I am writing today about a group of followers of Jesus whom I have never met!!

I have noticed they regularly read my webpage www.words- of-pilgrimage.nz and, while I write from New Zealand these pilgims live in the small town of Prineville in the state of Oregon USA.

Greetings to you each, thank you for reading my material I trust it blesses and encourages you. I would love to hear from you too, perhaps in the comments section or on my email address.     info@words-of-pilgrimage.nz

What struck me as I google mapped Prineville was the fact that scattered all over the world are communities like that. Ordinary!!

With schools, work places, shopping malls, sports grounds and homes. Ordinary places. Yet placed in them are pilgrims seeking to faithfully live out the implications of Jesus call and teaching daily.  Unsung, unknown, without prominent position or profile. No spectacular ministry recognised widely.

No, just ordinary daily faithful pilgrimage.

Yet to Jesus these are the largest grouping of His people, and valued by Him in the highest degree. Such a way of living and embodying pilgrimage is not second rank. No!! pilgrimage in the ordinary is precious as it is living for Jesus in the context of daily reality of the community and town. It can be seen and touched, and Jesus loves it.

I am reminded of the man out of whom Jesus cast multiple demons. A man driven insane and violent by their oppression. Now lucid, clearheaded, well. He requested that he might be able to join Jesus travelling team (and that would be a spectacular crowd drawing testimony for sure).  What did Jesus say?

Go home to your town, to your 'Prineville', and show what the Lord has done. Go home to the ordinary.

Why? Because such a life and pilgrimage is esteemed by Jesus. The effect of the ordinary is extraordinary.

So Prineville-ites and all other pilgrims in the ordinary, be encouraged and keep on.