When was the last time you were looking for one thing and ended up finding something else—maybe something you thought was lost? I know I have.

We were watching a TV show recently on historical world events. One of the topics, called “The Age of Discovery,” was about “The Silk Road,” a trade route overland from the Far East to the West that began maybe as far back as biblical times. Spices were the main goods in high demand in those days. When I heard that, I thought, “Really? Not goods and services that are required for sustenance, but items to entertain our taste buds?” I decided to do some research on this topic.

Once long-distance shipping became popular, the trade routes, like the Silk Road, took to the sea. Apparently whole empires were established and toppled for the love of spices. However, ships that set sail to find and bring back clove, ginger, turmeric, nutmeg, and cinnamon, also discovered lands that had not been mapped before. Men like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama found the places we now call home.

What began as a quest for wealth in the spice trade brought monumental discoveries that changed the world. History tells us that the Age of Discovery ended when monarchs and explorers believed that most portions of the globe had been explored. In other words, they thought they had found everything to be found, so they quit looking.

My passion these days is to find profound discoveries in the mundane. I feel as though God has something to say to me, and through me (and I’m not likely to have a burning bush or Damascus Road experience), so I figure it’ll be in the minutiae of life—everyday things that will reveal Him and His message to me.

Jesus said, “…Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things [What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’] …will be provided to you” (Matthew 6:31 NIV).  Generally He was telling us not to worry about temporal things, but He also said to keep on seeking. To me, that means I should keep exploring and continue my daily search for the Kingdom. He will lead me to new discoveries during those everyday ventures.  

It is believed that explorer Sir Francis Drake wrote this prayer in 1577:

Dis­turb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with our­selves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too lit­tle,
When we arrived safe­ly
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Dis­turb us, Lord, when
With the abun­dance of things we pos­sess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Hav­ing fall­en in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eter­ni­ty
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heav­en to dim.

Dis­turb us, Lord, to dare more bold­ly,
To ven­ture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mas­tery;
Where los­ing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The hori­zons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

If we don’t keep seeking, we’ll never find everything that He has for us. And I’ll bet that we’ll find plenty of spice along the way, as well.

This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).

About the author: Nan Corbitt Allen has written over 100 published dramatic musicals, sketchbooks, and collections in collaboration with Dennis Allen, her husband of 45+ years. A three-time Dove Award winner, Nan’s lyrics and dramas have been performed around the world. Dennis and Nan have sold almost 3 million choral books. Nan and Dennis retired in 2020 from full time teaching at Truett McConnell University. They now live south of Nashville. They have two grown sons and two beautiful grandchildren.

Nan’s book, Small Potatoes @ the Piggly Wiggly, is a collection of devotionals that reveal the great impact seemingly insignificant, routine experiences can have in our lives. She describes what she learned of God’s providence and wisdom while growing up in the Deep South in the 1950’s and 60’s.

Join the conversation: Are you ready to be “disturbed”?

The Courage That Comes When We Know We're Not Alone – Faith Over Fear

Our world has become increasingly disconnected, where independence is often emphasized. This, and the past wounding that comes from engaging with imperfect people living in a broken world, can make it challenging to build deep, interconnected and interdependent relationships. We might even begin to believe that we can live life alone. But God invites us to find safe, loving people we can connect with, gain strength from, and experience support when circumstances feel hard and uncertain. In this episode, Wholly Loved's Michelle Lazurek and Jennifer Slattery discuss the courage that can come when we know we're not alone.  (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.) Find Michelle: On her website Facebook Instagram Amazon Find Jennifer Slattery: On her website Instagram Facebook Amazon Discussion/Reflective Questions: What resonated with you most in this episode? What are some of the characteristics of healthy relationships? How would you describe "interdependency"? When do you tend to feel you most need the support of others? Who, in addition to God, do you most tend to turn to when you feel overwhelmed or frightened? How can (or has) leaning on others during difficulties help (or helped) increase your strength during stressful times? How can our living deeply connected with others help us experience God's love on a deeper level? What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this episode?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1. The Courage That Comes When We Know We're Not Alone 30:05
2. The Cause, Prevalence, and Healing of Soul Shame with Dr. Curt Thompson 40:18
3. Courage to Break Free from Emotional Eating With Barb Raveling 31:25
4. What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day | Teach Us to Pray 15:27
5. Courage to "Do the Thing" with Rebecca George 31:25