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Arizona felt a little bit like coming home.
We were boondocking, which meant no electricity, water, or sewer hookups. Just us, the RV, the pine trees, and everything we had brought with us.
And it was beautiful.
After being on the road, it was nice to be back in the pine trees where the temperatures were much cooler.
And it was beautiful.
After being on the road, it was nice to be back in the pine trees where the temperatures were much cooler.
We even got to experience some Arizona monsoon storms while we were there. We saw about six elk with huge racks, blue jays, and an osprey around the lake.
Brody was determined to fish and managed to catch one tiny trout. His words, not mine.
He also managed to completely cover his brand new, white shoes, in mud when he had to walk way out into the lake to retrieve his lure.
Brody was determined to fish and managed to catch one tiny trout. His words, not mine.
He also managed to completely cover his brand new, white shoes, in mud when he had to walk way out into the lake to retrieve his lure.
The fact that he could walk that far into what should have been the lake really showed just how low the water was.
The area desperately needed rain.
There was something about watching those monsoon storms roll in over such dry ground that I loved.
Sometimes you don’t realize how thirsty something is until the rain finally comes.
I think our hearts can be like that too.
We keep moving, working, taking care of everyone else, and sometimes we don't realize how dry we've become.
The area desperately needed rain.
There was something about watching those monsoon storms roll in over such dry ground that I loved.
Sometimes you don’t realize how thirsty something is until the rain finally comes.
I think our hearts can be like that too.
We keep moving, working, taking care of everyone else, and sometimes we don't realize how dry we've become.
Then God gives us a quiet place, time with family, or even just a few days under the pine trees, and we realize how much we needed to slow down.
The main reason for this stop was family.
We got to spend time with Scott’s parents and uncles, see his cousins and their babies, play games, and just enjoy being together.
If you're looking for things to actually do around Williams, check out my other blog about Williams HERE.
Full-time RV travel has a way of revealing problems you didn't know you had.
We discovered some issues with our generator and were able to get those figured out with the help of the Harguess men.
From Williams, we headed toward Bullhead City, Arizona, where we stayed at Sunrise Adventures Ridgeview Resort, connected with Colorado River Adventures.
And the temperature change was immediate.
It was 101 degrees when we pulled in.
After boondocking in the forest, having a full-hookup site with 50-amp power felt pretty luxurious.
There is one thing about Arizona that I didn't realize how much I missed until we were back.
The sky.
There is just something different about the desert sky.
The sunsets seem bigger, and once the sun disappears, the stars come out in a way that is hard to describe.
After living in Indiana, those wide-open skies reminded me how much I missed them.
And that's probably what I'll remember most about this part of our journey.
The dry lake waiting for rain.
Time with family.
Problems that needed to be fixed before we kept traveling.
Tanks that needed to be emptied.
And a desert sky that reminded me how small I am and how big God is.
Arizona wasn't a big sightseeing stop for us this time.
It was a place to slow down, take care of some things, spend time with family, and get ready for what comes next.
And I'm learning that the places in between matter too.
We can get so focused on where we're going that we forget to pay attention to where we are.
Sometimes the in-between is where we rest.
Where we repair.
Where we reconnect.
And where God prepares us for what's next.
That feels especially meaningful right now because in just a few weeks, Our daughter will be going off to college and the rest of us will be leaving for Malawi.
I'll be heading back to spend time with the students, teachers, families, and communities connected to our ministry.
There is a lot to prepare before we leave, and I'm excited to see what God has planned.
If you've been following our work in Malawi and have wondered what we do, how student sponsorship works, or how you can support the ministry, please reach out.
After Arizona we headed to my parents' house for the next part of our journey in California.
We had an RV that was a little more prepared, the laundry was clean, the tanks were empty, andall of the doors stayed shut this time.
And we left Arizona with this reminder:
Don't rush through the places in between. Sometimes that's exactly where God prepares you for where you're going next.
Have you ever looked back on an in-between season and realized later that God was preparing you for what came next?
The main reason for this stop was family.
We got to spend time with Scott’s parents and uncles, see his cousins and their babies, play games, and just enjoy being together.
If you're looking for things to actually do around Williams, check out my other blog about Williams HERE.
This visit was much more about family than sightseeing.
It's easy for me to measure a day by how much we accomplished or how many things we saw.
It's easy for me to measure a day by how much we accomplished or how many things we saw.
But some of the best moments don't look productive at all.
Sometimes they look like sitting around a table playing games, holding a new baby, watching your kids spend time with family, or simply being together.
Those are the moments I don't want to rush past.
Sometimes they look like sitting around a table playing games, holding a new baby, watching your kids spend time with family, or simply being together.
Those are the moments I don't want to rush past.
Working Out the Kinks
Full-time RV travel has a way of revealing problems you didn't know you had.
We discovered some issues with our generator and were able to get those figured out with the help of the Harguess men.
Somewhere along the way, we also lost a piece of trim off the RV.
Then there was the compartment where we keep our Starlink. The door kept opening while we were driving down the road.
Not ideal.
This stop gave us time to deal with some of those things before they became bigger problems.
That got me thinking about how often I want to rush through interruptions in life.
I don't think every broken generator has some deep spiritual meaning, but I do think God can use interruptions to get our attention.
James was talking about trials much bigger than RV problems, but the reminder still applies.
Maybe instead of always asking, “How quickly can I get through this?” we should ask:
Even a trip to the grocery store was as it reminded us that we definitely weren't in Indiana anymore. Those Arizona grocery prices were a little painful!
The good news was that they carried quite a few foods I had missed, so I guess it was a trade-off.
Then there was the compartment where we keep our Starlink. The door kept opening while we were driving down the road.
Not ideal.
This stop gave us time to deal with some of those things before they became bigger problems.
That got me thinking about how often I want to rush through interruptions in life.
I don't think every broken generator has some deep spiritual meaning, but I do think God can use interruptions to get our attention.
James 1:2–4 says:
“Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith brings about perseverance. And let perseverance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James was talking about trials much bigger than RV problems, but the reminder still applies.
Maybe instead of always asking, “How quickly can I get through this?” we should ask:
- What is this showing me?
- What needs fixing?
- What have I been ignoring?
- Where do I need to slow down?
- What might God be teaching me before I move on?
Even a trip to the grocery store was as it reminded us that we definitely weren't in Indiana anymore. Those Arizona grocery prices were a little painful!
The good news was that they carried quite a few foods I had missed, so I guess it was a trade-off.
From the Pines to the Desert
From Williams, we headed toward Bullhead City, Arizona, where we stayed at Sunrise Adventures Ridgeview Resort, connected with Colorado River Adventures.
And the temperature change was immediate.
It was 101 degrees when we pulled in.
After boondocking in the forest, having a full-hookup site with 50-amp power felt pretty luxurious.
We could run all of our air conditioners, clean and flush our tanks, and catch up on laundry.
This wasn't really a sightseeing stop. We needed to get the RV ready before continuing on to my parents' house.
We spent the day cleaning, doing laundry, and getting everything organized.
This wasn't really a sightseeing stop. We needed to get the RV ready before continuing on to my parents' house.
We spent the day cleaning, doing laundry, and getting everything organized.
Once the work was finished, we got to swim in the pool and enjoy the spa before heading back to the RV.
And somewhere between cleaning tanks and folding laundry, I started thinking about how much we carry from one season into another.
Our RV needed to be emptied and cleaned before we could keep going.
Sometimes we do too.
Worries, disappointments, expectations, plans, and things we were never meant to control can pile up without us noticing.
Sometimes you need to stop for a while, clean things out, and let some things go.
And somewhere between cleaning tanks and folding laundry, I started thinking about how much we carry from one season into another.
Our RV needed to be emptied and cleaned before we could keep going.
Sometimes we do too.
Worries, disappointments, expectations, plans, and things we were never meant to control can pile up without us noticing.
Sometimes you need to stop for a while, clean things out, and let some things go.
The Arizona Skies
There is one thing about Arizona that I didn't realize how much I missed until we were back.
The sky.
There is just something different about the desert sky.
The sunsets seem bigger, and once the sun disappears, the stars come out in a way that is hard to describe.
After living in Indiana, those wide-open skies reminded me how much I missed them.
And that's probably what I'll remember most about this part of our journey.
The dry lake waiting for rain.
Time with family.
Problems that needed to be fixed before we kept traveling.
Tanks that needed to be emptied.
And a desert sky that reminded me how small I am and how big God is.
Arizona wasn't a big sightseeing stop for us this time.
It was a place to slow down, take care of some things, spend time with family, and get ready for what comes next.
And I'm learning that the places in between matter too.
We can get so focused on where we're going that we forget to pay attention to where we are.
Sometimes the in-between is where we rest.
Where we repair.
Where we reconnect.
And where God prepares us for what's next.
Our Next Big Journey
That feels especially meaningful right now because in just a few weeks, Our daughter will be going off to college and the rest of us will be leaving for Malawi.
I'll be heading back to spend time with the students, teachers, families, and communities connected to our ministry.
There is a lot to prepare before we leave, and I'm excited to see what God has planned.
If you've been following our work in Malawi and have wondered what we do, how student sponsorship works, or how you can support the ministry, please reach out.
I'm always happy to answer questions.
And whether you can financially support the ministry or not, we would really appreciate your prayers.
And whether you can financially support the ministry or not, we would really appreciate your prayers.
- Pray for safe travel and good health.
- Pray for wisdom in our conversations.
- Pray for the students, teachers, and families we'll spend time with.
- And pray that we go into Malawi ready to listen, learn, encourage, and serve.
A Prayer for the Road Ahead
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the places that make us slow down.
Thank You for family, rain on dry ground, problems discovered before they become bigger problems, and the reminders that we aren't in control.
Show us the places in our own lives that have become dry.
Show us what needs to be repaired and what needs to be released.
For anyone reading this who is in an in-between season, give them patience and endurance. Help them see what You are doing even when they don't know what's coming next.
As we prepare for Malawi, protect our team and the people we'll meet. Give us humble hearts, wisdom, and a willingness to listen.
Let our time there encourage the students, teachers, families, and communities we love.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
After Arizona we headed to my parents' house for the next part of our journey in California.
We had an RV that was a little more prepared, the laundry was clean, the tanks were empty, andall of the doors stayed shut this time.
And we left Arizona with this reminder:
Don't rush through the places in between. Sometimes that's exactly where God prepares you for where you're going next.
Have you ever looked back on an in-between season and realized later that God was preparing you for what came next?
I'd love to hear about it in the comments.
And if you're following our journey to Malawi, I hope you'll come along for the next chapter!
And if you're following our journey to Malawi, I hope you'll come along for the next chapter!
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