As many of you know, I recently enjoyed a road trip through the great American Southwest, stopping at 10 different locations in 13 different states over the course of 17 days. I was alone throughout this journey, which gave me ample time to reflect upon everything I had seen, as well as giving me the ability to go wherever my heart desired.
The stops included in this journey were Birmingham, Alabama, where I saw first-hand the devastation of the horrific tornado outbreak they experienced last year. From there I drove through rural Mississippi, where I saw mile after mile of thick, dense wooded areas dotted by an occassional group of run down homes, the yards surrounding these homes filled with old junk cars, trailers, and various other debris.
Once I had arrived in New Orleans, I was able to enjoy some of the best food and live music available to mankind. Of course, before I could do so, I had to drive past the many neighborhoods still completely devastated from Hurricane Katrina. The state and local governments have apparently given up on these neighborhoods, leaving them completely abandoned like modern-day ghost towns.
From there I traveled to Houston and San Antonio, Texas. While there, I saw The Alamo - a landmark left for heroes of our nation's past who gave their lives for a cause they truly believed in. I saw the San Antonio Riverwalk, which is a beautifully constructed scenic walk following the banks of the San Antonio River.
I then made my way through mile after mile of the mostly deserted US 10 highway that stretches from San Antonio, through El Paso to Mesa, Arizona. Throughout this entire portion of my journey, I was fascinated at how many square miles of this country are completely desolate, with only the occassional poverty-stricken town breaking up the barren landscape.
From there I drove north, through mile after mile of desert dotted by the occassional mountain peak to Tucson, and from there, to the culture shock to my system that was Las Vegas. As I spent some time there, it became absolutely clear to me why they call this place "Sin City." It's not only a place that advertises various sins as being it's ultimate attraction, it's also the only place I've ever been where the end results of pursuing these sinful desires to their ultimate ends are so clearly illustrated. The poverty, homelessness and illness of those who have fallen victim to these lifestyles are everywhere you look once you get past the facade.
After leaving Las Vegas, I witnessed some of the most beautiful God-made scenery I have ever seen. I watched the sun rise, and then set, over the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. From there, I drove north through eastern Utah, then straight west through northern Colorado. The beauty and magnificance of that entire drive cannot possibly be put into words.
I then drove through the miles of cornfields that cover Nebraska and Iowa. While not very scenic, they're absolutely necessary to our lives here in the U.S..
This journey was made possible due to a number of circumstances. I had the time, I had the financial resources due to a large refund I had received, and I had online hotel sites, GPS in my car, and Google maps. All of these things made it possible for me to plan my trip, knowing where I was going, where I was staying, and how long I'd be there.
So, why do I share all of this with you?
Because our lives are very much like road trips, aren't they? We travel through our lives, having a general idea of where we think we're going. But life has it's share of surprises, doesn't it? We travel from point A to point B, thinking that these two points are the only significant points on the map of our lives. Sometimes we drive ourselves toward incredible, God-created beauty. Sometimes we drive ourselves toward man-made beauty. Sometimes we even find ourselves drawn to places where sin is the only tourist attraction. But in between these points, we're forced to spend more time than we'd like in the desert, in desolate areas, in poverty-stricken areas, in areas that we've apparently given up on.
Many times, we find ourselves driving through mile after mile of flat farm land, wishing we were back on the mountaintop, watching the sun rise on a distant, beautiful horizon. We make a quick stop for a gas station hot dog, wishing we were still eating etouffee in New Orleans. But what we often fail to realize is that even in the midst of what seems like an endless desert, we're still making progress. As long as we're moving, we're still heading "somewhere."
The only way we'll know if we'll eventually end up at our desired destination is if we stay on the path we've been given. On a road trip, we do this through maps and GPS.
In life, we have our prayers, our bibles, our teachers, and above all, we have a God who genuinely wants to show us the most beautiful sunrises we've ever seen, and to do so from magnificent mountaintops we once thought we'd never be able to climb to. As difficult as it may be, sometimes we have to simply trust Him through the miles and miles of desert before we get there. But have no doubt, if we follow His path, we'll get there. And once we do, the miles of desert will be nothing more than a distant memory.
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