Greater Scioto Valley Emmaus Men's Walk #28, Table of Paul

Everyone needs to be refreshed, revived, and made new again by some experience(s) in their life. Simply put, life can get stagnant from time to time. Work, friends, family, time, e-mail, cell phones, and a host of other obligations tend to run all of our lives whether we would like to admit it or not.

My latest experience was a Walk to Emmaus. Although I never desire to be away from Whitney, my family, or the Halls, my Walk provided freedom from all of the things that 'control' my life. I have been skeptical and very negative ever since a Walk to Emmaus was first mentioned to me. Being a Catholic, I figured that I would be uncomfortable and somewhat unaccepted by others. I felt that my faith was good enough for me and God. The devil can put some awful thoughts into our heads. Then I began working just outside of Parkersburg at a GE Plastics manufacturing plant, two hours away from everyone that I love. I haven't dealt with being away from home as well as I would like. I have always been a homebody. I work every day with an engineer who has an incredibly strong relationship with God, and he is able to teach me lessons at work and connect them to stories in the Bible. He has quickly become a role model to me. Our constant discussions at work considering religion, my desire to grow closer with Whitney, and most of all a gentle tugging at my heart finally swayed me go on a Walk.

There are many things that we can go through during our life that we can describe as 'life-changing'. That is an understatement in this case. My Walk was perhaps 'eternal life-changing'. The love, acceptance, and fellowship that I enjoyed this past weekend was more than I ever believed possible.

What has my Walk meant to me? My Walk has provided me with knowledge and skills essential to the Christian faith. My Walk fostered the development of a truly stronger relationship with God. My Walk has also given me renewed self-confidence, optimism, and love to share with those around me.

What will I do now? I will maintain my new relationship with God and pursue ways to strengthen it and recommit myself. I will put aside idleness and indifference to pray, study, and take action for God. I will hold my family, friends, and newest acquaintance accountable as I wish to be held accountable.

We have an awesome, loving God who always forgives and never lets us down. He is always pursuing us.

The challenge: Don't be passive, indifferent, and don't ever think the job is done. Don't be part of the crowd. Change yourself, others, and society (in that order). Persist. Persevere. Never give up.