This past weekend, I was able to join my family on trip to Chicago. It was part-business, part-pleasure. While we had several church commitments, we also had an opportunity to engage in a few local tourist attractions. We were away for four nights.

The trip was a relatively short trip; we often take trips to Georgia that last as long as two weeks. Yet on the trip, we had the opportunity to unwind and reflect on life. We visited another church (in a very different context from our own) and spent a good deal of time walking around the city. As I returned to work today, I felt energized.

As I think about this dynamic, it has implications in our decision-making. While I have written about the value of time here in decision-making, I have not considered the value of travel. Sometimes it is important to get out of a current context in order to adequately discern. Travel has a way of shedding light in new and divergent angles. When considering the listening stage, it may fitting to plan a weekend (or longer) trip out of your current context. God is able to speak in any context; yet I am not sure we listen as well at home. We often need to break out of normal patterns to hear His voice.

Just a suggestion as you diagram a listening strategy, get out of town. Travel. Take (not only time), but energy to escape the busyness of life.