Travel has taught me that resilience is found in pushing past setbacks, faith grows when we trust the unknown, and freedom comes from embracing life beyond limits. From hospital stays to mountaintop hikes, each journey reminds me of God’s grace, the kindness of strangers, and the wide, transformative power of the world.
May 25, 2022
I’ve always believed that travel is more than just movement across a map, it’s movement within ourselves. Every journey I’ve taken, whether across an ocean or simply across a state line, has reshaped how I see the world and my place in it. For me, travel has never been about checking off a list of landmarks. It’s been about learning resilience, deepening my faith, and discovering what true freedom feels like.
My story has never been one of smooth sailing. Born with bilateral hip dysplasia, I spent much of my childhood in and out of hospitals. Thirteen surgeries, two hip replacements, and countless physical setbacks could have made me fearful of pushing limits. But it did the opposite, it fueled me to live a life outside the ordinary because when the last day of my life inevitably comes, I want to be able to say “I’m so glad I got to do that” rather than saying a long list of “I wish I had done that…”
My setbacks have actually been a strength because they’ve allowed me to realize how fleeting simple things can be, like the ability to put one foot in front of the other. There have been multiple months at a time throughout my life where I’ve lost the ability to walk or even bathe myself, so I’ll never take for granted any time I do have the ability to walk up a flight of stairs or hike to the top of a mountain. These moments are precious to me because I never know when they could be taken away from me again. But I refuse to live in fear waiting for the day my hips give out, instead I choose to live everyday with a sense of purpose and appreciation for the life God has given me. At the center of it all has been and always is Jesus, He is my guiding light and He is what gives me joy through the constant pain, the strength to push through it all.
Now I chase adventure, and I crave the delights of seeing God’s beautiful wonders He laid out for us on this Earth. Every time I limped my way through cobblestoned streets in Prague or along the rim of the Grand Canyon as the sun went below the horizon, I remembered that the very act of going was proof of resilience.
Travel doesn’t erase our struggles, it reminds us that we’re capable of more than we think and the ability to experience our grand world reminds us that there is a creator.
Travel has also deepened my faith. Not just my Christian faith in Jesus, though my faith has absolutely carried me through the hardest of days, but faith in the goodness of people, and in the world itself.
When I traveled solo to India and Nepal, I stepped into a completely foreign culture with no roadmap. I didn’t know the language, I didn’t know a soul, and yet, God opened doors. Strangers became friends. I saw kindness in places I least expected it.
Travel requires us to loosen our grip and trust. Trust that the plane will land, that the directions will make sense eventually, that the right path will appear even if we can’t see it yet. That kind of faith, built through thousands of little moments on the road, has spilled into every part of my life.
And then there’s freedom - perhaps one of the greatest gifts travel has given me. Freedom to explore, freedom to rest, freedom to connect with God in nature, freedom to be fully myself outside the routines and roles of everyday life.
So often, limitations, whether physical, financial, or emotional, can make life feel small. Travel blows open the walls we put around ourselves. It reminds us that we are not stuck, that there is more waiting for us just beyond the horizon. Standing on the top of a volcano at Haleakalā National Park or floating in the turquoise waters of Thailand, I’ve felt a freedom so deep it’s almost indescribable, not just in where I am, but in who I am.
That’s why I do this work. I know travel isn’t always easy, especially when life comes with challenges. But I also know it’s worth it. Every trip I design for a client carries this same heartbeat: resilience, faith, and freedom. Because travel isn’t just about where you go, it’s about who you become along the way.
So if you’ve ever wondered whether you can do it, if it’s possible, if it’s for you, I want you to know: it absolutely is. The world is wide, and so is your strength. Let’s plan your next adventure together.
