A Prayer Before Leaving On Vacation
A Prayer Before Leaving on Vacation
As we pack our bags and plot adventures,
We come to You, O God of all things,
And ask You to lead us in our travels.
Thank You for the energy and excitement
Of embarking on a new journey,
Whether we’re exploring our hometown
Or setting sail to faraway places.
Ignite in us a childlike anticipation
Of what’s to come.
Breathe in us the magic
Of being too excited to sleep.
Thank You for the wonder and whimsy
Of watching our kids fill their backpacks
With stuffed animals and books,
With sustenance for the journey.
Thank You for the great escape
Into time together.
Thank You for memories we will make,
For snapshots strung together in time
Like photographs on a postcard.
O God, help us to be present,
To have eyes to see the beauty
In the family right in front of us.
Help us to look more at each other
And less at our screens.
Thank You for the natural wonders
You’ve breathed into existence—
For the mountains and beaches
And wide-open spaces,
And for cities and the people in them too.
Thank You for souvenir shops
And unexpected pit stops,
For travel-size shampoo bottles
And well-worn maps,
For the airplane pretzels
And the sandwiches packed in the cooler,
For campsites and hotel beds.
As we prepare for this vacation,
Release us from the baggage
Of grown-up worries,
And let us linger in the fun
Of a getaway together,
For we know it is less about
Where we go
And more about who we’re with.
Thank You for a little extra
In our wallet to make this adventure come true,
And we pray that we would remember
Those who do not have the privilege
Of money or health or time
To take a trip away.
Help us to be generous with our neighbor
As You are generous with us.
Be with us as we depart, O God.
And if we get lost, give us at least a good story
That our kids will tell and tell again.
Help us to be kind to those we meet along the way.
May they know us by our kindness and glad spirits.
Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 23:6; John 13:35
From the book
