Where travel meets God
Psalm 19:14 (ESV)—Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Let’s pray this verse
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May we strive for our words to be acceptable in God’s sight.
Psalm 23:4 (ESV)—Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Many a valley has captured my attention. I’ve hiked the hills of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, gazing down on yellow aspens in the fall. In Switzerland, I’ve gawked at the Alps from a train car winding its way through the rugged mountains, the valley views spectacular from above and below. I’ve sat in the passenger seat while my husband drove us on the winding Pacific Coast Highway, traveling from valley through clouds and above the clouds, the white floor stretching out like a vast flatland meadow.
Valleys give us good reason to not fear “the valley of the shadow of death.” The valley is alive with God’s creation. The trees provide the oxygen we need to live; bathe us in shade on hot summer days; and of course give us a tangible, up-close picture of God’s creation. Clouds can warm the earth at night, protect us from the sun’s heat during the day, cast rain on the earth, and warn of inclement weather.
The valley also plays host to God’s people, and God uses the valley to protect and provide for his people. For example, in the story of Isaac and Abimelek, Isaac moved to the Valley of Gerar, after the Philistines filled the wells of his father, Abraham. Isaac’s people dug more wells, but others disputed ownership of the first two. The third, undisputed by others, “he named it Rehoboth, saying, ‘Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land’” (Genesis 26:22).
The valley, though sometimes shaded with our troubles, also offers hope. From the valley, we can move our gaze upward to our Father and pray for his provision and protection. Indeed, when we feel as if we’re in a valley, we can “abide in the shadow of the Almighty,” our “refuge and fortress” (Psalm 91:1–2).
Proverbs 4:23 (ESV)—Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
Walking along the gravel road, past houses tucked into the trees, I came upon a fork in the road that did not lead to a house. I picked up my pace, rounding onto the path, and froze. A deer grazed at the edge of the of the path overlooking the lake shimmering in the sunshine.
Gaze set on the deer, I saw movement to the side. Another deer sat in the grass. I stood, mesmerized, not daring to move, knowing the crunch of gravel a dead giveaway to my presence.
Yet another deer stepped from the trees, but this one stared straight at me, neck stiff, ears alert. It stepped a few steps closer, freezing in place for a few seconds then pawing at the ground and bobbing its head. This doe sensed something not quite right in her world, a threat to her safety, to her herd. The moment I stepped backward, her deer instincts told her to run.
Guarding our hearts requires being on the lookout for spiritual threats, for the devil’s prowling (1 Peter 5:8). Satan prepares for us a rutted path with hidden potholes to make us unsteady on our feet. No, the threats of Satan are not always obvious and he will attempt to trip us up.
If we perceive a threat from Satan, like deer perceive a threat from a human presence, how do we protect our spirit? Looking to Scripture and praying for God-given wisdom helps us to assess the threat. Our daily Bible readings and prayers fill our minds with God’s Word, protecting our hearts from the devil’s lies. Our submission to God and his Word causes the devil to flee (James 4:7). The living Word helps us to fight off Satan’s schemes, guiding our attitudes and thoughts (Hebrews 4:12). Yes, the tenets of God’s Word guide us in righteous living and help us resist the devil’s temptations.
Luke 22:31–32 (ESV)—“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Pink flashed west of the boardwalk over the pond at Big Talbot Island State Park. I saw not the beginnings of a sunset, but my first glimpse of a roseate spoonbill—and not only one but a flock, landing in the trees across the the pond.
These wading birds use their spoon-like bill to sift through the muck in shallow, coastal waters. They search for grub such as minnows, shrimp, and even plant roots—food to nourish their bodies.
Simon Peter also had some sifting to do. He, as well as the other disciples, had to sift through their sorrow of their Rabbi’s coming death, Jesus’ arrest, and Simon Peter’s betrayal of Jesus.
And sift they did…but not well. Instead of pray as Jesus did, they slept. Instead of acting peaceful, one disciple cut off the ear of a high priest, and when Simon Peter was asked about knowing Jesus, he denied, denied, denied.
But even through the drama, Jesus said and showed the answer to sifting through the muck: prayer. Jesus prayed for the disciples that their “faith may not fail” (Luke 22:32). He also instructed the disciples to “pray that [they] might not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:40). Most important, Jesus prayed for God’s will despite his want for another answer.
Like Jesus, we need to pray for God’s will, but unlike Jesus we’re going to sin “and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 ESV). Our hope lies in Jesus’ prediction for Simon Peter that when he turns back to Jesus he’ll strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:32). Simon Peter’s failings would be turned around for good, so let us pray and take heart that we can turn back to God and that our failings can strengthen our own faith as well as others’.
I sometimes become obsessed with the idea of writing a devotional based on a particular verse. My fingers fly over the keyboard for a minute or two before freezing, the well of words running dry all because I didn’t bother to inject wisdom into my writing. Instead, I tried to produce words to publish a post or to submit to a publisher.
Devotional writing is more than putting well-constructed sentences with a clear theme to the page. Discerning God’s Word through the use of commentaries and other resources helps us produce well-thought-out ideas. Our prayers during writing and before posting guide us to biblical connection and sureness. After publication, these thoughts speak to others and encourage further contemplation of God’s Word.
God has entrusted us with the power to wield words to spread his Word. This thought makes me want to put my words in his hands. How about you?
Ecclesiastes 9:17 (ESV)—The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.
In the writing and editing community, we have the power to pray that our fellow writers and editors be given the words to “fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.”
Ephesians 6:19 (NIV)—Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.
I love writing devotionals, but the words don’t always flow like snowmelt down a mountain slope. Whenever I feel stuck, I close the document and push that writing aside for another time.
This year I’d like to pull the writing closer. I’d like to pray over the writing more and read the Bible passage a bit more closely, including those superscript letters that denote connecting verses. I want to do so because I trust the the Rock eternal with my writing and know he’ll strengthen the words for his purpose.
In this new year, and for years to come, remind yourself the Rock eternal holds your words in his hands.
Isaiah 26:4 (NIV)—Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)—So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
In years past, my hubby and I walked a Christmas tree home from the grocery store. This tradition changed last year when the local grocery store, only a couple of blocks from our home, stopped selling pine trees. That tradition ended (sigh) with a tree purchased from another nearby store and hauled home in the trunk of the car.
Come this year, neither store stocked Christmas trees (double sigh). And wanting the blissful pine smell—and not only from a wax melt—my hubby and I hopped in the car and ventured to a nearby Christmas tree farm. The trees stood in the barn like a line of stately nutcracker soldiers, no Charlie Brown trees in sight. We picked out a lovely fir and loaded it in the trunk for the journey home.
After carrying the tree inside, we fastened it into the iron tree stand my mom passed down to me. She received it from her parents. Tree snug and sturdy, I got my Christmas on, hanging baubles on branches, reminiscing of travels past, while listening to Christmas music, a yearly event I thoroughly enjoy. And since decorating, I’ve buried my nose in the branches a time or two for a whiff of piney goodness.
I love my Christmas traditions and the joy they bring. But Christmas is more than earthly traditions. It’s a celebration of the birth baby Jesus, the Light of the World. And to celebrate, I think it’s time to light up my life with new traditions: reminiscing about my spiritual journey this past year, celebrating my successes with a prayer of thankfulness, or spending more time with my nose in the Good Book rather than in the tree.
Merry Christmas! I pray your traditions bring you joy and light!
Philippians 1:9–11 (ESV)—And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Paul’s prayer about love speaks to my traveler’s heart. While exploring the world, we have a chance to reflect God’s love, and it’s important for us to pray for more love. More love for the flight crew when our plane gets delayed. More love for the hotel workers when our room is not ready at the scheduled time. More love for when the weather doesn’t cooperate. More love for when service at a restaurant takes longer than expected. More love for the tour company that cancels our outing. More love for our travel partners. More love for ourselves.
More love! There’s never such a thing as too much love. Before you embark on your next adventure, pray for abounding love.
Publication—it’s a dream for every writer, whether a magazine article, a novel, a poem, or a short story. It says I have succeeded as a writer. It says I have accomplished a lifelong dream. It says someone wants to read my writing.
As Christian writers, we know God has set forth a plan for us.
Sometimes, though, the mirage-like goal becomes like the tree in the Garden of Eden—a sparkling temptation. We want to know the future of our writing, so we submit when a piece is not ready. We put in more hours at the expense of family time. We forget to pray about our writing.
When I pray for my writing, I find more focus. While I cannot know the outcome of my writing, I write with joy because God designed me with a passion to write. The destination for my writing, I leave in God’s hands.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
—Jeremiah 29:11
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.
—Genesis 3:6
