What might be some of the first questions you ask before planning a trip and deciding what to pack?
1. What is your budget?
Will you be counting each penny or do you have money to burn? Will you need to find ways to save or can you splurge a little?
2. What type of trip will it be?
Will you be counting each penny or do you have money to burn? Will you need to find ways to save or can you splurge a little?
2. What type of trip will it be?
Vacation or Business? Family, couple or friend? The purpose of the trip dictates what you take. Clothes need to be professional for a work conference and you will want to have travel entertainment if you will have kids with you.
3. Where is it?
What will the weather be? What is the terrain? You wouldn't pack just shorts for a snowy, mountain ski trip or take a down jacket on an island beach getaway! Destination comes into account when planning your trip.
What will the weather be? What is the terrain? You wouldn't pack just shorts for a snowy, mountain ski trip or take a down jacket on an island beach getaway! Destination comes into account when planning your trip.
4. How will you be traveling?
Car rides accommodate for more bags while airplanes means organizing those small ounce containers for security checks. There is also bus when the budget is small and time isn't an issue or a train for the scenic route. You may need small bills for tips or AAA for extra security, discounts and maps on a road trip.
5. Where are you staying?
Do you have a friend close by with room to keep you? Do you need to book a hotel or suite if the family is with you? How many nights do you need? What amenities are essential for your trek?
Those 5 questions are just the beginning of the planning process.
5. Where are you staying?
Do you have a friend close by with room to keep you? Do you need to book a hotel or suite if the family is with you? How many nights do you need? What amenities are essential for your trek?
Those 5 questions are just the beginning of the planning process.
The irony of life is we don't often consider the equivalent of these questions when it comes to our spiritual life, something much more important than a trip.
Navigating through life can be a challenge, especially when you understand we have an enemy.
Yes, Satan is real.
I am not sure he looks like many of the depicted caricatures circuiting, especially when you read scriptures that say he comes disguised as "an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Satan doesn't like us. He didn't just get kicked out of heaven because he wanted to be God, he was upset that God created us. He was in essence the jealous older sibling after mommy has a new baby. He wanted and still wants to take us out.
God came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Jesus died and came back to life to conquer for us what we couldn't conquer ourselves, but we are still walking through the battlefield of life and we need to start engaging a little more so we come out alive.
Do you know the books of the Bible and their themes?
Are you memorizing scripture on a regular basis?
Do you have and are you following a reading plan of the Bible?
Have you read the Bible in its entirety?
Do you pray on a regular basis?
Have you examined cultural influences that help in understanding what God is communicating?
Do you know your weaknesses and are you protecting them with accountability through other believers and having scripture prepared to combat temptation?
I am not asking these questions to shame you if you can't positively answer these questions - instead, I want to bring home the point that we need a plan.
So why do the questions above matter?
Knowing the books of the Bible and their themes helps you find what you need.
Memorizing scripture allows you to have it handy.
Reading the Bible isn't the same for everyone and in this digital age there are a million plans out there to read through the Bible so there is something for everyone, and reading the Bible consistently gives you that link to our Savior.
Reading the entire Bible takes about 80 hours but most plans do it over one to two years. Reading the whole thing can be challenging, especially some passages, but it is a story and reading all of it is crucial to understanding the story and the purposes of Christ.
Prayer is our connection and communication with our God, and in war time soldiers need to have communication with their leader if they want to survive their enemy. This is such a crucial tool in our belt.
The Bible wasn't written alongside the Declaration of Independence. It is older than that and was written on soil on the other side of the world. The Bible wasn't written but often interpreted through Western culture and that is a mistake. Many customs in the Middle East haven't changed much from the way they are today. Context is also key in understanding what the Bible is all about. Take the time to check it out. Need some resources? Let me know! Happy to point you in the right direction.
Remember that enemy well he know humans really well, he's been roaming the earth for some time now. We all have weaknesses and he knows how to prey on us, not to mention we are pretty good at self-sabotage. Knowing ourselves, and our weaknesses, helps us to protect ourselves. Having an accountability partner helps us to grow and keeps us honest about our journey.
Do you have a plan? Where are you with each of these categories? Can you up your game just a bit in each area? If you don't have a plan, its time to get one!
Navigating through life can be a challenge, especially when you understand we have an enemy.
Yes, Satan is real.
I am not sure he looks like many of the depicted caricatures circuiting, especially when you read scriptures that say he comes disguised as "an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Satan doesn't like us. He didn't just get kicked out of heaven because he wanted to be God, he was upset that God created us. He was in essence the jealous older sibling after mommy has a new baby. He wanted and still wants to take us out.
God came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Jesus died and came back to life to conquer for us what we couldn't conquer ourselves, but we are still walking through the battlefield of life and we need to start engaging a little more so we come out alive.
Do you know the books of the Bible and their themes?
Are you memorizing scripture on a regular basis?
Do you have and are you following a reading plan of the Bible?
Have you read the Bible in its entirety?
Do you pray on a regular basis?
Have you examined cultural influences that help in understanding what God is communicating?
Do you know your weaknesses and are you protecting them with accountability through other believers and having scripture prepared to combat temptation?
I am not asking these questions to shame you if you can't positively answer these questions - instead, I want to bring home the point that we need a plan.
So why do the questions above matter?
Knowing the books of the Bible and their themes helps you find what you need.
Memorizing scripture allows you to have it handy.
Reading the Bible isn't the same for everyone and in this digital age there are a million plans out there to read through the Bible so there is something for everyone, and reading the Bible consistently gives you that link to our Savior.
Reading the entire Bible takes about 80 hours but most plans do it over one to two years. Reading the whole thing can be challenging, especially some passages, but it is a story and reading all of it is crucial to understanding the story and the purposes of Christ.
Prayer is our connection and communication with our God, and in war time soldiers need to have communication with their leader if they want to survive their enemy. This is such a crucial tool in our belt.
The Bible wasn't written alongside the Declaration of Independence. It is older than that and was written on soil on the other side of the world. The Bible wasn't written but often interpreted through Western culture and that is a mistake. Many customs in the Middle East haven't changed much from the way they are today. Context is also key in understanding what the Bible is all about. Take the time to check it out. Need some resources? Let me know! Happy to point you in the right direction.
Remember that enemy well he know humans really well, he's been roaming the earth for some time now. We all have weaknesses and he knows how to prey on us, not to mention we are pretty good at self-sabotage. Knowing ourselves, and our weaknesses, helps us to protect ourselves. Having an accountability partner helps us to grow and keeps us honest about our journey.
Do you have a plan? Where are you with each of these categories? Can you up your game just a bit in each area? If you don't have a plan, its time to get one!
We need to be prepared! Good stuff, C.
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