What does it mean to travel light?
I can travel light in real life. I don’t travel with a heavy suitcase because it gets in the way. It’s cumbersome. You have to haul it wherever you are going. If you want to change flights because a flight is delayed, having a carryon only makes it easy. There’s no worries over where your luggage might end up.
I wish I could say that it’s that easy with life.
I’m learning to set down what weighs me down. I don’t have all the answers, but I believe we can all travel a little lighter.
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In this More Than Small Talk broadcast, I’m with my good friends, Holly Gerth and Jennifer Watson. We talk about what it looks like to give ourselves permission to travel light.
We come at it from all different angles, but the heart of it is the same.
We unpack as we:
- Ask for the courage to let go of what we don’t want to carry
- Decide what is essential
- Know where you want to go
- Refuse to let someone else’s baggage keep you stuck
When Holley described how our load can be a knapsack or a boulder, it made me want to shout in joy! I can carry a knapsack, but God never expected me to carry a boulder. Let’s toss those heavy weights as far away from ourselves as we can, and let them land in the hands of our precious Savior.
For me, right now, traveling light is allowing people to help carry that load. What does that look like for you? Let’s take this deeper today. I’m going to grab my Bible and journal. I’ll be waiting for your comments, and excited to grow in this together.
Suzie
Related resources
Walk with Jesus as you travel lighter, and lighter.
I have a new book coming out in a few weeks. I fell in love with Jesus all over again as I wrote it. It’s a gorgeous, hardbound devotional called Come With Me: A Yearlong Adventure in Walking With Jesus.
If he is our focus, then we set down what weighs us down as we walk with him. This hardbound, beautiful devotional is a great gift, but it’s also a beautiful gift to build your faith. It’s available for preorder right now.
I know it will draw you closer to a Savior who loves you like crazy.
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I love this reminder that we can be intentional about laying aside the weights that encumber us. Thank you!
We have to remember that the pains we pack are cumulative. Lots of little bags carried together can get just as heavy and cumbersome as one giant bag! Thanks for this encouragment!
Liz, Absolutely!! Lots of little bags do add up and sometimes the adding up doesn’t seem so cumbersome because each little bag doesn’t seem like much but all together they sure can turn into a heavy load!!
Can’t wait to listen to this! I’m at a point of needing to let go of other people’s baggage, so I can walk lighter myself. After a few days of letting go of some people/burdens, I’m giving myself permission to rest this week. To just be. Just breathe. Love this summer of permission theme and can’t wait to have a listen here.
It’s been good summer for me. Embattled for sure, but at rest emotionally and spiritually. It’s a gift that we can be in a storm, but feel protected and surrounded. God is so good.
Loved listening to your talk this morning. Thank you.
Allowing people to help is so important but a hard one for me. I am learning, God is opening up my heart after hiding in safe spaces for so long. Why am I so stubborn? May the timidity peel off for true life. Thanks for sharing this, Suzie. I missed reading your posts and am glad to connect here again.
I’m glad to see you here!
I am dealing with some burdens that are very painful and causing me some feelings that I haven’t wanted to have. Anger at the top of the list. I am a prayer warrior and have been for most of my adult life. I am 62, so a lot of years. My faith has always shown me that God handles our problems and struggles. In my past struggles I many times went to others just to say. ” I need prayers to deal with this problem, I need prayers before I face this issue, I need prayers as I meet to handle this situation. I need a hug!” The I need a hug on top of the prayers from others got me through some really tough times. Now my burdens are things my kids are facing and for some reason, this Mama Bear is striking out with emotions and anger that is fierce. I don’t like this anger. I have allowed my sons to grow their own faith instead of taking on mine and they are all very strong in faith that God is in charge. Some walk stronger than others. When they have a burden, being this mama bear, I try to take it own and gnaw on it like a bone to try and “FIX” it for them. Even tho they are strong, the mama in me doesn’t like to see their pain.
I loved this talk today because is reminded me that even their heavy loads are something I need to put down and let God handle. Listening to you ladies has given me the peace I have been praying for this week and I appreciate your sharing and thoughts on our need to carry around less baggage and have our faith be like we should have “wings like eagles”. God bless you in your work and efforts to share and make a difference in other women’s lives.
That is beautiful to hear, Theresa. Lord, help her put that heavy burden down.
Thank you for this message today. I have been feeling like I’m not doing/serving enough and at the same time feeling overwhelmed by my load. Care taking for my parents has forced me to say no to other ministries I have served in. I miss some but realize God has me where He wants me in this new season. Looking back I see how He cleared my plate lightning my backpack to be able to help care for elderly parents. Honoring them and the Lord gives new strength and peace. After hearing your message my load is lighter as I give my burdens to Jeaus knowing He helps carry them turning them to joy. He has blessed me with 4 loving parents now in need of care to which I am aviailable. Also protecting my time with Him, writing and leading Bible studies in my home. Wisdom given to not pick another rock up to put in my backpack I am thankful to God and for you girls.
Love
Lisay
I love this, Lisay. We have seasons where our plates do need to be cleared. It’s hard for us, because we feel the pressure to do everything or be everything, and yet we are called to do what God desires in each season, and no more. Thank you for sharing.
What does it look like for me to travel light? Honestly, I’m not sure. Negativity is my default mode and I struggle mightily against anxiety and depression. I know that I can choose to turn my mind toward Christ, and there are many days that I successfully manage to do so. But overall…there’s always a weight. Hmmmm. Will be pondering this one.
This was perfect timing for me. My brother has caused so much pain and confusion in our family with the guilt trip he lays on my elderly parents and the constant lies he tells everyone to stir up strife. This 60 year old man has always had my head spinning even while growing up. Tonight, before even watching this, I realized how I was allowing him to control my thought process just like I used to let my mother. I spoke out loud to Satan to tell him I see what he is doing and I renounced the lies and power my brother has over me. I have been weighed down by all of HIS issues which aren’t even mine! Good grief! This discussion reenforced to let go of things that aren’t mine. Thanks for your words.
Loved this video! Here I sit at 3:32 am, and I can’t sleep. I have to wonder am I traveling too heavy. I think so.
I just took a week off from everything. I was feeling so rested and connected to God. However today I jumped back in. Oh boy, am I carrying a heavy load. I can see it from a week off to just back in for a day, and I can’t sleep.
I do need to lighten my load. Funny but not so funny I was packing today to go home, and my suitcase is super heavy. I do not pack light.
Thank you for you wonderful video you have created in me need to do some soul searching as I drive home. I wish I could once in for all get this down. It is a lifetime struggle of picking up other people’s loads. I love the knapsack and the boulder analogy. This will help.
I am work in progress.
Suzie- sending special prayers for you and your family. Praying your time with your mom is just what God would intend it to be.
Suzanne I am so sorry to hear about your surgery and now your mom having cancer as well. What I love is that God is not surprised and He is with you and knows how to strengthen you through this time. I will continue to pray for you, your mom, your daughter and all of your family through this emotional season. Yes please remember to let God carry this and to always pack light because He loves to carry our heavy!!