The Way.
The Camino de Santiago (the Way of Saint James) is a pilgrimage across Spain that travelers take for many different reasons. Some of these reasons are: for spiritual growth or enlightenment, to retreat from the world to process and reflect, or for exercise and adventure.
As this was planned into our route this year, we were not necessarily coming onto the Camino with the same intentions as many others we met along the way. For us, the Camino was a journey towards the end of our trip where many were excited to be out hiking in nature, taking time to process this year, meeting community and sharing the love, hope and life of Christ.
For me the Camino was all of these things and so much more. I absolutely loved it! There were definitely ups and downs with every month, this one involving the constant pain in my knees I had to deal with. But, overall it was one of my favorite months. Hopefully one day I can come back to complete the whole hike. Below I have listed my top 5 takeaways I will always hold to dear to me from the Camino. Funny, memorable and reflective.
- Wear GOOD shoes. Hiking shoes. Shoes that have support and can handle the mileage. I have learned my lesson with my casual and comfortable Nikes, or as my Squad mate learned with her cheap China market shoes…
- Carry a MAXIMUM weight of 10kilos for your backpack, no 18 kilo nonsense like I did. Otherwise you end up with the trail name Ms. 18 and become the girl in the conversation spreading on the trail, “Have you heard that there is a girl on the trail with an 18 kilo pack? That’s crazy!”
Yeah I know.
- Always share in community meals with other Camino hikers. This is an awesome way to save some money, always great in Europe, and meet new friends. I will forever cherish those delicious meals that were shared between our Camino Family. Many many laughs, connections made, culture broadened and wisdom and insight shared.
4. Don’t rush through the Camino, unless that really is your plan. But seriously, the Camino can be so much more than trying to complete the hike as fast as you can. The Camino is a pilgrimage, a journey.
Take time to share in conversation with those hiking alongside you. Enjoy a glass of wine or cup of café con leche at a café. Take a rest day, your body will thank you. Embrace community and sharing life with those around you. The journey is always better with people to encourage, challenge and push you onward. Reflect and process. Take time to enjoy the nature around you, from sunshine, riverbanks, trees, mountains, and even flat farmland. Spain is beautiful.
- Lastly, I would say the biggest impact the Camino has had for me was through conversations and my reflection time. Creating space for the Lord to encourage, provide joy, rest, revelation, contentment and fulfillment.
With all the “forced” rest I had during the Camino, I took a lot of personal time with the Lord reading the Gospel of John. Talk about the Bible being the Living Word. I got so much out of reading John this time around, that I would love to share with you all. It felt like I was reading John for the first time. Such Truth, Joy, Hope and Life spoken.
From the reading the beginning verses, speaking truth into my faith in Jesus. Sometimes I need that reminder and encouragement of why I believe what I believe. After this year, I have been able to grasp these verses even more through my own experiences. Jesus is the Light in the darkest of places. In our world, others around us, your life and in my life. He wants to come into our lives to shed light into those areas that have held us broken, captive and ashamed. Keeping us from becoming who the Father has created us to be. Jesus came to give us freedom and NEW Life. This year has been one challenging journey in letting Jesus shine light into my insecurities, shame and brokenness. I’ll be honest, it has not been easy and it’s painful. BUT, Wow is He a healer. I would have it no other way, because I know that I can’t break myself free and only He can. He is continually making me a New Creation.
John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was LIFE, and the LIFE was the LIGHT of all people. The LIGHT shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
Thank you Jesus!
During a conversation with someone I journeyed alongside on the Camino, we were talking about how there are many people on this pilgrimage that are searching and seeking for something more. I was then asked the question if I was also seeking on this journey. Through reflection I have never been able to confidently confirm, until that point, that I am wholly and completely fulfilled and satisfied in life. I shared with them that I was not seeking or searching anymore to fill those questions about life, my purpose and who I am. I have found the One who fills my soul, who gives me life, joy, hope and love. His name, spread all throughout my reading in John (and the whole Bible, let’s be real), is Jesus Christ.
Yes, I have grown up in the church and it has been a wild, beautiful adventure pursuing life to know the Lord more. But, I have never come to a point in my relationship with Him as I have this year. Talking with someone on the Camino helped me take time to process what Jesus really means to me. I may not always know what is happening in my life, but I am content to let the Lord lead and guide that journey. I am fulfilled. Not just happy, but fulfilled. Content. Satisfied in Jesus. Thank you Lord for your love and sacrifice for us, that we can live lives free of death and destruction from the enemy.
Something that our Squad Coach Matt shared with us during our final debrief (I know this blog is late… what’s new) was, Jesus is the Way and the Father is the destination.
The Lord then paralleled that saying to the Camino de Santiago. The translation of the Camino, is the Way. The Way of the Camino is coming from your home and embarking on a journey until you’ve reached your final destination in Santiago. I loved that revelation the Lord gave me from an experience that parallels our journey on this earth with Him.
John 14: 6-7
Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also.”
