Summer is officially here, and I know I can’t be the only one excited! With the weather being warmer. travel restrictions loosening, and the outside world steadily opening back up, people are chomping at the bit to get back out there and travel.

I don’t know about you, but I could REALLY use a real vacation right now. I love getting away from my usual responsibilities and routine and allowing myself to reset and relax. The only downside, however, is that spending daily time with God often also gets left behind when I travel. It’s not that I don’t love Jesus, it’s just that when you deviate from your normal space and routine to go rest and explore a new place, there’s usually so much to see and do that it gets extremely easy to forget to put God first.

If you can relate, this post is for you. I recently went on vacation with my hubby and daughter in March, and it was the first time I can say I mastered consistently staying connected to God while on vacation. Here’s how I did it.

1 | I gave God the first part of my day

When I’m not on vacation, I like to wake up early to spend at least 45 minutes to an hour with God in prayer. However, I’ve found that when I’m on vacation that is not realistic for me. I’m usually leaving my hotel or Airbnb super early to go explore, and I don’t return until late. Translation: super late nights and early mornings and very little time at my hotel.

Instead of completely skipping my morning routine, I simply condense it by giving God at least 15 or 20 minutes before I rush out of the door. I spend about 5-10 minutes in worship and prayer, and then an additional 10 minutes either reading my Bible or a few pages and scriptures from a devotional.

This quiet time isn’t super long, but it is intentional. The goal is to make sure you’re staying connected to God while on vacation, even if that connection time isn’t as lengthy. It should still be quality focused time with Him before you bustle out of the door for the day.

2 | I used the Bible app

I try to pack as light as possible when I travel. I am a chronic over-packer so I’m constantly looking for ways to conserve space when I can. For this reason, I do not generally travel with my Bible. Instead, I opt to use the YouVersion Bible app on my phone. It has the translations that I like to use, as well as hundreds of devotionals, all right at my fingertips. This is really helpful when you’re en route to your destination and also when coming back home. Whether flying or riding shotgun, having a Bible app makes it easy to study the scriptures on the go.

Another thing I love about the Bible app is that many translations are also available audibly – the app will literally read the scriptures out loud to you! I use this feature most often when I’m getting dressed and preparing to leave for the day. I like to turn to the NLT version (it has the best audio version in my opinion) and just listen to the word as I prepare to start my day.

3 | I watched church online

If you can’t physically make it to church, watching a sermon online is a great way to connect with God while you’re on vacation. Even if your church hasn’t jumped on board, there are so many other churches that live stream or pre-record their services and put them on YouTube. This is especially useful on vacation because it allows you to still hear the word whenever and wherever works best for your schedule.

When it comes to vacationing, the whole goal is to relax and experience new things and I am all for it, but we don’t have to leave Jesus behind at home. We can still nurture our relationship with Him while we explore new places and things. While our routine may not look the same as it does when we’re at home, small intentional tweaks here and there can still help draw us closer to God. Time in His presence is the true refresh anyway.

I hope these three simple tips were helpful for you. Let’s chat in the comments: how do you ensure you’re staying connected to God while on vacation?

Related Posts

How to Have a Daily Quiet Time with God

5 Keys to Spiritual Growth: Experiencing Open Heavens