Emmaus walks

• Now I know God is ahead of me to lead me, beside me to support me, and behind me to catch me.
• It's been about a year since I lost my husband. I learned I can move on.
• No matter where we are on our walk with God, there's always more to learn. (This was spoken by a person who had been a missionary for 25 years)
• I went on the walk because it's never a good idea to tell your girlfriend's father, "No." But he knew what an incredible experience I'd have.
• I've had Christ in my head for years. Now I have Christ in my heart.
• Now I know what all those "De Colores" bumperstickers are all about!
• I had heard Emmaus was like a mountaintop experience. I just didn't know the mountain could be so high.
• I cannot describe in words the joy and peace I felt this weekend. There's just no way to explain it to anyone else without experiencing it.
• I felt the grace of God for the first time in my life.
• I know God has been calling on me for two years. I hadn't even had my answering machine on. Now I will take this weekend and do God's work.
• A light turned on inside me. I want to shine in every corner I find!
• I learned to accept people for who they are, and not for how I want them to be.
• This has been the most inspirational time of my life. Ever.
• I'm not alone anymore.
• I felt like I was drinking from a fire hydrant all weekend!
• There isn't a person in this room who would have admitted to knowing me five years ago. But I've learned I can put that behind me and move forward.

• I have to admit I came for the food. But I ended up receiving a bunch more. I now have a family. God spoke to me through y'all. I have received Christ for the first time today! I felt the demons leave.
• I was just doing my time; I knew that no one cared. But you opened up and showed me love.
• I only got 7 months to go and I want to take the Lord out with me and STAY OUT, so I can be with my two little girls.
• I came for the cookies -- and they were good! But I leave feeling like I now have a true family!
• I came for the cookies, but I leave feeling God in my heart and I know there is something He wants me to do for Him, and I praise Him and I'll serve Him.

These are some comments submitted via e-mail from participants who went on their walk some time ago.

• It's really hard for others to understand agape love. I think that is the TRUE power of Emmaus. Showing others that you care because it's the right thing to do and we all want to be more like Christ!
• The men's walk was super, great, unbelievable. As a member of the team, I saw lives changed. I went to serve, but I got served to. The men around me greatly touched my life. Their deep belief in Jesus Christ was unbelievable. We cried a lot, laughed a lot and mostly shared our faith in God and Jesus Christ. I cannot express in words how I was affected by these men. I thought I had it pretty much together in my walk with Christ, but when I was challenged this weekend, I had some burdens that I had to unload, and my walk with Christ was just beginning just like the pilgrims. God bless Ron [Lay director], the ALDs and the Clergy team for their love they expressed. The Holy Spirit was working through them on this walk.

  Mike Stark

• Click here for a touching testimony of love borne out of a joint gathering of the Central Carolinas and Grace Emmaus communities.