Shared Journey

“May we have communion with God in the secret of our hearts, and find Him to be to us as a little sanctuary.” – Charles Spurgeon

“Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.” – Izaak Walton

We are on a shared journey. Some never figure that out. Others live it out. Most are in between. Youth convinces us life is a race, an individual sport, a competition. Weaving in and out, pulling out front, get ahead, win the race. Competition is good when it improves the player, hones talent so gifts can be multiplied. Hard work counts too. But there’s more. That’s the inkling, the soft call of purpose that keeps whispering, there’s more, go deeper.

As the years in front get shorter than years gone by, we realize that the racetrack is tiresome and old. Same circle, no destination. When we move from the race to the journey, we remain fully present in moments, days, months that are filled with detours, delays, joy, disappointments, celebration, discovery, boredom, excitement. The journey requires reflection, patience, forgiveness, resilience and faith to move through the valleys and mountains and the in between, where we reside most of our days. The journey is both an individual and team sport. We are on the path together.

The gift of the shared journey is that we win when we walk along side each other, stand next to each other in quiet reverence and camaraderie. We walk ahead to clear the path. We walk behind to allow others to lead. We walk alongside to remind each other of our presence and connection.

We become the church (not a building or weekly 1-hour obligation) we are called to be when we awaken to this shared journey and walk the path home together to make the journey sweet and meaningful.

From ego, to soul, to communion.

“Wisdom is a sacred communion.” – Victor Hugo