{"id":1839,"date":"2018-06-30T13:27:05","date_gmt":"2018-06-30T18:27:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/?p=1839"},"modified":"2022-01-10T21:36:01","modified_gmt":"2022-01-11T03:36:01","slug":"travel-spiritual-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/?p=1839","title":{"rendered":"Travel & Spiritual Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Travel is a part of my life, especially since being led to a career as an airline pilot. I\u2019ve thought from time to time about sharing some of those travel experiences on this blog, but decided against it until now concerned it might distract from the main message. And it might appear I\u2019m bragging?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve no more concern about that! It\u2019s a hobby I enjoy because it refocuses me on life and living in the present. One can also learn a lot about people, cultures, history, themselves, and God through travel. It seems to enlarge our spirits and inspire our souls with mystery, beauty, wonder, and adventure. These are some of the things it does for me, and I hope for some of you too.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Last year was a banner travel year for me as I visited Alaska, Montana, Korea, Africa, Honduras, Greenland, and Iceland. Most of the photo work is done and accessible on the web, so I decided to launch out and share some of these travels with you in hopes it will inspire and motivate you to enjoy your life and consider it an adventure with the Lord. Maybe it will refresh your spirit with images of beauty and thoughts of mystery? Reignite your passion for exploring and living? If it does any of that, I will feel good about sharing!<\/p>\n

What pushed me over the edge this week was a quote I discovered by St. Augustine, the most influential theologian in the first one thousand years of church history.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page.\u201d Augustine of Hippo<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Shortly thereafter I discovered this quote, which is a mantra for me in this chapter of my life, \u201clive life in the present.\u201d There are really only two important days for each of us, [1] today, and [2] that day. Said another way, don\u2019t let undue concern about the past, or the future, rob you of your life today. Or as someone exclaimed, \u201cPut your phone down, and be present to the circumstances and people around you!\u201d \ud83d\ude42 Ouch!<\/p>\n

\u201cTravel at it\u2019s best reminds us to be present where we are.\u201d Waylon Lewis<\/p>\n

Travel As An Idol<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I\u2019m aware any gift from God can be turned into an idol if your affection for it displaces or becomes more important to you than the Giver. I\u2019m pretty sure travel is not an idol for me. I\u2019m very thankful for the gift and every opportunity. Yet I\u2019m content to never travel again. But if you sense it might be an idol, speak up! I would need to pray about that and consider your insight.<\/p>\n

Is Travel Necessary<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t consider travel as necessary to life and happiness. Our family is divided on travel. My wife and son really don\u2019t enjoy it unless they are traveling with someone they like, or going to visit family or friends. My daughter and I like travel for travel\u2019s sake \u2014 exploring, adventure, beauty, and when with loved ones, all the more! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019m even aware there is a dissenting opinion among spiritual giants and church fathers about travel. I already told you what Augustine thought. Thomas \u02cba Kempis (1380-1471) one of my favorite authors and Christian mystics who wrote the most published book in the world after the Bible, The Imitation of Christ<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, said that travel wasn\u2019t desirable nor that beneficial, and I\u2019m still looking hard to find his quote. Until I do, just know there are highly respected people who hold that position. The following will give you insight into his philosophy and his life grounded as it was in Truth and in Christ.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe more you are at harmony within yourself and become inwardly simple, the more you will understand higher things without effort, for you will receive intellectual light from above.\u201d Thomas \u00e1 Kempis<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

With Friends in Greenland<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cHowever, because many endeavor to get knowledge rather than live well, they are often deceived and get no or very little benefits.\u201d Thomas \u00e1 Kempis<\/p>\n

\u201cPurity and simplicity are the two wings with which man soars above the earth and all temporary nature.\u201d Thomas \u00e1 Kempis<\/p>\n

“Everywhere I have sought peace and not found it, except in a corner with a book.\u201d
\nThomas \u00e1 Kempis<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

With a Friend in Iceland sporting our Greenland Caps<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWherever you go, there you are.\u201d\u00a0 Thomas \u00e1 Kempis<\/p>\n

So we see travel has two sides, like a coin, or a sword! And how you are led or decide with your free will will determine what path is best for you. Godspeed on your journey.<\/p>\n

Whether you travel or not, I hope the commentary and photographs on these travel blogs will bring you joy and stimulate your spirit to adventure in Christ. (Psalm 23\/Col 1:27)<\/p>\n

******************************************<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cBizarre travel plans are dancing lessons from God.\u201d Kurt Vonnegut<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign.\u201d Robert Louis Stevenson<\/p>\n

\u201cA good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.\u201d Lao Tzu<\/p>\n

\u201cTravel and change of place impart new vigour to the mind.\u201d Seneca<\/p>\n

“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine, it is lethal” Paulo Coelho<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Inside Images Simple and Powerful<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Hallgr\u00edmskirkja church- Reykjav\u00edk – from top view to SE<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cPaul and his friends went through Phrygia and Galatia, but the Holy Spirit would not let them preach in Asia. \u00a0After they arrived in Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not let them. \u00a0So they went on through Mysia until they came to Troas.\u201d Acts 16<\/p>\n

[This wildly popular song \u201cOceans<\/a>\u201d by Hillsong United describes what travel is to me at the moment; not just exploring my city, state, or planet \u2014 but adventuring in the spirit, in relationships, and in life with the Father, Son, and Spirit of Life.]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Travel is a part of my life, especially since being led to a career as an airline pilot. I\u2019ve thought from time to time about sharing some of those travel experiences on this blog, but decided against it until now concerned it might distract from the main message. And it might appear I\u2019m bragging? I\u2019ve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travel-spiritual-growth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1839"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1860,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839\/revisions\/1860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/afriendoftheking.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}