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By Nick P.
















The last weekend before this writing I was at the Apologetics Conference in Charlotte, NC. This was a big trip for me because although I'm 23, my parents have been very guarded of me and this was the first time I'd traveled across state lines hans solo. I have decided to record my journey from Knoxville, TN to Charlotte, NC while including the key parts and the spiritual parallels.

There's something exciting about it being just you on the road. This was the main reason I wanted it to be just me. You get to be all alone facing the challenges of life. You prove your own independence in many ways. It's almost like a rite of passage.

However, as I pulled into NC crossing the state line and though I cheered, I had to stop at the first such area I saw that was a rest area. My cell phone had been with me the whole time but I pulled in to rest, get some snacks and phone home. My Mom wasn't home but I left a message as she had gone to the store to let her know I was alright. I found out I hadn't properly sent the Collect call and my Dad called me shortly asking if I was okay and I realized I needed to call back home soon.

You know, no matter how much we grow,  we can't forget the people that brought us into this world. I think back to the paradox of growth in Christ. I think Christ helps us to walk for awhile and then sends us out. He journeyed with his disciples and then sent them out by themselves.

This isn't to say we will never need Christ. We always will but Christ doesn't make our decisions for us or walk for us. He goes with us. That makes all the difference in the world. We must never lose contact with home and we must not forget who it was that brought us into birth with the new birth.

Thus, I pulled off to a McDonald's in a nearby town soon. By the grace of God, I found one that had a convenience store that sold Krispy Kreme donuts also. I am a very finicky eater but I left happy and with a bottle of Gatorade as well. However, I went to the phone booth first and called home.

It's nice to know that people at home are concerned about our progress. Our Lord is also interested in our progress. He has more in it than we do even. As much as we might seek to get souls saved, he seeks more. While I think those of us that struggle with doubt at salvation at times wonder if he'll find a way to get us out of the kingdom, he wants to find ways to get us in. He is eagerly doing all he can to get us to our goal safely and he is watching our progress. We can check in any time and speak with him.

Ironically, as I was leaving and driving the phone rings. Is it my Mom or my Dad? No. It's my friend John. A shock but I get the great greeting always of "Dude!" and we start talking some. I ask him where he's at and he tells me and I say "Well I'm in NC." He is shocked and I tell him why and I quietly pray to God that he doesn't get long distance charge. (By the way John, if you do, I sincerely apologize!)

That call meant a lot though. Your friends are always there to talk to you and no matter where you are or how far from them you go, your true friends will want to talk. John is definitely a true friend of mine and to hear his voice so far from home really brought a comfort.

I remember driving through the mountains of NC then. I saw all the vast array of beautiful trees. I honestly thought of the beauty of the Trinity then. Such a diversity in the persons of God but such a unity as the persons all share one essence. All around me, I see the Trinity now. What a blessing to know God has left reminders of who he is on the journey.

But there was still a ways to go and I did have to stop at many rest stops. I'm really thankful for those things. We all need rest stops. However, we must be sure in our walk that we do not stay at them. Rest serves a purpose but we are in a land where we must travel. When we are rested, we get up and fight again.

Now as I get close I realize my directions are incomplete. Darn. Fortunately, I have a friend who lives in Charlotte whose place I'm staying at. I call him and he's able to tell me how to reach my goal. Thank God that when we're seeking to get to our goal, we have someone there who can help us when we need it.

I arrive and the conference was great. Greg Koukl was awesome to see again. Marcia Montenegro was another fine friend to encounter as well as seeing the salespeople who were all strangely eager to see me again. I really love the people though and the conference and I always learn a lot.

But it was time to go to a place of rest then and so I went to my friend's house there with him and his wife. I enjoyed it and I loved their cat but there wasn't much socializing. We just wanted to sleep and I was to sleep on the sofa in the living room that night.

Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. I thought about that text in a strange sleeping place. How often we take things for granted. Did Jesus ever sleep in a bed? I'm sure he did sometimes but we have it so much better materially than he did. We are truly blessed. With such thoughts of the grace of God, I went to sleep.

The next day at the conference I ran into Michael. Michael is someone I knew online but had never met before. It was a joy to meet him at the conference and his Dad and get to have him take his picture with Greg Koukl. In fact, when someone was taking my picture with Greg, Greg took my STR hat really quick I'd bought from him and turned it to the side. It meant a lot. It was a very friendly gesture from a man I really admire.

Heading home after the great conference with a whole lot of books, I got on the wrong interstate and called my friend. It's a joy to know that when we get lost, we have someone who is a friend who is always ready to get us back where we need to be.

And so I headed home but this time taking a shorter route actually through SC. I recall surfing for radio stations. I would either hear fluffy preaching or sports. Neither one I cared for. No matter where I go, I realized I couldn't get away from this Tennessee football thing. One curse upon me obviously.....(I say this in jest also because many friends receiving this are big UT football fans.)

But I remember passing a club that night. I wonder why they call those adult clubs. They're so childish but I felt a temptation for the first time. Nick. You're single. You have very bad luck with women. You can go in here and no one will ever know. They don't know where you are.

But I knew I'd know. That would be enough. However,  my God would know as well. I chose to pass of course but I thought about that temptation. It was so strange to have that but yet, it was overcome. Our temptations will most strike us when our safe refuges are not around.

Eventually I got to NC and saw the sign at the mountains in the darkness. "Watch for falling rocks next 20 miles." Great. I couldn't even see the mountains around me. I'd be clueless but I went through safely. We may not be able to see the threats around us but if we keep our eyes on the path, we can make it home.

I crossed into TN and was soon on the phone talking to everyone I could. I do get free weekends on my cell. I called my grandmother and I called my friends John and Rodney. I had to let everyone know I was home and what a joy it was to be home again and to see my family all again and rest in my own bed.

No matter how exciting or even dangerous the journey may be at times,  it will be great to make it home. Don't you want to get there someday?

In Christ,
Nick
















Email the author at ApologiaNick@wmconnect.com