A Pilgrim’s Handbook

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. Psalm 84:4-6

The table was laden with steaming piles of hot, puffy bread fresh from the oven. The grateful pilgrims gathered 'round, holding out plastic cups soon to be filled with sweet milky tea. They had journeyed far. Some had walked miles over rough mountain passes, narrowly escaping soldiers along the way who sought to capture these renegade followers of Jesus. Others fled their home countries long ago, seeking safe refuge in nations where Christian worship was allowed.

No matter their origin, within each of these pilgrims’ hearts rose a hidden highway, a pathway leading ever higher to the One they loved. The One who was worth the risk. The Messiah who gave His own life for them. They had chosen to follow Him, and they were never turning back. Some had been imprisoned. Others tortured. But every heart implicitly believed His promise to turn the valley of tears into a place of springs. 

And here He was, doing it right before my eyes as they enjoyed rare fellowship with the family of God. Weeping and laughter mingled together and rose like a song of thanksgiving on the pilgrim way.

I have the honor of working with modern-day pilgrims, some of whom, like the first Puritan pilgrims at Thanksgiving, have escaped persecution and found fellowship in strange lands. Others have not been able to flee, yet their hearts are set on pilgrimage even as they dwell among their persecutors. 

Their lives are like a pilgrim’s handbook, showing us the way.

The pilgrim invitation is an invitation to dwell, to settle. We are beckoned to belong to God’s family, even as we are displaced in a world increasingly not our home.

Pilgrims are known for their persistent praise along the path. They are famous for strength which makes no sense. They keep going against all odds, for their hearts are set on traversing another highway, one that leads to a heavenly country where there will be no more tears or persecution.

Pilgrims pass through valleys of weeping and change the landscape. Sorrows become springs of life for other travelers.

Pilgrims leave a legacy. In the autumn season of their sojourn, they leave pools of wisdom for those who will follow behind. 

Fellow pilgrim, one day this highway will lead us home. There will be a table there, made ready. We will gather around it with family from every tribe, nation, and tongue. The valley of Baka will be like a distant dream. Thanksgiving will be a way of life.

Lord, I will set my heart on pilgrimage today. Amen.

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Audrey Frank is an author, speaker, and storyteller. The stories she shares are brave and true. They give voice to those whose words are silenced by shame, the hard things in life that don’t make sense, and the losses that leave us wondering if we will survive. Audrey and her family have spent over twenty years living and working among different cultures and world views, and she has found that God’s story of redemption spans every geography and culture. He is the God of Instead, giving honor instead of shame, gladness instead of mourning, hope instead of despair. Although she has three different degrees in communication and intercultural studies, Audrey’s greatest credential is that she is known and loved by the One who made her.

Audrey is the author of Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World (Harvest House Publishers), an outpouring of Audrey’s heart to introduce others to the God of Instead. Shame is not unique to the developing world, the plight of the women behind veils, young girls trafficked across borders; shame is lurking in hearts everywhere. Through powerful stories from women around the world, Covered Glory illuminates the power of the Gospel to remove shame, giving honor instead. Available at favorite booksellers: BARNES & NOBLE , BOOKS A MILLION, AMAZON.