Clay in the Hands

Trying to keep up with posting daily has proven to be a challenge. The days have been long and by the time I get to my albergue, shower, do laundry and then try to find something to eat, there is not a lot of mental capacity to offer much here.

I am sitting in an albergue in Lugo at the end of day 9. I am now within 100 kilometers of Santiago de Compostela.

So much has been stirring in me over the last couple of days. I have had some really interesting conversations with several people – many involving faith. It has been interesting when I sit down at a table with a couple of people I have seen but not talked to and the first thing they ask is, “you’re a pastor, right?” I guess the word has gotten out.

One of the amazing people I have met and had great conversations with is Katy. She has walked different Camino routes in the past, as well as 12 marathons around the world last year! I met her on day 4 and our paths have continued to cross over the last week. Today, she made a shorter walk and so yesterday was “good-bye,” as she will enter Santiago a day or two after me now.

But in our first conversation, we shared why we are doing the Camino. She has experienced significant loss over the past few years and just needed space to grieve and heal.

The reason I mention Katy is that she did something for me that brought tears to my eyes – and still does, days later as I write this.

In our first conversation, I asked her about the shell on her backpack. I knew about the shell as a symbol of the Camino and had planned to buy one as soon as I could, once arriving in Spain. But I still have not seen a place to buy them.

Casey explained that they are available in different places, but mainly in Santiago de Compostela at the Cathedral at the end of the walk. Then she went on to explain that hers was a gift and that very often, the pilgrim receives a shell as a gift from a fellow pilgrim who has made the pilgrimage before.

I decided that evening I would buy several when I get to Santiago – one for myself and others to give to people as encouragement to make a walk at some point in their lives.

The next day, was a hard day. I flopped down in front of a chapel in the middle of the day to eat a snack and rest. Katy was there but was getting ready to leave and head on. As she bent over her backpack, before putting it on, I assumed she was adjusting it.

But the next thing I knew, she was handing me her shell! I stood up to give her a hug and began to tear up. She said, “I should have given this to you last night. This is a gift.”

And what a gift! Part of the Camino is helping out other people along the Way. Often that comes as advice and help that from those further down the Way.

Katy has walked the Way several times and this was her way of encouraging me and pulling me along. What a beautiful, cherished gesture – one I will never forget.

This is an illustration of our walk in the Way with Jesus. As you have heard me say, time and time again, the Way is how people described following Jesus in the beginning. Jesus is The Way. So as a follower in the Way, who do you need to encourage today?

Each of us are on this journey to become more like Jesus but each of us are at different stages. We all need help and encouragement from those farther down the path. But we also must turn and offer help and encouragement to those not quite as far along as we are.

Who will you help along the Way today?

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The journey continues as day 7 comes to an end. The last two days have taken their toll on me and thus, no post yesterday. Between fatigue and pain, the walks are long – but so rewarding.

The rhythm has set in and it is somewhat comforting – sleep, get up, walk, eat if you can find anything, arrive at the next destination, shower, eat if you can find anything, visit with other pilgrims, rest, go to bed – repeat.

Over the past few days, I have been overwhelmed with the significance of the history of the Camino de Santiago Primitivo and of this country. Being from America, we look at the last 250 years as history – and it is in our own way. But daily, I am walking by little chapels that have been standing since the 11th and 12th centuries.

The thought I am left with is that in the sense of generations of faithful people, I am very small.

Our church will celebrate 150 years of being a church in Corpus Christi in just a couple of years. While that is significant, I was blessed to be in a church last night for a Peregrino (pilgrim) concert. The church has been standing since the 1300’s and is still used every day.

I often have a habit of forgetting that God has been at work in our world for thousands of years – and He will continue to work in our world until Jesus returns – how ever long that will be.

My being here in His service, is just a vapor – a blip on the radar. While God values and loves each and every soul on earth, my significance is very small within eternity.

This is a sobering and humbling thought. All the things that I get so worked up about will amount to very little when it’s all said and done.

Again, each and every person that has lived, is living and will ever live on this earth is loved and valued by God. But sometimes it helps to be reminded that maybe, just maybe, not one person is really “all that.” Apart from our connection to Jesus, we can do nothing.

Thanks be to God that He knows us and loves us anyway, and that He sees fit to give us life and life to the full.

¡Buen Camino!

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Today has been a tough day of hiking. While the distance was not quite as far, the up and down of the trail was grueling. Add to that 40 mile per hour winds and cool temperatures and it made for a long day.

But day 5 has also proven to be one of the best. When the fog began to break, the views became evident. Today’s hike was to the highest points on the Camino de Santiago Primitivo. We reached the height of over 4000 feet.

As I tried to soak it all in (without tripping and falling), God reminded me that the most beautiful experiences in life, more times than not, come with sacrifice. It was work to climb to that height but it was worth it. So remember, if you want to experience all God has for you, it takes work on your part – starting with surrender.

The other lesson God reminded me of, is that even though it takes work, He provides the strength. Our part is to provide the will and desire. His strength comes through when we think we can’t go on.

So whatever you are facing right now, just remember that God wants His best for you, but you have to choose it and do your part. When you do, He is there to provide what you need.

¡Buen Camino

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I am so eternally grateful for this experience. The camino has proven to be one of the most physically challenging endeavors I have undertaken in my life. But at the same time, it has been such a powerful experience.

As in my previous posts, God has been teaching me, each day, to continue to trust in Him to provide. And He has continued to do so each step of the way – whether that be in stamina or direction or provision.

While finding a place to stay is a daily issue, God has opened doors to a place each day – maybe a few kilometers more than I wanted to walk, but none the less, a bed to sleep in and a shower to refresh.

I can honestly say, I have never hand washed clothes in my life, but when you only carry 3 days worth of clothing, you begin looking for a sink to wash in each day. Otherwise, you couldn’t stand to be around yourself.

One of the reasons I felt so drawn to this journey was to experience profound solitude and disconnect. The first 3 days were full of that. Because my Spanish is still not great, I really did not interact with fellow peregrinos (pilgrims) – which was OK with me given I came to experience the time alone with God.

But yesterday, I met George, a man from Belgium who speaks less Spanish than I do (I think) but speaks English. So that has been a great connection. Now today, I have met Javier from Spain. And along the way, I met a couple from Norway and now I will be rooming with someone from the Czech Republic. And each of them have a story and a very different perspective on life.

The lesson God is teaching me today is that, while solitude is crucial to our spiritual development, we were NEVER meant to make this journey alone.

The Camino Primitivo provides ample time for solitude and quiet, but it also provides time to connect with others – which is important. It has been amazing to see God at work in these connections.

As I visited with Mari from Norway, she listened to my sob story from day one and she lit up. She said, “That was me you were talking to!”

So to recap day one, I found myself without a place to stay. I called an Albergue and the hospitalero did not speak English. But he had 5 pilgrims in his car, transporting them from Grado to his Albergue in San Juan de Villapañada. So he handed the phone to someone who could speak English.

You guessed it, Mari was one of the pilgrims in the car. So as the 3 of us walked together for a time this morning, God revealed that connection. And it led to a beautiful discussion about faith.

That is one of many examples of the connections made. But again, the lesson is that we were never meant to make this journey alone.

Today, remember that you are not alone. And if you feel alone, remember that God is always with you and He provides people to walk this path with you. Maybe you just need to open up and be available to see who God will bring your way. Or maybe, you need to step out of your comfort zone and take the initiative. Either way, God created each of us for relationship – with Him and with one another.

¡Buen Camino!

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Day three is in the books. I am learning how to navigate the process a bit better. Day one was somewhat of a train wreck with no place to stay after the 16 miles of walking. Even though I had a confirmed room in an Albergue (hostel), when I arrived, the young lady behind the desk just said, “Completo.” I showed her the email confirmation but still – “Completo.”

So I walked across the street, took my back pack off, sat down on a stone fence and tried to call other places, only to find my cell phone would not make in-country calls. After almost 2 hours on the phone with my provider, and my wife having to be the go-between, I was set. Part of the issue was in the middle of getting help, my phone died. So I had to find a place that would allow me to charge my phone.

Finally, with a working phone, I was able to call and find a place with a bed – the problem – another couple of miles up hill.

By the time I stumbled into the Albergue, it was 13 hours from when I started and I had not eaten anything all day. But Domingo, the hospitalero was extremely gracious.

Lesson learned, do not trust the online booking – – call ahead. I am now about to spend the night in my third Albergue and even have a place reserved for tomorrow night as well – WIN! Albergues are quite the experience. Each one has been different but it is basically a big room with a bunch of bunk beds and everyone just makes it work.

At any rate, I am still learning the lesson to trust and then today, God added a second lesson. Backpacking through northern Spain means you carry everything you need on your back for the two weeks. It is amazing how little we need when we have to physically carry it with us. Even with bare necessities, my pack has been weighing in between 25 and 30 pounds – depending on how much water is still in my hydration system.

But as I walked today, God began to speak to me and remind me how little it actually takes to live. We have added so much to our lives – especially in our culture – and so much of it does more to distract us from our relationship with God than to draw us closer.

Stripped down to God and me, there is little room to hide. God has made it clear to me that part of this time is to remove all distractions and things that get in the way of my relationship with Him so that I can hear His voice more clearly.

What keeps you from hearing His voice? I encourage you to make space and time in your life to set aside distractions so that you can hear Him more clearly.

¡Buen Camino!

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I am a truly blessed man. I serve a church that values time for me to be away and allow God to renew my spirit. I have been blessed with a sabbatical to get away and focus on my relationship with Jesus.

Even more, I have a beautiful, understanding and supportive wife that is allowing me to do something that will challenge me beyond most things I have done in my life (as is already the case as I write this). For over 20 years, I have been drawn to a pilgrimage that has been part of thousands of faith journeys since the 9th century.

Today, there are many different routes to make it to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. But the first camino began with King Alfonso in the 9th century. So, being the purist that I am, I am in day 2 of the Camino de Santiago Primitivo. It is a 320 kilometer walk through northern Spain. For those (like me) that struggle with metric conversion, that is roughly 200 miles. If I stay on pace of 15 to 18 miles per day, I will arrive in Santiago in 13 days.

My hope over this period is to use this platform to share my experience as best I can. It will take months to fully process the experience, but each day I will spend time discerning what God is doing in my life and heart through this journey.

Day one was a day of learning to trust. I will hopefully have a post in the next day or two with all the ways God challenged me to trust Him, but for today, the word of God to me on day one was, “How about you trust in me and let go.” For those of you who know me well, you know that is an easy thing for me to preach and a very hard thing for me to actually do.

One of the sayings on the camino is, “the camino will provide.” The reality is, God will provide – every time.

There really is no map to follow – at least not one that really helps. So as the pilgrim walks, the eye is always looking for a yellow arrow or a shell turned a certain way. As I left Oviedo yesterday, this is the first one I encountered. It was to be one of hundreds along the way.

Just when the doubt begins to enter, “Did I take a wrong turn? Am I still on the path?” – there is an arrow or shell to assure that the pilgrim is making progress. More than once over the first two days, I asked, “God, I could really use a sign right about now” – and there it would be.

Be reminded today, God is in control and He simply asks you to trust Him. So often, the answer we are looking for is waiting for us when we simply turn to Him and trust.

¡Buen camino!

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Today, our team assembles in El Paso to make the trek across the border to Juarez. This ministry began in 2006, and it is a blessing to serve the pastors and their wives in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Proyecto Fortaleza (The Strengthening Project), exists to “pastor” other pastors. We offer an overnight retreat at a hotel for the couples to come and be loved and ministered to while they take a break from their everyday challenges – at no charge to them. We focus on spiritual formation and marriage enrichment, two areas in which couples need help – especially in other countries where resources are limited.

I am so blessed to have the opportunity to serve with this ministry and see, first hand, how God works through our team to bring encouragement and strength to the couples we serve. God has blessed in that we have now been able to offer our ministry in other places like the valley of south Texas and the Dominican Republic. We are pursuing options in El Salvador and Spain as well. If you would like more information about our ministry, and how you can help, check out our website: http://www.thestrengtheningproject.com

The reason for my post today is this: I ask for your prayer for the couples that will attend this weekend. We have 39 couples registered – each and every one serving God in very difficult situations. Pray that they will find rest and renewal. Pray that their marriages will be strengthened – a healthy pastoral home is crucial to an effective ministry. Pray that our Father will restore the joy of their calling in powerful ways this weekend.

I will look forward to being able to share some of the stories next week.

Be blessed today!

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