After a weekend away, I answered the typical questions at the Canada/US border before crossing back into my home country.

Those questions are familiar to me; I’ve been across that border many times in my life.

But this time, it was different. I was travelling with just me and Jesus, and after a weekend that will forever be a milestone in my life story, two of his questions seemed to mean so much more.

“What are you bringing back into the country with you?” “What is the value of those goods?”

(He also had the audacity to ask, “What’s all that in the backseat?” After I so carefully piled three quarters of my shopping spree into the trunk to organize my car… and he still thought it looked like a lot!?)

Back to those two questions though – after I drove away from the border, I reflected on how I could have answered in such a different way.

What did I bring back? Rekindled hope. Restored joy. New friendship. A heart that is ready to beat strong again. Healing. Greater trust and love for Jesus.

What is the value of those things?

I didn’t pay for any of them… they are worth too much to purchase.

They were all gifts from the hand of my Father!

Then there are all the things I didn’t bring back with me… the things I dumped off in various cafes, small towns, and along the interstate. Shame, pain, confusion, doubt, hopelessness, anxiety.

Travelling with Jesus did so much more for my heart than I ever imagined it would when I planned it!

Don’t worry, I didn’t reply with any of that. The official at the border would have been quite surprised if I had answered that way, as that was, of course, not what he meant. I told him approximately how much I spent on home decor, like I was expected to. But the thought still made me smile as I drove…

I hope that as I go forward, I’ll remember this moment and often ask myself, “What are you bringing with you?”

What am I carrying along that isn’t meant to weigh me down?

What am I picking up as I travel?

Am I walking in places where I gather things that help me thrive, or am I staying stuck in places that don’t allow me to grow in Christ as He desires me to?

As I travel through each day, each place I go, every experience I have… and I return home at the end of each day, one day closer to my journey’s completion… what am I bringing back with me?

What are you bringing back with you?