Walking For All I’m Worth

WALKING: BEGIN SLOWLY

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.  (3 John 2)

A few months before I retired at the end of 2010, I began walking intentionally almost every day. I’d been walking for many years before moving to Santa Barbara to begin my pastoral work, but somehow, the habit died away. We lived on a street without sidewalks, it was quite hilly…yadda, yadda, yadda.

I quit walking. I was distracted—and I was lazy.

When I landed in the hospital with blood clots in the lobes of both lungs, I began to think about trying to get more exercise. So I started walking again—very slowly at first, doing laps around the large parking area of our driveway or the campus at church, sometimes even walking around the pews in the sanctuary.

WALKING FOR HEALTH

Then, in the fall of 2012, I went to Laity Lodge for the second time (my second time to that marvelous place), and one of our speakers was an expert on neurobiology. We happened to be in the same van heading to the airport for our flights home, and I asked him what the latest developments were for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

He said this: “Sadly, there isn’t much we know right now. It’s a much more complex process than we initially thought, and the medications we’ve developed only target tiny pieces of that process. One thing we do know that can help prevent or delay the onset of this disease is thirty minutes of aerobic exercise at least five days each week.”

Bingo! I could start walking more.

So I began to step it up even more, eventually walking about a mile and a half or two miles each evening. Slowly, as I continued the walking habit, I began to get stronger and also began to drop a few pounds here and there.

Bonus!

AN INJURY AND NO EXERCISE

Then, I injured my foot while on vacation—and during PT for that injury, I sustained a far worse one. Walking was no longer an option, and the pounds began to slowly return.

After trying various combinations of strange footgear and consulting with three different doctors, I had corrective surgery. Going into that surgery, I put myself on a fairly stringent diet. I lost several pounds before and after surgery during my recuperation.

Within about two months, I began walking again—very, very carefully, doing laps around my driveway and occasional circles at the beach. When we moved, I mapped out a walking route in our new neighborhood and found another beach that allowed me to walk on the sand at low tide.

You know what?

I LOVE WALKING!

PRAYING WHILE WALKING

I often have my longest prayer times when I’m walking. I don’t talk much, but I listen and lift names and faces to our loving God, trusting that He knows their needs far better than I do. Following a trip to Kauai, I woke up earlier than ever before (I’m a night owl and SO not a morning person!) and was usually out of the house about 7-7:30 am.

 In many ways, those walking times are a highlight of my day.

They’re also good for me—in every way I can imagine. Since my hospitalization for pulmonary emboli, I’ve lost about 80 pounds—very, very slowly and, hopefully, permanently. I’ve dealt with weight and food issues my entire adult life, so I make no guarantees. Somehow, though, this feels very different, and I’m praying that this time, I am very different.

So far, so good.

What do you do to stay healthy?

First published at DianaTrautwein.com in 2015​. Published with permission.

Prayer

Father, we all have different abilities. Whether we walk a little or a lot, we thank you for the gift of walking and the improved health it can bring. Draw us closer to You with each step we take. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Questions For Reflection

1. What exercise roadblocks have you encountered?
2. What one small thing can you do today to increase your movement?
3. Challenge yourself to set one slow, steady goal for 30 days. Keep a daily log—and don’t forget to celebrate your accomplishments!

Invitation

Would you like to read more about walking with God? To continue exploring this topic, check out Walking With God or A New Way of Prayer Walking.