Author: Dave Dishman (Page 1 of 417)

I meet a lot of happy people on the Camino. For many it’s a trip they’ve been contemplating for years. Others, more spur of the moment, hear of the walk and join in with enthusiasm. But always a number of people carry burdens along with knapsacks.

We’ve met a few over the years. My wife talked to a grandson walking in honor of his late grandmother. We mourned with a friend who recently lost his brother. Others walk with cancer. Many hike with anxieties and worries and wrestle with the Lord. It’s an honor to learn of someone’s grief and be allowed in. But I wonder how best to pray for each person beyond their immediate need?

I think the words given by God to the children of Israel fit the call. On their pilgrimage from Egypt to the promised land, the Lord spoke to Moses and gave him this blessing for the priests to say over the people:

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Loads of people walk the Camino seeking peace. Personally, I enjoy several days away from the cacophony of life. Others confront God with deep disappointments, regrets and pain. Peace seems impossibly far over the horizon. But something about walking and walking and walking some more moves our soul into a place of receiving. We begin to hear the feedback of our own footsteps, and a peace from the Lord emerges.

Give you peace. We all seek it. Let’s pray this blessing for each other, whether we travel a challenging path or endure a life that seems long and lonely. The Lord is gracious. Turn to him and walk towards peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

Photo: A peaceful section of the Camino de Santiago

The hills of Northern Spain remind me of the Ozarks where I grew up. Perhaps that’s one reason I love walking the Camino de Santiago. The route rises and falls through hills covered in forests and dotted with farms. This countryside is one reason pilgrims adopted Psalm 121 as the Pilgrim’s Psalm:

I will raise my eyes to the hills; From where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who watches over you will not slumber. Behold, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your protector; The Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not beat down on you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time and forever.

A thousand years of pilgrims walked to Santiago through the elements, under the sun, with uncertain conditions and among strange peoples. Many persevered for months on their journey. I’m walking for a week, but still under a hot sun or through cool rain as I trudge up and down these Spanish hills.

Like I meander on this trek, I also wander through life. In the midst, the Lord keeps my feet steady. He remains my keeper, my shade, my bodyguard, and the giver of life. I raise my eyes to the hills, knowing that my help comes from the maker of all such heights, from our magnificent God who neither slumbers nor sleeps.

Psalm 121

Misty hills along the Camino. Photo by former pilgrim Matt Jackson

On a trek like the Camino de Santiago, shoes form a vital part of the gear. This week we’ll walk roughly 75 miles in 6 days. The route is hilly, with parts of the path hard surface, others gravel or dirt. Rain is always a possibility. A pilgrim needs a pair of shoes to handle all sorts of situations. I brought a pair of trail runners with a Gore-Tex outer layer and a rock plate inner sole.

While rare, occasionally someone slips and falls. Last year one of our group tumbled on a rock and sliced her hand when she hit the ground. A trip to the emergency room left her with several stitches. The next day she bravely pushed on, but with her bandaged hand elevated and throbbing.

Much like the Camino, my walk with the Lord involves various terrains. Slips and falls remain a possibility. But I look to him as I navigate my path. I take to heart these words of praise David wrote to the Lord: You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip.

While walking for miles and miles, I watch for spots where my feet might slide. It takes a good pair of shoes to avoid all the obstacles. I grow to appreciate the wide places where I stroll unencumbered. In the same way, this world presents slippery places I cannot avoid. But I can trust the Lord to bring me through, to help me avoid a fall until my path once again opens wide.

Psalm 18:36

Photo by Audrey Langlois

My wife and I are in Spain preparing for a week on the Camino de Santiago. In a couple of days we’ll meet the rest of the group we’re leading (19 of us in total) and begin our pilgrimage.

One of the pleasures along the trail is the food. I look for favorites from past trips, including pulpo (octopus) sliced thin, squid (to which I’m allergic so I only dare a nibble), and lots of gelato. But my absolute number one is Pimientos de Padrón, a small, mild, green pepper flash fried in olive oil, tossed with crunchy sea salt and served hot. I order those everywhere possible.

When I enjoy such wonders of the table I’m reminded of David’s words: Taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!

I travel the Camino de Santiago to grow closer to the Lord. The pilgrimage forms a powerful time to pray, question, and work out my faith. The physicality of walking centers me. Mile after mile the beautiful countryside enchants with sights and sounds. Then comes the pleasure of stopping at the end of the day and enjoying a nice meal. The Lord didn’t have to create me with taste buds. But when I pause, savor and reflect, I gain a deeper appreciation and fondness for our amazing God.

Psalm 34:8&9

Photo by Dina Spencer