Pack your bags, we are going on a trip often implies traveling of some sorts. Traveling is really a journey of movement. You may travel by trains, planes and automobiles. However, introspectively, there is also a form of traveling referred to as metaphysics. "Meta" means "above" or "beyond," therefore metaphysical means "beyond our physical world." For one to travel beyond their physical world, a change in thought processing must occur. A journey down one's belief systems is inevitable.

Last October, I had the wonderful opportunity of being able to travel to Houston, Texas to attend a Leaders in Ministry Conference hosted by Lakewood Church. The main conductors of this event were Pastors Joel and Victoria Osteen. Joel Osteen has created a television following sure to surpass the Bakers, the Schullers and Billy Graham. His message is one of positive life thoughts and experiences. He preaches that you choose your thoughts and you are responsible for them. You create your own trip through life. Just to keep everyone of his viewers happy, he throws in bible verses that apply to the televised message for that week. Lakewood Church's 30,000 plus membership has built its rich roots in Christianity, but the new message is feed the sheep, not the traditional beat the sheep.

The minute I saw the Leaders in Ministry Conference information on Joel Osteen's website, I knew that I had to travel there to experience the real "trip". When I hit that final button on the computer that completed and sent my registration form my whole being was filled with excitement and expectations. I felt as if someone had handed me an all expense paid trip around the world.

As I was packing my bags for the trip, I wanted to make sure everything was perfect: my clothes, my jewelry, my shoes. Victoria Osteen, Joel's wife, is a magnificent dresser and I wanted to impress her. What I didn't realize at the time was I was also packing my beliefs, some not-so-positive into the bags also.

When I first opened the grand entrance door to Lakewood Church I heard loud shouts of "Yeah!" and clapping. My first not-so-positive thought was, What have I gotten myself into now? As I approached all the commotion I realized that as each and everyone of us participants of the conference entered the sanctuary, there was a host of people lined up on both side of a red carpet clapping and cheering for us. They were cheering because we had made a decision to attend the conference. My eyes immediately filled with tears of joy and my emotional baggage became lighter.

A couple of days into the conference and many lesson later, my heart was soaring and traveling to a whole new level of acceptance and love. It was Sunday, and all the participants of the conference were attending the televised service at Lakewood Church, which by the way used to be a basketball arena. This sanctuary is huge; it seats over 16,000 people and hosts three services: one Saturday night and two on Sunday. I had never expected to be seated in the second row just behind Pastors Joel & Victoria, but there I was.

One of Joel's primary commitments to the members of Lakewood Church is to serve them in excellence. One of the ways he accomplishes this mission is that, in every service, there is an opportunity for anyone attending the service to come to the end of the row in which they are seated for a prayer partner to personally pray with them. Having 16,000- plus people requesting a prayer might seem impossible to some, but not to Joel Osteen. Lakewood Church has over 650 trained prayer partners.

As I sat in the second row at the Sunday service, I had made a decision that I wanted to have Joel Osteen pray for me, when it came time for personal prayer requests. Finally, the time came and as usually Joel made his announcement that there were prayer partners to prayer for you at the end of your aisles all that he asked is that we walk forward in faith.

I stood up and proceeded to make my way to the end of my row and down the aisle to the front of the sanctuary, the whole time thinking, "I only want Joel to pray for me." This thought was such a contradiction to the principles I so believe in. So as my feet were moving forward, so were my thoughts shifting and changing. This was the real "trip." I believe that we are all one, and God and the Universe present many messages to us in a variety of ways. All we need to do is "walk in faith," just as Joel had asked. By the time I had reached the aisle, my thoughts had sifted and all judgments had dissipated. I was so filled with excitement because I just knew the perfect person would pray with me. As the usher led me to the right, I could feel the love energy of my soon-to-be prayer partner soothing my every issue, affirming and believing in me when maybe I couldn't. All of a sudden the usher stopped me, turning me immediately to the left and placed me right in front of Joel Osteen. He was to be my prayer partner. I managed to speak my prayer request, and then I cried as Joel Osteen held me and prayed for me. To this day, I do not know what he said to me. All I know is that when I turned around to walk back to my chair…the journey, the travel, and the trip was complete.

My advice to anyone wishing to travel this year, whether it be an physical trip or a metaphysical journey, travel frequently and pack light. You really don't need a whole lot of baggage.