Is Traveling a Bad Thing?

I grew up in a family that loved to travel, exploring new cultures and enjoying the beauty of God's creation. One of the passions my parents passed on to me was travel.

When Stephanie, my wife, and I felt a call by God to leave our lives and jobs in San Antonio and move into full time ministry, one of the attractions of seminary was the possibility of living in Oxford, England. Studying at Wycliffe Hall Oxford expanded both of our understandings of the influence of culture on our faith. We had, in a sense, an American Christian faith. Living in another culture helped us to peel away some unnecessary layers of our faith, helping us to get closer to the heart of Jesus. And I think we also helped others to examine some of their cultural beliefs glued on to their faith.

Today I love traveling the world to experience new cultures and see how other people live. God creates people in his image and there is a lot to see out there in the world to take in the depth and majesty of God's creation. In 2019 we traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. In 2022 we explored southeast France, Spain, and Portugal. Some people enjoyed following us through social media postings while others found them self-indulgent. They were meant to share bits and pieces of the beauty of God's world.

In 2023 in Albania and then in 2024 in Turkey and Greece, I came to realize the horrors that war has on cultures, especially the people of Greece caught at times between invaders and peoples who hate one another. It helped me better understand the background of Stephanie's family who came from Greece.

Traveling has opened up my mind and my heart to a greater appreciation of the gospel and that in Jesus God came for all people. Why? Because he created all of us and all of this world, and he created it to love.