There is a time in our lives when taking a road trip feels like a right of passage. It might mark the transition from adolescence to adulthood. It can allow us to “see” the world. A road trip can take on mythic proportions, like when we made the trip of a lifetime driving over a thousand miles. It is the source of running jokes and well-worn memories, like the time we saw the largest ball of twine in Cawker City, Kansas.
In addition to these things, a road trip can also inform our faith. It is even essential, as we “see” the world from a different perspective. As Sister Macrina Wiederkehr writes, “There is a road that runs straight through the heart. Walk on it.” A road trip can help us discover the road that runs straight through our heart because God is found on the journey.
All of life is a journey, so each journey of our lives is instructive. We discover this in Celtic spirituality, as Esther de Waal describes it, “I shall not find Christ at the end of the journey unless he accompanies me along the way.” The road trips of our lives teach us to pay attention, which can help us pay attention to the presence of Christ on the journey of life.
There are many road trips taking place this summer, visiting families or cities, monuments or destinations. We are traveling by car and plane on adventures and vacations. The church is also taking several road trips, which are quite significant!
Our youth and children are traveling to Passport Camps this July. They are loading up the church bus and taking a road trip to South Carolina, where the theme of the week will be “Fearless.” In the face of fear, faith leads us to courage, humility, kindness, grace, hope, and perseverance. We learn that we belong to God, and we learn about the sacred journey of loving our neighbor. The experience of a road trip can teach us to be fearless!
Our church will also take its longest road trip of the year, as our mission team, including members from other churches, will travel to Brazil to build a church, distribute glasses, and care for children at Vacation Bible School. They will cover many miles by plane and car, tending to the needs of others and connecting with people around the world.
The road trip of faith takes us to new places and teaches us deep lessons about fear and faith, service and mission! We hold everyone traveling on a road trip in our prayers, as we look forward to sharing in their experiences once they return home!
-Tripp