Safeguarding My Travel Time

by | Apr 12, 2013 | Articles | 0 comments

Excerpted from “The Purity War: A Biblical Guide to Living in an Immoral World” by Dr. James M. Cecy —

The following is a list of suggestions gathered from those who spend much of their time traveling. They recognize the key dangers to their moral safety while traveling:

  • Anonymity
  • Discretionary Funds
  • Leisure Time
  • Broken Routine
  • Loneliness

They submit these traveling tips in hopes that some of their ideas will be helpful in your desire for moral victory on the road. Mark those that are most helpful, adding your own comments and ideas at the bottom. Discuss these with your accountability partners.

  • Pre-plan your trip and how you will avoid the things that tempt you (e.g. newsstands, magazines, internet, movies, flirtations, solicitations)
  • Ask your friends to pray for your moral safety on the trip and then report to at least one of them after the trip. Be ready to answer the hard questions.
  • Give your family and friends a specific itinerary and be prepared to explain delays.
  • If possible, avoid traveling alone. Travel with your spouse or someone of the same sex.
  • Walk past that newsstand with questionable material. Buy your newspaper, magazine or book before you travel.
  • If possible, stay in homes of friends and acquaintances; not hotels.
  • Ask the hotel to give you a room where there is no TV or have them remove it. If they won’t, there are plenty of hotels that will.
  • If you do have a television with easy access, put a towel over the television as a reminder to do something else. Or just unplug it.
  • When you do watch television, be intentional. “Channel surfing” is out while traveling. Once that selected program is over, turn off the TV.
  • When using the internet, be on guard, especially in foreign countries whose censorship standards may be different. Do not “surf the net.”
  • Bring photos of your spouse and family and look at them at least once a day.
  • Avoid being anonymous. Introduce yourself or wear a name tag.
  • Contact your spouse and children regularly. If communication is impossible, send them a note to let them (and yourself ) know you were thinking of them.
  • Listen to Christian music in your room and while traveling.
  • Attend church, mid-week services or Christian fellowships in the area. Some hotels even hold church services.
  • Set up a network of Christian friends and fellowship groups in areas where you frequently travel.
  • Don’t meet alone with someone of the opposite sex, publicly or privately. Arrange for an associate to come along with you. If you must meet, then be sure it is a very public place and that you stick to business.
  • Don’t drink alcohol. Drinking lowers your moral inhibitions and dulls your spiritual sensibilities.
  • Pre-plan and hold to a daily Bible-reading schedule for the duration of the trip.
  • Keep on hand a number of Scriptures for quick referral when needed throughout the day. Better yet, begin a memorization plan to “hide” these verses in your heart.
  • Think and treat every person you meet as a (potential) brother or sister in Christ.
  • Pray for your own moral safety throughout the trip.
  • Run from any hint of moral trouble.
  • If temptation is getting to you, call a friend for help. Better yet, call someone even before temptation arises.

Now, it’s your turn to help your fellow travelers. Add your own suggestions to this list. (Just reply to this article).

© Copyright Dr. James M. Cecy

 

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