THIS WEEK Lisa Deam’s new book, 3000 Miles to Jesus was launched. I asked her a few questions about this book. I wondered why she wrote it. It’s not your average book. Her answers lay the groundwork for reading about spiritual pilgrimages.

1. What is a spiritual pilgrimage?

A spiritual pilgrimage is a journey we take in our life of faith, for
example through prayer or following God’s ways in our life. We may not
always be able to take a physical pilgrimage (hello, pandemic), but we
can still walk with God every day.

2. Why did you write this book?

When I began reading about pilgrims’ journeys in the Middle Ages, I was
reminded of several Scripture passages about pilgrimage. The book of
Hebrews, for example, says that God’s people are travelers who are on
their way to a “better country” (Heb. 11:13-16). I wrote 3000 Miles to
Jesus to help us better understand our pilgrim identity and to encourage
us on our walk of faith.

3. How does the subject apply to your life?

I find it very meaningful to think about my life as a pilgrimage, a
sacred journey. It helps me remember that God has prepared a place for
me, and that every day I take steps that bring me closer to my forever
home. When I’m feeling discouraged or lost, I try to pause and refocus
on this heavenly destination. My life isn’t aimless. Despite all my
mistakes, I know I’m walking with God on the path he’s set out for me.

4. What prepared you to write this book?

To write 3000 Miles to Jesus, I spent a lot of time reading the travel
accounts of medieval pilgrims. I wanted their experiences and voices to
shape the book, because they’re wonderful examples of faith and
perseverance. There are so many great pilgrims’ stories that I could
have included hundreds more in the book!

5. What do you hope will be the readers take-away?

I want readers to come away encouraged that even though our journey of
faith is sometimes difficult, we have so many reasons to be hopeful. We
know where we’re headed in life, and we never walk our road alone. We
travel with one another, with our ancestors in the faith, and above all
with God. God is waiting for us at the end of life’s road and walks with
us the entire way.

. . .

THANKS: A hearty thank you to Lisa Deam for sharing this information with us. I truly appreciate her helpfulness and her message. I am including a short bio and links to her sites, and where you can purchase her book.

BIO: Lisa Deam is an historian and an award-winning writer in Christian spiritual formation. She’s the author of 3000 Miles to Jesus: Pilgrimage as a Way of Life for Spiritual Seekers (Broadleaf 2021). Lisa lives in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.

I encourage you to treat yourself to something different that’s out of the ordinary, like this book. You might even take yourself to Lisa’s blog site,The Contemplative Writer. I’m a contemplative writer so I now follow her on social media and receive her posts in my email inbox.

SITE LINKS:
www.lisadeam.com
www.thecontemplativewriter.com

BOOK LINKS:
Broadleaf Books:
https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/productgroup/1951/3000-Miles-to-Jesus

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/3000-Miles-Jesus-Lisa-Deam/dp/1506461638/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1AWCUN7QP8B0I&dchild=1&keywords=3000+miles+to+jesus&qid=1607091736&s=books&sprefix=3000+miles+to+jesus%2Caps%2C161&sr=1-2

goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55182403-3000-miles-to-jesus

My Book Review of 3000 Miles to Jesus is here. When you click on the title in the review, it will take you to the book on Amazon.