[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.91″ custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” next_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px” _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”2px|0px|37.9062px|0px” prev_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row custom_padding=”0px|0px|18.9531px|0px” custom_margin=”10px|||” _builder_version=”3.0.92″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”News Story” _builder_version=”3.20.1″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|”]<\/p>\n
The Grand Canyon is a destination for adventurers, a place where hikers roam the majestic trails. Most arrive by plane or car. But one man is walking from a coastal town in South Carolina carrying a giant cross made out of cedar.<\/p>\n
The reason? Acie Burleson says he wants to show the power of Jesus.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have gotten every look you can from people, but who cares, I am loved by Jesus!\u201d Burleson, who is from Andrews, said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On a recent spring day, Burleson was hauling the massive cross across the University of South Carolina campus, attracting attention from students and other passersby.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was mixed emotions,” said Steve Morgan, of Aiken, who saw Burleson carry the cross near Colonial Life Center. “Like \u2018Man that\u2019s a little crazy.\u2019 But I really appreciate him doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Morgan has his wife and small children with him, and he said he thought Burleson’s actions showed that people should not be afraid to talk about their faith in God. .<\/p>\n
“I think today many people are afraid of it. They are afraid to say, hey I am a little bit different. This is what I believe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burleson began traveling around the country with a cross about 14 years ago. He said he and his wife, Anastasia, were saved at a church conference shortly after he had a dream. In this dream he heard a voice say to him, “Go and tell others about the returning of Christ Jesus.” Ever since that dream he said he has made it his mission to do just that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His wife encourages him on his journeys, reminding him of his mission and to “Go out there and spread his message,” he said.<\/p>\n
When the cross gets too heavy he switches shoulders. When it comes to rest he has a sleeping bag, but he had a conversation with God before he left his home on this latest trip.<\/p>\n
In that conversation he told God that if he was supposed to have something provided that he would not ask, but that he would receive. In the first five days of his travels, which began March 10, he has had a place to stay every night. He also has received three different rides, which is helpful since he can only walk back roads.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sometimes he said he gets a little tired, but one story makes it easy to keep going.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a woman driving and she was just looking at me, so I waved like \u2018Hello\u2019 and kept walking. She then cut me off and is just falling out of her window weeping and crying,” Burleson recalled, and saying thank you.<\/p>\n
” Just like that crying and I was like, \u2018Oh my gosh what\u2019s wrong? What happened? Are you alright?\u2019 and she said \u2018I was one block away from killing myself and you stopped me.\u2019”<\/p>\n
“That is the power of this. That is Jesus behind it.\u201d<\/p>\n
He is still currently traveling, and hopes to arrive at the Grand Canyon by the end of May.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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One man has his own cross to bear. Literally. And it is made out of Cedar. He is carrying it on foot all the way to the Grand Canyon. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":151,"featured_media":21182,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"
The Grand Canyon. A destination chosen for adventurers from around the world every year that want to experience one of the greatest sites that planet Earth has to offer. Now post people that decide to get to the Grand Canyon will take a plane, or maybe a road trip with some friends. Not many would walk. Even fewer would walk from a small coastal town in South Carolina while carrying a cross made out of cedar. Then again not everyone is Acies Burleson<\/p>
To discover why he is making the trip you need to go back a little bit. 14 years to be exact, to when Acie\u2019s life was changed forever.<\/p>
\u201cI was at a radical worship conference 14 years ago with my now wife and we both got saved and met Jesus.\u201d<\/p>
He says he has been walking with a cross ever since. In the 14 years he has had three different crosses, but always the same message.<\/p>
\u201cI just tell people to great ready for the day is coming of the return of Christ Jesus.\u201d He continued saying, \u201cIt is truly and honestly only about Jesus.\u201d<\/p>
Steven Morgan is an father from Aiken who saw Acie walking in Columbia with his cross. He had this to say about it, \u201cIt was mixed emotions. Like \u2018Man that\u2019s a little crazy.\u2019 But I really appreciate him doing that.\u201d Especially for his family who was with him, \u201cIt kind of shows them to not be afraid of it. I think today many people are afraid of it. They are afraid to say hey I am a little bit different. This is what I believe.\u201d<\/p>
This was not the only time someone has thought was Acie was doing was a \u201clittle crazy\u201d<\/p>
Acie said in response to looks he might get from people, \u201cI have gotten every look you can from people, but who cares I am loved by Jesus!\u201d<\/p>
Over his life time there have been many moments that show Acie that what he is doing is important, but one story in particular stands out to him as to why his mission is important.<\/p>
\u201cThere was a woman driving and she was just looking at me, so I waved like \u2018Hello\u2019 and kept walking. She then cut me off and is just falling out of her window weeping and crying. Like \u2018Thank you thank you.\u2019 Just like that crying and I was like, \u2018Oh my gosh what\u2019s wrong? What happened? Are you alright?\u2019 and she said \u2018I was one block away from killing myself and you stopped me.\u2019 That is the power of this. That is Jesus behind it.\u201d<\/p>
This stop Columbia, next stop\u2026 not even Acie knows that, but it will be one step closer to the Grand Canyon, and his cross will be there.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[803,169,802],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19627"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/151"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19627"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21213,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19627\/revisions\/21213"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}