These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

As I walk the Camino de Santiago my mind wanders. I think about lunch, then dinner, and snacks in between. I notice another pilgrim’s backpack and wonder what country makes that brand? I worry about the NBA playoffs (as I root for the Denver Nuggets). It’s hard to stay focused.

Which is one reason God gives me something to think about. I keep the commands of the Lord, his holy Scriptures, in front of me, whether I’m sitting at home or walking the Way of Saint James. Even a brief thought goes a long way. If the Word of God is living and active, then a dose every day infects me in valuable ways, and begins to affect transformation in my heart.

If your mind wanders like mine, encourage it to stumble back to the Bible and all that’s contained within. Talk about the scriptures with a friend or within a small group. Write about  them in your journal. Impress them upon your children.

More than sports or shopping to social media, thank the Lord for giving you something solid to think on day and night as you journey through life.

Camino de Santiago 2023

Photo by Aaron Burden

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise (Ephesians 5:15).

The actual walking trail of the Camino de Santiago varies. Crushed gravel makes up parts of the path. In other places you walk on asphalt, or a dirt track, or a concrete sidewalk. At times the way turns rocky, with thick roots spanning the trail. You must keep alert for changes underfoot.

Signs helpfully mark the trail, too many to get really lost. Plus, lots of helpful people will point you in the right direction. But failing to pay attention can cost you several extra miles.

Blisters emerge as the most painful problem when you walk 10-15 miles day after day. A bit of dirt in your shoe leads to days of painful tramping. Wise pilgrims plan to avoid blisters, and have a plan in mind to treat blisters. You really can’t be too careful with your toes.

A great deal of thought goes into preparing for a good experience in the Camino de Santiago. It pays to carefully watch our plans and practices.

In the same way, Paul reminds us to carefully watch our lives. If a week of hiking in Spain requires a great deal of attention, how much more time and energy should I give to my hike through life?

It’s wise to prepare well for a long, tough journey. It’s even wiser to carefully consider our walk with Christ.

Camino de Santiago 2023

Photo – direction post on the Camino de Santiago

You groped your way through that muck once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it (Ephesians 5:8-9 in The Message).

We arrived in Spain for the Camino de Santiago, then spent a few days getting situated as we bumbled through jet lag and walked around as tourists. However, we left our rooms yesterday for our first day on the trail as pilgrims—those in search.

Once you declare yourself a pilgrim you take on a different identity. You launch out toward more, a new land or a new identity. Some pilgrims travel the world ever searching, and we may meet a few on this journey. Most stay close to home yet search all the same, never fully comfortable, hearts restless for who knows what.

But as Jesus pilgrims, we step out into the open. We walk confidently into the light of Christ. This journey for many is not to discover faith, but to experience our walk with Christ in fresh ways. Over the years I’ve learned that tired feet lead to deeper souls.

Where will you walk this week? Take Paul’s advice and put your pilgrim’s feet into motion. As Paul says, figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. It’s the figuring out part that takes introspection, and the doing it that puts us on our feet.

Camino de Santiago 2023

Photo by fellow pilgrim Steve Morgan

People who travel the Camino de Santiago recognize several symbols representing a spiritual journey. These include symbols familiar to anyone who follows Jesus, pilgrim or not, and a one unique to this pilgrimage.

An Open Rucksack

A pilgrim shares with others and receives back. Often receiving is harder than giving, but we all have needs, and we need good people to walk alongside us. Look for opportunities to freely share and receive as you journey. A rucksack can symbolize our heart’s openness to giving and receiving

A Scallop Shell

This shell has long identified pilgrims. It was worn on the chest or hat, and also served as a spoon or a cup. How do we identify ourselves as followers of The Way, The Truth, and The Life today?

The Pilgrim’s Passport

A completed passport, issued only by the church, is necessary to receive your Compostela (completion certificate) in Santiago. You need at least 2 stamps per day to prove you walked at least 100 kilometers. Every kiosk or restaurant or hotel along the Camino stamps passports. It’s important to mark our road through life, and remember those who helped us along the way.

A Stone

Many pilgrims carry a small stone as a symbol of their sorrow, burden, pain or loss. After wrestling with these issues before the Lord, they lay the stone down somewhere along the path. What are you carrying that God might be inviting you to drop from your hand?

In Conclusion

As we begin to walk this week, I think of the words of Jesus when he told a crowd, Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).

We face a physical challenge as we walk 70 miles this week, but for most of us our spiritual, emotional and mental burdens sink much deeper. Thankfully, Jesus’s yoke applies here first and foremost. Pull his gentle yoke across your neck and humbly learn from him.

That’s the way of the pilgrim, wherever we might walk.

Camino de Santiago 2023

Photo by Jon Tyson