Transformational Travel: Growing In The Unexpected

Have you ever wake up before the crack of dawn, long before the world around you stirs, and wonder why life placed you exactly where you are?

That was me. In my first year living abroad, my internal alarm clock would go off before sunrise, nudging me out of bed to circle the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. What might look like just a fitness routine, for me, was an act of worship. In my ears, Travis Greene’s song “Intentional” plays on repeat—reminding me that even in circumstances I didn’t plan for, everything is still working for my good.

At the beginning of the year, my husband signed a football contract in Fujairah, a quieter emirate about an hour outside of Dubai. Things didn’t go as expected, and he had to exit that contract early. Recently, though, he signed another agreement with a team 20 miles away. Before I uprooted my life to join him, he had already spent five years living in Abu Dhabi. Naturally, I imagined us building our new life together there—or maybe in glamorous Dubai. But instead, God wrote Fujairah into our story.

Fu What?

Have you ever heard of Fujairah? Probably not. Living here feels a lot like moving back to my small hometown— Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Not much is happening. I dreamed about life in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, the big cities; you can imagine how different Fujairah feels in comparison.

Now, you might say, “Okay, fine, not Dubai or Abu Dhabi—but at least you’re living with your husband, right?” That’s what I thought too. One of the significant benefits of living in the UAE is that employers typically cover housing costs. We just assumed that wherever he signed, housing for both of us would be included. But surprise—this employer doesn’t allow spouses on the premises.

At first, that stung. However, when I put it into perspective, the lesson became clearer.

Every time life does not go according to plan, you must learn the art of pivoting. You can shift your perspective and find growth in the unexpected. What appears to be an inconvenience can actually become an opportunity for personal growth.

For example, when we’re together, I tend to fall into his rhythm—train, shower, eat, sleep, repeat. But when I’m on my own? You’d find me fully dressed by 8 AM, planted at Starbucks (also known as the world’s office), with a green tea or caramel macchiato, journaling, reading, and tackling my to-do list for the day.

And here’s the part I didn’t expect: I’ve learned to appreciate the space by focusing more on my personal development.

So the next time life doesn’t look like what you imagined, remember—you have the power to pivot and grow in the unexpected.

Obscurity Is A Gift

I was reminded while watching an interview about Bishop T.D. Jake’s book Crushing—a book I highly recommend if you haven’t read it–suggests that Fujairah is a prime setting for breakthroughs to occur. In his book, he talked about how growth comes out of the challenges you’d never choose for yourself. One line really stuck with me: “Obscurity is a great gift.”

Think about that. Obscurity isn’t punishment—it’s preparation. It’s grooming, development, and growth. It’s where you fight your own devils, overcome your own obstacles, and get your priorities in alignment.

Even Jesus experienced it. Bishop Jakes reminded us that there are no recordings of His adolescent years or His twenties. That hidden season was preparation for the ministry ahead. When His mother told Him about the wine running out at the wedding in Cana, His reply was simple but profound: “My time has not yet come.”

Deep, right?

Here’s the takeaway: sometimes you want things to happen right now, but to be exposed too soon isn’t a blessing—it’s a curse. Just like Bishop Jakes said, giving birth to a baby before it’s ready lowers its chances of survival. The same is true for your dreams. If they show up too early, they won’t make it. You don’t want anything before its time.

There really is a time and a season for every purpose under heaven. And Fujairah—this quiet, hidden, unexpected place—was a blessing in disguise for me to grow in obscurity.

Additionally, growth does not come from being comfortable but from doing the hard stuff.

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be]. – 1 Peter 5:10

Suffering Is Part of Growth

Suffering is a word we don’t like, but one we can’t avoid. My husband and I have endured our share of struggles, but we’ve chosen not to complain about them. I’ve seen real social injustices with my own eyes in different parts of the world. So, when I’m tempted to throw myself a pity party, I remind myself—any day I can buy a ticket and fly back to the U.S. That’s a privilege many don’t have. Some people can’t even afford food, let alone a place to live.

“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” – Abraham Maslow

That line hits differently when you think about people seeking refuge—leaving behind one suffering only to encounter another. And it made me realize something: these “light afflictions” I face aren’t really about me at all. Bishop T.D. Jake says our sufferings connect us to the people we were created to serve.

Helen Keller echoed the same truth:

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”

Helen Keller

So yes, traveling over 7,500 miles to be with my husband, only to be separated from him, was bittersweet, but it gave me the space I didn’t know I needed to grow, to focus, and to discover the highest, truest, fullest expression of myself.

Final Thought

Maybe you’ve felt the same in your own life—like when you didn’t get the promotion you were sure was yours, when a friendship shifted unexpectedly, when your plans completely unraveled, or even when money was so tight you had to choose bills over treating yourself. In the moment, it stings. However, later you realize that those very struggles have built resilience, resourcefulness, and gratitude.

Steve Jobs once said, “You can only connect the dots looking backward.” And that’s the truth. You don’t always understand the “why” when you’re in the middle of the trial. But one day, you’ll look back—at the missed opportunities, the disappointments, the tears—and see how every single moment was shaping you into exactly who you were meant to become.

Living abroad was not quite what I imagined, but it allowed me to make my fair share of travel mistakes—wrong timing, poor planning, unexpected detours—but each one taught me how to design better, smoother, and more meaningful experiences. Now I use those lessons to help others.

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