Summer offers a great opportunity to enrich one's spiritual life through traveling to meaningful destinations.
The summer season offers a much-needed pause for students and professionals alike. The warm weather offers a great opportunity for easy and effortless travel. For Christians, it's also the perfect time to spend some quality time with the Lord. What better way to do so than to travel to spiritual summer destinations?
Nearly all people experience burnout. This is why it is important to take time to pause and reflect on one's journey so far and the learnings that come with it. Summer is a great time to do so and also allot time to quietly sit with God to lift up prayers, give thanks, or simply read Scripture. One can also choose to travel on his or her own to spend time with God during summer.
Anne Kerhoulas wrote in the Christian Union, "Solitude is a faithful friend. It is something Christians must pursue regularly, not just when it is forced on them by a season change." It is during these summer vacations that Kerhoulas' solitude forced her to observe her "sinful patterns" and correct them.
"We must be people who actively slow down (stop even) to fix our eyes on Jesus who both created and will complete our faith," Kerhoulas wrote. "When we are still enough to catch a glimpse of the splendor of Christ and our need for him, we find the hope and desire to strip off the extra weight that clings to us."
To be able to strip a person of his or her bearings, they can opt to travel as a journey to find God. Here are some spiritual summer destinations for Christians that could help them bond with Jesus and re-center their lives on God this season.
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1. Orlando, Florida
For those looking to journey domestically this summer, consider Orlando, Florida. While the state is widely known for its theme parks and summer destinations, it also offers a unique spiritual experience for Christians. Consider the biblical tour, which can be explored in just two days or as part of a longer trip in the state.
The biblical tour includes a stop at the WordSpring Discovery Center, where Christians can learn more about the history of the Bible, world languages, and how the Bible was translated through time. Christians will also enjoy the Jesus Film Studio Tour, which reveals how God is touching lives all over the world with the Jesus Film.
One of the most highly anticipated stops is the Holy Land Experience, a fascinating biblical theme park that features a massive collection of biblical antiquities called The Scriptorium. Visitors will discover more of the Bible and view ancient Jerusalem just as it was 2,000 years ago, and witness reenactments of Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection, Learn Religions reported. For adventure seekers, they can also visit the replica of the submerged bronze statue of Jesus in nearby Key Largo, Florida, a copy of the original near the San Fruttuoso abbey off the Italian Riviera.
2. Washington D.C.
Another domestic but spiritual summer destination for Christians this season is Washington D.C., which is home to the Museum of the Bible, which opened on November 17, 2017.
Considered one of the most technologically advanced museums in the world, the Museum of the Bible features more than 1,150 items in its permanent collection and 2,000 items loaned from other collections. It is now a go-to spiritual summer destination for Christians, as the museum offers an impressive collection of biblical artifacts and texts.
3. Jerusalem, Israel
This list of spiritual summer destinations for Christians would not be complete without Jerusalem in Israel, a biblical landmark that holds major significance for Christian travelers all around the world. The Bible mentions by name the Mount of Olives, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Pool of Bethesda, so don't miss out on those on the tour.
4. Vatican City, Rome
Another spot that holds significant cultural and religious significance is the Vatican City, with its Sistine Chapel, which Crosswalk describes as "Michelangelo's masterpiece of renaissance craftsmanship." Don't miss out on St. Peter's Basilica, the Pinacoteca Gallery, and other monuments dedicated to Catholic Saints.
5. Macedonia, Turkey, Greece, and More
For those looking for a true biblical journey, consider the Footsteps of Paul tour, which ranges from 8 days to up to two weeks, depending on how much time one can spend traveling. The Footsteps of Paul tour will help Christians imagine the steps of the Apostle Paul and his missionary journeys. Christian travelers will pass through Macedonia where Paul was first called in a dream and then to Thessaloniki and Berea where he began to encourage others to study the Word of God.
Then, travel to Corinth, Rhodes and Patmos, where the Apostle John was exiled, spending time to write the book of Revelation. The tour will also take Christian travelers to Athens where Paul preached about the "Unknown God," then to Ephesus, where the Ephesus Church began. Depending on the travel agency and package offering, these tours can last from seven to 14 days.
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