God: He checks things off my bucket list

I sat down and began to write a list of things I wanted to do/get done during my semester off.

The very first thought I had was, "If I could do ANYTHING IN THE WORLD...I would do El Camino de Santiago."

In English it's called "The Way of Saint James."  500 mile route/trail.  Starts at the bottom of France, goes over the Pyrenees Mountains, across the Northern part of Spain, and finishes in Santiago de Compostela.  At the end of the route is a HUUUUGGE, gorgeous cathedral where the apostle James is believed to be buried.  With your life in a backpack, you stop at hostels in towns and villages along the way.  It's a journey that is said to change your life.    

Buuuut..."It's unrealistic," I thought, "There is no way I could find the people nor money to do it."

"As you do not know the path of the wind,

or how the body is formed in a mother's womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God,

the Maker of all things."

--Ecclesiastes 11:5

I had several people speak into my life and they all said the same thing, "GO."  I'm not sure when it happened but I just got the feeling: I HAVE TO GO. 

I had no idea when or how this would possibly work out, but I knew if God wanted me there, I would be there.

So, here we are, tickets booked, bags half-way packed, and in < 2 weeks I will be in Europe with my family (Mom, Ben + Brice):

--Hitting up the Eiffel tower.
--Walking 500 miles from France to the edge of Spain.
--Becoming pilgrims.
--Living out of our backpacks.
--Finding hostels to stay in as we stumble upon them.
--Meeting so many randoms (random people from all over the world...what could be better?!)
--Finish it up with meeting up with Brady + Tirza.
--See the "edge of the world."
--Top it off with a few days in Roma

holy. crap. 

As we prepare physically we have also been preparing mentally:

"What is your reason for doing El Camino de Santiago?"

PROCESS.
I do not process things fast. To process something small takes me a few days.  To process something big takes me triple that amount.  I've realized over the past few months that I haven't processed anything that's happened in my life over the past few years.  I was on survival mode.  I just had to get through.

So, now: I just want to walk. With God.  Have time to be alone with my thoughts and away from all distraction.  To walk with Him and process.  Work through the memories: the good, the bad, the ugly.  Embrace the good, settle with the bad, and come back changed and renewed. 

All of this is truly a dream come true.  So many things getting checked off the Bucket List.  I'm beyond thankful, humbled and STOKED OUT OF MY MIND.  I might explode ;)

As we go, we would love your prayers for us!  Prayers for safety, endurance, peace and that God will bless us with an amazing adventure with Him!

Stay tuned: I will try to update the blog from time to time to let you know how we're doing, if we are annoying the junk out of each other and what God is doing.

BUEN CAMINO, mi amor :)