We’ve been on the move.  One of those times in your life that you decide you’re taking the leap and doing something out of the ordinary.  There are risks in these decisions.  Will I enjoy traveling around?  Will I miss my friends back home too much?  Will I have a meltdown over not seeing my family?  Will the bills get paid like they’re supposed to?  Will the house be OK?  And then perhaps the most important question:  will God come with me on this trip?  I know, I know, that’s rather a ridiculous question because God is always with me, but I think you know what I mean.  In the breaking of your routine, at least in my life, I feared I might “fall off” my God-walk.  After all, there’s comfort in routines.

Well, I can happily report that God came along for the ride.  Yes, we did the tourist thing in many places, however God was right there with us, nudging and encouraging us as we went.  This has turned out to be a most productive trip, spiritually speaking, and a most enjoyable trip as far as traveling goes.

We’ve seen some of the most splendid country-side I can remember in a very long time.  I’d forgotten how much wide open space still exists in these United States.  Miles and miles of nothing as far as the eye can see.  And then, just when you think you’ll never see civilization again, a small town will rise on the horizon.  I’ve wondered where these people work, how they make their living as they’ve perched beyond the hustle and bustle of city life.  Something very appealing to this way of life in one respect.

We visited my family in mid-America, out to rural parts I’ve not seen in too long.  As we turned onto the highway leading us to their town, memories began flooding into my mind of the past.  It was almost overwhelming, these thoughts of the past.  It was here, visiting my grandparents’ farm, that my desire to live in the country, away from the city life I grew up in, was born.  We visited with family only to be shocked once we arrived and starting catching up that it had been 16 years since we’d been to visit.  Happy reunions awaited us along with laughter, tears, and fond memories shared.   And God joined us all in this visit.  He is a part of all our lives, a fact we’d somehow not shared before.  We all knew we “went to church” but to find out that we all have personal walks with Jesus, well that was quite wonderful to realize.  It was so unexpected and so sweet, powerful and filling.  Too quickly the visit was over and we were on our way again.  My comfort in saying sad goodbyes was overshadowed by the fact that they are all safely resting in my Savior’s arms of love.  Precious!

God came on our road trip.  We’ve learned, we’ve played, we’ve grown these six weeks.  Thank you Lord for your leading, love, and protection as we’ve traveled.  What a grand trip with You it has been.