More Than Miles

There’s something sacred about getting away for a while. Packing up the car, leaving behind the usual routine, and setting your sights on a new horizon. Our recent trip to Indiana gave us more than just new places to explore.

It gave us something deeper: a reminder that there is still so much good in the hearts of everyday people. A fresh reminder that kindness still exists, that hospitality still heals, and that God has a way of showing up....not just in churches and quiet moments, but in smiles, open doors, and strangers who make you feel at home.

We began our journey with a very intentional stop: Gary, Indiana, where Justin and I had visited months earlier and fell in love with the shore of Lake Michigan. We couldn’t wait to bring the girls there - to walk the sand, breathe in the breeze, and feel that sense of calm that only water can bring.

But what surprised us most wasn’t the beach itself (though it was stunning). It was the people around us.

Even in nearby downtown Chicago, a place often labeled rushed or indifferent, we were met with kindness, smiles in the middle of traffic, polite strangers offering to help, and doors held open.   

In the middle of the hustle and bustle - walking among people on a mission to grab lunch, caught up in the busyness of their day - we still found warmth and genuine connection.

It was a reminder that kindness doesn’t have to slow down to be real.

As we wound our way through Indiana, we took the scenic route.... let me tell you..... it was more than worth it!

We stopped to explore historic covered bridges, the kind that seem to carry stories in their beams and whispers in their wood. They felt like time capsules.... beautiful, quiet places where life slows down and the ordinary becomes almost sacred.

We found ourselves pulling over more often than expected....not because we had to, but because we wanted to take it all in....even though the heat index was TERRIBLE.

And in those towns, diners, gas stations, and little roadside stops, we were met again and again with hospitality.

Not the kind that shouts.....but the kind that smiles, that notices and invites.

One of the most meaningful parts of the trip came from a small church in Indiana we’d never visited before.

We walked in as strangers. We left with full hearts.

From the start, people greeted us like family. But more than that....the presence of the Lord was there. 

Thick, peaceful, unmistakable. 

The kind of atmosphere where hearts soften and burdens lift. Where it doesn’t matter who you are or where you're from.... because what makes a church feel like home isn’t the walls or the worship team…

It’s the Spirit of God that abides there.

And when He’s in the room, everything else falls into place.

All along this trip...from the quiet bridges to the busy sidewalks, from the sanctuary pews to the sandy shoreline - we were reminded that hospitality isn’t about having the perfect setup. It’s not about being from a certain place. It’s not even about being slow or southern or sentimental.

Hospitality is a heart posture. 

It’s about making room ... for others, for connection, for God.

It looks like...a warm smile to a stranger, a kind word at just the right time, a seat offered, a door held, a question asked with sincerity, a church that welcomes not with perfection, but with presence.

We came home refreshed.....not just by what we saw, but by who we encountered. 

People who made space for us. 

People who smiled. 

People who reflected God’s goodness in simple, beautiful ways.

And more than anything, we came home inspired to be those people, too.

So wherever your next trip takes you .....whether it’s hundreds of miles away or just across town....slow down enough to look for the kindness.

And more importantly, offer it.

Because in a world that can feel rushed, divided, and guarded, the best kind of hospitality is the kind that simply says:

“You matter. I see you. You’re welcome here.”

And sometimes, that’s the part of the journey that sticks with you most.