Take A Prayer Walk

Prayer.

It is an often-illusive aspect of our faith. We know we should pray, we might even know how to pray, but instituting the practice can be challenging.

Whether you have littles surrounding you constantly, a high-pressure job, or endless duties, it can be difficult to institute regular, meaningful, or heartfelt prayer.

Instituting a prayer walk vastly impacted my personal prayer life. I realized that if I went on a walk in the evenings or mornings it often quieted my spirit. I didn’t think about much with less distractions around me. My mind was open. I decided to dedicate one of my walks with the dog into a time of thanksgiving and I simply prayed about everything I was thankful for. This is much easier while watching birds, walking past large oaks, or spotting horses in distant fields.

pexels

I enjoyed that walk so much that I found myself eager to walk again and to pray for a different topic. The time on a walk is much more open ended than it may be in your house or office where interruptions can happen at any time. If you have very little children, pop them into the stroller and bring them along! This can be an excellent time to pray for your children.

Praying while walking can even be out loud as there are usually few people around. If praying in your head is difficult, then whisper them or speak them out loud as you walk.

Whether you walk your neighborhood, a local greenway, a hiking trail, through open space, or even at a local botanical garden, getting outdoors and moving your body can greatly increase your focus and your closeness to God.

Follow these suggestions for a seven-day rotation of prayer topics for your walks:

Monday: Praise and gratitude

Tuesday: Confessions and personal growth

Wednesday: Family and friends

Thursday: Personal needs and requests

Friday: Government and World issues

Saturday: Decisions and life logistics

Sunday: Pray scripture and songs

If you can’t get out every day, then spread these topics across the month. You will come back mentally, physicaly, and spiritually refreshed after a prayer walk.