I've been blessed to be able to do an extensive amount of traveling in my short life. In the past 6 years I've traveled to: Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy (3 times), Belize, Egypt, Russia, Singapore and the Philippines. In addition I've traveled extensively in the United States as well. I've seen the Grand Canyon, deserts, Rocky Mountains, Great Lakes, Civil War battle grounds, Disney World, beautiful beaches and New York City among others (honestly, I can't remember all the places I've been in the United States unless someone asked me about specific experiences).
On Wednesday I leave for my next foreign adventure, and my longest one too! For 6 weeks I'll be traveling through Ireland, Northern Ireland and England. Ireland and London are two of the places I've always wanted to visit, so I could not be more excited!
Some pictures from some of my travels:
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| Germany. This is the castle Disney modeled theirs after |
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| Venice, Italy |
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| Crooked Tree, Belize |
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| Giza Pyramids, Egypt |
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| Egypt |
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| Jolly Bee, The Philippines |
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| Medical clinic work, The Philippines |
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| Myrtle Beach, South Carolina USA |
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| Sea World, Orlando, FL USA |
Since I'll be leaving in 4 days, I'm doing what I always do before a big trip: looking over the packing list, getting my stuff together, making sure I don't need any new shots, and looking at the weather to plan my outfits.
However, something seems different about this trip. Again, I can't help but think that I'm not the same person I was in a lot of these pictures (except maybe the one of me and Shamu, that was taken 2 months ago). The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I'm not the same person. I've grown so much spiritually, in self confidence and in independence. Even though I wouldn't admit it, it was always hard for me to travel abroad because I knew I wouldn't see my family for several weeks. When I went to The Philippines and I found out I could not communicate with my family due to the lack of internet and phone access, I was crushed. Now, I'm honestly more excited to meet up with my friends in Europe then I was to come home. Not once have I thought about how much I'll be able to call home or email. Sure, I'll miss my family. But I've realized I can be successful independently and I can function on my own.
As I said, God has used the trials in the last year of my life to grow me tremendously. I'm still not where I'd like to be, but I'm growing and I'm feeling every growing pain. And, as I've been thinking and preparing for my upcoming trip, I can't help but think about how traveling relates to my Christian walk.
As Paul said in his letter to the Philippians: "...We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under control" (3:20-21).
I've found that I identify myself as an American most when I travel. In order to go anywhere you always have to have your passport on you. When going through customs they always ask you where you are from and your purpose for travel and scan your passport to make sure that you're telling them the truth. Likewise, when I'm visiting another country, I usually begin to realize how awesome home is, especially if the country is much different than mine. In Europe I became thankful I did not have to pay to use public bathrooms back home. In Egypt I became thankful that I can wear shorts without every single man on the street undressing me with his eyes. In The Philippines I became thankful for not only clean drinking water, but water that I can make warm or cold with the turn of a knob.
Likewise, our walks with Christ should constantly remind us that we are citizens of heaven and Earth is simply a travel destination. We're just passing through on an awesome and amazing trip (after all, life really is awesome and amazing!) until we get home. It's like we're at standby at an airport. Except, we don't have to wait in the airport, we get to explore our entire location! At any moment the airline can call us and tell us our plane is ready and we can leave. Likewise, at any moment Jesus can call us home.
Furthermore we need to live like we are citizens of Heaven and not of Earth. As Paul said to Peter:
"Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world" (1 Peter 2:11-12)
When I go to another country I cannot simply become a citizen of that country by visiting. I do not speak the language, I do not dress the same way and most of the time I don't even look like the natives. I am a foreigner. We as Christians should look at our time here on Earth the same way, just as Paul said! We should not look, act or dress the same as Earthly residents. We need to dress in a clean modest fashion, speak in a pleasing way and serve and love others so much that everyone who sees us knows what we are doing is foreign. We are citizens of Heaven, people, and we must act like it!
When traveling a passport proves your citizenship. Our lives should be our passport and show our citizenship. As Paul said to the Corinthians:
"The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you....This 'letter' is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts" (2 Cor. 3:2-3)
As Paul said, our lives are our recommendation. For my traveling analogy, I say this is like our passports.
Finally, packing is one of the most important parts of the trip. If I went to Egypt and packed the same clothes I took with me to Germany, I'd be extremely uncomfortable. So, what are you packing for your trip to Heaven? It's a one way final destination flight. Heaven airlines has really weird luggage requirements and actually requires you ship everything ahead of time. Their customs are funky, too. In fact, Jesus told us exactly what we can take:
"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroy them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also" (Matt. 6:19-20).
Although we are saved by grace and not by deeds we can store up our works for Christ in Heaven. Our good works that we do for Him do gain meaning after we are saved. We do not do good works to earn salvation or more love (because we can't) but we do good works to please Him and so that we have crowns to give Him.
I can't wait to get to Heaven. Have you ever arrived home from a long trip and then got together with people several weeks later to tell stories? It is great! Things that seemed miserable in the moment usually make the best and funniest stories. How much more awesome will it be in Heaven? When all of us sit around eating the best food (hopefully best fried chicken, biscuits and sweet tea ever) and sharing stories from our travels? I CAN'T WAIT!
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