Take a Pilgrimage this Summer without Leaving Home!

¡Hola, amigos ¡Qué bueno estar con ustedes otra vez!

(Hello, friends, it’s so good to be with you again!)
 
After a month away on our Camino pilgrimage in Spain, we’re home again--back to the Sanctuary and to the friends and family whom we love so much!
 
There’s nothing like going away to make you appreciate home all the more. I can hardly put into words how good our bed felt the first night. As we laid our heads on the fluffy pillows and sank into the mattress, both Bryan and I let out a sigh of gratitude and relief.
 
God worked!
 
A great deal happened during our time in Spain. Saying “yes” to God’s invitation opened up an experience that was powerful beyond words. Walking across northern Spain was beautiful, challenging, and inspiring.
 
Stepping out on this divine adventure, our prayer was to deepen our relationship with the Lord, to be faithful to what we felt He had asked, to be obedient to share Jesus with the people He brought across our path, and to understand more fully what it means to be a “pilgrim” on this earth.
 
We get so comfortable and act as if we will live on earth forever. But our lives here are a mere blip in time compared to our life eternally. Each person’s life is a holy pilgrimage, from the day they are born to the day they cross over into their eternal home. Oh, if our eyes could be opened to this truth, it would change everything!
 
Examples to show us the way
 
Looking at our biblical examples shows us how to live as pilgrims. In Hebrews 11:9-10 we read about three of them,
 

• “9 By faith Abraham made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

Abraham lived as a pilgrim. He knew that his life on earth was temporary. He was willing to be uncomfortable to obey what the Lord called him to do. He didn’t cling to his homeland or his possessions but kept his eyes focused on eternity.
 
Or other spiritual giants who have lived throughout the centuries—people like David Brainerd (1718-1747, American Colonies) who, despite illness and isolation, surrendered to God’s mission above personal comfort and devoted his short life to sharing the gospel with Native Americans. (The Life of David Brainerd by Jonathan Edwards)

Or Lilias Trotter (1853-1928 England/Algeria), a gifted artist who gave up a promising career to bring the gospel to Algeria--a powerful example of joyful obedience and an unwavering commitment to God’s call. (A Passion for the Impossible by Miriam Rockness)

May God shape our perspective as followers of Jesus to be like theirs. May our lives as pilgrims show “that this world is not our home” because we are captivated by our eternal home with God in heaven.  Hebrews 13:14
 
A taste of the pilgrim perspective
 
Getting up each day on the pilgrimage and packing our backpacks to head out on the trail and move to the next city gave us a small understanding of what it's like to live as a pilgrim.
 
The pilgrimage was surprising. Like everything we do, the experience in real life is always different than you imagine ahead of time.
 
It was better and harder.  It was more challenging but also sweeter.
 
One of the sweetest things that was exactly like what all the books I had read described was the people. Connecting with people on the trail from all over the world-- sharing meals, conversation, pain (blisters, strained muscles, mud, rain, and hail!), and laughter was the greatest blessing of all. Pilgrimage puts the people of the world into your heart.
 
A pilgrimage of your own
 
There is much more that I could share. Bryan and I are still unpacking all that the Lord worked in our hearts and is still working.  
 
Instead of rushing to give you a summary, I thought it would be a blessing to share the lessons slowly and let God take you on your own pilgrimage. Like walking on a pilgrimage, reading at your own pace will give you time to observe the forests and fields and listen to the birds.
 
Walking slows us down. It strips away all the pressures of the world and gives us space to pray, breathe deeply, and share the path with others.
 
Eugene Petersen said,
 
“Walking could turn out to be the most significant spiritual act in which we will ever engage.”

—Eugene H. Peterson, foreword to The Way Is Made by Walking by Arthur Paul Boers

I think he could be right!

A resource for your journey
 
Download a booklet of our experiences on the Camino. If you followed our Facebook page, you may have seen some of these. But this time, read it not as our account but as a spiritual pilgrimage of your own.
 
Until next month, as you read with a notebook or journal handy, write down your prayer for your “pilgrimage.” Underline the sections that stand out. Listen for what you hear God speaking to you. Maybe even take your journal and the booklet with you on a few literal walks. There’s no better time than summer to do this! (Ahh, can’t you feel the glorious woods surrounding you on your favorite trail or the sand between your toes as you walk by the water :)
 
Like the prayer at the beginning of our journey--watch for how God deepens your relationship with Him, helps you to be faithful to what He has called you to do, opens doors for you to share Jesus with those on your path, and gives you a fuller understanding of what it means to be a “pilgrim.”
 
I’d love to hear all about it!  
 
Until next time friends, remember that …
 
Every moment is an invitation to draw closer to God and to one another. You’re seen, and you’re loved, and we’re praying for you, friend.
 

Ultreia y suseia,* 
 Bryan and Lori 

* Traditional greeting and cry of encouragement used by pilgrims on the Camino. It translates roughly as “let’s go further, let’s go higher,” encouraging each other on the journey.