A Crazy Invitation

How Would You Like to Go to Italy With Me Next Month?

I know this is crazy. But hear me out.

In May of 2011, I was at a crossroads in my relationship with Chris. We were sort of dating, sort of not dating, and I knew it couldn’t go on. But I also didn’t want to walk away. Then, on a Thursday afternoon, a friend who lived in Texas called me up.

“I know this is crazy,” she said. “But I’m going to England on Monday, and I don’t want to go alone. Is there any chance you’d want to come with me.”

It was crazy. I had work to do, deadlines to meet, plans with friends made, and a last-minute trip to England wasn’t in the budget at all. But none of that outweighed the voice in my heart, which was very clearly saying, “You need to do this.”

I listened to that voice. I made some calls, rearranged some plans, pushed some deadlines back, did some creative budgeting, and within three hours had booked my ticket to London.

That was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. In the months leading up to that trip, I had been feeling so lost, so alone, and so unloveable. But then God stepped in and just poured out His love on me through that whole trip. It was blessing upon blessing, from first to last, more blessings than I even knew to ask for (including a meeting with C.S. Lewis’ former secretary Walter Hooper, in Oxford!). When I finally went home, it was with a renewed sense of trust in God’s love and greater clarity about my friendship with Chris.

I will forever be grateful that I said yes to that voice telling me, “You need to do this.” And that’s why I’m issuing this crazy invitation.

We recently had a cancellation on the pilgrimage my family is leading to Italy next month. It was a family of three, which means we have room to accommodate one couple, two friends, or another family of three.

And I know—know—it’s a long shot that anyone can step in and fill that spot. I mean, we leave on June 13. That’s less than three weeks away. You have work and plans and last minute pilgrimages to Italy are not cheap.

But I also know what an incredible gift it was to me when a friend invited me to do the same crazy thing thirteen years ago. I trust that the same Holy Spirit who urged me to say yes to her invitation, also prompted her to do the inviting. God knew what I needed, and He worked through my friend to give it to me.

So, if you’re me right now, if you’re the person hearing the Holy Spirit very loudly saying, “You need to do this,” I want you to know how thrilled I would be to have you join us.

We leave on June 13 and return on June 26. We’re going first to Assisi, where in addition to seeing the gorgeous basilicas of Saints Francis and Clare, we’ll have the chance to spend some time at the tomb of Blessed (soon to be Saint!) Carlos Acutis. We’ll then take a day trip to Siena, before continuing on to Rome, where we’ll spend the remainder of the trip.

The pace of this trip in intentionally slower and gentler than your typical pilgrimage. We’ll still visit all my favorite spots, but we’ve built ample free time and flexibility into the schedule. We did this because I want everyone on the pilgrimage to have time to pray and rest, wander and nap, sit with Christ in the Eucharist and linger over a glass of wine with new friends. It’s in these quiet moments of pilgrimages that I have always met Christ the most intimately, and I want to make sure you have plenty of these quiet moments too.

You can see the full itinerary with all the trip details here.       

Again, I know this is crazy. I know the chances of you being able to drop everything and join us are slim. But I also don’t want to presume I know better than God. If my friend had done that, and never asked me to run off to England with her at the last minute, I would have missed one of the most graced, joyful, healing weeks of my life. I’m so glad she did the crazy thing and invited me along, so I am doing the crazy thing and inviting you along too.

If you decide to be crazy right along with me and sign up for this pilgrimage, you have until next Wednesday, May 29, at the latest, to make your decision. That’s the last day we can add anyone to the trip. To reserve your spot, you can do that by contacting our tour manager Rebecca at 908-237-9262 or rebecca@select-intl.com. The deadline for the group airfare has passed, but she can help you make your own reservations or arrange for individual ticketing.

Praying for your decision-making!

Blessings,

Emily