A friend compared returning from a business trip to a space vessel re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and landing or splashing down. It seemed an apt comparison! High velocity, speed, heat, and two worlds intersecting make atmospheric re-entry one of the most dangerous segments of the mission. The vessel must hit at the perfect angle and speed and ultimately slow down to land.
When a Road Warrior returns, two worlds intersect. The traveler is in solo mode and slowing down. The person at home has been managing a household alone. It’s usually day’s end, and a growling stomach with emotional stress make perfect ingredients for a collision.
It’s difficult to put yourself in somebody else’s shoes, but this is an important moment for you and your spouse both to try. The process of reintegration requires selflessness, empathy, patience, and good communication to engineer a full return to the role God intended for you within the family unit.
In order to do this effectively, set work on the back burner and connect with God in prayer on your way home. Walk through your front door with your spiritual focus front of mind and ready to give of yourself. Give your family your full attention. Upload and download once you have had time to settle. Discuss how your spiritual focus on the trip played out and how God answered your day 1 prayers. Share the challenges you faced as well.
The objective of intentional reentry is to gently reconnect and reintegrate into your home routine. Keeping your worlds connected before and during your journey will make this final step less onerous. This along with the other 4 disciplines in this Bible Plan series lay a solid foundation to undergird Road Warriors to face the challenges the road presents with strong spiritual footing and ultimately to return stronger.
Scripture:
7 Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.