What is a journey?
Is it simply traveling from one place to another? Does it require a suitcase, a plane ticket, an RV, or a destination marked on a map? Is a journey just another word for vacation?
The more we thought about it, the more we realized that a journey means something different to everyone.
Webster’s Dictionary defines a journey as “travel or passage from one place to another” and also as “an act of traveling from one place to another.” While that definition is certainly accurate, we believe a journey can be so much more.
Some journeys take us across states, countries, oceans, and continents. Others take place without us ever leaving home.
A journey can be the road trip you’ve planned for months. It can also be the unexpected path life places before you without warning. Some journeys are exciting and filled with anticipation. Others are difficult, painful, and filled with uncertainty. Some leave us with photographs, souvenirs, and stories to tell. Others leave us with wisdom, strength, and a new perspective on life.
When we look back on our lives, we realize we have been on countless journeys. Some were chosen. Some were not. Some brought joy beyond anything we imagined. Others tested us in ways we never expected. Yet every one of them shaped who we are today.
As much as we love traveling, we’ve come to understand that the most meaningful journeys aren’t always measured in miles.
There are journeys of marriage and family. Journeys of faith. Journeys through career changes, retirement, health challenges, personal growth, loss, healing, and new beginnings. There are journeys of learning who we are and discovering who we want to become. There are journeys that last a few days and journeys that last a lifetime.
Right now, Tracey and I find ourselves on many different journeys, and not all of them involve packing a bag or heading down the highway. Some are taking place right where we are. Others are unfolding one day at a time, revealing themselves as we go.
Over the years, we’ve also come to believe something else. Not every experience we go through is meant solely for us.
Sometimes our challenges help someone else find courage.
Sometimes our mistakes help someone else avoid making the same ones.
Sometimes our victories inspire another person to pursue a dream they thought was impossible.
Sometimes, simply sharing our story reminds someone that they are not alone.
That’s a powerful thought when you really stop and consider it.
You may never know how many lives you touch simply by living your life openly and authentically. You may never know who is watching, learning, gaining hope, or finding encouragement from your example. What if one of the most important things we can do is simply share the journey we’re on?
That belief is one of the reasons JourneyFor2 exists.
Of course, we love sharing our travels. We enjoy telling you about the places we’ve visited, the roads we’ve traveled, the restaurants we’ve loved, and even the places we’d probably skip next time. We share our experiences to help others create their own adventures and make informed decisions about where they might want to go.
But why stop there?
If travel stories can help someone plan a better trip, perhaps life’s stories can help someone navigate a season of life. Perhaps the lessons we learn, the challenges we face, the joys we celebrate, and the questions we wrestle with are worth sharing, too.
Before we go any further, though, it’s important to remember that these are our journeys, our experiences, and our perspectives. They are not universal truths. There is no single right or wrong way to experience life. What brings joy to one person may not bring joy to another. What works for us may not work for everyone else.
We don’t agree with all of our friends on every topic, and they certainly don’t agree with us on everything either. Yet we still love them, respect them, and value the time we spend together. Life would be a pretty boring place if we all saw the world exactly the same way.
You may be in a completely different season of life than we are. You may be younger or older. Married, single, retired, working, raising children, starting over, growing in your faith, questioning your faith, healthy, struggling, thriving, or simply trying to make it through another day.
And that’s okay.
God created each of us uniquely, with different experiences, different challenges, different gifts, and different paths to walk.
Our hope is simply to share ours.
So whether you’re here because you love travel, are looking for your next adventure, enjoy hearing stories from the road, or are curious about the other journeys life places before us, we’re glad you’re here.
We invite you to come along as we share the roads we’ve traveled, the lessons we’ve learned, the people we’ve met, and the experiences that continue to shape our lives.
After all, life itself is a journey.
And we hope you’ll share a few miles of yours with us along the way.