What a TRIP!

Some refer to the Celebrate Recovery process as a journey, indeed it is a journey of sorts. The truth of the matter is life itself is a journey, from the cradle to the grave. It has all sorts of challenges, obstacles, ruff places along the way but we keep trudging on in the hope of good fortune around the next bend. And obviously the journey is not always a hard road. There are wonderful things along the way, incredible joys, times of immense euphoria and thrilling adventure.

I would like to define the CR process as more than a just a journey, it is that for sure, but it is so much more than that. I believe it would be best described as a pilgrimage. The psalmist in his pursuit of God says it this way;

 “Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it wit pools." Psm 84:5-6 NIV
    

The language here is beautiful, expanding the idea of a journey into a heart set on pilgrimage with a holy destination in mind, as the psalmist goes on to say; “They go from strength to strength,
    till each appears before God in Zion.”

Macrina Wiederkehr explains; “A pilgrimage is a journey with a hallowed purpose. Every step along the way has meaning. The pilgrim knows that life giving challenges will emerge. A pilgrimage is not a vacation; it is a transformational journey during which significant change takes place. New insights are given. Deeper understanding is attained. New and old places in the heart are visited. Blessings are received and healing takes place.” That’s it, that’s what happens in the lives of people who pursue God who set their hearts on pilgrimage. It happens in CR and should be happening in the life of every Christian.

So it is not how cruel and hard life is or how contrary the winds blow against us but it is where and what we have set our hearts on. Where we have decided to go. Put in the language of a poet.

"One ship drives east and another drives west
With the selfsame winds that blow.
'Tis the set of the sails
And not the gails
Which tells us the way to go.

Like the winds of the sea are the waves of fate,
As we voyage along through life;
'Tis the set of the soul
That decides the goal.
And not the calm or strife."  Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Thank you friends for joining us on our “pilgrimage” with our hearts set, till we each appear before God in Zion.

Sail on!
Jim & Pam