But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
1 Samuel 17:34-37   

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In May 2022, I took my very first trip alone—from Gatwick Airport in London to Menorca, Spain. Upon arriving in Menorca, I planned to participate in a week-long photography workshop, but understaffing repercussions from Covid caused my flight to be canceled. EasyJet—there was nothing easy about them—did not have a human presence at the airport so I had to accept the only online option offered—a flight leaving two days later. I made my way to a hotel in Brighton, via a 45-minute train ride. When I arrived, I cried in my room. This was not off to a good start. 

Two days later, I waited at the bus depot for my 2:00 a.m. express ride to the airport. Only the bus never showed! Panic began to settle in until five local twenty-somethings delightfully shared their taxi with me, and one even walked me to my gate. 

I finally made it to Menorca, where there were still many hiccups and problems during the workshop. The finale was catching Covid and getting stranded in Barcelona for a week. First, I cried in my room, and then I set about figuring out how to get medical clearance to fly home.  

After so many major complications, you might think I would never venture out again. In fact, the opposite is true—I travel solo frequently. God came through emotionally, intellectually and logistically during each and every mess. In Brighton, I got to see Seven Sisters, a gorgeous series of white cliffs. I adored God for his artistic ability. At the bus depot, I thanked God for putting some rescuers in my path. After my required quarantine was over, I ventured out to La Sagrada Familia Basilica and worshipped God in this stunning church where Jesus’ life is depicted throughout in dramatic and moving art.

I weathered the worst trip ever and still had wonderful moments and delightful conversations with God. So I say, “Let’s go!” 

In today’s Scripture, we learn that David killed a lion and a bear. I can’t imagine killing either, but I have seen God lead me forward through trouble. God did not remove the obstacles in David’s path. He faced challenges and conquered them. These triumphs gave him the courage and life experience to trust God’s provision. David was able to move forward with determination, remembering the moments God partnered with him in the past. Because of this, David accomplished great things by facing difficulties head-on in God’s strength, and so can you. 

Next Steps

Can you recall a situation that went a bit sideways but God provided a way forward? Is God calling you to step out of a comfort zone right now? Take a few moments today to pray and ask God for courage so you can say, let’s go!