My Hajj to Huntington— Introduction

On of the five pillars of Islam is the Hajj, or pilgrimage that every faithful Muslim must make to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Well, I am not a Muslim, I am a Christian who belongs to the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. So where do I go for my pilgrimage? The Vatican? Jerusalem? Lourdes?

None of those. I find myself, a guy from the Ohio hills in the middle of flat Indiana. Now I need to say upfront that this trip is not a requirement of my faith. Nor am I visiting any shrine other than perhaps the Bishop’s office. I don’t even get an indulgence.

You see, for us United Brethren, Huntington is the closest thing we have to a shrine. Nothing super spiritual about the place, it is just the HQ for this branch of the universal Army of Christ. I was invited to leave my home in SE Ohio for a few days in Indiana. Flat. This hillbilly has a hard time adjusting. (Where do the kids sled in winter?)

I didn’t come on a pilgrimage for forgiveness. But to me this is kind of a pilgrimage. You see, I am on a search for answers. Not about heaven but about my life before going there. I am on a fact-finding mission. Where am I supposed to be right now? Am I supposed to stay at Eden for the rest of my life or does God have other plans for me? What do I need to do to be in the center of God’s will? Am I being disobedient in my life and ministry? Am I following God’s plans or my own?

I haven’t written for this blog for a long time, but I want to document my “hajj.” Not only for others to read but also that I can reflect and have resolve that God has and is directing me. So join me as I take the plunge into discovering God’s will for my life. I’ll be blogging about the entirety of my pilgrimage to the Holy See of Huntington.