n the thirteenth chapter of the book of Acts, Luke relates a historical journey taken by Paul and Barnabas. The church at Antioch was busy serving the Lord and seeking to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Christians there were led to set apart and send Paul and Barnabas to the island of Cyprus. They were going on a cruise for the Lord! The following verses in the text show how they made their way there and how they handled the roadblocks they encountered. The result was that the gospel was spread to a new land, and more were brought to Christ.

This was the first of many "vacations' Paul and others took that resulted in the planting of new churches and the conversion of many to a new life in Christ. Paul was already living what he wrote in Philippians one, verse twenty-one. He said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain". He lived this way in all situations no matter where he was, or what he was doing.

Our challenge as Christians is to let this proclamation be true for our lives also. The actual difference between a "mission trip" and a "vacation" is often just our purpose and perspective. If we let God plan our vacation and seek to use it for Him it just might turn out to be a mission trip custom made by God for us. After all, if "for me to live is Christ" shouldn't it still be true in my free time? You never know how God might use you if you purpose in your heart to give Him your vacation too.