When I made the decision to walk at the park with God, my mind began delineating and defining exactly what the thing should look like: Go the same park every day at the same time, walk exactly X miles for exactly X minutes, track my steps, daily weather, mood, wildlife spotted… Surely, it needed to be formalized, systematized and alphabetized to be meaningful, right? Thankfully, I dismissed that familiar urge immediately.
God has shown me on this journey that attuning myself to Him and listening to the Holy Spirit within me is the only plan I need. I can’t possibly predict the twists and turns of any process the Lord wants to reveal to me. I must stay open, willing and present.
My journey with God took me to places and experiences I couldn’t have foreseen on that day. When winter snow hit hard, my first two parks were often closed. A third park was open, so I explored that one in snow boots and gratitude. I also enjoyed a park at the river, once a battlefield in the revolutionary war. On a whim, one summer day, I drove to the shore and walked at a wetlands preserve with quiet birdwatchers carrying big cameras. In July, my family vacationed in the mountains and my “walks” with God were lone kayak trips around a heart-shaped lake. Each place blessed me in its own unique way. When I listen instead of specify and define, I welcome God to create each moment of my walk to His perfect vision.
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Proverbs 19:20
Meeting God at the Park 