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Companions for the Journey

February 23, 2009 By Jean Wise

Companions for the Journey

I love this painting of the Emmaus Road.  Two friends walking together down the path  of life with Jesus beside them. Who is your companion on your journey?

Some will answer that question by saying Jesus is their companion. Others will reply besides Jesus, they share their faith stories with family and friends. In addition, others grow by speaking with a spiritual director.

In my program to become a spiritual director we had the assignment to pick someone from history, a spiritual giant, to study with for two years. There is so much we can learn from studying others who came before us.

I am not a fan of the word “spiritual giants” since these people are humans with weaknesses, difficulties and even poor decision making. Saints were not super humans, but in reality they were flawed and sinful just like us. But somehow they kept running that race; their lives reflect what we wish for, what we desire most deeply and the direction in which we are headed in life. They can be mentors for us. They can teach us.

I chose Dorothy Day. Others in my group learned about St Augustine, Martin Luther, Julia of Norwich, Catherine of Sienna, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Merton, C.S. Lewis, EvelynUnderhill and John Wesley.

We read about them and studied to find out how they grew spiritually, what their view of God was, how did they pray, and  how did they grow. What did they write? What did others say about them? How did they hear God? How did they know God’s will? What mistakes did they make? Who influence them? Whom did they influence?

My challenge to you is to seek to find someone this year and dig deeply into their life and their faith journey. Read about them. Find out how they grew spiritually. Do an internet search about their life. Develop an expertise on that person.

We become what we focus on. Who you are journeying with can help you grow and teach you how to focus on Jesus. They can help us become transformed into the people God called us to be.

Hebrews chapter 12 tells us we have cheerleaders in life. A great cloud of witnesses, those who have gone before us, encourage us on our journey. We can learn much from their lives of faith.

   Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.

 Hebrew 12:1

 Who will you invite this year to walk with you on your journey?

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Filed Under: spiritual practices

Comments

  1. Johnnie says

    March 10, 2009 at 11:27 pm

    This is such a great idea. I’m going to think about who I want to “become an expert on” and study this year. Thanks, Jeanie, for making that suggestion. Now, who should it be?!

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