Last summer we were able to take a trip out west with our ultra light camper. It was something we had planned for several months, with specific places as a must see along the way, but we were very clear about needing the freedom to stay or move quicker if we wanted. The roadmap served as a guide only, not cast in stone, because we knew that there would be much that we could not plan for along the way. Flexibility was going to be important, and peace dictating all our many twists and turns, as we prayerfully sought the Holy Spirit for guidance.
For many years I know that the Lord has spoken personally that I need to know where I am, before I get to where I am going. It is the same with planning a trip. Clarity in where you are launching from is critical, looking at viable routes and alternates if necessary, how much you will be taking along, are just some of the considerations. Clearly what we pack will influence how prepared we are for both planned and unexpected situations, for packing too much or too little can play out in many ways. Preparation was key!
With any roadmap we have a destination in mind that will keep us going in that general direction, and it was no different for us. We were targeting national parks, with our final destination being Glacier in Montana, but with other parks along the way. What we realized early on was that our camper was a people magnet. It is a unique set up, drawing attention wherever we went, and people were all over it. Their curiosity was just too much for them to pass us by, so we found that we were always engaging in conversation, and demonstration. As the trip went on we expected the attention to continue, and so we just adjusted ourselves for the additional time it took to get gas, stop at grocery stores, and even setting up in campgrounds.
There is always purpose to where God is taking us. Often He will take us to places where He knows someone is waiting for an encounter, using us as an answer to a prayer, or just enabling us to see someone who needs encouragement. We experienced this and so much more. We had two separate occasions where we met grieving men who had lost their wives before they could make the trip out west together, a young couple who were creating memories with small children, a couple working at a campground for the summer who brought the Lord’s joy to those around them, and so many more.
These people who let us into their lives by sharing their stories, listening to ours, and allowing us to pray with them were a gift from God. Our trip was awesome, but the true essence of its success was much more than the staggering beauty we witnessed, it was in the faces that we will not forget.
At the very beginning of our trip the Lord gave us a mandate, He would be bringing people across our path, and we were to make time to listen to them.
1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your heart revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”