New Adventures?

Who doesn’t love vacations?!

Sometimes you find your happy place, and whenever you think of vacation, that’s where you want to be. You’ve found the perfect place to stay. You have your favorite restaurants. You can relax and chill. It’s familiar and comfortable. You love it there.

One of my favorite spots is a cute little cottage on the Chesapeake Bay in Pasadena, Maryland. I could sit on the couch and look at the water and passing ships for hours. Bahama Mike’s is one of our favorite stops for seafood. There are a couple of nearby parks for walking. I get excited just thinking about going to that area.

But…

There’s a whole world to explore! New adventures waiting to be had. Things to see. Regional foods to conquer!

My husband and I have seen the Grand Canyon, Vegas (now that’s a whole other world!), Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Zion, Bryce, Mount Rainier and all of the Great Lakes. We’ve visited Seattle, Sedona, New York City, Toronto and Cape Cod. We’ve stayed on Whidbey Island on Puget Sound and Manitoulin Island in Ontario.  All wonderful places that I highly recommend!

If we had stayed with our comfy, cozy happy place, we never would have seen and experienced the beauty and wonder of other things. God created an amazing world!

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10

When we began The Connection, we made a HUGE step outside of our comfy, cozy, happy places. WAAAAYYYY outside of our comfort zones. BUT it has been so worth it! Just think of all that wouldn’t have happened if we had just continued with the comfortable and the familiar and hadn’t followed God’s leading into new territory. All the friends that we wouldn’t have met.

I think that it is accurate to say that The Connection has made a mark on the lives of thousands of women – locally, across the country and around the world!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

Is God calling you to explore something new? When you know that you know that you know it’s His will, don’t be afraid to go off on an adventure with Him. You’ll never be sorry that you did what He wanted you to do.

Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3

Dear God, please guide and direct our paths. Show us where you want us to go. We are yours and we are willing to do and to go wherever you want us. Use us to bless others and to further your kingdom. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

To learn more about how The Connection got started, check out our new book, “Let’s Get Together: The story of a unique women’s ministry.” Available on Amazon in both ebook and paperback formats. Click HERE to learn more about it.

Want to go one step further and map out your own God-given dream? Check out our brand-new journal, “Let’s Make Plans: Journal to Discover God’s Plan for You” on Amazon HERE.

Mandy Hood

Mandy Hood is co-founder and executive director of The Connection. She authored the book, “Let’s Get Together: The story of a unique women’s ministry.” She hopes the book will be a stepping stone to building a supportive network for community-based ministries. Mandy is working on a new book called “Let’s Get Equipped,” which will provide tips and lessons learned for building your ministry.

Mandy and her husband have been married for 43 years. Together, they enjoy camping and traveling. Every year, they look forward to GramCamp – three days of spoiling and fun with their three favorite young men.