December, 1849. The sun beat down on Juliette Brier’s head. Standing only 5’ tall and weighing less than 100 pounds, Juliette and her family had headed west on the Santa Fe Trail. But they left the Trail behind when they met someone who told of a shorter route.

That route led them through a desert so tortuous they named it Death Valley. For days, the party wandered, lost, growing weaker and more demoralized.

The journey here had been so demanding that Juliette’s husband was a hundred pounds lighter than when they started. She couldn’t devote too much time to helping him, however. Her three tiny children demanded her attention if she wanted them to survive.

“You’re too weak to walk with us,” the men of the party said. “Wait here. We’ll go on ahead and send help when we’ve found our way out.”

“Neither my children nor I have ever kept the company waiting,” Juliette replied.

She scooped up one child and put it on her back. She held one in her arm and took the hand of the other. Then, helping her emaciated husband, she walked over 100 miles — through the desert to California.

Those who take pride in their strength are doomed to fail eventually. But even the weakest person can rely on Christ’s grace and power. Trust in Him; He will lead you home.