How a chipped tooth, a quiet valley, and a wild leap taught me to walk by faith.

Wrapped in Mist—and Doubt

The Great Smoky Mountains get their name from the bluish mist—those delicate veils of cloud that drift through the valleys and wrap around the ridges, cloaking the peaks in mystery. And in many ways, my own time in these mountains felt the same: wrapped in uncertainty, shadowed by doubt.

Just before arriving, I chipped a piece of enamel off one of my molars. It wasn’t just a tooth—it was the start of a question mark hanging over my entire two-month road trip across the U.S. Would I have to cut it short? Go home for dental treatment? I knew I’d finish my visit to the Smokies, but beyond that, the road ahead felt foggy.

I was supposed to go next to Mammoth Cave National Park. But instead of clarity, all I felt was the heavy cloud of what if?

The First Answered Prayer

So, I did what I knew to do: I prayed. I gathered my family and we lifted up a simple request—that God would provide a dentist on short notice. And the next morning, I started calling around. To my surprise, a dentist in Knoxville agreed to see me the very next day.

A small answer to prayer, but a big encouragement to my heart.

Relieved, I took the winding drive out to Cades Cove, a place where nature preaches without words. The road twisted along a river that rushed with purpose, with waterfalls and little cascades scattered like jewels along its edge, tumbling over the rocks.

I stopped for lunch at a picnic area beside a broad, shallow creek, curling in great S-shapes through the meadow. Sitting on a stone by the water, sandwich in hand, I talked with God.

If I had to choose two words to describe my time in the Smoky Mountains, they would be Trust and Healing.

A Heart Transformed

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
—Proverbs 3:5–6

I wanted answers. I wanted certainty. But God wanted surrender. He sees the full story—past, present, and future. I only see the few pages in front of me. Yet even the trials, the disappointments, and the seemingly random inconveniences all fit within His perfect plan.

If I could see what He sees, I believe I’d say, “Yes, Lord. Take me through it.”

Forgiveness: The Key to Healing

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
—Colossians 3:13

God was showing me that trust and healing go hand in hand with forgiveness. I had carried some old wounds—resentment that I thought I had buried, but that still quietly shaped how I moved through the world.

It’s easy to believe that holding onto hurt somehow gives us control—that if we let go, we’re letting someone “get away with it.” But the truth is, unforgiveness doesn’t protect us. It traps us. We think we’re holding someone else in judgment, but really, we’re holding ourselves hostage.

Unforgiveness isn’t justice—it’s a prison. And it doesn’t just imprison us—it hardens our hearts. And a hardened heart sitting in bitterness eventually hurts others too.

God, in His mercy, was unlocking that prison. He was asking me to trust Him enough to forgive—not because the pain wasn’t real, but because He is just, He is healer, and He is the only one who sees the whole story.

Letting go wasn’t weakness—it was worship. And it was the beginning of freedom.

The Road Forward

On Thursday morning, I got up and drove to Knoxville for my appointment. My next prayer was clear: Lord, if this dentist can fix my tooth, I’ll keep going. If not, I’ll head home.

The dentist was kind and caring. After an exam, he gently explained that I would need a crown—but not immediately. There was no need to make the long drive home. Instead, he offered to help me find someone who could do same-day crowns so I could stay on my journey.

He handed me a short list of offices, and I began calling. Within hours, I had an appointment scheduled in—of all places—my next stop, Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.

“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.”
—Isaiah 65:24

God wasn’t just with me—He was going before me, arranging the path, preparing hearts, timing, and places. And through it all, He was drawing me closer. Teaching me to trust. Healing what I didn’t know needed healing.

This wasn’t the end of the road. It was only the beginning.

The Leap

The next morning, I left the Smokies in a wild and victorious flight—both literal and symbolic.

I traveled to the top of a mountain, stepped into a harness, and faced one of my deepest fears. Then, I soared. A zipline carried me 1.1 miles down the mountainside at nearly 55 miles per hour. The wind rushed past me, the trees blurred below, and I laughed out loud with joy.

I wasn’t the same woman who had arrived here, weighed down by doubt and fear. I was flying forward in trust—a physical expression of a spiritual truth.

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
—Isaiah 40:31

This wasn’t just an exit. It was a declaration:

God is faithful. I can trust Him. And with Him, I am not afraid to fly.

Closing Prayer

Father,
Thank You for being with me in the fog, in the waiting, and in the wilderness. You see what I cannot. You go before me in every uncertainty, working all things for my good. Teach me to trust You more. Soften my heart where it’s been hardened. Show me where I’m holding onto unforgiveness, and give me the grace to let it go. Thank You for freedom, for healing, and for every small and miraculous answer to prayer. I want to walk with You—and when the time comes, I want to soar.
Amen.

Reflection Prompts

• When have you felt “in the mist”—unsure of what comes next? How did you respond?
• Is there an area in your life where God is asking you to trust without all the answers?
• Are you holding onto any resentment or unforgiveness that might be keeping you stuck?
• What small victories has God given you recently that remind you He is with you?