#23: Christian + Hopeful finally enter Beulah -sweetness, pleasure, light, safety, covenant grace, abundance + saw their glorious goal + destination before them: the Celestial City! 2 golden Shining Ones advised: only 2 more difficulties + they had to obtain them by their own faith: 1st: a deep river with no bridge over it = death. ‘You shall find it deeper or shallower, as you believe in the King of the place;’ Christian entered + began to sink, but Hopeful felt bottom + encouraged him. 2nd: apparitions of hobgoblins/evil spirits so frightened Christian he felt he’d never obtain entrance, but Hopeful kept his head above water + comforted him: Remember the Scripture: ‘wicked are not troubled,’ so if he was troubled, then he must be righteous! The enemy was stilled and both came through to the other side. They left their mortal garments in the river + went up the hill with ease to Mt Zion. Comfort + joy + heavenly host trumpeters welcomed them at the Gate. Enoch+Moses+Elijah looked down from the wall; the pilgrims handed over their certificates, the King called them in, the Gate opened, their bodies were transfigured… bells rang out! The dreamer looked in + ‘wished myself among them’. But he also looked back + saw Ignorance ferrying over the river by Vain-hope by boat. He'd come alone, knocked, supposing… without a certificate + was refused entry. 2 Shining Ones conducted him to the door in the side of the hill. Then I saw that there was a way to hell even from the gates of heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction. So I awoke + behold, it was a dream. Take heed + don’t be of either extreme: In playing with the outside of my Dream: What of my dross.. be bold to throw away, but yet preserve the gold; What if my gold be wrapped up in ore? None throws away the apple for the core: But if you shall cast all away as vain, I know not but ‘twill make me dream again. … that is, if you miss his central message, Bunyan lovingly threatens he will write another book … + he does!

#22: As foretold, they reached Enchanted Ground. Hopeful thought it good to nap + be refreshed, but Christian reminded him of the warning; so they continued talking/walking to keep one another awake. Christian asked how he’d come to faith + Hopeful recounted how Faithful had challenged him in Vanity Fair. He’d felt badly about his sin + needed perfection + ‘righteousness of a man like he’d never sinned.’ Faithful: there was only one like that = Jesus! + preached the whole gospel + prayed the Father reveal the Son to him = revelation-salvation for Hopeful … + all Bunyan’s readers! Ignorance then reappeared + their conversation cuts to the heart with gospel truth + power. Christian asked: ‘How is it with your soul + God?’ ‘I hope well. I think often of God + heaven and so I am well. My heart tells me so.’ ‘But the Bible says that he who trusts his own heart is a fool!’ ‘That is spoken of an evil heart; but mine is a good one!’ ‘Except the Word of God bears witness, other testimony = no value. It is 1 thing to have a good heart/life + another only to think so.’ ‘I think I must believe in Christ for justification.’ ‘But yours is a fantastical-false faith, making Jesus Christ justifier of your actions, but not of your person. And so it is deceitful, because salvation is not by obedience to law, but personally in Jesus Christ.’ Ignorance was offended + not only ignored this truth, but reacted in conceit + departed again! ‘Ignorance is thy name and as thy name is, so art thou!’ And such is the state of those who read, but will not heed… the gospel, Bunyan’s words… and these?!

#21: Christian + Hopeful met Ignorance, from Conceit, + asked, ‘Why did you not enter through the Gate? ‘Too far to go; I’ll follow my own religion.’ His reply exposed himself =‘Wise in his own conceit’+ they parted. But ignorance remained with them, for they soon ignored the very map + warnings they’d been given. 1st: they saw Turn-Away, from Apostasy, bound + carried by 7 devils back to the door to hell they’d seen. 2nd: they remembered Little-faith, from Sincere, who’d been attacked, robbed, and beaten there by 3 rogues: Faintheart +Mistrust +Guilt, but rescued by Great-grace, the King’s Champion. 3rd: they ‘came at a place that seemed to lie as straight as the way which they should go; + here they knew not which of the 2 to take, for both seemed straight before them.’ They forgot to heed truth, but followed Flatterer’s directions along a twisting route, turned from their destination, caught + entangled in a net of confusion. Mercifully,a Shining One freed + set them back on the right path. + 4th: they ‘perceived afar off, one all alone with his back to Zion’ coming to meet them. Now more wary, they recognized Atheist, who ‘fell into a great laughter’ when they told him they were going to the Celestial City. ‘There is no such place as you dream of in all this world. I once believed so, but I’ve been seeking this city for 20 years, longer than you, and find no more of it than I did the 1st day I set out. I’m going back again + will seek to refresh myself with the things I then cast away. I can no longer believe in what I cannot see.’ Christian looked to Hopeful: ‘Is that true?’ but Hopeful admonished his brother: ‘Didn’t we see the city gates from the Delectable Mountains? We’re to walk by faith. Stop listening to his lies! + Christian rejoiced: ‘I asked only because I wanted to hear the truth from you! Let’s go on together.’ And so once again in this journey – this revelation: 2 together are better than 1 alone!

#20: Christian + Hopeful arrive at the Delectable Mountains. I like Bunyan’s name-choice here: 1 of those onomatopoeic words that sounds like what it is: stirs appetite, good enough to eat, eh? maybe describing BC here? After all their trials, here they have time to rest, reflect + re-focus. We need to do this at intervals; otherwise we lose our perspective. Their host Shepherds: Knowledge+Experience+Watchful+Sincere, welcomed them to Immanuel’s Land + showed them wonders: 1 Hill Error: corpses dashed to pieces by a fall from the top, lying unburied at bottom = they believed enemy’s lies. Don’t go there! 2 Mountain Caution: blind men stumbling aimlessly among tombs? = they’d gone astray +Giant Despair put out their eyes in Doubting Castle + now they wandered without purpose or destiny. Our pilgrims wept as they saw what fate they'd been saved from! 3 a door open in the hillside with dark, smoky, tormented cries rising? = byway to hell for hypocrites; so close to their destination; how could this be? ‘Few of them that begin to come hither do show their face on these mountains.’ ie many begin their journey, but not many make it this far, let alone finish! eg Esau +Judas +Alexander +Ananaias +Sapphira, put on a show of pilgrimage, but end up selling their birthright for temporal lusts - unsettling? 4 Hill Clear: telescope to see beyond to their ultimate destination: the gates of the Celestial City! We all need BIG picture revelation to put trials in right perspective + not let them become towering mountains to block our way… but these are Delectable Mountains, towering sentinels of hope + our pilgrims receive gifts: a map; warnings to beware the Flatterer + not sleep on the Enchanted Ground + prayer for God-Speed … and so must we!

#19: Our pilgrims continued their journey toward the Celestial City. They ‘remembered Lot’s wife’ at a Pillar of Salt-determined to never turn back + refreshed themselves in the meadow by The River of God/Water of Life. But the path parted from the river + they became ‘discouraged because of the way’. So they looked for an easier way + turned aside into By-Path Meadow, which appeared to run parallel. Here they met Vain-Confidence - trusting his own ability – who assured them this easier route would reach the same destination, but with less effort. However, darkness fell, Vain-confidence ran ahead, fell into a deep pit + perished! Christian + Hopeful tried to return to the original way, but by then it had become too dangerous. ‘It is easier going out of the way where we are in, than going in when we are out.’ Wearied, they fell asleep =victims to Giant Despair, who imprisoned them in Doubting Castle for trespassing. They lay captive in his dungeon without food/drink/light for 4 days. Despair will do that to you! His wife, Diffidence – distrusting her own ability – told him to beat them without mercy till they so despaired they would take their own lives. The 2 seriously considered this; but decided rather to encourage one another, be patient + endure. They reminded themselves how they’d already come through so many trials + remembered they possessed a Key called Promise. By simply putting it into the lock, the prison door opened + they escaped! Safe again on the King’s Highway, they erected a pillar to warn others not to take the seemingly easier (?) detour – a warning for us today!?

#18 Hopeful heard + saw our 2 pilgrims witness in Vanity Fair + was so touched in his heart, he now joined Christian. The Gospel again proved true: ‘one died to bear testimony to the truth + another rises out of his ashes to be his companion.’ Next: Mr. By-Ends - a wealthy man from the town of Fair-Speech. He would not admit his real name, but as he spoke of his relations, his true identity was known. His wife was Lady Feigning’s daughter; his heritage was ‘looking one way and rowing another’ to ‘never strive against wind + tide’; and he preferred faith ‘when it goes in silver slippers, if the sun shines + people applaud’. In short, By-ends was a downright hypocrite: he believed ‘his end justifies his means’, so he could devise short-cuts; ie lie to get his own way and yet be an honest man? 3 of his friends also showed up. Mr.Hold-the-world+Money-love +Save-all, all taught by Gripe-man of Love-gain in county Coveting. Their names expose their greed that money answers every need, and you can accommodate life’s difficulties by merely altering some of your principles. As they reasoned thus, they came to a Plain called Ease + a Hill named Lucre, where their philosophy proved deadly. All but Christian + Hopeful yielded to Demas’ temptation to detour to a secret silver mine; they got too near the brink of the pit and ‘the ground being deceitful gave way, they fell over + in, and never were seen in the way again.’ So Bunyan sums up the fate of those who seek ill-advised prosperity short-cuts. You cannot follow Christ for loaves.

#17: Christian+Faithful enter Vanity. ‘He who will go to the Celestial City and yet not go through this town, must needs go out of world.’ Evangelist prophesied that 1 or both of them must seal their testimony with blood there + it turned true. Vanity’s Fair thrives in our world of isms: materialism, consumerism, globalism, all manner of formal-isms. Our pilgrims only passed through, yet their mere presence exposed its crass, corrupt, violent + emptiness. ‘All is vanity!’ = empty, unprofitable, circuitous nonsense, Ecclesiastes’ Preacher proclaimed + Bunyan exposes how our culture has turned vanity into celebration. He satirically gave it the name, but society ironically embraced it in pride + named a fashion magazine after it! All nations parade their goods, games+guilt here; but when our pilgrims entered, their different clothes/speech+no care for Vanity's wares were enough to create hubbub. They wanted to buy Truth! and so were beaten + caged + the populace enraged: even moreso when some of the town's own people sympathized with the pilgrims! The elite: government+media+judiciary, rallied all forces of evil to condemn these 2 … and we’re seeing this same bullying today -with even greater efficiently organized malice ! The Judge: Lord Hate-good, impeached/condemned them without any trial as dangerous divisive disturbers. False witnesses: Envy +Superstition blatantly lied. + the Jury: MrBlindman+No-good+Malice+Love-lust+Live-loose+Heady+High-mind+Enmity +Liar+ Cruelty +Hate-light+Implacable, all satirically acted out their real names; eg Blindman: ‘I see clearly the man is a heretic.’ And so they scourged+beat+stoned+burned Faithful. But Bunyan saw a chariot immediately carry him to his celestial destination + Christian miraculously escaped! His pilgrimage was not yet complete... and neither is ours.

#15: What do you do when some days only seem to get worse!? No sooner was Christian through this valley than another appeared: The Shadow of Death. The previous one featured active battle; this now was a very solitary place, a wilderness, land of deserts + pits, drought, where no man dwells. 2 men ran past him in the opposite direction: ‘It’s dark as pitch; filled with howling/yelling/clouds of confusion, dreadful; Go back!’ But Christian refused their evil report + pressed on. His path was exceedingly narrow, with a deep ditch on one side + a dangerous quag on the other. ½ way through, the mouth of hell opened up, but he forged ahead, using his weapon -All-prayer, quoting Ps 71:16 ‘I will go in the strength of the Lord.’ … the same verse the Lord gave me years ago when I headed out on my 1st mission trip to Africa. Poor Christian! He was so confused, he couldn’t even recognize his own voice. But he did hear another voice clearly before him: ‘Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no ill, for thou art with me.’ (Ps 23). His fear turned to joy, the darkness to morning light + all dangers moved far off. He left them behind: the remains of mangled bodies/bones of many who’d gone before him + 2 old giants: Pagan (superstition) -dead longtime + Pope (tradition) - crazy/stiff: who could only sit at his cave, grinning + biting his nails, no longer able to hamper those who passed by. And Christian passed by peacefully… + so do we.

#14: Christian now must descend into the Valley of Humiliation. ‘It is a hard matter to go down + not slip.’ Every person must pass here in life’s journey + if we do not willingly humble ourselves, we will indeed be humiliated. Here he meets Apollyon + with no armour for his back, Christian faces the demon’s 7 arguments head-on: 1 You are my subject still X No. I was, but now I belong completely to another! 2 I promise to treat you fairly if you come back X But I am no longer yours + I cannot/will not come back! 3 Just like all others, you will come back to me in the end X No. I have sworn my allegiance to Him alone! 4 You betrayed me, but I’m willing to forgive X No, I do not trust your promises. I am now Christ’s! 5 Pilgrims always come to an ill end X No. My Prince shares His glory with all followers, including me! 6 You’ve already been unfaithful to Him + lost your reward X True, but My Prince is merciful! 7 In your heart, you’re really selfish: even proud of being a pilgrim! X Yes, but I am pardoned! And so they battled long: Apollyon blocked his way, attacked with fiery darts + so wounded Christian in head+hand+foot that he began to despair of life. But almost at his last gasp, Christian grasped… his sword, gave him a deadly thrust + Apollyon fled. The spiritual parallels are unmistakeable. I'm sure we can all relate! Satan attacks our minds/hearts, but when we submit to God + resist him with the sword of the Spirit = the Word of God, we overcome + he flees. Christian's wounds were then healed from leaves of the Tree of Life -rested/refreshed! And so are we. God never leaves us in this valley; He brings us through to the other side - victorious overcomers!

#13: After the Hill Difficulty, Christian encountered the 2 lions from whom Timorous + Mistrust fled; he also thought to flee back, but a Porter from the lodge on the other side encouraged him: ‘They are chained; keep to middle!’ And so Christian continued and the lions did not touch him. Watchful (the Porter) welcomed Christian (we find out his original name was Graceless + aren’t we all?) to the House Beautiful + 4 beautiful, pure young virgins briefly question him: 1 Discretion: perceived his purpose of pilgrimage 2 Piety: searched out his motives 3 Prudence: verified his change from the old life +victory over sin, 4 Charity: asked why he’d not brought his family with him? The House Beautiful is ALL about JESUS! Here Christian feasts on Faith, rests in a room called Peace with his window open to the sun rising and hears the stories of His all-conquering love. He witnesses the ancient records of exploits, prophecies and predictions fulfilled and sees for himself what he’d only before heard. Then to the top of the house + vision: the BIG picture to encourage him in what lies ahead! And then even more: armour to protect + fight off further assaults! Like Christian, we need to spend more time in Our House Beautiful, esteeming the overwhelming beauty of Christ greater than our Difficulties in this world. His faith, hope and love are our overcoming testimony - past, present and future. Let our feasts be on the Lamb, our rest in His Peace and His Joy our strength! We need this NOW + in our journey ahead!

#12: Did anyone ever tell you that once you received Christ, you would no longer have any problems? If so… they lied.Bunyan brings Christian to the Hill Difficulty right after the Cross: ie the Gospel at times actually stirs up trouble! So let’s not be surprised when we encounter Difficulty! First he drank from a spring to draw on the Spirit’s strength + then chose between the Way straight ahead + 2 others: to the left into woods but called Danger + the other to the right into a field called Destruction. Christian chose wisely + stayed in the Way: ‘Better, though difficult, the right way to go, Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe. Formalism + Hypocrisy chose poorly; they stumbled, fell and rose no more. Climbing the steep hill; Christian fell also, but he kept going, even on his hands + knees. He rested in an arbour ½ way up, but so distracted by his weariness, he fell asleep in the midst of difficulty + lost his precious roll = evidence of life + acceptance at the ultimate destination… but never noticed. When he reached the hilltop, 2 others came running… headed the wrong way! Timorous -lacking confidence + Mistrust -suspicion, were fleeing dangers/lions up ahead+ tried to get him to turn back. Only then he realized his roll was missing, so returned, retraced his steps + recovered what he’d carelessly lost. Setbacks, disappointments, losses… even viruses, try to overwhelm, but as Christian, we need not waver: ‘Back is nothing but death; forward is fear of death + life everlasting beyond; I will yet go forward.'

#11: 2 men come tumbling over the wall + Christian asks, ‘Where have you come from + where are you going?’ They answered: ‘From the land of Vain-glory (Futile Pride) + going to the Celestial City.’ ‘But why did you not come in at the gate?’ And so Formalist + Hypocrisy inadvertently expose their true identities by their excuses: ‘Keeping customs/traditions are just as valid; if we are in, we are in, what’s it matter which way we get in? And the only difference between us are the clothes some neighbour gave you to hide your nakedness. But Christian answered: ‘I walk by the rule of My Master, You walk by the rude workings of your fancies. You are but thieves. You come in by yourselves, without his direction and shall go out by yourselves, without his mercy.’ These 2 always travel together. Formalist seeks to present a pleasing external form/outward appearance that looks good on the outside, while Hypocrisy literally puts on a mask, as an ‘actor/stage-player’ presenting something he really isn’t; or even more sinister: ‘an interpreter from underneath’. Both are exposed by the truth that they didn’t come through the Gate-Door: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ-who He is + what He did. There are no shortcuts on this Way to Life. You either come through the Truth or you’re exposed for what you really are: a liar/robber/loser. Have you entered life through the Cross or are you still trusting to your own dead works? If so, you are a hypocrite for you will never be able to keep walking in your own righteousness. They will never save you!

# 10: The Cross is only the beginning of Christian’s new life journey. Immediately he meets more grace to face ever greater future trials: 3 Shining Ones meet him with ‘Peace!’ + each has a gift: sins forgiven + new clothes for his former rags + a mark in his forehead + roll/certificate with a seal = the Holy Spirit = his confirmation for entry intro the Celestial City. Then he meets 3 Sleeping Ones: Simple – I see no danger + Sloth -I just want a little more sleep + Presumption- I just pretend everything’s all right + close my eyes! Clearly, God knows what Christians need beforehand: the 3 angels give necessary antidotes to the world’s 3 temptations to just snooze… and ultimately lose. 1 God forgives us so we are free to forgive others + break the ignorant, embittering lies of unforgiveness! 2 God motivates us to look beyond self-centred laziness + get a vision to work in His harvest of souls! 3 God frees us from pretensions + releases us to reality of revelation + our part in realizing it! Sleeping when we should be Shining robs us of Vision + Destiny!

Pilgrim #9: Christian now has a healthy Word +Spirit balance to not only protect, but guide him to deliverance + his true destination. He ran along the Wall of Salvation as fast as he could with his burden still weighing on him "and on that place stood a Cross! + and a little below, a Sepulchre. Just as Christian came up, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back; and began to tumble, and so continued to do, till it came to the mouth of the Sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.' And so Bunyan simply+powerfully describes Christian's experience : ONLY ONE WAY to be free of sin = The Cross of Jesus! All other religion/philosophy are nothing more than man's own futile efforts. The Cross is nothing less than God's Love breaking through where all else fails. The simple Gospel: Believe + Receive! Jesus alone rolls burdens into graves.. till you see them no more! It's true... it works... I know... by experience!

Pilgrim’s Progress #8: Evangelist rescues Christian... again! + he finally makes it to the Gate where Goodwill meets/takes him in. Aren’t you glad when you meet Goodwill on your life journey? He sets Christian’s course on the ‘straight+narrow’, not the seductive ‘broad+crooked’, and directs him to Interpreter’s House. Here he sees/realizes 7 things for understanding + purpose: 1 a picture of man looking to heaven = world at his back; 2 a dusty parlour: sweeping = Law only stirs dust up, but water sprinkled = Gospel cleanses heart; 3 2 children: Passion = discontent; wants everything now X Patience = quiet; seeks eternal + at last wins all; 4 unquenchable fire = grace is unstoppable; 5 a persistent man = even violent force gains access to palace; 6 a professor in dark cage, heart so hardened, now without hope; 7 a man awakening from bed, but not ready for judgment? So Christian now has a healthy Word +Spirit balance: Hope +Fear = both wings = gifts of the Interpreter = the Holy Spirit, to not only protect, but guide him to his true destination … and so does every Christ-follower!

#7 Pilgrim’s Progress: Help gets Christian out of his emotional Slough of Despond, but he unfortunately jumps from the frying pan into the fire when he heeds the intellectual advice of Mr Worldly-Wiseman from the town of Carnal Policy (ie. practical common sense). ‘You’re too weak to get through that mystical Gate. Stop meddling in that book you’ve been reading. It’s too high for you. Here’s an easier, not so dangerous way for you to get rid of that burden (sin) on your back.’ And so, MrW-W redirects him to Mr. Legality in the town of Morality with a son named Civility. In other words… You don’t have to fight the world, just join it, keep the rules, fit in and be respectable! Christian listens to this wrong counsel and begins to climb the high + impossibly steep hill to get to Morality…but it threatens to fall on his head! And so it is with us today. When distracted by just wanting to get rid of our pain, we only end up jumping from one ditch to another. We can never keep a Law to save ourselves. Mt Sinai only condemns; only Zion saves!

Pilgrim's Progress Step #6: the Slough of Despond: not just a swamp, but the accumulated scum/filth: fears, doubts + apprehensions that attends sin's conviction. It runs continuously; it cannot be mended. Heedless, Pliable +Christian both fall in. Pliable loses hope, changes his mind... again +turns back; Christian in desperation cries for help + Help rescues him from this mire of depression! 'But why was Christian distracted/missed the clearly marked steps?' // Why do we not heed those simple warnings X sin ourselves: abhorrence/repentance of pride? unforgiveness? selfish ambition? = all that seeks to hinder, ensnare, entangle, suffocate + drown us? + so often fall into this Slough ourselves? We need Help!

Pilgrim's Progress #5: His name = Christian, not just an individual, but in allegory = embodiment all those who set their hopes/faith for the Celestial City -Truth Beyond what the world's Destruction offers. He's now confronted by 2 neighbours, not just individuals, but personifications/embodiments of their character types. Obstinate: adamantly refuses to follow Christian's decision + tries to convince him to turn back: 'leave our friends + comforts'? + Pliable: true to his name, wavers like grass in wind, leaning towards whichever argument he last heard. But these are more than just external persecutors; they represent inner struggles Christians face in following Jesus. Our minds resist His simplicity: common sense argues while comfort seeks compromise... but Christian does not waver between 2 opinions: he presses on... yea even progresses in a higher call, of which falsely so-called 'Progressives' today have virtually no understanding.

#4 Step: Evangelist = the Gospel asks, 'Why are you crying? + Pilgrim: 'I perceive by the book I am condemned to die + after that, the judgment + I find I am not willing to do the 1st nor able to do the 2nd; and if I die, this burden will sink me lower yet!' Evangelist: 'Don't just stand there! Flee, get rid of your burden! Change direction! Head towards that Light, through the Gate + don't stop till you reach your real home, the Celestial City!' Life here on this sin-sick earth is not our real goal. God has more! We must not confuse what is only temporary/comfortable for what is eternal/best. Here is like a passing breeze, a breath of wind; if we substitute what is passing away for what is eternal, then we miss its essence. This world will never satisfy; its lusts will always disappoint; it can never fulfill your inner, God-driven hunger/thirst for what is true + forever. Set your heart to gain God's Eternal City. Don't settle for man-built theories/Utopias. If you haven't yet noticed, they have always failed... and will... they are like passing wind!

Pilgrim's Progress # 3: Bunyan dreamed, 'behold, I saw a man clothed with rags.. with his face from his own house, a book in his hand + a great burden upon his back.. and brake out with a lamentable cry, 'What shall I do?' Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory, figurative symbolic poem of one subjective under guise of another. This is NOT a literal story, but reaches beyond 1 man to describe true human spiritual condition. Naturally: our efforts to improve/save ourselves/be comfortable in this world are mere rags, unable to protect/provide our real needs; his book=the Bible=God's Word, exposes our separation from our Father God-Creator + sin = great burden on his back. This man, like our world today, needs more than a cosmetic change; he finds no remedy in our natural environment, but turns direction from his own comfort + cries from depths of his heart. Our only hope is that God so exposes our need, we cry out for change + act accordingly!

Pilgrim's Progress #2: Pilgrim's Progress is unique, especially to contemporary society. Bunyan wrote it in prison, due to his Non-Conformist conviction that the state's words have no authority over the Word of God. Today we are distracted by a multitude of words: entertainment, news, politics, which supposedly inform, but instead bring fear. God's Word counters with faith, stirs us from complacency, renders us no longer able to be at peace this world's hypocrisies. The form is 350 years old and perhaps strange to us, but it has the ability to cut through our contemporary crap like a knife + reveal Truth. As he wrote in his Introductory Apology: 'This book will make a traveler of thee. If by its counsels thou wilt ruled be: Yea, it will make the slothful active be; The blind also delightful things to see. Then read my fancies: they will stick like burrs, And may be, to the helpless, comforters. This book was writ in such a dialect As may the mind of listless men affect: It seems a novelty. and yet contains Nothing but sound and honest Gospel strains. Oh then come hither, And lay my book, they head, and heart together.' ...Tired of being in this world's rut? then pick it up + read!!!

Pilgrim's Progress #1 'As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place where was a den, and I laid me down in that place to sleep; and as I slept, I dreamed a dream.' So begins John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress: of all books, only the Bible has been more translated, printed + read... even more than Harry Potter?! Why is its message so enduring? Hope, faith + love! I've just reread it = so encouraging during this pandemic wilderness of fear. God wants us to dream again. So pick up your old copy or buy a new one and join me on a pilgrim journey over the next while... it's well worth it!