Last week our CEO Dave Hansen spoke with the Joshua Wilderness students before they headed out on their outreach to Dominican Republic. He shared how much he loves this opportunity because of the unique place these students are in right now, and in their anticipation right before leaving on an overseas outreach. As they were all about to pack their bags, literally, he challenged them with the idea that they should “travel light.”

In Hebrews 12, we are told to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” We should eliminate the things that burden us, worry us, and the sin that entangles us.

When we travel, for instance if you were going to backpack through Europe, participate in the Amazing Race or hike one of Colorado’s 14’ers, we all know that you’ve got to pack light and not carry any extra weight. Carrying something frivolous or extra would be like carrying a rock, a dead weight. Similarly when we travel through life we need to travel light, and we need to get rid of the rocks that weigh us down.

What are some of the “rocks” that you don’t want to carry with you when you travel? Perhaps you’ve already packed them and you need to go lighten your load?

How about worries? Give them away at the foot of the cross.

Doubt? Anger? Resentment? Fear? Leave these at the foot of the cross.

Some of these rocks start as pebbles, but as we carry them we can see how their weight grows. A short term missions trip is an opportunity to learn to live our lives in a contrite and broken posture, and to let go of our egos. It is a chance to change the direction of your life and let God direct you where He will. In order to have ears to hear him, however, we must throw off these “rocks”  and travel light. We must fix our eyes on Him. May it be so among us.