Traveling Light

I don't know about you, but when I go on a trip - no matter how long or short - I can pack some stuff. I just feel this real need to be prepared. I never really know what the weather is going to be like, so I pack both jeans and shorts, or I might decide to go for a walk, so I need my tennis shoes, or we might decide to go out to eat, and if we do, I'm gonna want to take this dress, and oh, of course, I'll need these shoes. And on and on.

In a family with two sisters and my mom, I remember my dad having this rule whenever we went on vacation, "You can bring whatever you like, but YOU are carrying it!!" He wasn't able to handle all of that luggage from four girls. And he didn't.

This notion of traveling light, however, never did fit into my bag!!!

Never was that more apparent than on "The Big Red Boat" cruise with my friend Christi after we graduated from college. If you've ever been on a cruise (at least the two I've been on), you show up at the terminal ready to board the boat, hand your bags over to the "people," and mysteriously your luggage is waiting for you by your room when you arrive. Nice isn't it?

It is. Except that when you leave, no such luxuries!! I will forever be reminded of this everytime I see a cruise ship, or am loaded down with luggage, or just simply the mention of our Big Red Boat cruise comes up in the presence of Christi Walker.

You see, I was loaded down as usual with my suitcase, my duffel bag with all of my shoes and makeup, and of course, a bag full of all the goodies I had bought on our excursions. We go lugging our bags to the Captain's gallery waiting hours for our number to be called so we could depart from our trip. (Not near as luxurious as our boarding). Finally, our number is called, and we make our way to the exit of the ship, and down the winding ramp leading us to the dock. Did I mention winding and downward ramp? Why I thought I needed to look all cute on this day, with my 2 inch wedge shoes, I'll never know, but picture this...

I started down this ramp, and the weight of my bags carried me faster and faster, and faster. My right foot slipped off those too-high heels, my left knee plunged to the ramp in my attempt to remain upright leaving me with a knee-cap size bruise for weeks, my face wrinkled up in all kinds of horrifying expressions, and some kind of gurgling squeal came out of this foreign place in my throat. Somehow....SOMEHOW, I managed to stay on my feet (or my knees), gather myself and keep going. But not without this uncontrollable, unsympathetic I might add, laughter coming from Christi!!

You would think that if for no other reason, that incident would teach me the all important lesson of "traveling light." (Not so, just ask Grant!!)


For several years now, I've had the book, "Traveling Light," by Max Lucado on my end table in my den. It was loaned to me by a friend, and I placed it on the table hoping to read it, and over the last several years, it's green spine with gold-lettered writing has become a part of my den's decor. For some reason, the other night, I decided to actually READ it!!

Max Lucado has this great and entertaining way of sharing God's message of laying down our baggage. There is a lot of baggage that we carry that keeps us from moving freely. Luggage that weighs us down and sends us rolling down a cruise ships' ramp if you will. And I think it is fair to say that we all have some kind of baggage. The burden of weariness, of worry, of guilt, of fear, of grief, and on and on. In some way or another, we are all carrying extra baggage.

Lucado writes, "Traveling light means trusting God with the burdens you were never intended to bear." He goes on to say, "How can you lift someone else's load if your arms are full with your own? For the sake of those you love, travel light. For the sake of the God you serve, travel light. For the sake of your own joy, travel light."

What kind of extra baggage are you carrying?

Maybe it's grief. Lucado writes, "If so, you know that the black bag of sorrow is hard to bear. It's hard to bear because not everyone understands your grief. They did at first. They did at the funeral. They did at the graveside. But they don't now; they don't understand. Grief lingers." ... "Why does grief linger? Because you are dealing with more than memories - you are dealing with unlived tomorrows."

Or maybe it's fear. Many of you know that I am planning to fly to Boston next month to represent Mastokids.Org at the American Academy of Pediatrics conference, and for some reason, though I've flown before, I am experiencing fear. Lucado points out that "the source of your fear may seem small to others. But to you, it freezes your feet, makes your heart pound, and brings blood to your face." What are we supposed to do with that fear? Be specific with our prayers. "Give God the number of the flight," Lucado writes.

Philipians 4: 6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Psalm 34:4 "I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears."

Maybe it's hopelessness. With this burden, unlike the others, our bags are empty. "[Hopelessness] is empty, and its emptiness creates the burden. Unzip the top and examine all the pockets. Turn it upside down and shake it hard. The bag of hopelessness is painfully empty." With our hope in the Lord, we have found someone to lead us out. Romans 5:5 "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Read Psalm 121:1-7 (and I will share with you in a later post some of the ways God has been using this exact scripture to help me).

Maybe it's guilt, Psalm 37:4 "My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear."

Or shame or discontent, or arrogance....


Whatever your extra baggage is, there is a God who can carry it!! A God who can help us lay it down.


My dad might not have been willing to carry my luggage (and rightly so), but our Heavenly Father will!!

1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."


Dear Lord,

Thank you for allowing me the time and the determination to pick up and read this book by Max Lucado. Thank you for addressing my own fear in such a specific way with his words. Thank you for picking up my fears and helping me trust them with you. I pray that as I learn this lesson of traveling light, that you will teach me how to pack more effectively. That you will show me that carrying around all of that extra stuff isn't necessary and only weighing me down. Help me to bring all my luggage to the baggage claim!! I pray that you will help all of those reading this with their own luggage concerns.
I love you, Amen.