The Power of A God-Led Pilgrimage
every time i say yes to God sending me on a pilgrimage to one of the supernatural ministries He has planted me in, something magical happens.
the oil of His anointing flows.
miracles break out in the sanctuary.
people are healed, changed, set free.
the presence and outpouring of God is so potent during these pilgrimages that i spend most of my time resting and integrating after the deep spiritual impartation that always happens, which tends to have a big impact on my physical body.
on this most recent trip to my church in St. Petersburg, Florida, i could actually feel His glory come over me in advance, a few days before traveling. that’s never happened before. this essence all around me felt so heavy and restful (fun fact: the biblical Hebrew word for glory has a core/root meaning of weight) that i didn’t want to move or do much but dwell in it, which was kind of a problem because i still had to pack!
when i’m on a pilgrimage, my top priority is always receiving fully from the Father through the ministry, and letting my body adjust to carrying a new level of His power and anointing. but it’s getting easier to balance accepting my impartation with appreciating the destination, and capturing beauty along the way.
for this trip, i already knew that most of my time and energy would be focused on immersing myself at church (for ~2-6 hours per day, depending on event schedule), then reclining in comfort after, like the girl in the painting hanging in my bedroom at our airbnb. but i could also feel that there would be enough spaciousness for me to enjoy being back in my homeland, show my parents around on their very first time there, and even finish up some local mission assignments that were left over from previous seasons.
with God weaving the organic timeline together, it all ended up flowing in a way that didn’t require much logistical thought or choice on my part (which was necessary, because my capacity for that is very limited while i’m actively under the weight of His glory).
the spirit of St. Pete is doing so well since i was here last summer and assigned to pray his full land redemption with my soul sister Eleja. he has a God-given medicine for the enjoyment of life (had a big aha moment when i realized this), and i felt it stronger than ever all around me in the spiritual atmosphere.
there’s something so special and sacred about returning to your homeland after having been away for a while. my spirit was so happy to reunite with his, even for just a short time. being on the land again was incredibly restorative and nourishing for me, regardless of whether i was indoors or outdoors.
it was a joy to introduce my homeland to my parents, and experience it through their eyes. we went to some of my favorite local places, and also found a few new ones. i also loved feeling the spirit of the land pour his medicine into them to help them fully relax and be at ease on this rare vacation from their busy work lives. the sunset at the pier on our first night there was the most beautiful welcome for us from God and the land.
the pilgrimages that God sends me on usually involve travel, and these trips tend to have a very particular rhythm that doesn’t fit into an itinerary. it’s important to stay flexible, and not over-commit to activities within this space of intensive spiritual transformation.
i packed multiple beach-convertible looks with matching swimsuits, just in case (i very much enjoy outfit planning for all possibilities), but never made it there in my personal pilgrimage trip flow, and i honestly didn’t miss it. my body mainly wanted allllll the local foods and allllll the air-conditioned rest in between church sessions and homeland wandering, and she was fully satisfied with an overflow of both.
my mother wanted to go to an art museum the most, but forgot all about it as soon as she got to the beach. she accidentally left her swimsuit at home, but still spent most of the hours i was away at church there with my stepdad, and apparently had the time of her life. she got so much sun that she turned red from head to toe, then bronzed all over like a statue.
my stepdad didn’t care much what we did, but raved about the food and beaches afterwards, and said it was the best trip he’s ever been on (with no conflicts between us the whole time, thanks to God and His deliverance). it hasn’t been that long since we got back, but he’s already saying he’s ready to go again.
some of our best local outings came through same-day nudges from God. one morning while i was in service, He brought my mind back to these flamingos that i’d spotted at a garden during a map search, and this pulled us into visiting later, in exact sync with a surprise cooldown in the blazing heat. we had just enough time to stroll the paths before a torrent of rain.
in another same-day God nudge, we decided to stop and shop at my favorite thrift store, and found actual treasure– a big, vintage, gilded rococo mirror for only $15! it fit into the trunk perfectly, and traveled back with us safely. i paired it with a traditional wooden dresser in my room to make an ornate vanity that looks like it came straight from my pinterest board.
i’m never the same when i return from a pilgrimage. so much within and without goes through an elevation, just like the model of the car we rented for our drive.
it’s only been two weeks since my trip, but i’ve already experienced significant breakthrough in at least three different life areas, including one that has been relatively stuck since the pandemic. new mission assignments are coming in, and i’m fulfilling them with greater supernatural ease and grace than before.
every pilgrimage that God asks you to go on is a personal ascension portal, with His next level for your life and destiny on the other side. for those in ministry and service, it’s also a next level for the souls who are pre-destined to receive from Him through you.
this trip to my home church in St. Pete was the first of four pilgrimages that the Lord is sending me on through the rest of 2026. i am so excited for each one to bring me higher and higher into what He has for me, and everyone connected to my mission work.
