A few years ago, I had a vision for my family. I saw an incredible, multi-week vacation serving as the backdrop for the most memorable bonding opportunity my family would ever experience. This would be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for me, my wife and our three children.

Though the trip was nearly a year away, I could “see” our time together in vivid detail:

•Destination: Rocky Mountains and the Grand Canyon.

•Activities: Hiking, rafting, horseback riding throughout God’s creation.

•Transportation: 5,000 miles of cross-country driving as we tow our home behind us – a rented travel trailer.

•Goal: Our family bonding, creating memories, growing closer to God and each other.

So one night, as the family sat around the dinner table, I sprung my idea on them. It went something like this, “Hey kids (and I had not mentioned this to my wife yet), guess what? This summer, we’re gonna pack up, rent a camper and travel out West for three weeks! It will be great!”

To my dismay, I was met with stunned resistance. Where I expected delight, I got disgust. “Three weeks?” they protested. “In the car?” My wife, who I most expected to “get it,” started baulking about campground showers and snakes.

Licking my wounds, I retreated to my home office. In a moment of quiet searching, I realized I had broken the first rule of communication when rolling out any new big thing. I forgot to pave a pathway to help them see where we were going and why we needed to head there. I forgot to cast vision! ...