Your Personal Pilgrimage

This section of the site will include TRAVEL PLANNING BASICS for your personal pilgrimage, and some fundamental insight and experiences about preparing for and negotiating travel on your own!

I would like to begin this section with a question that I did not realize I should be asking myself over the years...

"Why is all this chaos swirling around me, stressing me out, and how can I fix it? "

If you are like me, you may be living a life of DOING...FIXING...MAINTAINING... all the while, never realizing there exists a peace available in the chaos. We just have to access it!

My life has been so blessed, but even in the best of times -- raising a family, fulfilling my calling to teach, and enjoying friends and adventures, the weight of "life" can be overwhelming. Often, we don't question it. We just adapt and carry on with our busyness; yet there is a call to a higher place that involves that peace I was just talking about. And that peace leads to a place where you are not just "maintaining" anymore, but you can actually focus on reaching out to others, building relationships, and living as "more than a conqueror," as Romans 8:37 tells us.

That peace is found in the Presence of God. Making time for Him. Seeking Him out. Listening to what He is saying instead of just spewing requests during prayer time.

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33 NIV

It is truly a miraculous thing; the more time I give Him, the more time He gives me. Along with that comes an underlying, inexplicable peace. 

I will be adding content to this page to hopefully be of help and to answer questions that may arise, but for now, I would like to ask you to carve out some TIME. You do not have to go to Spain to walk on your own to do it. You don't even have to go into the woods on a traditional hike. Simply make some alone time in your day -- set the alarm 15 minutes earlier; take a walk around your home after dinner; give 10 extra minutes to your nighttime routine. Just make it you and Him and see what happens.

Here are some ideas for that TIME --

• Choose a verse to focus on (maybe one from your memory), find it, and read around it. What does the whole chapter say? What is the context?

(Example: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." You find that in Psalm 139, but if you read that whole chapter, you find that it is a treasure trove! It is a love letter telling how much God loves and cares for you!)

• Listen to scripture or worship music as you fall asleep or while getting ready for work/school/daily activities. If you end your day this way, you will sleep much better... and if you practice this in the morning, it sets the tone for your day!

Sample Resources:  

Abide (App or segments on You Tube)

Elevation Worship Anywhere Sessions (You Tube)

• Journal. Buy yourself a special notebook or journal just for this special time with God. Choose a theme for the day, and "free write" your thoughts, prayers, what you are grateful for, etc. Talk to the Lord through your thoughts in written words.

• Find a daily, interactive Bible study that focuses on what you are interested in. It is fun to research and shop for these. There are many topics and authors to choose from. One of my favorite authors/speakers is Priscilla Shirer.

These are just a few suggestions to give you a springboard from which to dive into a new season of seeking the Lord and finding His peace. 

Make this a new era in your Personal Pilgrimage to His Presence!

Now that your are practicing that peaceful time in the presence of God, it may seem like you have more TIME. (Isn't that crazy how that works? I love it!)

A friend and colleague of mine (Hey, Angela!) did a little weekend trip to Atlanta, and in our conversation, she said that she has added a recent goal -- to visit the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles. 

So, if I want to do a solo adventure to LA, where do I start? 

I have always found that looking at my priorities first, then adding the puzzle pieces one-by-one equals a carefully planned, successful trip! This is just an example of how I begin planning, and I hope you will be able to glean from these steps.

1. Where is the location of Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles?

• What is the name of the closest airport?

• What else is in that area that I would want to visit while I am there?

• Are there hotels close by? And what public transportation is available? or... do I want to rent a car and drive myself? (My response here is usually NO!) Lol

2. Do I have a choice regarding when I can make this trip?

• When is the best time to fly to LA? (Consider other major events going on / what will the weather be / How far in advance do I need to buy tickets to the museum?

• How long can I stay? (Can I work in those other things I want to see?)

Troubleshooting with the puzzle pieces we have so far:

When doing a search online for airline tickets or hotels, I often use an "Incognito Window" on my Google search. The reason is that I have visibly seen increased prices in airfares when I search the same flight info more than once. For example, if I just want to get a general idea of the price and availability for my dates, and then later go back to that same search, I have seen the price increase (because then they know I want it!) :)

I usually try different sites besides just the airline that I want to fly so that I can compare prices. Sometimes using Expedia or other third party websites will give you a lower price than the airline itself. If however, you have to make changes after booking, you will have to go through Expedia, for example, in order to do that. It usually is not an issue, but remember-- you are not dealing directly with the airline.

The same is true with your hotel. Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, and others will often offer packages to you, so you can book your flight, hotel, and rental car all at the same time. I have done that before, and it is convenient. But sometimes, booking with the hotel directly can be less expensive -- not guaranteed, but sometimes, yes. And I love the Trivago ads! They remind me to look there, and there have been a couple of times after seeing their comparison, I changed my mind and booked through someone else!

Travel Insurance is a MUST. I know that some people are risk-takers, but this traveler has had too many delayed/missed flights or train rides that have caused lost or misplaced luggage, delayed hotel check-in date, and other inconveniences. 

I am going to have to go for now, but I will be back to discuss more of our puzzle pieces and troubleshooting as we plan this adventure!