St. Cuthbert’s Way, Days 7 & 8, Lindisfarne, Holy Island
Finally the most highly anticipated and incredible day of the pilgrimage had arrived. This is the day we walked the three miles across the North Sea to Holy Island and then one more mile to the town of Lindisfarne.* It was amazing and it was wonderful. And, of course, far more than I had expected.
*Lindisfarne – lindis means stream or pool (or torrent or cascade); farne means land (can also mean pilgrim). This reminds me of Psalm 84, my pilgrimage Psalm, in particular verses 5-7.
“What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.”
Psalms 84:5-7 NLT
A major place where my sister senses God’s presence is around water. She had already reveled in all the streams and rivers we had passed. But today she would walk in the North Sea and she was ecstatic. As for me, I am a mountain person. But I do very much love walking on a beach on the wet sand just where the waves lap across my feet. Something about that soothes my soul. This day would be no different.
Below are images of the first part of the 3-mile walk. The idea of leaving our footprints in the sand was very significant to us. When we stepped off the causeway onto the beach a professional photographer was working and he graciously agreed to snap some photos of us beginning the walk. Lindisfarne can be seen on the horizon.
We set off as soon as the tide was out at noon. Much of the walk was on ‘dry’ sand. There was enough sun to keep us warm and it shone dramatically against the clouds. The tide pools were cool but not one bit uncomfortable to our bare feet. The feel of the sand squishing beneath my feet was wonderful. As we walked along we looked for shells and unusual rocks, fully basking in nature and in the presence of the Almighty Who had brought us there. On that stretch I thought much about the Song of Moses — “My Lord, my God, my strength my song has now become my victory!.. The Lord is God and I will praise Him; the Lord is God and I will exalt Him!” (Exodus 5:1-2) and I thought much about Him leading Israel across the Red Sea to freedom. I don’t have words to describe the incredibleness of the experience. It was ethereal. Even now to recount the day my heart beats a little quicker and my eyes fill with tears of joy.
It was our understanding that the water would never be more than knee deep. However somewhere about halfway or a bit more into the walk it got somewhat difficult as the water got deeper and deeper. Finally it came up as high as mid-chest and there was a strong wind with waves coming from my right side. Not long before we had met two ladies walking toward us. They were fine and did not mention any problems so we assumed that all was well ahead. However a large group was behind us and we noticed that, after meeting the women, they turned around and went back toward Beal. The deep water was frigid. I, strangely, never felt cold in my core. My feet however were numb and it felt like I had blocks attached to the end of my legs. That and the depth of the water and the waves made keeping upright tricky. Finally Julie and I walked arm in arm to keep our balance. I thought of the 3-strand cord of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 during that stretch because I could not have done it without my sister and, of course, Jesus.
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NLT
(I believe that walking through the high water is symbolic of my physical breakdown and collapse in Asia which forced me to return home.) God promised, “When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you.” – Isaiah 43:2 (GNT) He has been faithful to His Word.
Across the sands just off the beach is a bench where pilgrims can sit to rinse off their feet and put on shoes. I had brought a thermos of hot water and Julie had brought foot warmers. Neither did a lot to warm my feet but the feeling did return before I put on sandals for the walk to the village of Lindisfarne. (From the high water to the village represent my sabbatical and recovery.) We arrived at Rose Villa where we were shown to our room. I was first to savor a warm shower. When I was done Julie gave me the news. Her passport which she had put in her pocket to keep it safe had washed away into the North Sea. She immediately contacted the US Embassy to start the process of getting a replacement or some other document for travel home.
She, having done what could be done, got out of her soaked clothes and showered, and we headed out to make dinner reservations (the innkeeper advised us that would be wise) and for coffee. The first hotel we came to was Manor House Hotel . It had a wonderful outside seating area with a view of the sea and of Lindisfarne Castle in the distance. I said, “Let’s have coffee here.” The coffee was good, the view was spectacular, the ever present breeze was lovely, and the now expected canine restaurant guest was amusing. It was a lovely afternoon. So, we made dinner reservations inside and then wandered around the village a bit. Dinner that night was, as always, spectacular. Julie ate mussels again and I had sea bass cooked to perfection with samphire (bucket list, check!) on the side. We returned to our B&B room euphoric. Perhaps more full of joy and peace than I had ever felt. I wrote, “I am overflowing with peace tonight.” Our thankfulness to God was extreme! It was serendipity. The veil between heaven and earth was indeed thin.
Wednesday, March 20, was rainy, not stormy but a gentle, peaceful rain—a cozy drizzle. We started out slow, our goal for the day was to explore the town. It was a wonderfully peaceful, restful day. First we explored St. Cuthbert’s Center, the official end of the pilgrimage. The center is abundant with information including prompts for continuing the contemplative experience of the pilgrimage once back home and upstairs in a corner sits a coracle, which is shockingly tiny.
Mid afternoon we found a coffee shop and enjoyed a cappuccino and a snack. While relaxing I asked the barista where we could see the copy of the Lindisfarne Gospel pages that I had read were on display. He replied that he didn’t know, that he was not a religious person. I was taken back. How could one live here and not feel the tangibly overwhelming presence of God!? I was so full of joy and peace that I felt I would burst if He made Himself any more palpable; it was bliss. For us Lindisfarne was truly a taste of heaven.
My sister’s insightful words explain it well, “Those who aren’t looking for Him can’t sense the thin place, they don’t feel what we are feeling.”
We then walked back across town, made dinner reservations at The Crown and Anchor Hotel Restaurant, and headed to the priory located nearby. The monastery was founded in AD 635 by Irish monks and is situated beside the ruins is St. Mary the Virgin Church. The church is beautiful, full of relics and, ta-da!, the copy of a couple pages of the Lindisfarne Gospels. The original was produced on vellum (calf skins) about AD 720, presumably the work of a monk named Eadfrith who passed away shortly after completing the work. It is currently on display in London at the British Museum.
After exploring the priory ruins and the church I began feeling cold, tired, and was hurting. So we went over to the restaurant where we would have dinner and ordered afternoon coffee. Sitting on a comfy sofa and sipping the warm beverage I felt rejuvenated. [The day in Lindisfarne symbolizes my “Third Thing” (as mentioned in the Introduction, Pilgrimage Part 1). It is simply the time I am experiencing now, becoming more contemplative (represented by St. Cuthbert’s Center) and dedicated time to writing my stories (echoed by the history of the priory and the area).]
We returned to our room and there Julie checked her email and said, “I am sorry but we have to leave tomorrow. I have an appointment at the Embassy in London at 7:30 am Friday.” That actually was great news because she wouldn’t have to miss her flight home. Abbreviating our stay in Lindisfarne was okay with me because I felt that my time there was complete. We had planned to explore the island and the castle on Thursday but I had told my sister that she should go alone and I would just quietly bask in God’s presence there in town. So we checked the tide table, booked train tickets, and scheduled a taxi to the station.
In the evening we had our final dinner of the pilgrimage. We shared cauliflower soup, pot roast with the trimmings gourmet style, and rice pudding seasoned with masala tea spices and simmered in coconut milk. For me it could not have been more perfect.
Friday morning while Julie was procuring an emergency passport, God visited me in the hotel room over my morning tea. He did so so much in me on the pilgrimage and now He was beginning to explain it all to me. It is all so unbelievably amazing and I am so so grateful He gave me this time. He is wonderful and I am in total awe as all of the pieces are coming together in my understanding. I went on pilgrimage to meet with God. He drew me on pilgrimage to put together the puzzle of the pieces of my life, to show me how much He loves me, and how He has walked with me and has carried me and shown Himself faithful every single step of the way. God is and has always been holding me in the coracle of the palm of His Hand. When I was in trouble He either infused me with strength to take one more step, or sent help, or both. He has always had a plan to get me through. Even when I got off trail He faithfully brought me around to the place He had planned for me.
Instead of mingling my sister’s experience with mine I am posting her description below so as not to break up her beautiful summation:
“The highlight of the whole trip was walking the sands. I loved Holy Island and was sad we couldn’t stay the whole 3 days like we had planned, but it was no different for me than the rest of the trek. I just felt extremely close to God the whole time.
I feel losing my passport was God helping me learn to trust him and not be scared like he had talked to me about the night at Morebattle. I was so at peace about the whole situation. It was a calm I don’t ever remember feeling before.”
On FB she posted, “Isaiah 41:20 ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness,’ The North Sea got a little intense. I lost my passport.
I have always been afraid of everything. I’ve read and re-read Bible passages trying to get a better grip on this. This trip has helped.
St. Cuthbert’s Way begins in Melrose. It was recommended we eat at a restaurant named Eden before we hit the trail. As we left, I mentioned to Jackie we are leaving Eden on our trek to heaven. And what a trek it’s been. So many wrong turns, having to get ourselves back on the path. We have met so, so many angels to help us. And today we crossed over to Lindisfarne, which in my mind was representing heaven. The walk across the Holy Sands was everything I had prayed it would be.”
our footprints in the sand, Julie’s left, Jackie’s right
In this fallen world we will have troubles. All of us have struggles in life. Science tells us no one has a perfect genome, some suffer physically more than others. I, as many, have seen “dark nights of the soul” and have at times walked a difficult path. We all have struggles but through those trials God is able to refine and grow us more and more into His likeness. My deep longing is that my life has made God’s glory known and that His power and love have been seen working in me.
"..Jesus answered,..
This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”
John 9:3 NLT
Below I share a beautiful prayer for those who are healing from trauma.
“For Someone Awakening to the Trauma of His or Her Past”
—John O’Donohue, To Bless the Space Between Us, A Book of Blessings
For everything under the sun there is a time.
This is the season of your awkward harvesting,
When pain takes you where you would rather not go,
Through the white curtain of yesterdays to a place
You had forgotten you knew from the inside out;
And a time when that bitter tree was planted
That has grown always invisibly beside you
And whose branches your awakened hands
Now long to disentangle from your heart.
You are coming to see how your looking often darkened
When you should have felt safe enough to fall toward love,
How deep down your eyes were always owned by something
That faced them through a dark fester of thorns
Converting whoever came into a further figure of the wrong;
You could only see what touched you as already torn.
Now the act of seeing begins your work of mourning.
And your memory is ready to show you everything,
Having waited all these years for you to return and know.
Only you know where the casket of pain is interred.
You will have to scrape through all the layers of covering
And according to your readiness, everything will open.
May you be blessed with a wise and compassionate guide
Who can accompany you through the fear and grief
Until your heart has wept its way to your true self.
As your tears fall over that wounded place,
May they wash away your hurt and free your heart.
May your forgiveness still the hunger of the wound
So that for the first time you can walk away from that place,
Reunited with your banished heart, now healed and freed,
And feel the clear, free air bless your new face.
I am so thankful for the healing that God has brought to me through the actual walking of this pilgrimage as well as in the following days as I processed and documented my journey. God is good and He is a faithful guide Who greatly loves His beloved ones.
Coffee, Tea, and Reverie 