Standing before the ancient Sphinx, I felt the whispers of millennia echoing in our group’s chamber prayer. This wasn’t just a trip to Egypt—it was the manifestation of a collective prayer made tangible through commitment.
The Power of Commitment
Transformation begins the instant you commit. It is often said that Divine Providence intervenes once a commitment is made, revealing the resources, wisdom, and opportunities needed to move forward. For me, what became clear was that this journey was not just an opportunity, it was the answer to a prayer from the past.
While not everyone made the physical trip, this experience was never solely about the travelers themselves. At its core, this journey belonged to the larger community, woven together by shared intention, faith, and collective spirit.
Intentional Community Building
This divine intervention through commitment became evident in how we approached building our travel community.
True community-building requires intentionality, each step carefully placed with purpose. Step one remains step one, and wisdom teaches us that there can be no step two without it. As the Spiritual Leader of our Center, I was reminded of this truth when 18 members of our community embarked on a transformative journey to Egypt—an experience that would shape us all in ways beyond expectation.
Community flourishes through authentic connection, communication, shared desires, collective support in sacred moments, and rejoicing together. Reflecting on the time we spent preparing before our physical journey to Egypt, I see now how significant it was for each of us to share something personal, something we wanted others to know about us. That simple act set the tone for what was to come.
Authentic Connection in Sacred Spaces
We knew we wanted our experience to be rooted in authenticity, allowing each person to engage with Egypt in the way they needed most. Whether during the bus ride to New York, on the airplane, over breakfast, standing before the Great Sphinx, sailing the Nile, meeting a local village family, or standing at the Giza Pyramid, the focus remained on each person’s personal fulfillment within the collective journey. We moved with intention, ensuring our time together was free of discord and deeply grounded in love.
The Ripple Effect: Beyond the Travelers
And that love extended beyond the travelers. Upon our return, we were intentional in sharing our experiences with those who had prayed and rejoiced alongside us from afar. The journey belonged to them too. I will never forget the moment someone who hadn’t traveled came up to me and said, “You have no idea how meaningful this was—that we all had the opportunity to experience this journey together in spirit.” This, to me, is the true essence of community.
That moment confirmed what I had already known—our journey was never just about Egypt. It was about all of us, united in purpose, carrying one another forward in faith, love, and sacred connection.
I invite you to consider: What spiritual journey is calling to your heart, waiting for the moment you say yes?
It is a question our community will be pondering over the coming months as we seek to discern where to travel next, knowing that our shared intention and faith will guide us to the sacred destination meant for our continued transformation.
About the Author
Rev. Twana Malone, Master of Consciousness, RScP, serves as Senior Minister/Spiritual Director at The Center of Peace CSL, where she has been a devoted student and teacher of New Thought for over 20 years. A graduate of the Holmes Institute with extensive experience as a hospice chaplain and U.S. Air Force veteran, Rev. Twana brings deep compassion and wisdom to her roles as teacher, counselor, and life coach. Her global childhood experiences as a military family member ignited a lifelong passion for transformative travel and cross-cultural spiritual connection.