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Lessons Learned While Traveling to Spiritual Events

Lessons Learned While Traveling to Spiritual Events

Last updated on: August 5, 2026 at 12:00 pm by Lee Ann B. Marino

Lessons Learned While Traveling to Spiritual Events 2026-06-22T16:29:57-04:00 Lee Ann B. Marino

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It’s summertime in the northern hemisphere, which means one thing: many are busy traveling. Whether on vacations to visit sights, family, or new adventures, summertime is often a special time in the lives of many. Historically speaking, it’s also been a popular time for traveling to spiritual events, as well. American campmeetings, convocations, and Christian assemblies often have traditional roots during the hot, lazy days of summer, marking time not just for fun exploration, but spiritual growth.

This time of year always makes me think of different lessons I’ve learned while traveling to spiritual events. Lessons are often held in the travel to an even as much as within it. Here, I share some of the best lessons to date.

People standing and looking around in a church

Photo by Abdel Rahman Abu Baker: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-people-walking-in-hallway-2537378/

God is in the delays

Years ago, I led a women’s ministry called Women of Power International. One year, we held our annual event all the way up in New Jersey. I made the decision to drive, and two members of Women of Power flew in from Texas to drive up with me. To say I thought we were never going to get to New Jersey was an understatement. The members coming to meet me encountered airport hassles and delays all day, making their arrival time after midnight on Wednesday. We were supposed to be leaving at 6 AM that same morning, but because they got in so late, our departure was a few hours later. It was frustrating. It felt long. But it all had a purpose.

The results

Had they not arrived late, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to pray for the night clerk at the hotel where they stayed. She’d just received word that she had a cancer flare in her body after years of dormancy. Had we left when we wanted to, we would have been caught in a multi-car pile-up accident in Maryland. Then on the way back, had we left earlier than we did, we would have missed out on a chance of fellowship on the way home. Thanks to that fellowship, we missed another hour-long delay on the way back. From departure to return, God was with us, all through every delay. From karaoke in the car to visits with others, we were able to see God’s hand at work in our lives.

If you rush ahead, you will miss your goal.(Proverbs 19:2, CJB)

It’s easy to get caught up in haste and timetables. Punctuality is great, but sometimes God is in our delays. Do we make ourselves too busy to see God’s hand when everything sets up to arrive or leave at a time other than we plan? Are we allowing God to be in our plans, or are we rushing ahead of Him?

Spiritual warfare = hassles surrounding an event

Spiritual warfare is a common aspect of any event. Realizing this doesn’t make it any easier. It also doesn’t feel good to realize the spiritual warfare of events often results in changes with others. Sometimes those changes are temporary, while others are more permanent. Either way, recognizing spiritual warfare as part of an event makes a huge difference in how we handle the issues that arise.

While preparing for one conference many years ago, the spiritual warfare started exactly five weeks in advance. One of the speakers decided to back out of the event for (literally) no good reason whatsoever. She was someone I led at the time and decided to leave the ministry right before the conference was scheduled to start. A week prior, I struggled with distractions and crisis that couldn’t be avoided – but annoyed me. A few days before I was scheduled to leave, I fell in the bathroom, slipping on the floor. It was a serious enough fall to result in a 2.5 inch bruise and throw out my back, hip, and knee. Then, while in transit to the even, the woman who decided to leave the event started blowing up my phone with nasty messages and causing disruption all over Facebook.

Staying the spiritual course

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10:4-6, NIV)

People prayed against the event, started trouble, and caused a riling in the Spirit. Regardless, the most powerful thing we could do was move forward. Spiritual warfare might be overwhelming, but the most powerful thing we can do is stay the spiritual course.

Being able to rely on others is a lesson learned regardless of location

Spiritual warfare is difficult enough to handle on its own. It takes on a whole new level of difficulty while traveling to spiritual events. If you don’t have the right assistance – both spiritually and naturally – things can turn difficult, quickly.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10, NIV)

During one conference event, the warfare was intense not just in transit to the event, but during it, as well. I was blessed by the encouragement of the conference host, as well as her hospitable staff. One member of our ministry kept an eye on social media, ensuring that things didn’t get out of control online while I was in conference. Others prayed, fasted, shared details about the conference with others, sent donations, or saw fit to attend. All in all, being able to rely on others is a great feeling.

Prayer is a great thing to do while traveling to spiritual events

Much of our travel time is spent waiting. Whether it’s waiting for transportation to arrive, to arrive at our destination, waiting for an event to start, or waiting to go home, we spend a great deal of time in transit without much to do. On one special journey, I was left with a gap in time. After walking through the airport terminal twice, I was left wondering what else there was to do. God dropped on my heart, why not pray?

I call on You, my God, for You will answer me; turn Your ear to me and hear my prayer. (Psalm 17:6, NIV)

Travel time is a great time to prepare our hearts and minds for whatever spiritual events are to come in the days to follow. Whether you are ministering or attending, take some travel time and pray.

Our struggles are nothing compared to God’s glory

Travel can be an exciting thing. It can also feel like a hassle. This is just as true while traveling to spiritual events as for traveling for any other reason. Waiting in long lines, traffic jams, car accidents, unexpected delays, and fighting against other travelers can cause us to struggle, wondering if we were better off staying home. That’s one way to approach the issue. The other is to say that our struggles are worth it. They are nothing compared to God’s glory. We will experience that glory while traveling to spiritual events if we are open to recognize it.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18, KJV)

Enough said on that one!

The work of God matters

Sometimes it seems like ministry is a ball of complaints, in one form or another. Even prayer requests can be disguised complaints, as people bemoan what is wrong with their lives, hoping you will pray it all away with fairy dust. If we find ourselves barraged by negative attitudes, problems, and drama, we will fail to recognize how important God’s work is.

Do not be terrified by them, for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. (Deuteronomy 7:21, NIV)

Travel gives us time to think about our fellowship, worship, and engagement with other believers. If those around us are constantly dragging us down, we must consider our company. Sometimes it takes nothing more than a trip to a different place with different people to recognize that it’s time to move on past those who never seem to grow.

God is with us

Wherever you are at…God is with you. Whatever you are going through…God is with you. It may seem like the end of the world, but this too, shall pass. Step back and see what God is doing in your life. Maybe it’s not the first time He’s done it, and maybe it won’t be the last. God is bringing you to new people for new connections, strengthening the older connections, and bringing and birthing forth power in His Name through your life and whatever it is He has called you to do.

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About Lee Ann B. Marino

Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.Min., D.D. (”The Spitfire”) is “everyone’s favorite theologian” leading Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z as apostle of SAFE Ministries. Her work encompasses study and instruction on leadership training and development, typology, Pneumatology, conceptual theology, Ephesians 4:11 ministry, and apostolic theology. She is author of over thirty-five books, host of the top twenty percentile podcast Kingdom Now, and serves as founder and overseer of Sanctuary International Fellowship Tabernacle - SIFT and Chancellor of Apostolic Covenant Theological Seminary. Dr. Marino has over twenty-five years of experience in ministry, leadership, counseling, mentoring, education, and business. You can read more about the author here.

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