Contributors - A Sacred Journey

During the early years of A Sacred Journey, pilgrims were invited to share their own journeys at home and abroad through the Pilgrim in Residence series. While A Sacred Journey no longer hosts the Pilgrim in Residence Series, you can still find the stories of past Pilgrims in Residence below. You’ll also find additional guest posts with pilgrims at home and abroad, interviews with seasoned guides, and posts from our two years of hosting liturgical guides.

Even though A Sacred Journey no longer takes unsolicited guests posts, I’d still love to hear your pilgrimage story! Contact me here. Looking for more great resources for your journey? Check out my resources page.

pilgrims at home

MEGHAN CAPPON

Meghan lives in Grand Rapids, MI, and is a doula, childbirth educator, teacher, wife, and mom. In her Pilgrim in Residence series, Meghan shares about the journey of pregnancy and the birth of her first child.

my journey to motherhood

Part 1: Entering the Unknown
Part 2: Incubating a Great Mystery
Part 3: Honoring My Body, a Sacred Vessel

DAN CUMBERLAND

Dan lives in Seattle, WA, with his family and helps people find their vocation through his work at TheMeaningMovement.com. In his Pilgrim in Residence series, Dan shares about the journey of finding work worth doing.

vocation and the pilgrim path

How Your Fear Leads You (the fearless pilgrim)
How Your Past Keeps You Scared (the fearful pilgrim)
Overcoming Your Fear: How to Conquer Your Fear and Embrace the Unknown (the courageous pilgrim)
How to Overcome Fear and Choose Risk (the adventurous pilgrim)

ABBY FRASER

Abby Fraser is a writer living in Nashville, TN, and working in digital marketing by day. In her Pilgrim in Residence series, Abby shares about the unexpected journey of an unraveling marriage, subsequent divorce, and picking up the pieces.

my walkabout year

Part 1: An Accidental Pilgrim
Part 2: Palo Alto—Hope that Drives and Blinds
Part 3: Nashville—A Parallel Path
Part 4: London—An Intentional Capstone

NOELLE JUDAY

Noelle Juday is a wife, mother, writer, and small business owner living in Ohio. In her Pilgrim in Residence series, Noelle shares about her journey from limited, fundamentalist beliefs to a deeper, more contemplative spirituality.

moving toward mystery

Part 1: My Journey of Redefining the Divine
Part 2: Struggling in a Foreign Land
Part 3: When It All Fell Apart
Part 4: Searching for Deeper Meaning

KELSEY KOPECKY

Kelsey Kopecky is a musician and yogi based in Nashville, TN. In her Pilgrim in Residence series, Kelsey shares reflections from her journeys on the road.

on the road with musician Kelsey Kopecky

Part 1: Learning to Let Go
Part 2: A Reason to Sing
Part 3: Return to the Breath, Return to the Self
Part 4: Dancing Through the Awkward Moments

LEIGH KRAMER

Leigh Kramer is a writer, blogger, avid reader, and Enneagram fanatic based in Minnesota. In her Pilgrim in Residence Series, Leigh shares about her journey of living out her mission: engaging life with purpose.

stories of a journey of self-discovery

Part 1: A Type Four Goes to a Writing Conference
Part 2: When You’re Unemployed
Part 3: Stories of a Journey of Self-Discovery, Part 3: Staying Put
Part 4: Have Yourself an Introverted Christmas

MALLORY LARSEN

Mallory Larsen lives in Ohio and is an author who can’t help but write. In her Pilgrim in Residence series, Mallory shares about her journey after graduate school and finding meaning in the everyday moments.

seasons of transition

Marking Moments: Finding Meaning in Your Journey So Far
Celebrating with Intention
Making Maps and Dreaming Dreams: Setting Goals for the Future

ALVA LEIGH

Alva Leigh is a London transplant and one-half of the duo Lewis & Leigh. In her Pilgrim in Residence series, Alva shares about her journey of moving to London and the new invitations it brings.

relocating to London with musician Alva Leigh

Part 1: The Long Goodbye
Part 2: The Awkward In-Between—Arriving in London and Searching for What’s Next
Part 3: A New Kind of Residency
Part 4: The Other Side of a Mirror

pilgrims abroad

LIZZY BRADY

Lizzy Brady is a lover of meaning based in the Chicago area. In her Pilgrim in Residence series, Lizzy shares about her summer spent leading college students in service throughout Europe and the formation she experienced along the way.

searching for life on the pilgrim roads of Europe

Part 1: Taking Small Steps Towards God’s Kingdom
Part 2: The In-Between Spaces That Invite Transformation
Part 3: Finding Community and Hospitality with Fellow Pilgrims
Part 4: Ending with Intention, Celebration, and Reflection

MARY DEJONG

Mary DeJong DeJong lives in Seattle, WA, with her family, where she is an environmental advocate and theologian. In her Pilgrim in Residence series, Mary shares about a pilgrimage she led to Iona and the many archetypal pilgrimage thresholds crossed along the way.

journeying with intention

Part 1: Preparation and Departure
Part 2: Arrival and the Trials Ahead
Part 3: Returning Home

DAVID FULTON

David is a psychotherapist based in San Diego, CA. In his Pilgrim in Residence series, David shares about his journey walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

walking the camino

Part 1: Making Space to Journey
Part 2: Lessons from the Road
Part 3: Ending the Journey with Intention

KAYCE HUGHLETT

Kayce Stevens Hughlett is life coach, spiritual director, guide, and author based in Seattle, WA. In her Pilgrim in Residence series, Kayce shares about her experiences of intentional travel and how they’ve also transformed her life at home.

soul strolling through travels and life

The Epiphany of Pilgrimage: How I Changed from a Tourist to a Pilgrim
Step by Step: My Journey to Paris and Moving Toward My Passions
Getting Lost, Being Found: Surprises Along the Pilgrim’s Path
A Gift Each Day: Opening Our Eyes to the Sacred Around Us

PAT LOUGHERY

Pat Loughery is a spiritual formation teacher and IT professional in Seattle, WA. In his Pilgrim in Residence series, Pat shares about his journey with students to the holy Isle of Iona.

journeying to Iona

Part 1: Careening Toward Meaning
Part 2: Surprised by the Dance of the Puffins
Part 3: Columba’s Bay and a Stone With a View
Part 4: I Left My So(les) on Iona

RYAN MOORE

Ryan Moore is a therapist, spiritual director, and avid traveler based in San Francisco, CA. In his Pilgrim in Residence series, Ryan shares about his post-gradschool journey hiking the Wonderland Trail in Washington state.

walking far from home

Part 1: Paying Attention to the Sacred
Part 2: Beauty and Pain on the Journey
Part 3: The Call to Return

PAUL QUINLIVAN

Paul Quinlivan is a therapist, father, husband, and lover of nature. In his Pilgrim in Residence Series, Paul shares about his journey hiking part of the Pacific Crest Trail.

walking to listen: one man’s journey to becoming unstuck in the world

Part 1: Setting Out
Part 2: Coming Home
Part 3: Life After

PATRICIA TURNER

Patricia Turner is a seeker and amateur photographer from Maine. In her Pilgrim in Residence series, Patricia shares about her pilgrimage to Ireland and the UK to mark the threshold of turning 60.

my threshold pilgrimage

Part 1: Remembering, Acknowledging, and Moving On
Part 2: Spirituality for the Second Half of Life
Part 3: Exploring My Inner Landscape
Part 4: Final Reflections and Bringing Back the Boon

JOHN VALTERS PAINTNER

John Valters Paintner is a pilgrimage guide and online abbott at AbbeyoftheArts.com. In his Pilgrim in Residence Series, John shares about his experience of pilgrimage and where it’s led him today.