After returning from Portugal last year, George was transformed! He went from Onlooker to Pilgrim and has not looked back. They say that the trail changes you and in my husbands case, it took hold of him. Something primal, definitely spiritual but more so physical. George is transformed into a Pilgrim and now I have a partner who is willing, eager and able to take another walk.

This year, George chose the Frances. It is a 500 mile Pilgrimage that begins in St. Jean Pied de Port, climbs up and over the Pyrenees and continues west across Spain to Santiago. This will be a much greater challenge than last year for many reasons, but one that will bring us closer to the Lord. There is no doubt that we will depend on Him daily to help us connect with the countless Pilgrims we will meet along The Way. Yet allow us time to commune with Jesus, to really know Him at a deeper level, and totally depend on Him for our everyday needs.

We will be leaving in a few days, boarding a plane and flying to France. The plan goes that we will bum around Paris for close to a week, then head to the Northern Beaches of France, and finally embarking on our journey May 7th. If you’ve ever watched the movie “The Way” with Martin Sheen, it is the same route that he traveled with the ashes of his son. Quite a testament to how one persons passion turns into another’s journey. It is a powerful story and depicts the familiar route that we will follow.

Right now George is walking, with his pack on, up and down the streets and trails of Placer County. He is preparing to take off with a much greater ease and determination than his last Pilgrimage. There is something to be said about knowing what to expect, but there is also something to acknowledge; expect the unexpected. With all his training, the physical part will be a breeze, leaving the door wide-open for the spiritual encounters. Our Lord is priming us both for something deeper, more intense and lesser than just blisters, pulled muscles and tired legs. He is calling us to share His goodness, love and light by being Pilgrims to others that we meet. So standby to follow the tales or tails of George & Kelly as they embark on another journey of life, love and light.

I will make you to be a covenant to the people…to open eyes that are blind. Isaiah 42:6-7