I am taking the first steps today for a Pilgrimage in Europe.

My heart is volleying between eager anticipation and a fear that dementia has robbed me of my ability to recognize my own limitations.

I am expecting to gain wisdom from the people I will meet, wonder at God’s creation, supernatural encounters with the Holy Spirit and gratitude for this adventure.

I wonder if I can walk 96 miles? I wonder if I have made the reservations at reasonable distances from each other? I wonder if I can make myself understood? I wonder if I can emotionally leave?

I am travelling with my nephew. In him, I am already getting a picture of
God’s strategy for me. For example, I have made hard copies of our reservations. They took about 30 full sheets of paper. My nephew said, “That will be easy. I have an app that can scan these and put them in a PDF file.”

Then, I wondered if I could carry my backpack the whole distance. My nephew said, “I can easily carry that. I run 10 miles every day with a 30# vest.”

I will be walking with someone for whom technology is intuitive, weight is light and the unknown is exciting.

I will be walking with Someone Who has promised to guide me, carry my burden and take me into encounters that are more than I can ask or think.