Sandi Patty on Travel after COVID-19

Sandi Patty’s bright personality and voice are renowned in Christian music. Her passion for music and ministry created an illustrious 40+ year career, including five Grammys, more than 20 Dove Awards and the countless hearts of fans all over the world.

Entertaining and inspiring crowds is what she lives for, but you might be surprised by her thoughts on travel. In this personal essay, Sandi unpacks her unconventional relationship with travel.

I don’t like to travel. Sounds like a head-scratcher, huh? 

As a musician, I’ve spent the last 40+ years traveling around the world to perform, but that’s because I LOVE the work, not the travel that comes with it. For me, what sets cruises apart from other forms of travel is the simplicity and reliability of a set routine and schedule. I love knowing that all (or most) of the decisions are made for you. 

• What time do you eat? Decision made. 
• What do you want to eat? There are many options for you to choose from. 
• Don’t want to commit to only seeing one place? Cruises offer so many places to see with regular stops at beautiful ports on the way to your location. 

These conveniences allow my soul to Sabbath. The thinking has been taken out of the equation. I simply have to show up, and I can lean in hard to the rest that my soul very much needs. 

It’s kinda funny to talk about rest being something we need, especially after a year and a half of being at home. But, like many of you, I have had to pivot—a lot—and embrace new normals. The mental gymnastics in trying to figure out new normals is exhausting. 

I have found that as things slowly creep back to a more familiar and “normal” pace, I am just now beginning to experience the effects of quarantine. When we go through difficult seasons, we tend to just do the next thing so we can put one foot in front of the other and do what needs to be done. But as the adrenaline of the past 18 months wears off, I find myself experiencing all the feelings retroactively. The fatigue and anxiety. The anger and frustration. The grief and sorrow. Everything that has been lying dormant is rising to the top of my mind. 

That’s why my soul needs a Sabbath. Allowing myself and my spirit the time and space to feel those feelings so that healing can come. One of the best forums to do this is on a beautiful, sanitary (yup, I said it) and luxurious cruise ship.

It will be so good to gather with other believers again! Experience some organic time with the ocean and the ports together, where we’ll have conversations over a meal or by the pool. We’ll laugh, reflect and give our souls the opportunity to sing, encourage and inspire each other. After all, this is what we are called to do as believers—inspire and encourage one another in our faith. 

I can’t wait to go in 2022. All you have to do is show up. You are all invited to the table. Bring your burdens. Bring your sorrows. Bring your pain. Bring your joy. Whatever season in life you may find yourself in, bring it with you and simply BE.

Jesus says, “Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” 

We invite you too. Come and Sabbath your soul. I will be there, just as I am, inviting Christ to be in the midst of my Sabbath. He promises to bring rest.