"My desire for the comfort of the familiar could limit me from experiencing the places and the people God is leading me to. I have to be open to listen and learn from exposure to new ideas, and allow my mindset to be challenged by the Spirit of God." Kathy Spampinato

Do you like the adventure of travel? Seeing new places and learning about new cultures is exciting and exposes you to ideas and vistas you've never experienced before. You step into the landscape you've only seen in movies. You try foods that you are not sure about, and discover that they are not so strange after all. Are you someone who enjoys the unknown or the person that likes to go to the same old familiar places? I've been thinking about what travel brings to us, since I am getting on a plane to Europe later today.

When we go somewhere we have never been before, we see things we've never seen before. We expand our view of the horizon and are exposed to new people, new cultures, and new tastes. This is exciting as you understand the world from a different perspective and open your mind to new experiences, but it also brings some level of caution or stress. What if the food is way too spicy for your taste? You've heard it is not safe to drink the water here without traveler's revenge in your digestion. If you throw caution to the wind and explore the area with local transportation you might get lost. You might find yourself in an area where you do not really feel safe, or have a complete communication failure with a new language. And yet, you like the idea of riding in a rickshaw! Will it be fun?

Perhaps you would rather go to the same vacation town year after year so it feels like a second home. You know the roads, the routes, and the restaurants that are your favorites. You love sitting on the sand of your favorite beach and seeing the sunset that couldn't possibly be better than the one in your memory. You love arriving at the same destination, chatting with the familiar server, and tasting the dessert that is never as good anywhere else.

You might be the person who loves the familiar and is cautious and anxious in new situations. What is your tolerance for the unknown? Some people plan and can't wait for the chance to see the world and meet people who are very different from them, and others prefer to live their whole life within 100 miles from home.

I'd like to explore where these thoughts take me in the spiritual realm. What is your level of comfort with the unknown things of God? Do you prefer the same church and the same pew you sat in as a child, or are you excited by the worship styles and the sounds of a brand new wave of Christian Culture? I find myself pulled in both directions. I love the feeling of belonging to MY church. I love walking in the door and seeing familiar faces. I know these people, and they know me. We have a shared experience and culture within those doors. We understand each other and know each other's stories. With those who are within my circle, we have shared prayers, tears, hugs, and many words of comfort. This is the place I call home.

Beyond the walls of my individual congregation, there is wisdom in the search for more exposure to the things of God. My desire for the comfort of the familiar could limit me from experiencing the places and the people God is leading me to. I have to be open to listen and learn from exposure to new ideas, and allow my mindset to be challenged by the Spirit of God. Yet, I have learned that my caution has also protected me from becoming entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:1 ESV "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit to a yoke of slavery."

If I look back on my life I recognize the freedom I walk in now, as I have let Holy Spirit change my focus, my habits, and my opinions. My faith has challenged my thought patterns, my complacency and my stubborn attitudes. I have changed and grown in a very life-giving direction. I have not allowed myself to be drawn into areas of sin or compromise that would bring me again into bondage. I have explored areas of faith and experience, and been open to a progressive revelation of who God is, and what Jesus has done for me. I have studied the Bible and used it as a guide into truth, but have also learned to stay clear of other spiritual exploration that conflicts with the Bible and Christianity. Those things would bring confusion and weaken my resolve to connect to the living God.

Isaiah 41: 10 NIV "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

I have learned to stand firm in my convictions and walk boldly with the God who set me free. I have loved allowing Holy Spirit to be my guide in experiencing the presence of God in new places and new depths. I have grown from opening my heart to new people and new experiences, and have found God is ever present. He is leading me towards Him. Sometimes He has moved me to new locations, new people, new jobs, and new churches, but the journey has always been towards life, love, and fulfillment. I have a deeper understanding of God, and of myself. New situations still bring me some anxiety. I am still more comfortable with the things known and familiar, but trusting God has always brought me joy. I never imagined where He would take me. I have walked in places in the world I never thought I'd see, and places in my heart that are so blessed and full of joy. I could not have imagined the beauty of them. God is ever faithful and a loving guide.

Ephesians 3:20-21 "Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."