Category: Where Travel Meets God

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Laughing in the Rain

1 Peter 1:20–21 (ESV)—[Christ] was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

I can personally attest, Athenian sidewalks enjoy tripping tourists. Marble pedestrian concourses laugh as sandal-wearing tourists pitch forward. Tile sidewalks buckle for the thrill of watching visitors stub their toes. Even better, cobbled walkways dole out laughter:

The rain began while my husband and I left the jazz club to search for gelato. We stepped with care, reaching the slightest decline in elevation. My husband slipped, arms flailing, but stayed upright. I laughed, of course, and slowed my pace…only to lose my foothold and land on my butt.

Like the sidewalks of Athens, God’s path include trials that pitch us into harmful circumstances or cause us a world of pain. Peter’s message to “elect” followers of Jesus told much the same story, with an added bonus: faith has an inexplicable power to produce laughter in the rain.

Such a foothold of faith induces rejoicing that aids us in harmful circumstances. This allows God’s abundant peace and grace to flow through us, and through these he supports us.

Indeed, our faith in him allows us to stand even when we fall on our butts. In fact, when butts hit the ground, our response of laughing in the rain cements our faith and strengthens our hope in the living God.

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Aligning Our Expectations

In the foreground old wooden boat in on top a white-washed building. In the background, white-washed building stretching to the edge of a cliff, the town of Oia on the island of Santorini, Greece. 
Romans 8:18 (ESV)—For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

When telling family and friends of my trip to Greece, I heard widespread appeal for travel companions: “Can I be your assistant?” “Do you need a bodyguard?” and “Can I travel along in your carry on?”

These responses made me wonder, what draws people to this place? Is it the travel magazines showing white-washed buildings perched on cliffs or the travel films boasting of ancient ruins? Does the Mediterranean diet attract the droves of tourists?

I think, yes, these do play a role. Yet I also see their part in building expectations, enticing us with a taste of what’s possible . . . a possibility that may let us down (say, when we realize the metro doesn’t run super early in the morning and we need another mode of transportation to the airport).

However, not all expectations disappoint, according to the Apostle Paul. He preached to the Romans of the expectation of meeting Christ in his Kingdom one day. When he noted God’s promise to free creation from the bondage of sin as a reward for their faith, he encouraged expectations aligned with God’s plan.

As such, Paul’s message suggests expectations play a role in our life. Our earthly expectations pull us back from seeking God’s promises, whereas our heavenly expectations draw us closer to aligning our plan with God’s.

Though we may suffer today, the future holds hope, a hope that seeks God’s inheritance rather than despair, a hope that seeks God’s guidance rather than stagnation. With the knowledge of God’s promise of a future free of sin, we can align our expectations with his plan. Drawing on hope puts our hardships into the perspective of Apostle Paul’s: “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:19, ESV).

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Committing All to God

Roseate spoonbill flying above a marsh. The photo is blurry.
Proverbs 16:9 (ESV)—The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Standing on top of an observation deck overlooking the wetlands on Fort George Island, I spied a roseate spoonbill. My second sighting ever of this beautiful bird. Though my feathered friend sat far away, I lifted my camera, zoomed in, focused manually, and snapped away happily.

Then the spoonbill took flight.

In haste, I zipped the camera in its direction and snapped with haphazard grace, not changing a single setting to meet the demands of the photo. My hands snapped into motion before my mind did.

Later, while examining the photo, I zoomed in on the spoonbill. Nothing but a blur—distinctly a flying bird, but with a lack of detail that I could’ve captured if I’d slowed down and changed a few camera settings.

The same is true for the plans of man. We plan to our heart’s content and snap into action to satisfy our desires, and we later realize our settings were not set to God’s. The details are a blur that could’ve been avoided if we’d obeyed.

Fortunately, God cares about our heart’s desires. Proverbs 16:3 entreats us to commit all we do to the Lord. When we do this, we can trust our next steps will come into crisp, clear focus in God’s timing.

Truly, our plan begins with connecting our lens of faith to God’s camera body and continues with obeying. With God, our ideas take flight in every step from concept to final result.

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Moving With God’s Tide

Acts 17:4 (ESV)—And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.

I walked along the Amelia Island beach on a mission. Head down, I scanned the dense shell beds for the familiar glint of black. The tide rolled past my feet, shifting the shells like beads in a rain stick.

Nothing yet. I nudged a jumble of coquina with my toe, searching. Again, saltwater raked the shell bed. As the shells moved, a glisten caught my eye, shiny and black.

I stopped walking and bent down to examine the sharp point. I snatched it from the surf.

I’d found it: a shark’s tooth.

Like my mission, Paul’s required steadfast dedication (though his was definitely more important!). In Acts 17, he rolled with the tide of questions and disturbances, moving in and out of cities for his safety. All the while, he spread the gospel of salvation, with the mission to bring others to Christ. His persistent seeking of people to teach God’s message of salvation succeeded.

Like Paul’s, our persistence in moving with God’s tide allows for greater possibility of people finding Jesus. Through God’s guidance and protection, we can remain devoted to our mission for Christ. What’s more, we will see God’s work on earth succeed.

For certain, our commitment to revealing God’s Truth pays off: Lost souls come to know the gospel and accept Jesus as their Savior.

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Plunging Into Faith

A woman wearing goggles underwater with her cheeks puffed out
Mark 5:28 (ESV)—For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”

It defies all logic that I love snorkeling. (1) I’m more like a sinking ship than a playful seal when in the water, and (2) my mind thinks breathing underwater an impossible feat (and rightly so)…thus, I cannot breathe through the snorkel.

To conquer this plague of the snorkel, I first death-grip a boogie board to float on the water and then I breathe in, hold my breath, and plunge my face into the water. Over and over again. Much like the woman with twelve years’ bleeding, who breathed in and held her breath repeatedly, hoping for healing every time she visited a doctor, only to still struggle.

Her healing came when, with faith, she plunged into the crowd, despite her ceremonial uncleanness. Believing the reports of Jesus’ healing power, she touched Jesus’ cloak, and when Jesus asked “Who touched my garment?” she came forward, trembling, and told him the whole “unclean” truth.

Like this woman’s, our plunge of faith allows us to breathe through the Holy Spirit. Without him, we can only hold our breath and hope. With him, we’re free to swim underwater without fear of choking or worse.

Truly, submerging our life in faith saves us from drowning in the disappointment of over and over again.

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Choosing Faith Without Hesitating

Cats of different colors, eating food off concrete in an open outdoor space.
Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)—Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

“Come; don’t be scared.” I spoke in a gentle tone to the black-and-white cat hunkered behind a car tire. “I just want to love on you.”

I held out my fingers for a sniff but received only a head tilt from the Puerto Rican feline. Next, I danced my fingers along the sidewalk. Its eyes followed and tail swished. Still, it remained partially hidden, unsure of the human.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hesitant like this cat. In my prayer life, I’ve held back requests because mine seem to pale in comparison to others’ or seem to be too personal to share. I’ve even felt disinclined to pray for myself. I’ve been timid and reticent…yet curious like this cat. What would’ve happened if I shared my prayer requests instead of holding them inside, if I’d let faith lead instead of doubt? The answer: “far more…than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Sadly, hesitation separates us from God. It says we’re unsure of him. The good news is, God doesn’t want to keep us at arm’s length. He desires to draw us near to him and to reveal his power: to heal the sick, to comfort prisoners, to bless the weary, to bring joy to the hurt.

To know God better, we can dig deeper into our curiosity and step toward him. We can pray, worship, study the Word, love each other, and confess our sins. Choosing faith without hesitating, we allow him to love on us sooner and we walk the path of delighting in his ways.

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Trusting in the Fabric of His Plan

Exodus 15:20 (ESV)—Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.

Throughout San Juan, music flows through the doors of restaurants and bars. Music pours from speakers the residents carry.

At one point, while I sat with my husband at an outdoor tea and coffee kiosk, one customer’s speaker played soft guitar strains and Latin beats flowed from another’s. And after visiting for a few days, I realized that music blending together in the streets is part of the island’s fabric of the life.

In several parts of the Bible, dancing due to victories over enemies is part of the fabric of life. Take, for example, the prophet Miriam’s song and dance in Exodus 15:20: “Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.”

However, as charming as this scene is, her dancing didn’t come immediately. First, she had to learn to trust God with her troubles. For instance, Miriam learned the hard way that God appointed his servant Moses. Her attempt at gaining more power ended in leprosy and seven days of banishment from the Israelite camp (Numbers 12).

Better the former than the latter, right? Well, we can’t have one without the other.

Our relationship with him involves both troubles in our lives and trust in his blend of music for our lives. His love for us comes in comfort and peace during trials. It comes in the form of encouragement from family and friends. For these situations, we can still worship by bowing down in humility to the One who has designed for us a plan.

Indeed, not every situation is going to make us want to dance. But some are, and for these, God deserves our raised hands, our songs of praise, our bodies swaying to the fabric of his plan.

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Celebrating the Holy Spirit

The Front Bar at La Factoria in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. A bar lined with seats, a mirror on the back wall.
1 Corinthians 12:11 (ESV)—All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

At first, La Factoria seems to be a hole-in-the-wall bar, dimly lit with a few tables pressing against a side wall, a pair of booths along the back wall, and Latin music playing from the speakers. However, step back one room, and people sit at a wine bar, chatting while listening to percussive rhythms. Wander into the next room and dancers vie for a spot on the salsa-dancing floor while a live band plays. Roam through another door and dancers move to electronic beats in a night-club-like setting, and finally, venture through the crowds to the very last bar and find a more intimate setting with seating for ten.

Though each bar has its own rhythm, La Factoria as a whole “celebrates the mix of old and contemporary that defines Puerto Rico as a bridge between Latin and Anglo American cultures” (https://lafactoriavsj.com). Likewise, each spiritual gift, or “[variety] of service,” uniquely celebrates the Holy Spirit with “the same Lord” empowering each spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:5).

This bridge of empowerment of which Paul spoke connects believers to a community that celebrates the body of Christ. Indeed, our celebration of the Holy Spirit extols the glory of God’s plan and encourages others believers. Moreover, the body of Christ benefits each time we use our spiritual gifts.

So, whether we’re listening to music in a quiet room or salsa dancing on a black-and-white floor, our gifts laud the best of what the Holy Spirit has to offer us.

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Obeying the One

Buildings in Old San Juan 
1 Corinthians 3:5 (ESV)—What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.

“Waffles and tea, that’s our kind of place!” I showed my husband the restaurant on the Tripadvisor app.

The next morning, I used the location in the app to find the restaurant…only to arrive at an Asian restaurant. My growling stomach pushed us onward to a second address, procured from the establishment’s website…another misdirection into the heart of Old San Juan. The hunt for a third address, plucked from Yelp or a similar site on the internet (it’s hard to remember), also proved the restaurant elusive.

After this, I gave up.

“Let’s eat here.” I pointed to a random restaurant.

The Corinthians had a similar problem, but instead of searching for a restaurant, they sought someone to put their faith in. Some pointed to Paul and others to Apollos, depending on who’d baptized them. Because of their choice to follow one man, they lacked spiritual growth.

To experience the thrill of growing in spiritual maturity today, we follow the One. We seek God’s wisdom, and the Holy Spirit teaches us discernment. We tend to our role in his name, and our vine bears fruit.

These words sound simple: obey and grow. However, obedience can be difficult. It is choosing to serve him, for every second, of every day, throughout our life. When we seek him first though, we find the benefits of obedience to God and recognize the futility of trusting in a one rather the One.

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Building With Care

Buildings in Old San Juan with metal balconies, wooden shutters on the windows, and various colors of paint, orange, aqua, light blue, lighter blue, and pink.
1 Corinthians 3:8–9 (ESV)—He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

A neighborhood restaurant sat alongside a couple of bars, a bakery, and barricaded buildings in the San Agustin neighborhood of San Juan. A stroll a few blocks north or south to the main roads revealed gas stations and everyday businesses. A twenty-plus-minute walk west to Old San Juan showed restaurants, nightlife, ice cream shops, and chocolate bars.

After witnessing this shift, I began to think Puerto Rico builds from the outside in. And that makes sense, to first build up the tourist areas—their livelihood.

I think they are building with care, like Paul told the Corinthians to. He explained his role as a builder of foundations and the people’s role to build on that foundation. In other words, he shared the news of salvation with the Corinthians and told them that they had a responsibility to perform their role and that the quality of their work mattered.

According to Paul, spiritual growth starts on the outside with shedding worldly ways. Without shedding these, we are still built on the foundation of Christ, but paying more attention to our worldly efforts doesn’t move us toward Christ. Putting in the effort to develop our God-given role benefits ourselves as well as others, for everything God does through the church helps all. Our responsibility is to perform our role to the best of our ability, with the tools he gives us, in the world we live in.

We can think of developing our role in Christ like developing a tourist destination with restaurants and shops. The beauty of the building draws people in. The excellent customer service and good food keep them coming back. When this succeeds, more buildings can be constructed farther into the city, all on the foundation of Christ.