Roadtrip Reflections: Guideposts for the Christian’s Journey

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“Road Trip!”

Hearing those two words fills us with anticipation, excitement, and curiosity for the adventures ahead. But despite the expected blessings and delight, sometimes the road can be rough. Planning, costs, and unexpected roadblocks are inevitable elements of any vacation. This merging of joy and suffering is likely why the Christian’s life of faith has often been compared to a journey.

By this fall, my husband and I will be retired, and our calendar will be freed up for more traveling. With endless possibilities and a bucket list of places we’d like to go, we’ve decided on a celebration road trip to the great Southwest. We’re aiming for New Mexico and Oklahoma—two of the 50 states we have yet to check off our “been to” lists.

As we prepare for our road trip, the excitement is building. Perhaps you’re planning a late summer excursion as well. Before we pack our bags, let’s unpack some road trip reflections and reminders that align with our most precious journey—our Christian walk.

Get Advice

When sharing our intentions for a Southwest trip with family and friends, seasoned travelers have offered several tips and pieces of advice.

“Santa Fe and Taos are outstanding!”

“The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is interesting.”

“We enjoyed touring the pistachio farms.”

“Don’t miss the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway!”

I’ve added these potential highlights to my itinerary spreadsheet, and I wonder if I should also add another week to our plan. (After all, we will be retired!)

Tapping into the wisdom and experience of travelers who’ve gone before can be invaluable, not only for road trippers but also for Christians. From the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 to our modern-day writers and theologians, words of wisdom from our spiritual forerunners provide arrows and signs that point us toward our destination. When we read the stories of our faith fathers and mothers—their unexpected trials, struggles with doubt, and ultimate joy—we can envision our desired landmarks: grace and salvation through Christ.

Map the Journey​​

With some waypoints in mind, I map out our plan. Starting and ending in the Midwest, our somewhat circular route will cover thousands of miles. Back in the day, I would have hauled out the atlas and, using the grid in the back, noted the miles between major cities and estimated the travel time. Now, I simply enter the city, national park, or landmark into a maps app, and the route, mileage, and travel time are calculated in seconds.

Once, in the early days of GPS technology, my husband and I were traveling north through rural Montana, in an area we had never been to before. The farther we drove into the country, the fewer bars our cellphones had. Eventually, we lost our signal, and so we also lost our directions. Using the sun as our guide, we had a sense of which way was north, so we headed that way until we found a gas station where we could pick up a map. Thankfully, they still sold them!

Whether using an atlas or a computer, a map is essential for a well-planned road trip. And so it is with our faith journey. The Christian’s map—the GPS that guides us along our way—is the gospel. Through Scripture, we are given directions on when, where, and to whom we should turn.

However, if the Bible is the “GPS” for my Christian walk, I admit sometimes the signal is weak. The words, culture, and practices of the Old and New Testament are so unfamiliar to my modern-day life that I often question which direction I’m supposed to go.

When Christians are confused by the interpretation of Scripture, pointing our words and actions toward the teachings, example, and work of Jesus—our light and true North—will keep us on the right path.

This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. (1 John 2: 5b-6)

Still, staying on the right road doesn’t guarantee easy travels.

Expect the Unexpected (and Ask for Help When Needed)

Despite our best-laid travel plans, we’ve encountered car trouble, weather delays, medical emergencies, and other unforeseen roadblocks on our travels. Over 20 years ago, in Colorado, with our minivan carrying our family of six and towing a pop-up camper, we pulled into a hilly campground at dark during a torrential rainstorm. The muddy, rutted road ahead should have been a clue to turn around, but we were tired travelers and, throwing caution to the wind, we went for it. We regretted our decision moments later, as our van tires spun and sank into the deep mud.

Thankfully, a kind soul who owned a Hummer noticed our plight and offered to tow us out of the muck. By the time we were moving again, I had booked a hotel—our first of the entire trip—a little further down the road.

As we trek along on our Christian journey, we, too, are bound to hit roadblocks that interfere with our spiritual growth. Desire for success, control, or earthly wealth bogs us down on our heavenly journey. Addictions, distractions, and doubts pull us off course.

When we hit those barriers or find ourselves stuck in worldly muck, finding Christian friends and mentors to walk alongside will keep us moving forward. Attending worship, church school classes, and Bible studies will build the strength needed to avoid pitfalls on our journey.

Recalling the unexpected hazards of our past road trips makes me pause as I plan our upcoming journey. Even though the trials we faced temporarily interfered with our progress, each roadblock taught us a valuable lesson and helped us become better travelers. The struggles we faced encouraged us to seek the direction and help we needed to arrive at our destination.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).

Thankfully, our trips weren’t only filled with troubles and misfortune. They held many blessings as well.

In the End, Count it Pure Joy

On our travels, we’ve discovered facets of nature, history, and culture that were new to us and awe-inspiring. But some of my most enduring memories are of the people who, though strangers, welcomed us into their lives.

When I was a child, my family came upon a Czechoslovakian artist working on an oil painting of the Canadian Rockies. My dad, who could strike up a conversation with anyone (even through foreign accents), discovered that the man also played the zither. The artist and his wife ended up at our campsite that evening to entertain us with music and conversation, thus becoming part of our family lore.

I also remember the taxi driver in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, who became our “go-to” guy. He gave us his number so we could call him whenever we needed a ride or advice about the area. Though our backgrounds, language, and culture were worlds apart, a friendship was born.

These experiences are a tiny sample of the evidence of God’s kingdom at work as we journey through our days. Rather than fearing those who look, dress, or speak differently, when strangers share and receive Christlike love, we get a glimpse of hope for the future. Whether traveling abroad, taking a road trip, or talking to our next-door neighbors, appreciating diversity and opening our hearts to all of God’s children can bring unspeakable joy to our journey.

As my husband and I head to the Southwest this fall, we can expect a few bumps in the road and the occasional wrong turn. We’ll discover marvels in the landscape that remind us how small we are and how great our Creator is. We might find adventures we hadn’t even planned, and meet people whose names we’ll soon forget but whose kindness we’ll long remember.

And so it is as our faith journeys unfold. We can’t know what trials or joys we’ll face around the next bend. We can only point our hearts toward the One who does.