The Dadventures

Part 3 of The Dadventures Series

Click here for Part 1 : The Dadventures | Click here for Part 2: The Hero

So, instead of 38 hours of driving in our van with three kids aged eight, three, and fifteen months, I mapped out a 54-hour, 3,192 mile route for our 10-day vacation. That may sound like torture to some of you, but that adventure is responsible for some of the greatest memories for my wife and me. Yes, it was difficult at times, but it is the incredible experiences, the breathtaking sights, and the joyous smiles and laughter that remain etched in our minds and hearts. Nearly every week, we still share stories about seeing Old Faithful erupt, being accosted by a curious marmot, witnessing the majesty and beauty of The Lower Falls at Artist Point, riding in a covered wagon across the prairie, and the bison that get nervously close to our minivan. That journey transformed and reshaped our entire family.

While on that trip to Yellowstone, we realized that our 8-year-old daughter was visiting her 21st state. Then, we realized we only had 10 more summers with her before she would go off to college. That may sound like a lot of time, but we knew it would go by quicker than we thought. So, my wife and I set a goal to get our kids to all 50 states before they leave our home for college.

Now, eight years later and with only two summers remaining, our two oldest kids have been to 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Ontario, Canada. Our 9-year-old son is only three states behind them. Oh, and since that Yellowstone trip, we added a fourth kid. He was born 9 months before the pandemic, but at 5 years old, he has already visited 26 states and the District of Columbia.

It hasn’t been easy. It’s been a serious investment of time, energy, money, and it’s been a test of our patience, problem-solving, courage, and sanity. But it has most definitely been worth it. We have viewed breathtaking sights, filled our memories with amazing experiences, sampled numerous incredible dishes, and grown closer as a family.

In our quest to visit all 50 states, we have had many exciting adventures—some planned but many unexpected. You see, just going on an adventure—no matter how big—opens you up to experiencing even more adventure. I will never forget the result of a spontaneous decision to hike a random trail on that Yellowstone trip. It was the Fourth of July on one of the busiest summers in Yellowstone’s history (the 100th anniversary of the creation of the U.S. National Parks System). On our way to check into our lodging at Canyon Village, we decided to pull over at a trailhead we were about to pass. Instead of being surrounded by crowds like we had been at all the popular sites, we didn’t see another soul for nearly two hours while we hiked, played, and soaked in the view at a picturesque alpine lake. 

I will never forget that experience, yet it wasn’t planned. It wasn’t mentioned in any of the countless guides or blogs I read preparing for the trip. That unforgettable moment happened because we were already on a quest. 

In the years since, we have had many other similar experiences. There was the night we caught fireflies in Central Park, and the picnic overlooking Sand Beach in Acadia National Park. There was also the time our kids were about to revolt because of hunger, but we were fortunate to discover an amazing restaurant in the middle of nowhere Utah. (Be sure to visit Duke’s Slickrock Grill if you’re ever in Hanksville!) And there was the incredible Ukrainian feast outside the entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park, and eating the tastiest cherries at a roadside stand in the shadow of Mt. Hood. And, of course, discovering a natural spring because we decided to take a side path on one of our go-to hiking trails near our house.

Click for photo descriptions:

Top Left: Catching fireflies in Central Park (2018)
Middle Left: Duke’s Slickrock Grill in Hanksville, UT (2017)
Bottom Left: Picnic overlooking Sand Beach in Acadia N.P., ME (2018)
Top Right: Buying cherries at Draper Girls Country Farm in Mt. Hood, OR (2024)
Bottom Right: Ready to eat at Ukrainian Cuisine Restaurant in Ashford, WA (2024)

These probably don’t mean much, if anything, to you, but these are moments I will cherish forever. I experienced them with my family, and I will never forget them. They brought us closer to each other. They taught us about life, about God, about ourselves, and about one another. These adventures have molded us, shaped us, and changed us for the better. That is what adventure does.

The Ultimate Quest

But as incredibly epic as our quest to visit every state is, there is an even more adventurous quest with far greater importance—the quest to follow Jesus. Maybe you’ve never thought about following Jesus as an adventure. Perhaps you have never even really given much thought to following Jesus at all. But I am convinced that following Jesus is the greatest adventure there is.

The quest to follow Jesus is much like any other quest. There is adventure, excitement, intrigue, danger, personal growth, and reward. However, unlike other quests, the quest to follow Jesus has eternal implications. To not find Jesus brings a devastating consequence, but to truly find him is the greatest reward possible.

I may not be the greatest adventurer, but I know that I am on the greatest adventure. I have witnessed Jesus do things in my life and in the lives of people around me that are more impressive than the most majestic mountain, more peaceful than the most serene waterfall, more beautiful than the most impressive sunset, and more rewarding than all the gold in the world. And don’t forget, he made those mountains, waterfalls, sunsets, and the gold, too. And I am learning that he cares about me even more than any of those things, and the same is true about you.

Jesus is the ultimate adventure. This adventure is a quest to Jesus and with Jesus. When we follow Jesus, we declare that he is Lord, and in him is everything we need. There is nothing greater. This is a quest to discover Jesus, to know him more. It is also a quest to become more like Jesus, but it is also a quest with Jesus. He guides us every step of the way along this journey.

Now, you may be asking, “What exactly is this quest? What does it actually mean to follow Jesus?” I’m so glad you asked. Let’s jump right in!

The Quest for Jesus

There are so many amazing things in this world, and that is one of the reasons I love to travel. I want to see and experience as much of it as I can. Whether it is snow-capped mountains towering above, thundering waterfalls, a golden sunset over the ocean, tasting amazing street food in a bustling downtown, savoring the best slice of pie in a diner in the middle of nowhere, or meeting fellow travelers who become friends, there is so much incredible beauty all around us.

Yet, it doesn’t take us long to realize that there is also a lot of ugliness. All of us have experienced pain, suffering, and grief. We see the evil that is in this world—selfishness, greed, deceit, oppression, violence, murder. And we start to long for something better. Our hearts know that there has to be more than this.

And it is in the middle of that pain, suffering, and evil that Jesus stepped down out of Heaven and into this world—the very world he created. He stepped into our pain, into our world to show us that there is a better way. There is something so much better. There is beauty, there is healing, there is peace, there is love, there is freedom, and there is life.

And he has invited us on that journey to something better. He says “Come, follow me.” Jesus doesn’t just say he will show us the way; he says, “I am the way” (John 14:6). And he also says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10, NIV). He wants to lead us to a better life, to true life, if we will follow him.

But Jesus doesn’t just lead us to a better life, as if it is only a destination we arrive at in the future. For certain, he leads us to eternal life with him in heaven, but there is more than that. Jesus himself is that better life. Jesus leads us to himself because he is life. And he leads us in a better life. Following Jesus is a better life because it is life with him.

In other words, Jesus is the treasure we are seeking in this quest. When we see the evil that is so abundant in this world, and we ask, “Is there something more than this world? Is there something better?” the answer is, yes, it is Jesus! I have come to understand that if all I have is Jesus, then I have more than enough!

So, I seek Jesus. I step out of my comfort zone to journey with Jesus, and he leads me to moments and experiences that are more rewarding than I could ever imagine. I seek to know Jesus. I seek him in Scripture. I seek him in prayer. I seek him in the everyday moments of life. I seek to not only learn his teachings but to also understand him. I see his interactions with people in Scripture, but I also see how he interacts with me through the Scriptures. I look to him in prayer, but I also look for him in everyday moments. It’s not always easy, and I don’t do it perfectly, but it is always worth it. 

And it’s in these everyday moments of looking for Jesus that those unexpected adventures pop up. When we recognize that we are always on a journey with Jesus, he reveals more opportunities for adventure with him. It requires us to be open to him and willing to stop out of our comfort zone. This might be striking up a conversation with the barista at your favorite coffee shop, inviting the neighbors over to dinner, or helping your coworker move into their new house. Whatever the unexpected quest may be, the true adventure is showing them the Jesus that you have found.

This is the mission that Jesus gave his first disciples after his crucifixion and resurrection, and that mission still remains for his followers today.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18b-20, NIV

It may seem overwhelming, but look at his promise in verse 20: “And surely I am with you always.” Remember, this is not just a quest to or for Jesus; it is a quest with Jesus. When you read through the book of Acts in the New Testament, you see Jesus’ followers experiencing God doing the impossible. And when we truly step out in faith to follow Jesus, we will experience the same.

The greatest adventure is a quest to Jesus, with Jesus, and for Jesus. We seek to discover Jesus and to know him more and more every day. In doing so, we also become more like him. But this quest to Jesus is also a quest with Jesus. We aren’t left alone to figure things out. Jesus guides us every step of the way on this journey. And Jesus gives us a quest to complete what he started. As followers of Jesus, we are on a quest for him, to go to the world on his behalf in order to make more followers of Jesus.

So where do we start? Right in our own home. As dads (and any moms also reading this), we have been called to lead our families to Jesus. It is our responsibility to disciple (teach, train) our children in the way of Jesus. That may seem like an overwhelming task, but remember a few important things. First, every journey is completed one step at a time. Second, Jesus promises to be with you. (“And surely I am with you always…”) We are on this quest together with him. Third, if you are a disciple of Jesus, he equips you with everything you need. And fourth, my prayer is that I can help you in this crucial mission. With the help of Jesus, I want to provide you with resources that can help you disciple your kids. And I hope that together we can build a community of dads that are on this adventure to follow Jesus and are leading their families to follow him, too.

Click here to read Part 4 of The Dadventures Series: The Most Dangerous Villain