Just Returned from Overseas Travels

bobinfaith

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Hello brothers and sisters;

My wife and I traveled for 22 days during April 2026. We visited Portugal and Spain, a part of the world we had never visited before. Something we didn't think to pray for from past travels, we invited God to join us and acknowledge His countries.

I wish we could have said we had a great and exciting time but we actually encountered many setbacks on our plane flights, one train ride, public transportation and hotels. Three times our scheduled flights required windows of 11, 7 and 14 1/2 hours wait between flights. Never before did we experience so many problems.

There were lessons. God knew these setbacks would happen yet He was with us. We were reminded that He would guide us through each encounter. His guidance gave us peace. We had an "it is what it is" attitude and for most of our travels we made the best of it.

Psalm 34:17, 17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. - RSV

Psalm 46:1-3, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah - RSV

Psalm 46:10, 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth!” - RSV

Proverbs 16:9, 9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. - KJV

Philippians 4:6-7, 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - NIV

Taking the time from our travels to meditate on these Scriptures gave us a sense of calm. This also gave us the benefit to think clearly as the Lord would guide us through it all. And He did!

We met nice people in every city we traveled, the food was delicious, the beach in Gijon was breathtaking and we made time each day to read the Bible, pray and give thanks to God.

We learned that overall the folks who work in customer service in Portugal and Spain work very hard and long hours while receiving less than adequate wages while paying high rent, food, transportation. Some shared that on their days off they just stay home to rest and stay away from popular tourist spots.

On April 28 we arrived home at SFO and only live 10 minutes from the airport. I have to be honest, it felt good to arrive back to our home country but instead of dwelling on what went wrong we gave praise for lessons learned while the Lord made a way for us to enjoy this part of the world.

God bless everyone.

Bob and Hazel
 
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On April 28 we arrived home at SFO and only live 10 minutes from the airport. I have to be honest, it felt good to arrive back to our home country but instead of dwelling on what went wrong we gave praise for lessons learned while the Lord made a way for us to enjoy this part of the world.
Welcome home. Thanks so much for posting that, Bob. So glad you and Hazel arrived back safe. Sorry you had such a frustrating travel experience getting home. It's discouraging in the moment, but as you saw God working for you during the delays and setbacks, you experienced firsthand what faith looks like lived out.

As the Bible says, God doesn't promise us trouble free journeys, but He does promise to be with us in the midst of them. "When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles" ~Psalm 34:17. He delivered you. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear" ~Psalm 46:1-2. And when your plans were unraveling, take comfort in that command to, "Be still, and know that I am God" ~Psalm 46:10 and just trust Him.

Seeing another corner of the world, witnessing the Lord provide, meeting new people, soaking up sun and sand and cuisine while still spending time in the Word each day...that, my friend, is a report worth filing. The lessons you learned and memories you'll make will last far longer than any smooth travel schedule!

Thanks again for taking the time to share your testimony. The Lord is still good, even when our flights aren't. Glad you're back safe at home. God bless you and Hazel!
 

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