Posts

A little over a month to go

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  The pilgrimage is getting closer.  Since my last post, we have met another time as a larger group to get to know one another a little better and to pray together.  And I received an unexpected package containing a back pack and other materials for the pilgrimage.  I can tell by the guidebook that this is going to be an amazing experience and I am grateful for this opportunity. Today is the Feast of Fatima (Mary Virgin of Fatima) May 13, which seems an appropriate day to publish a post since this will be one of our final sites to see before heading home.  A year or two ago Brenda and I participated in a Marian Devotion and learned so much about Fatima as part of it.  It will be amazing to be physically there and experience all it has to offer. I've included a video about the story of Fatima:   May 13 — Our Lady of Fatima: The Mother Who Came from Heaven to Warn a World at War I included some notes from our meeting in April below.  Marc Slain...

recommitting to preparation.

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Today is all about getting back on the horse.  I started preparing for this trip last year and really in earnest started to up my game spiritually starting a program called Exodus 90 at church. I don't mean to make excuses, but having to say goodbye to our dog Scout knocked me right off a lot of routines I was establishing.  I've slowly been coming back to the disciplines of Exodus 90.  Like the men and women that followed Moses into the desert I succumbed to temptations and kind of lost my way.  So today I'm recommitting to my goals leading up to this trip and asking God for the strength to persevere. A little about each and I don't post to tell share about how hard it all is, but mainly to hold myself more accountable. Exodus 90 - Started for me on January 5th.  This program/ministry involves giving up some creature comforts to focus more on the Lord.  I meet with a small group of men doing the same thing and in a way I draw strength from these men b...

Pilgrimage Prep

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It's becoming more and more real every day.  I decided to start a blog to share some of my adventures and memories for the upcoming pilgrimage to Spain and Portugal I'm doing with my parish. You can learn more about the trip at my parish's website  https://ologn.org/spain In the mean time I'll make some posts about prepping for the trip from time to time until we leave.   I feel very blessed to have this opportunity and I want to share it with all of you too. This isn't my first pilgrimage, but it is my first one in Europe and really my first formal one in terms of a structured one. Looking forward to growing in experience and especially in my faith. See you on the road! -Andy