In this article I’ll go over some of my tried and true methods to deepen your faith as you travel this holiday. And as the holiday season is upon us it’s easy for our faith to take a step back because of the business of this time of year. But here are some ways to keep your faith growing in this busy time of year.
I have taken all types of trips, from pilgrimage to mission trips, sharing my faith. But one thing I want to do on all my trips is grow in faith and especial at Christmas.
As a missionary for over 20 years and working in ministry for just as long, I’ve learned some things that have helped me deepen my faith while traveling. And working in ministry during the busiest time of year. So, this is my guide for growing in faith while on the road.
- Take the essentials
- Read the Bible daily.
- Take time to pray.
- Discover the greatness of Creation.
- Practice Daily Gratitude.
To deepen your faith as you travel during the holidays you will need to,
Take the essentials
Bible and journal.
Taking these things on my trips helps me pray, read my Bible, and write down my thoughts. I always take these two items when I travel. The Bible app on my phone is also an excellent way to ensure I read my Bible daily, every day, but I also like a physical Bible.
Now, if you don’t read your Bible daily or weekly, take a devotional that helps you grow in faith.
Anytime you want to deepen your faith you will need to,
Read the Bible daily.
I am on a mission to help women read their Bible daily or weekly. It’s so important, too, and the personal benefits of reading the Bible are vast. And what better time then during Christmas and the New Year.
You can learn more about the benefits from Lifeway in this article. Here is a small snippet of the benefits of reading the Bible.
- Feeling lonely drops 30%
- Anger issues drop 32%
- Bitterness in relationships drops 40%
- Alcoholism drops 57%
- Sex outside of marriage drops 68%
- Feeling spiritually stagnant drops 60%
- Viewing pornography drops 61%
- Sharing your faith jumps 200%
- Discipling others jumps 230%
If you want to deepen faith while traveling and grow in faith as you travel read the Bible.
The next way to grow in faith as you travel and deepen your faith is
Take time to pray.
No matter where you go, you have all you need to pray for.
It’s free, and it just takes a little time. I set aside time to pray on all my trips, it’s generally in the morning.
For the last year, I have been incredibly busy.
Right now I work two jobs and started this blog as a side business. My time is so valuable as is yours. So what I started to do to make sure I get my prayer time in each day is to set a timer to pray.
If you want to deepen your faith when you travel this Christmas, then do this.
Ten min prayer time.
For 10 mins a day I pray about specific things and I ask God to give me wisdom and guidance.
This has really changed my prayer time and life as well. When you travel you might also have a little more time to start praying daily.
If you have time to pray for longer, that’s wonderful. This just ensures you get your prayer time in daily.
Discover the greatness of Creation.
As I mentioned I have traveled extensively, and seen some amazing places. From the Alps in Switzerland to the plains of Africa. As I travel, I think about the wonder and majesty of Creation.
Going outside and seeing nature helps me deepen my faith as I travel.
Ways you can connect to God in nature: Use your senses
- Eyes: Look around and look for details.
- Ears: Close your eyes and hear the sounds
- Hands: Touch something and notice different things about it.
- Smell: Breath in the air around you.
These techniques can help you connect deeper when you go outside.
The last on how to grow in faith and deepen your faith as you travel this holiday
Practice Daily Gratitude.
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in all the chaos of the world. The business of life, but practicing daily gratitude can help your focus shift and deepen your faith. It can connect you with God while on the road. Here are two verses that talk about giving thanks.
The verse in
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
and
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Even science is producing more research on the benefits of daily gratitude. Studies have proven that gratitude improves sleep, lowers glucose levels, boosts immune systems, and helps mental health. Here is an article by Research.com with 35 benefits of gratitude, all backed by research.
Giving thanks to God can and does help us in more ways than we realize. So, practicing gratitude can help deepen your faith as you travel and help cultivate a new healthy practice.
Recap of how to grow in faith as you travel.
- Take the essentials: Bible and Journal
- Read the Bible
- Take time to pray
- Discover Creation
- Practice Gratitude.
I leave you with this verse:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”Philippians 4:6
To grow in faith as you travel is as simple as taking the time to do it. I hope this post helps you and if you have anything to add please leave a comment below. Also if this article has helped you please share it with others.
Here are some related articles about travel to check out as well.
Five ways to get the most out of your trip
Unlocking a New World: 5 Ways to Immerse Yourself in Culture While Traveling