Travel and the Single Journey

“The Lord watches over you...”

-Psalm 121:5-

One of the real aspects of walking the single journey is the reality that there may be times that we travel alone- whether it is by default or by choice. Singles may meet up with friends or family members at some point in the travel but there are times that we will need to travel alone in this world. Whether it is a short or long car trip. a flight across the country. or a flight to the other side of the world, I have found incredible comfort in Psalm 121:5 and in the truth, “the Lord watches over you…” (Psalm 121:5). 

As we travel let us pray that the Lord will be with us and keep us safe. When we drive let us ask Him to help us focus on the road before us and keep our heads clear during long car trips when we could potentially get distracted. We may feel that a road trip is more “fun” or “better” with a physical companion, but this is a unique opportunity and time where we can spend it in prayer with the Lord. As the miles roll beneath the wheels of our cars, let us pray that during this season of road trips alone we would make sweet memories of growing closer to the Lord. 

In the years before I got sick I lived a wide range of hours away from my family due to schooling, jobs, and where the Lord had called me. At one point I lived almost 12 hours away and it was a long car trip home by myself. I asked the Lord to help me with these long trips and to use this time to grow closer to Him. I wanted to use the time that I had and be purposeful with it. I bought several different christian books on tape, purchased the Bible on tape (I really enjoyed THIS ESV version of the entire Bible and would also listen to the Message sometimes too which you can find HERE), and purchased new worship music for each of my trips. As I would rotate the things I would do (each hour I did something different alternating between listening to a devotional book, the Bible, worship, and prayer) the time literally flew. As I look back on my long car trips over a 7 year period of time I now see them as some of the sweetest times with Jesus that are truly precious to me. 

There are lots of times where today scripture that I was hearing and memorizing has been an incredible encouragement in my current journey with Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease. Those long car trips that I took alone were a beautiful foundation for this difficult season in life. 

 “The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.” 

-Psalm 121: 5-6-

When you travel in any form of transportation Psalm 121:5-6 has brought comfort and encouragement to me. Commit these verses to heart- know that the Lord watches over you and cling to the promise that nothing will harm you. Our mighty Lord "watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4). If we have to fly let us pray that God will watch over the plane and keep us safe. “The Lord will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life.” (Psalm 121:7) No matter how we travel let us remember that God would surround His angels around us and keep us safe. “For He will order His angels to protect you wherever you go.” (Psalm 91:11). 

Let us remember that we never truly travel alone. The Lord is always with us. He is our sun and our shield. 

“The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” 

-Psalm 121:8-