It wasn't until this year that I really had a desire to travel. I used to be fine with growing up in Vegas and staying in Vegas. I graduated from the same school that I had been attending since kindergarten, that also happens to be my church where I am heavily involved, I went to one semester of Bible College and quickly realized how much I couldn't be away from not only my home but Vegas in general, and now I work at that same church that I've attended since childhood... you can say I've never flown too far from the tree. Since being home from bible college, and tasting that little bit of freedom, I have been wanting to leave again and see new places. It's so funny that we always think the grass is greener on the other side.


I recently took a trip to California by myself and got to visit with a couple friends. This was the first trip I have taken by myself and even though I was second guessing my trip up to the day I was leaving, I made it a goal to travel more and so I put on my big girl pants and I went.


I have to admit that the weekend wasn't all sunshine and smiles. When I first got into California I drove to my friends house only to realize that I wasn't at my friends house. I ended up in Downey California and an hour away from where I was trying to get. I then proceeded to have a positive attitude about it and carry on with my weekend. After basically getting lost I drove to Vanguard, the school where my friend Hope attends and where I was staying. Being at Hope's school was great and made me want to attend school there (I considered it for a good 5 seconds). The dorms are nice (in comparison to where I stayed while attending school) and the people seem great. While staying at Vanguard I got to hangout with a few other friends that attend school there and catch up with them. 



On Friday (my second day in cali) I left in the evening to go to Murrieta where my school is. I was planning to stay there one night and come back to Vanguard on Saturday. As I was on my way, the GPS was taking me on this highway called Ortega Highway. If you live in California you probably know that Ortega Highway is through this beautiful area tucked behind the California hills and is one lane going and one lane coming. As I was driving through, I was thinking "man this is the most beautiful area I have ever seen." 

About 10 miles in and 10 more to go, I come upon bumper to bumper traffic. I look on my maps app and it shows that the traffic goes on for the rest of the road. At first I was fine. I was taking this time to be quite before the Lord and let Him speak to me regarding some things that had been on my mind. After an hour and only going as far as one mile, I started panicking and I made the decision to turn around, which wasn't easy to do being that it was only a two lane (winding) street, but I did it and I headed back to Vanguard. 

Saturday was a much, MUCH better day. I got to have lunch and hangout with Hope, go to IKEA for the first time with my friend Andrew (he took all of these great pictures), and I saw my Dorm Steward, Brooke, from bible college and got to have a nice time with her. 


Even though the trip included getting lost and stuck, I looked at is as a learning and growing experience. This was only my first trip alone so I am allowed to have a couple of bumps in the road and odds are I will have a lot more bumps on trips ahead of me. 

It's just like in life, we have had bumps in the road and we will continue to have bumps in the road but they are something to look at as a growing experience and to rely on the Lord to get us over that bump. I guess that is what I took away from this weekend... deep.

Have you guys had any trips that have been a growing experience?
Leave any comments down below.