I used to have this friend who said,
“You know, you don’t have to try to see Jesus in everything all the time.”
He didn’t like Jesus very much.
He was right, though, in a way. I didn’t have to try. I can’t help it. I “see” Jesus everywhere. Where most people might see a bucket of broken, potentially dangerous, shards of glass, I see beautiful colors coming together to make a sun-catcher in a vase. Then I see people I know–myself included–who are also broken and potentially dangerous, but through whom the light of Jesus can shine so that together we’re beautiful. And so is He.
I don’t think this way of seeing makes me anything special. I don’t think I’m the only person who sees Jesus everywhere. But I also know that some people don’t, or can’t. The Pilgrimage might be the culmination of a middling-length life of noticing Jesus more and more, in the mundane and the extraordinary, and the desire of that life for all people–myself included–to see and know and experience and love Jesus “in everything all the time.” Maybe the Pilgrimage is a work in hope, an attempt at gathering more and more of us broken and dangerous pieces of glass into the sun catcher, so Jesus can shine through us and show that we are beautiful. And so is He.
Oh–so anyway, who am I? I’m Jenn. I used to travel a lot geographically. Now I travel with a lot of people more metaphorically on their spiritual journeys–probably because of my own spiritual journey. I grew up as a Baptist, worked for over five years in some charismatic churches in London, England, served as a director of Christian education in a liberal-progressive interdenominational church, and am ordained in an American Baptist congregation now. My spiritual direction training came from the Anglicans, and I’m an interfaith Advanced Practice Board Certified Chaplain through the Spiritual Care Association.
I’m a later-in-life wife and stepmom. Also a daughter, sister, aunt, and dog-mom. I part-time-pastor a small historic church in New England, and am the spiritual director, facilitator, and sole “employee” here. You can find my other projects that don’t fit into those two categories at jenniferaglayte.com, or subscribe to my newsletters below.