cannonball Run, the real journey isn’t just about getting to the finish line—it’s about what happens along the way.

So, as I continue down this road, I remind myself: stay the course, trust the process, and never assume I’ve arrived too soon. The road may be long, but with God as my co-pilot, and my brothers in the backseat, I know I’ll reach my destination—even if I have to take a few detours along the way.

Only 75 more days to go.


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