The Halfway Mile Marker (JWAG Digest)
Hello friends,
Since I’ve been hearing from many folks walking with their giants, I wanted to reach out via email to answer questions, offer encouragement, and share helpful tips I’ve been gleaning from all of you!
Don’t worry, you’ll still receive the monthly email with spiritual growth articles and information about the Sanctuary and upcoming events.
Whether you’re walking with a giant this year or not, I pray these emails will be a blessing and strengthen your walk with God.
Welcome to Season 3: Play!
You’ve made it to Month 7 … Woo-hoo…we’re halfway there!
You may have already shifted into more of a PLAY posture when summer arrived, and the calendar flipped to June. Good for you! Increasingly, I’m coming to believe that a posture of play is one of the healthiest ways to approach life’s pilgrimage—and one that puts a smile on the Lord’s face as well!
In some ways, it feels like just yesterday that we began, and in others, it feels like forever. This is a wonderful time for a check-in. Imagine us stopping at a little café along the trail to sip on a steaming café au lait and share our joys and struggles.
Here at the beginning of Month 7, you’ve come a long way—and there’s still more of the journey ahead. You’ve learned things that could encourage other pilgrims. And perhaps the challenges along the way have made you even more aware of your need for others and eager to hear about their joys, struggles, and discoveries.
Maybe you’ve kept pace every week. Maybe you’ve switched giants, taken a few weeks off, or are just now getting started. That’s okay. This journey has never been about keeping up; it’s about following the unique path the Lord has for you, as He shapes you through the lives of faithful believers.
Pausing for a Break
When I first learned this practice, my spiritual direction class followed the school calendar, so we had the summers off. We didn’t walk with our giants during the summer and then resumed our journey in the fall.
Looking back, I think that was healthy. God designed us for rhythms of work, rest, and play. We weren’t created to sustain intense focus indefinitely. Sometimes our greatest growth comes after we’ve stepped back for a season and returned with fresh eyes.
After my training, though, it didn’t feel right to completely set aside my giant journey during the summer.
When our children were in school, we still had them do a little reading and a few math worksheets over the summer so they wouldn’t lose everything they’d learned. In much the same way, I found it helpful to keep my giant journey going—but in lighter, creative ways. I came back in the fall not only refreshed but with a broader, multifaceted giant experience.
Exciting Ideas for the Season Ahead
During my year with Fred, the season of PLAY included delving into a couple of delightful Henri Nouwen memoirs and stumbling into a retreat hosted by a different Christian tradition—an experience that stretched me in ways I never would have chosen but wouldn’t trade for anything today.
This summer, during my season of PLAY with George MacDonald, I’m excited to follow one of George’s spiritual passions of deepening our relationship with God through nature, beginning with Annie Dillard’s nature memoir, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek--the perfect type of book to toss into my suitcase or read at the beach.
Bryan and I also have the joy of celebrating our 40th anniversary with what feels like the ultimate spiritual giant field trip—a pilgrimage to Scotland, George MacDonald’s native country!
I’m looking forward to drinking in every experience, listening and watching for every gift the Lord has for me, and jotting down my reflections in my JWAG journal.
At the same time, I know from previous pilgrimages that there will be both highs and lows. My idealistic imagination pictures everything unfolding exactly as planned—beautiful and euphoric. But pilgrimage, like life, has taught me otherwise. The journey God has prepared will almost certainly look different from the one I’ve imagined, and I’m praying for the grace to receive it with open hands.
How About You?
As you open your JWAG book to Month 7 (p. 121) and prayerfully look ahead, what do you think your first month of PLAY will look like?
I’d love to hear from you!
What has been one joy from the first half of your journey?
What has been one challenge?
What are you most looking forward to during this season of PLAY?
So grateful we’re walking this trail together.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus,
Lori
P.S. Keep your eye on your inbox for the JWAG Mid-Year Check-In! You’ll hear honest experiences from other pilgrims —the joys that surprised them, the struggles they didn't expect, and the simple practices that have helped them keep walking. I can't wait to share them with you.