Walking the Camino de Santiago

Posted on by beautybeyondbones

TONIGHT’S POST PATRON!

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True Men Ministries helps men and their families to fulfill God’s dream for them. To do that, True Men Ministries hosts Advances (because a True Man never “retreats”) and Bible Studies. Founder Ed Blonski also writes a twice-weekly devotion and hosts the True Man Podcast.

Friends! Hello!

I’m coming at’cha from Ohio where I’m on set at a shoot! It’s been a wonderful time at home. I really feel so blessed to be able to stay in touch with my family and be able to work both here and there!

I was thinking about it the other day, and I have been just so blown away by God’s faithfulness and generosity. Truly. I mean, my life has taken a lot of detours in my short time around the sun.

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I was reflecting on the false starts and challenging seasons I’ve seen. I’m no longer angry or bitter about the time I’ve lost, nor do I feel regret or cheated out of life. I’ve finally come to peace with the fact that those seasons have made me who I am.

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But the fact is, I have had incredible obstacles to overcome in my life: starting with the anorexia that nearly took my life back in high school and beginning of college. Followed by the horrible ulcerative colitis that resulted in being on bed rest for 11 months. And then here recently, walking with my mom through her stroke recovery.

The truth is, God has seen me through all of it. He’s walked me through it. Never once abandoning me or leaving me to fend for myself. He has been my strength. And has showered me with grace and healing, even when I may not have been aware of it.

And my mom, too. God has been so good to her and blessed her so abundantly as she’s regained her life after her stroke. She is truly my hero. Learning how to talk again after such an event as that – her recovery is remarkable, and we all have so much to be grateful to God for.

His generosity is truly worthy of our deepest praise.

And so, we’ve decided to express our gratitude in a thanksgiving pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain.

We’re leaving already next week! I can’t believe it. It really snuck up on us!

We’re not walking the whole thing. We’re doing a partial route. But it still is around 63 miles!

We’re starting out in Lisbon, Portugal at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, and then walking all the way to the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

The Camino – which was brought to the attention of popular culture in the movie The Way by Emilio Estevez, starring his dad, Martin Sheen – is a 1,000 year old pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, where it is believed that the remains of St. James the Apostle are enshrined.

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St. James was martyred (by decapitation) for his faith by King Herod in Jerusalem, as written about in Acts 12:2.

Afterwards, his headless body was brought back to Galicia and buried underneath the stars in a field. It is believed that 900 years later, a shepherd found his grave under the stars and thus the Cathedral was built to house the Apostle’s remains. And thus the pilgrimage was born.

This trip is not a hike. It’s not some fabulous eco-tourism fling. It is a pilgrimage. It is more about the journey than the destination. It is about stropping, more than going. It is about letting the period of “pause” and “time out” from your life move you, and deepen your connection with God, and with those on your path.

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My mom and I have always said that our lives have been on parallel paths, with each of us enduring similar things, in different ways, during various seasons of our lives.

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And I am excited to physically walk the same path with her during a time in our lives where God has truly sustained us, mind, body and spirit.

So of course, I will be blogging about my experience so that you can travel the Camino with us.

But what I also want to do, is bring your prayer requests with me.

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This blog has been so instrumental in my recovery and the friendships I’ve found here through the little community have truly enriched my life and been such a source of encouragement and joy. I want to offer my thanksgiving to you as well, along The Way, and prayer is one of the best ways I know how.

SO If you have any prayer requests or intentions, leave me a comment or if it is super personal, you can send me an email at beautybeyondbones@yahoo.com.

But I will print them out and put them in a book that I will leave at the Cathedral if I can. But either way, I will pray for you along The Way, and light a candle at the Cathedral and read through them all.

I truly believe in the power of prayer. God has answered mine over and over and over. I mean, simply the fact that I am living and breathing after two experiences that very well could have taken my life is testimony enough to God’s listening ear.

And I humbly ask that you pray for my mom and I on the trip! I am truly excited to see how God reveals Himself on the pilgrimage.

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See ya tomorrow morning on the Podcast!

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beautybeyondbones

BBB: Because we're all recovering from something. // For speaking/business inquiries: beautybeyondbones@yahoo.com

183 thoughts on “Walking the Camino de Santiago”

  1. I wish you the best trip ever. May God all mighty keep taking you deeper in relationship with him through this walk with your mom. May the love you share make you both stronger. God bless you and your beautiful family. In Jesus name. Amen.

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  2. You’re walking trip sounds awesome! Looking forward to reading your updates. Please pray I meet a Godly Man and won’t have to continue alone. Thank You!

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    1. Thank you so much friend! I will definitely bring your prayer request with me! 🙂 sending big hugs xo

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  3. I am delighted that you two will get to take this pilgrimage together. If I were physically able, I would have already gone. But as it doesn’t seem to fit into His plan, I have grown content with cheering others along the trail. And I will add you and your mother to my daily prayer list until you return.
    If you would, please pray for D.J. and Cynthia to return to a real relationship with our dear Lord.
    May God bless your every step.

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    1. aw thank you, yeah i am very grateful to be going. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. I will definitely keep DJ and Cynthia in my prayers as well 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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  4. My family and I just watched “The Way.” Not only is Martin Sheen a great actor but his son, Emilio Esteves has written, produced, and directed an exceptional film. I pray you have a meaningful pilgrimage. Bo Camiño!

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  6. Walking among the mountains in God’s creation uplifts the soul. You will find Him in that environment He has built and far away from the environment men have marred in their sojourn on earth. You will hear His voice as you meditate on your journey. 🙂

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  7. The Camino is truly an incomparable experience and I’m sure God will pour abundant graces on both of your hearts! I also hope you’ll be warmly welcomed in Spain and delight in the breath-taking landscapes of the north of our country. I ask you to please pray for my ED recovery and for the blog I’ve just started to help other people suffering from this illness… hopefully at least half of which people like you have helped me!

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  8. I am so excited for you and your mom to be able to take this wonderful trip together…there is nothing on earth more special than our mom’s love, what wonderful memories you will make together…and you will love Lisbon! Be sure to eat one of their little pastry/ custard cups!

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  10. Seeing your mother, it’s easy to see where you get your beauty. I’m looking forward to reading your posts on this trip. My prayer request; My husband and I are downsizing from a 9-room house to a smaller place. Just getting too old to keep up with that big house. Also, our youngest daughter and her husband are moving 6 hours away and taking our little 7-year old granddaughter. They want us to follow. So please pray that we will get a buyer soon for our home and that we will have the wisdom to know whether to stay in the area we know or step out on a new adventure and move with them. Thanks!

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    1. Aw Barbara, what a kind thing to say! Thank you!! I will definitely keep your prayer with me in my heart. Sounds like a new adventure is about to begin! Hugs and love xox

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    1. Aw thank you for your prayers Laura Beth! It’s surreal that we’re leaving already this week! Eek! Hope you had a great weekend! Hugs and love xox

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  13. As someone who is doing a lot of walking this year I hope that you find the experience as rewarding as I do and that you will gain many happy memories not just from the scenery (something that I always find wonderfully inspiring and a reminder of God’s creative beauty on just about any countryside walk) but from the time you’ll be able to spend with your mom and the time you’ll be able to spend with God. I look forward to hearing all about it.

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    1. Thank you friend 🙂 yes, that special time with her is what I’m looking forward to most 🙂 Hugs and love xox

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  14. What a fabulous blessing to be able to travel with your mom on a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. Ever since we saw The Way several years ago, my husband has been wanting to do the looongggg walk as well. Safe travels. I look forward to reading about your experiences. I’ll be praying for you and your mother on your trip.

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  15. I walked 50 miles of The Camino last year. It was absolutely fabulously fabulous and tough and beautiful and satisfying. Please take your time. Look around you. Talk to the people. Talk to the trees. Be in the moment and know just how many have trod before you. Drink the water from the fountains. And drink the coffee!!! And eat the amazing food prepared by those who are there to serve the pilgrims.

    Blessings to you on this sacred journey. I walked with my cousins. You are blessed to walk with your momma!

    God’s grace.

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  20. I know I’m ‘late to the party’ in reading this post but I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU AND YOUR MOM!! I know God will provide me the opportunity to travel The Way one day too (His time, not mine,) but I look forward to following along with you & your Mom to tide me over until I do!! THANK you for sharing this with all of us.

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    1. Aw thank you so much Dawn Marie!! Yes! I’m so excited to have this adventure with her 🙂 and you’re so right I know He has that in store for you!! Hugs and love xox

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  21. Good luck on your journey! My sweet mama will also be starting the Camino in about a month! She is going to walk half with a group this year & then the second half next year. Blessings & prayers!

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  23. It’s beautiful there…as are you. Pray for Redding, California! It’s where I work and it’s going through a hellacious wildfire right now that has destroyed nearly 1000 homes. God will here you. Buen Camino!

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      1. Thank you! 🙂 I apologize for the above typo…I meant to say “God will hear you,” obviously…embarrassing. You stay safe too! Although I have a feeling that the Camino is a bit less dangerous than this fire…take care.

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  24. This is an amazing experience that you got to have with your mom. I have struggled as of late to write anything and I miss blogging, but my mom has not done so well. I have had so many days of physical, mental, and spiritual exhaustion. I say that to say this, I am happy for you being able to have taken this journey with your mom. What I would not give for mine to be willing and able to do that. Oh, Happy Birthday! Those of us that have battled addiction in it’s varying forms, struggle loving ourselves and therefore allowing others to love us. We tend to see the darkness from the past, instead of the light from the future and present day. Great stuff!

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    1. Thank you Tim. Yeah I feel so blessed to have had the chance to experience this with her. Hugs and love xox

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