Higher Up Deeper In

Sometimes I feel this irresistible pull to dive into something before I’ve fully thought it through. I become laser-focused on the idea, tuning out potential pitfalls or discomfort. And by the time fear, loneliness, or obstacles appear, I’m already deep in it with no turning back. My solo road trip from Arizona to Oregon was one of those moments—a strong prompting I couldn’t ignore, even though I’m a people person (I've been called the “Pied Piper” more than once), the idea of traveling alone was far outside my comfort zone.

But sometimes discomfort is exactly where transformation begins and is often the perfect setting for God to show up and get me through it.

As I traveled through the majestic Northwest with my 8-month-old puppy (yes, crazy!), the anxiety that came with the unknown began to fade. I was captivated by the stunning beauty of places like the Sierra Nevadas, Mammoth, June Lake, Lake Tahoe, Burney Falls, Mt. Shasta, the Oregon Coast, Yosemite, Bishop, Susanville, and Las Vegas. Each location was a sensory masterpiece. Listening to the Bible, praise music, and audiobooks, I felt God encouraging me—and leaving little love notes along the way.

One day I craved biscuits but saw nothing on my route that would serve them. The next morning, they appeared at my hotel’s breakfast buffet—once, and never again. Another time I thought of blueberries, and within miles, I stumbled upon an organic blueberry farm where I could stretch, pick, and snack to my heart’s content. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

The journey felt like a metaphor for life itself. There were monotonous stretches, thrilling city highways, breathtaking landscapes filled with towering trees and flowing rivers, elevations that left me breathless, and winding roads that forced me to slow down and trust in Him to avoid crashing. What I gained was RESILIENCE.

Leaving my comfort zone—endless driving (which I don’t love), staying in a new town every night, and eating alone—became the very canvas God used to speak to me in this season.

The stillness sharpened my hearing for things I might’ve missed in the noise of everyday life.

You see my friends, God loves us too much to leave us where He found us. His desire is to stretch us, tuning our ears to the deep, unsearchable truths He longs to reveal—truths we don’t yet know (Jeremiah 33:3). But it all starts with saying yes to the promptings, even when they scare us.

Moment by moment, we get to choose: rely on our own strength and risk failure, or lean into His unwavering power and walk in victory.

Thank you, God. I’ve learned that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13).