Traveling: Redeemed

It’s not a mystery to anyone who knows anything about me: I love to travel. 

I. Love. To. Travel. 

My eyes flutter and my heart beats wildly when I think about planning a trip somewhere.  I have a long list of places to visit before I die. I love being in another culture and experiencing everything about it.  As strange as it sounds, I relish the thought of being mistaken for a local.  And when I return to my wonderful Idaho home, I feel, at least for a while, as if I don’t belong.  I’ve been blessed to have been able to go to quite a few places, thanks to friends who have opened their homes, a work schedule that has lent itself to having consistent time off every year, and great travel buddies.  I love being a traveler!

On a somewhat related side note, I have a confession to make about my thoughts on travelers…

I have always somewhat judged those people who always begin conversations with “This reminds me of the time I was swimming with sea turtles off the coast of Maui and…” or “Once, I toasted with this tall, dark, and handsome Croatian man who…” or “If you think this sunrise is great, you should try seeing it from the top of this one volcano in a far, distant land I climbed when….”  You get the idea. The braggers.  The ones who tell stories to make the conversation turn back on them so they can see the envy and jealousy etched on the face of the listener.  I have NEVER wanted to be one of THOSE travelers. (I also apologize for the moments when I have been one!)

I’ve been convinced for some time that God has been very purposeful in His design of my personality. The passions I have are not something to be avoided, shunned, or shamed, but recognized.  He planted within me, a purpose.

Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua with a local church’s young adults group. It was a trip that, honestly, I probably wouldn’t have committed to if I had known I would be moving to a foreign country the next month. But, as what happens during all mission trips, God had something clear to teach and remind me through this experience.   You see, THIS trip, for once, wasn’t about me.  And for those who are reading this and thinking, “duh!” yeah, I can clearly see that now... But seriously. It felt fulfilling to be in a community of young adults who had the sole purpose of serving.  We weren’t there to be tourists.  We experienced a very specific part of the country’s culture in Jinotega.  We were there to be with them and for them. (Thanks for that, Kenton!)  That is to be why I travel.

It was as if God was taking this opportunity to, once again, remind me that He has a purpose for me. He designed me to have a passion for traveling and other cultures for a reason.  To be with them and for them. To serve. To love. To teach.  I have come to understand this year that God’s timing is absolutely perfect and intentional. I needed to commit to this trip at the moment when I did. Not solely for my own pleasure, but for His.

So as I, this crazy ranting girl, set off for Indonesia, I go knowing that I get to delight in the desires God has put in my heart.