Walking Into the New Year with a Giant By Your Side
The most common question that I hear from people as they learn about the practice and hold Journey with a Giant in their hands is this:
“How do I choose my Giant?”
Rather than answer that abstractly, I thought I would take you along with me as I chose mine for 2026.
I began the new year by taking my book, laptop, and journal out to the prayer cabin. After a few minutes of prayer and thanksgiving, I asked God to direct my path as I discerned who I would walk with in the year ahead.
Instead of beginning with the Season One, Month One reading, I followed a desire stirring within me and took the Transformational Ten Quiz. When our deepest desire is to please God, we can trust that His Spirit often ignites those sparks to guide us forward. Paying attention to sparks of joy and curiosity is an essential part of the journey with your giant, and it’s good to follow them from the very beginning!
After receiving my quiz results, I copied my Top Ten Giant matches into a computer document titled JWAG 2026. I could have written them on the Travelogue page in the book, but I know myself—I take a lot of notes and knew that I would need extra writing space this year. You may find it helpful to keep a separate journal or digital document alongside your book.
I then returned to the beginning of the book and read the opening pages of Season One to ground myself in the purpose of the first month. When I reached the article Choose Your Giant, I slowed down and sat with these questions:
· What characteristics do you find yourself eager to grow in?
· What purpose or calling have you been sensing from God?
· What wounds have been keeping you in dysfunctional patterns?
· What diverse voices have you been longing to learn from to broaden your own perspective?
As I reflected, themes began to emerge—presence, slower living, leadership, writing, pilgrimage, spiritual direction, and a longing to learn from voices outside my own culture, particularly Celtic faith and fiction writers.
As I reviewed the list of Possible Giant Candidates on page 7, I highlighted the ones that stood out to me and starred the ones that overlapped my quiz results. I read through the bulleted questions on page 8 and squeezed in my answers.
Consolation, Desolation, and a Moment of Trust
For some time, I’ve been fairly certain I knew who my 2026 Giant would be.
I’ve long felt drawn to pilgrimage, as many of you know from my 2025 Camino trip. The next one on my radar has been the pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona in Scotland. As I prepare for a writer’s conference in Scotland this summer (Scriptoria Scotland), I felt strongly that I wanted to choose a Scottish giant. Columba of Iona—the 6th-century missionary, founder of the Iona monastery, and faithful servant of Christ whose life themes include prayer, community, spiritual formation, and lifelong obedience felt like the perfect fit.
But then, in a Google search for Christian Scottish Spiritual Giants, another name rose to the surface: George MacDonald—19th-century minister, poet, fiction writer, and theologian, best known for shaping the spiritual imagination of C.S. Lewis (who has been on my spiritual giant candidate list for years!) and one of the most influential spiritual giants of two of my living spiritual mentors whom I have heard them talk about for years.
As I read more, something shifted.
When I researched Columba further, instead of growing more excited, I felt a sense of heaviness and distance. There was respect—but not joy.
When I turned to MacDonald, the experience was entirely different. I felt delight and curiosity grow with each section I read about his life, his theology, his writing, his struggles, and the theme of his writing — deep trust in the love of God. The spark within me grew brighter!
Still, I wrestled. Letting go of Columba felt like releasing a thread of pilgrimage that I had hoped, and a number of others had commented, could be my next book topic. It felt risky to let it go.
But this was a holy moment of discernment.
I noticed mixed motives—fear, control, and manipulation — underneath the surface, urging me to hold on tight to the thread of what I hoped would be a future book topic and ignore the sparks of joy, peace, and delight, aka the fruits of the Spirit.
This was an invitation to trust. As the Holy Spirit opened my eyes, God gently reminded me that my calling, my future writing, and even whether there will be another book are safely held in His hands.
When consolation brings joy, peace, and freedom—and desolation brings heaviness and resistance—we are wise to choose God’s way, the way enveloped in the fruit of the Spirit.
And so, with clarity and trust, I chose.
The Giant I Chose
My 2026 Spiritual Giant will be George MacDonald.
And I couldn’t be happier.
How You Can Discern Your Giant
While each journey is unique, you can follow this same gentle process:
Take the Transformational Ten Quiz
Read pages 1–6 and answer the reflection questions
Highlight and star the Giants who draw your attention or overlap your Top Ten
Do some light research, noticing consolation (joy, curiosity, peace) and desolation (heaviness, resistance)
Choose the Giant you are most drawn to
Write your choice and reflections on page 8 in the book
Thank God for his direction and get excited about the Journey ahead!
What the First Month will Look Like
Each week, you’ll read the assigned article, spend time (2-3x a week) with the resource the Lord directs you to, and journal.
Resources Worth Noticing
Journey with a Giant Slow Scripture Bible Reading Plan
A gentle companion to your Giant journey, this plan invites you to linger with one verse each week from Hebrews 11–12—creating space for Scripture, reflection, and transformation without overwhelm.
Journey with a Giant Facebook Community Live by January 10!
A welcoming space to connect with others on the journey—sharing insights, asking questions, finding encouragement and resources as we walk with our Giants throughout the year.
Sacred Opportunities
The Abide Prayer Cabin
If your soul is longing for uninterrupted time with God, time in the prayer cabin may be just what you need. Contact us to find a date that will work for you!
A Final Thought ...
“Reflection requires stillness. One cost of rushing from thing to thing is that you lose the space to think… If you never pause, you confuse activity with effectiveness. Make time to think. Walk outside. Sit quietly. Create space. Then move again—but this time on purpose.” James Clear
As we step into this new year, may we walk joyfully, attentively, and faithfully with our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ. Whether you walk with a Giant or follow a different invitation from God, may you notice the holy sparks He places in your heart—and have the courage to follow them.
So thankful to be journeying together.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus,
Bryan and Lori
For more encouragement and resources to grow in your relationship with God and others, visit lorigmelton.com or thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram at The Sanctuary at Bear Creek.