Karl Bushby: An inspiring example of perseverance

As Karl Bushby nears the end of his 28-year walk around the world, Major Lynne Shaw asks what sustains us through challenges.

It’s said that a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. For Karl Bushby, that journey has been the equivalent of one and half laps of the Earth! In 1998, he set out from southern Chile under two rules: no transport to advance, and no going home until the walk was done. Now, 28 years later, he’s arriving back at his birthplace in Hull.

Throughout his Goliath Expedition, Karl has faced many obstacles. In 2004, he wrote of needing to find three log cabins five and a half miles away with no trail and nothing but a compass bearing. He wrote in his journal: ‘I lose track of time in my own self-pity.’

A more recent hurdle was crossing the English Channel. Unable to access the service tunnel, he had no option but to swim. With support, he endured three days at sea, and a total of 20 swimming hours.

Hearing news of Karl’s Goliath Expedition might remind you of another man, born millennia before: David. In 1 Samuel we read of David making many journeys in an attempt to escape the wrath of Saul. In his own self-pity, he turned to Saul’s son, Jonathan, who was his great friend, confidant and support. ‘David … went to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to kill me?”’ (1 Samuel 20:1).

Despite how he felt, in everything, he sought God’s counsel and, along the way, did his own kind of journaling: writing psalms. In Psalm 7:1–10 we read: ‘Lord my God, I take refuge in you… My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.’

Later, he wrote of God: ‘He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me’ (Psalm 18:16–19).

No matter where he went, David was never alone. God was never distant, and that helped David persist when obstacles and dangers threatened to overwhelm him.

Taking inspiration from how Karl was sustained by the support he received when swimming the Channel, may we seek God’s support and counsel to help us persist. Whatever our expeditions look like, and whatever our goal is, may we trust that eventually we will know a ‘spacious place’ and fully feel God’s delight in us.

Reflect and respond

• Read Psalm 142:1–5 and make these verses your own prayer.
• What ‘Goliath’ expedition could you be facing? How will you need to dig deep?
• How could you support someone else in their own expedition?