"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage" (Psalm 84:5 NIV).
Pilgrimages are not new, and yet on Easter Monday I embarked on my very first, together with fellow pilgrims from the Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury Methodist District. A week of journeying together, through the Golden Valley of Herefordshire, a time to set out, to embrace all that nature offers that we might have our own personal encounter with Jesus, a "temporary community" as we introduced ourselves to each other, we walked, talked, and supported each other, sharing our faith, experiences and eating together.
Why did I go...well I was exhausted, tired of the daily treadmill of work and activities, living to a schedule, a diary of appointments, little if no time for reflection, devotions, space to just "be". I had become chained down, drained, and felt the need for both physical and spiritual refreshment. The opportunity to spend time outdoors with fellow Christians in the countryside, leaving behind the laptop and IPAD, emails, work, social media and to enjoy God's grace in creation was an opportunity not to be missed.
Each morning, we were encouraged to use a different sense, to see, hear, smell, touch and feel the Spirit to sense the presence of Jesus as we walked. Jesus never said that following him would be easy, and we battled wind, rain, mud, saturated fields, broken stiles, barbed wire, stones, woodland, steep hills and valleys. But we also enjoyed sunshine, stillness, birdsong, animals of differing kinds, meadows, flowers, ancient trees, rivers and brooks, historic churches.
If I am honest, I started the week apprehensive, feeling a bit lost, tense, vulnerable, emotional, out of my comfort, unsure and keen to discern what's next in my life. Each day for me I was able to sense Jesus' presence in nature but by far the biggest impact on me was seeing Jesus in my fellow travellers. I wrote in my journal the feelings I had experienced before I climbed into my sleeping bag each night and these included; Togetherness, listening, sincerity, compassion, care, love, welcoming, closeness, friendship, happiness, overcoming fear, overcoming worry, faith, trust, peace, hope, achievement, grow in oneself, learning, able to be oneself, exhilarating, ok to be vulnerable, being led, loved, supporting each other, one in Christ...
Back home now, I do feel physically and spiritually refreshed. I know I will still have challenges in life and in my journey in faith, but this pilgrimage has given me the opportunity to reflect upon what I no longer need to carry with me and what I have gained and want to keep. Right at this moment, I wish to thank God for the beauty of his creation that spoke to me last week and for his gift of love that shone through my fellow pilgrim's, whom I can call friends and who revealed Jesus to me in so many ways....
© Stephen Allen April 2023
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