😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you. This past Thursday – Sunday was the Greater Dayton Women’s Walk to Emmaus #108. I had the pleasure of serving the Pilgrims and live-in team each day in different capacities, beginning with kitchen set up on Wednesday, greeting and carrying the Pilgrim’s luggage upon their arrival, preparing and serving meals, participating in a candlelight prayer service, praying multiple times during the 72 hour prayer vigil, clean up at the end of the Walk, and attended the closing ceremony to welcome the new Pilgrims into our Emmaus Community family.
I really, REALLY enjoy experiencing the Pilgrims upon arrival Thursday and then experiencing their Walk transformation at the closing Sunday. It makes me smile when greeting them and carrying all their luggage in, they don’t really know what to do. So many times I’ve heard them say, “I can get them.” At times, it’s hard to allow others to help us. We don’t want to seem weak or that we can’t take care of ourselves. There is no weakness in allowing others to serve you. Jesus is the perfect model of serving others, in so many ways. At this moment, Jesus comes to mind when He washes His disciple’s feet. So often, when others offer us help, our kneejerk respond is similar to Peter. ‘”No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”’ I’ve reacted like that more times than I remember or even care to count. It can be a real challenge, but by allowing those walls that we build around ourselves, come down brick by brick, you allow God to step in and be your shield and defense, but you also allow His amazing grace and many blessings in. Some of those blessings are the people that God sends to you when you need them most. Allow yourself to be open and available to Him and those He sends to you.
One of the, I would guess, top three experiences that the Pilgrims mention and discussed at the end of the Walk is the incredible feeling of family and a sense of belonging in this Emmaus Community family. So many Pilgrims, including myself when I was on my Pilgrim Walk, have no idea how much we need this community and the presence of God they bring with them. Some times you just don’t know what you need until you experience it for the first time.
My Pilgrim Walk weekend was July 21 – 24, 2011, which will be 11 years ago tomorrow. I remember telling the Community at the closing, “I didn’t hear anything this weekend that I didn’t already know. But what made the difference was all of you.” Looking back, it sounds kind of cocky. I was comfortable and confident in my relationship with the Lord, but oh how He has enlightened me and opened my eyes to so much more in these past 11 years.
It’s actually been a bit of a struggle writing this today because my mind is all over the place as I reflect on my Emmaus Walk. That weekend experience was one of the biggest pivot points in my life. I feel like my thoughts today are a bit scattered and there is so much I want to share with you about the weekend experience, but ultimately it really is all about your “Walk” with God. Please allow Him and others to serve you in His name. And in return, He will guide you in how you may serve others in His name. Knock a brick or two off the wall. Allow His light to penetrate into your soul, that you may radiate His presence in and through your life.
This week, I would like to conclude with a quote from Archbishop Fulton Sheen. “It is easy to find truth, though it is hard to face it, and harder still to follow it.”
Bless others and be blessed.
Shelly :0)
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#HawkNelson – Sold Out
Third Day Devotions 