Waking Up with JOY

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” Psalm 16:11

This summer, I did something that was not typical for me. I went on a spontaneous vacation with my husband, sister-in-law, and her husband.  Don't get me wrong; we have gone on vacation before, and many of them have been with my sister-in-law and her husband.  We have many great memories together, but it is the spontaneous part that made it different.  I am very much a planner. I create lists of tasks to complete before the trip. I research the destination and all the stops along the way. I even find the best places to stop for bathroom breaks and snacks (I learned this from my father, who is very good at this and always finds the best places.) 

However, this time was different.  We just decided to take the trip after a conversation one night.  My sister-in-law and her husband needed to deliver some furniture to some people in Oregon.  So, we decided to join them. We knew our final destination (or so we thought), but that was it.  We had one week to make it all the way up the coast from San Diego to Salem, Oregon.

We packed up and set out.  The adventure began there.  We picked places to stop along the way. We visited places I had never seen before (and I am a California Native). We stayed in hotels that we randomly picked as we drove along.  We visited beaches, famous restaurants, vineyards, Ostrich Farms, a drive-through zoo, and Crater Lake (a must-see). We saw some of the most beautiful landscapes and waterfalls. We even decided to have a “deli tour” along the way, stopping at a different deli each day.  Shout out to Paso Robles! The adventure even continued past our original destination and took us all the way up to Seattle.  We wanted to see them throw fish at Pike Place Market and go up into the Space Needle.  It was a packed week of adventures, none of which were planned in advance. We just explored as we went along, enjoying God’s creation and the joy of life.

As I reflect on that amazing trip, I realize the best part was not knowing exactly where we were going or what we would do each day.  Instead, we just woke up for our next adventure. The best part was not knowing exactly where we were going or what we would do. Simply ready for the excitement the day would bring.  I truly believe that God wants that same excitement for us every day.  He has a plan for our lives already in the works, and He wants us to rely fully on the plan He has already set for us.  We can wake up each morning with JOY, knowing that God has given us something to look forward to that day.  Not every day will be what we planned, but it will be given and directed by God. I am terrified of heights, so the Space Needle was not really something I was looking forward to. After surviving the trip up and seeing the amazing view, I realized it was not that bad after all. God will lead you exactly where He wants you to go.  Stick with Him and enjoy the adventure!

Elisa Dufresne, Victory Christian Academy