A Pilgrim

By: Stephanie Defoyd
June 21st, 2011


I am a pilgrim here, on a journey to the Promised Land. My route is full of unexpected twists and turns, deep canyons, and steep, craggy mountains that I have to carefully – even cautiously – navigate my way through. My Lord is by my side, and His Holy Word is both my compass and map. Nothing do I carry with me but my cross which I have chosen to take up. The path I take isn’t one that most might choose. It’s narrow and not as well traveled as the other. The second path is wide, open, and becoming to the eye, but it ends in a place where there is nothing but eternal sorrow, pain, and death. It’s not visible by just looking at it, but Suffering marks every step of the way, and Loneliness lurks in every shadow. My path, though much narrower and maybe not quite as beauteous at first glance, leads the way to a place where nothing but joy and happiness abound, where praises to my King reverberate throughout the heavens, and Life is eternal and full of bliss. Night never envelopes this Promised Land with its dark cape, nor does the dawn ever cease. All declare the majesty of Christ, crying, “Holy, holy, holy is our Lord, God Almighty!” Yes, the journey at times is hard, and many times I have lost my footing, but my God, who is with me at every moment, catches me in His loving arms. My steps He steadies, and when I feel as though I cannot go any further, feeling so weighted down, He makes my burden light. He has given my heart a new song, my life a new meaning, and my soul the promise of eternal rest in Him. Death shall never claim victory over me, nor shall I ever be taken from my Father’s hand. I am His child, His beloved, His daughter, His own. There is nothing in this foreign land in which I travel that can change that fact. Many times I have hesitated, even balked, at the sight of the path suddenly ending before me at the edge of a huge, seemingly bottomless gorge, and that proceeds on at its opposite side. But, after much coaxing and many reminders of His promise never to leave me, I finally take His nail scarred hand together we take that step of faith that brings a bridge beneath my feet. The impossibilities that I face are suddenly made possible with my God. Nothing need I fear when I allow my Lord to be my guide. I am safe and secure in His arms, even when it feels as though the world around me is falling apart. This is the path that I have chosen and have given my life to follow. Which do you choose?