Personal Walk Testimonies
My Journey - However Long It May Take Me!
There is a long standing joke about me in my circle of friends. I am a self-proclaimed "Remedial" Christian. What this means, at least to me, is that it took me so darn long to finally hear Jesus knocking on my heart and even to this day, I seem to be the last one to finally "grasp" a biblical concept, or any concept really...
I know that I knew nothing about Grace before my walk to Emmaus. I had been walking with Jesus for a long time, walking slowly, grasping things as I could, but walking nonetheless...
You see, I was 43 years old before I recognized the void in my life and actually heard the knock on my heart. It was during my Walk that I realized that this was Prevenient Grace. The Lord wooed me for a very, very long time but it was his will and wooing that drew me in. God had my heart in his hands for 43 years and by His grace, I felt the tug upon my heart.
Little by little everything in my life gained new meaning. I was trying to learn everything about God that I could get my hands on.....Still feeling totally incompetent because so much stuff didn't make sense! I dove into a Women's Bible Study and always asked so many questions that I was afraid that the other women would get tired of my "non-understanding".
About three years into my new found Christian life, I was now a mature 46 year old (Ha!) and feeling a bit more secure in my relationship with Christ. Beware! This is truly when you are tested! Anyway, I began to feel the now familiar tug at my heart but had no idea, as usual, what the tugging meant, was supposed to mean or if I was just imagining it. Remedial still.
Turns out that the tugging on my heart was a nudge to journey on the "Walk To Emmaus". I started seeing brochures about the walk, heard stories from random people who had been on the walk and then, as if by accident, was thrown into a hotel room with another church member at a non-church related gathering and she somehow agreed to be my sponsor for my "Walk to Emmaus". That is some master planning in action!
I attended Walk #217 and sat at the Table of Mary. Words cannot express my experiences there nor can they express the experience that many of you encountered, I am sure! What I do know is this.....I am NOT remedial in my Christianity! God opens my eyes when I am prepared to accept and understand what I need to grow closer to Him. It is His timing, His will and His grace that has guided me my whole life - the fact that it took me longer to "figure it out" is just the way that He had it planned.
I still don't know all there is to know about God, life, or anything for that matter, but I am living my life intentionally, secure in my relationship with Christ and counting on Him because I know, for a fact, He is counting on me.
De Colores,
Tonja Bridges
Walk #217
Table of Mary
There is a long standing joke about me in my circle of friends. I am a self-proclaimed "Remedial" Christian. What this means, at least to me, is that it took me so darn long to finally hear Jesus knocking on my heart and even to this day, I seem to be the last one to finally "grasp" a biblical concept, or any concept really...
I know that I knew nothing about Grace before my walk to Emmaus. I had been walking with Jesus for a long time, walking slowly, grasping things as I could, but walking nonetheless...
You see, I was 43 years old before I recognized the void in my life and actually heard the knock on my heart. It was during my Walk that I realized that this was Prevenient Grace. The Lord wooed me for a very, very long time but it was his will and wooing that drew me in. God had my heart in his hands for 43 years and by His grace, I felt the tug upon my heart.
Little by little everything in my life gained new meaning. I was trying to learn everything about God that I could get my hands on.....Still feeling totally incompetent because so much stuff didn't make sense! I dove into a Women's Bible Study and always asked so many questions that I was afraid that the other women would get tired of my "non-understanding".
About three years into my new found Christian life, I was now a mature 46 year old (Ha!) and feeling a bit more secure in my relationship with Christ. Beware! This is truly when you are tested! Anyway, I began to feel the now familiar tug at my heart but had no idea, as usual, what the tugging meant, was supposed to mean or if I was just imagining it. Remedial still.
Turns out that the tugging on my heart was a nudge to journey on the "Walk To Emmaus". I started seeing brochures about the walk, heard stories from random people who had been on the walk and then, as if by accident, was thrown into a hotel room with another church member at a non-church related gathering and she somehow agreed to be my sponsor for my "Walk to Emmaus". That is some master planning in action!
I attended Walk #217 and sat at the Table of Mary. Words cannot express my experiences there nor can they express the experience that many of you encountered, I am sure! What I do know is this.....I am NOT remedial in my Christianity! God opens my eyes when I am prepared to accept and understand what I need to grow closer to Him. It is His timing, His will and His grace that has guided me my whole life - the fact that it took me longer to "figure it out" is just the way that He had it planned.
I still don't know all there is to know about God, life, or anything for that matter, but I am living my life intentionally, secure in my relationship with Christ and counting on Him because I know, for a fact, He is counting on me.
De Colores,
Tonja Bridges
Walk #217
Table of Mary
My Emmaus Walk
Everyone needs time to get away from the daily experiences of life that distract them from their true purpose, which is to focus on God. I really needed this time however did not realize it, but someone did. My reason for going on this walk was a friend's encouragement and his lifestyle which showed a true commitment to Christ. Even before arriving, I could feel the power of prayer even though I did not know I was being prayed for. After seeing the prayer lists and agape, I realized what was happening. This walk was a very powerful experience for me and I was able to focus and reset my priorities with God as number one. For a group of people to do something for me personally on this scale was difficult to accept, but now I understand that it is the same as accepting God's free grace. The presence of the Holy Spirit was quite evident during the entire walk and continues. There are numerous experiences I could describe which made an impression on my heart which would include the candlelight, talks, services, fellowship, etc., but I'll just say that I experienced the three of the best days of my life on the Emmaus walk. I have been changed and am forever thankful to God, the team, and my sponsor. Prayer is powerful!
And that was just the beginning. The Reunion Groups, Candlelights, 4th day, study, etc. have continued to strengthen my relationship with God. One of the main things I have gained from this experience is the ability to recognize that there are no coincidences in this life. The Holy Spirit is guiding us and we need to be able to recognize the signs. The signs are there and we need to be able to see the connection.
Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
Luke 21: 31 - 32.
DeColores,
O'Keefe Scallan
Walk #214
Table of Peter
Everyone needs time to get away from the daily experiences of life that distract them from their true purpose, which is to focus on God. I really needed this time however did not realize it, but someone did. My reason for going on this walk was a friend's encouragement and his lifestyle which showed a true commitment to Christ. Even before arriving, I could feel the power of prayer even though I did not know I was being prayed for. After seeing the prayer lists and agape, I realized what was happening. This walk was a very powerful experience for me and I was able to focus and reset my priorities with God as number one. For a group of people to do something for me personally on this scale was difficult to accept, but now I understand that it is the same as accepting God's free grace. The presence of the Holy Spirit was quite evident during the entire walk and continues. There are numerous experiences I could describe which made an impression on my heart which would include the candlelight, talks, services, fellowship, etc., but I'll just say that I experienced the three of the best days of my life on the Emmaus walk. I have been changed and am forever thankful to God, the team, and my sponsor. Prayer is powerful!
And that was just the beginning. The Reunion Groups, Candlelights, 4th day, study, etc. have continued to strengthen my relationship with God. One of the main things I have gained from this experience is the ability to recognize that there are no coincidences in this life. The Holy Spirit is guiding us and we need to be able to recognize the signs. The signs are there and we need to be able to see the connection.
Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
Luke 21: 31 - 32.
DeColores,
O'Keefe Scallan
Walk #214
Table of Peter
My Experience
I went on my Walk to Emmaus with anticipation and uncertainty of what to expect. I hoped to get away from the busyness that seems to be my life. I hoped to spend some quality time in prayer. And I thought that if I could meet some new Christian women, that would be cool, too. I really had no idea what was in store for me.
Because there weren't watches or clocks, I soon got out of my routine of concerning myself with what comes next. Because there were no cell phones, I was able to focus on my own needs and not those of my friends and family. Because there was no talking, pressure of socializing with my new cabin mates was gone, and it freed me up to focus on the task at hand which was focusing on my walk with Jesus Christ.
My Emmaus Walk took place last September. I remember feeling charged with the Holy Spirit like never before. Afterwards, I couldn't stop talking about it at work, home, church, or anywhere people would listen. I hummed the fun and crazy songs I learned. I found places for my agape at home, in my office, and even in my car. I followed many of the suggestions of my wonderful table leader regarding daily living. Recently, I have found a reunion group, and I look forward to my weekly meetings because it helped me refocus and stay focused on my daily walk with Jesus Christ.
Because of my Walk to Emmaus experience, I now call on God throughout the day, everyday for guidance, forgiveness, and thanksgiving. I know he loves me unconditionally, and for that I am grateful and feel wonderfully blessed.
De Colores,
Mary Kirkpatrick
Table of Sarah
Walk 213
I went on my Walk to Emmaus with anticipation and uncertainty of what to expect. I hoped to get away from the busyness that seems to be my life. I hoped to spend some quality time in prayer. And I thought that if I could meet some new Christian women, that would be cool, too. I really had no idea what was in store for me.
Because there weren't watches or clocks, I soon got out of my routine of concerning myself with what comes next. Because there were no cell phones, I was able to focus on my own needs and not those of my friends and family. Because there was no talking, pressure of socializing with my new cabin mates was gone, and it freed me up to focus on the task at hand which was focusing on my walk with Jesus Christ.
My Emmaus Walk took place last September. I remember feeling charged with the Holy Spirit like never before. Afterwards, I couldn't stop talking about it at work, home, church, or anywhere people would listen. I hummed the fun and crazy songs I learned. I found places for my agape at home, in my office, and even in my car. I followed many of the suggestions of my wonderful table leader regarding daily living. Recently, I have found a reunion group, and I look forward to my weekly meetings because it helped me refocus and stay focused on my daily walk with Jesus Christ.
Because of my Walk to Emmaus experience, I now call on God throughout the day, everyday for guidance, forgiveness, and thanksgiving. I know he loves me unconditionally, and for that I am grateful and feel wonderfully blessed.
De Colores,
Mary Kirkpatrick
Table of Sarah
Walk 213