• Home
  • Our Authors
  • Blog
  • Events & Giveaways
  • Privacy Policy

Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Walking with Jesus

April 18, 2025 By Robin Lee Hatcher 12 Comments

Praying the Stations of the Cross as a Protestant

A number of years ago, my church home began offering a self-guided walk through the Stations of the Cross. I found it a meaningful experience, and I was glad to discover, when I began attending a new church last year, that they offer a Good Friday tour through the Stations of the Cross. Given this is Good Friday, I may even be at church, praying my way through the Stations, as you read this post.

If you are a Protestant, like me, you might be thinking, Isn’t that a Catholic thing? And yes, historically, it has been embraced most fully by the Catholic Church. But at its heart, the Stations of the Cross is a devotional practice that invites believers to walk—step by step—with Jesus through the final hours of His earthly life. And I believe there’s something profoundly beautiful, profoundly human, in retracing those steps.

Because here’s the truth: the story of the cross is our story too.

What Are the Stations?

The Stations of the Cross are typically a series of 14 reflections or “stations,” each representing a moment from Jesus’ passion—beginning with His condemnation and ending with His burial. Each station calls us to pause, to reflect, to pray.

They are not merely scenes to remember but holy invitations to enter into Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice. They remind us that our Savior didn’t race to Calvary. He walked. Bruised, bleeding, stumbling beneath the weight of the world’s sin—of my sin—He walked that road in love.

Why They Matter to Me

I didn’t discover the Stations until well into my Christian life. But when I did, they captured my heart. Each station became a prayer, a moment of stillness. As I lingered with Jesus in Gethsemane or wept with the women of Jerusalem, my own story began to meet His in new and deeper ways.

I saw my weakness in Peter’s denial. I felt my helplessness in Simon of Cyrene, pressed to carry a burden not his own. I recognized my grief in Mary’s silent vigil. And I found hope in the shadowed tomb, knowing that Resurrection Sunday was coming.

This practice is not about ritual for ritual’s sake. It’s about remembering. It’s about love. It’s about the deep, soul-restoring truth that Jesus endured the cross for us—for you and for me — and He invites us to take up our own crosses and follow Him, even when the road is hard.

Come, Sit with the Savior

Dear friend, if your heart longs to know Jesus more—if you’re weary or wondering, grieving or grateful—come. Walk the road with Him. Sit at His feet. Weep at the cross. Marvel at the love that held Him there.

And when the stone is rolled away and the tomb stands empty on Resurrection Sunday, may you rejoice all the more deeply because you have walked the way of the cross.

In the grip of His grace,
Robin

P.S. Here are the Stations of the Cross and some scriptures to pray as you meditate.

  1. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-41)
  2. Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested (Mark 14:43-46)
  3. Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66-71)
  4. Jesus is denied by Peter (Matthew 26:69-75)
  5. Jesus is judged by Pilate (Mark 15:1-5, 15)
  6. Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns (John 19:1-3)
  7. Jesus takes up his cross (John 19:6, 15-17)
  8. Jesus is helped by Simon to carry his cross (Mark 15:21)
  9. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem (Luke 23:27-31)
  10. Jesus is crucified (Luke 23:33-34)
  11. Jesus promises his kingdom to the repentant thief (Luke 23:39-43)
  12. Jesus entrusts Mary and John to each other (John 19:25-27)
  13. Jesus dies on the cross (Luke 23:44-46)
  14. Jesus is laid in the tomb (Matthew 27:57-60)

The following two tabs change content below.
  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Instagram profileMy Pinterest profileMy YouTube channel

Robin Lee Hatcher

Author
Best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heartwarming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. Her 90+ books have won multiple awards, including the RITA, the Christy, the Carol, the FHL Reader's Choice, and the National Reader's Choice Awards. Robin makes her home in Idaho.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Instagram profileMy Pinterest profileMy YouTube channel

Latest posts by Robin Lee Hatcher (see all)

  • Peanut Butter and . . . What? - May 2, 2025
  • Walking with Jesus - April 18, 2025
  • What do you call a group of writers? - April 4, 2025
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Like this:

Like Loading...
«
»

Filed Under: Faith

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

LINKS IN COMMENTS

Please note: If you include a link or links in your comment (URLs or email addresses), your comment will not post right away. It will wait for a moderator to approve it, which may take some time.

Comments

  1. Donna Garvin says

    April 18, 2025 at 7:40 am

    Thank you for sharing. I have wondered what the Stations of the Cross were. I will keep your list to read and meditate on during Passion Week. Hoping you and your family have a blessed Resurrection Day.

    Reply
    • Robin Lee Hatcher says

      April 18, 2025 at 4:38 pm

      I’m glad it was meaningful for you, Donna. My church did only 12 stations, so different from above. At each of the stations there was the corresponding Scripture to read, a brief meditation, and a prayer.

      Reply
  2. Carolyn Astfalk says

    April 18, 2025 at 7:49 am

    We’ll be attending Stations of the Cross at our church this evening. This classic version is our absolute favorite. It’s so challenging to pray and is constantly forcing us to examine the depth of our love of Christ.
    Have a blessed Triduum and Happy Easter!
    https://iamjesus.net/traditional-stations-of-the-cross/

    Reply
    • Robin Lee Hatcher says

      April 23, 2025 at 10:59 am

      How wonderful you got to do this!

      Reply
  3. D’Ann Mateer says

    April 18, 2025 at 8:24 am

    I was introduced to the stations of the cross over thirty years ago. They are very meaningful to me, too. I think as Protestants we have lost some of the gravity—which leads to the joy—of Holy Week. Our church now does a Tenebrae service on Good Friday. We start and leave in dark and silence. When we arrive at church on Sunday, it will still be dark inside—all the windows covered. Then they remove all those, let the light in, and we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. So glad you shared this for others!

    Reply
    • Robin Lee Hatcher says

      April 18, 2025 at 4:39 pm

      Your Good Friday and Easter morning services sound amazing.

      Reply
  4. Sunni Jeffers says

    April 18, 2025 at 8:52 am

    What a wonderful way to spend Good Friday. I’ve never had that opportunity. Thank you for the list of scriptures.

    Reply
    • Robin Lee Hatcher says

      April 18, 2025 at 4:40 pm

      It was lovely, Sunni. Glad I could share.

      Reply
  5. Betty Strohecker says

    April 18, 2025 at 10:45 am

    Beautiful, Robin! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Robin Lee Hatcher says

      April 18, 2025 at 4:40 pm

      You’re so welcome, Betty.

      Reply
  6. Martha T Robinson says

    April 19, 2025 at 7:56 am

    Thank you, Robin, for listing the Stations of the Cross. I have always wondered what they were. I had decided to read all the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection using a Chronological Bible. I found that most of these Scriptures fell in line with the Scriptures.
    Again, many thanks!

    Reply
    • Robin Lee Hatcher says

      April 23, 2025 at 11:00 am

      Reading the scriptures that are part of the stations is so meaningful.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search Site

Monthly Archives

Blog Categories

Recent Posts

  • #LiftMyStack Challenge! May 9, 2025
  • What’s pulling you down? May 8, 2025
  • The Cheer Squad May 7, 2025

Disclosure

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the pages on this site may be "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, someone will receive an affiliate commission. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Copyright © 2025 Inspired by Life & Fiction | Website Design by Robin

%d