Walk Your Way to Writing by Sandi Somers

It’s time for my morning walk. I dress for the weather, tuck my cell phone and house keys in my pockets, and head out. I normally walk around the neighbourhood, choosing different routes, often starting in an easterly direction.               

Each morning brings its glory. The clouds, particularly in pre-dawn, blaze orange and pink. Fresh petrichor after rain fills the air with fragrance. My ear is quick to pick up the varied chirps, songs, and whistles of different birds, even when I’m concentrating on something else. 

I note how seasons bring changes. Deciduous trees change their colours, from springtime bursting with light green buds, to autumn when fallen yellow, purple, and orange leaves crunch under my feet. In December, Christmas lights in different homes still glow until sunrise. In spring and summer I sometimes stop to admire the artistry of flowerbeds and yards. 

Research has shown there are many benefits to walking. It not only connects us with nature -- the sights, sounds, and sensations. Walking boosts energy and concentration and improves thinking and imagination. 

My walks are often prayer walks, praying for others, sometimes asking God to clarify a situation that’s perplexed me. I pray the Lord will reveal fresh ideas, solutions, or Scripture. And often He does! 

Those prayer walks include writing articles and devotionals. My cell phone becomes my handy recorder. Often a thought has really impressed me through my private time with the Lord minutes earlier. I capture an outline, a few ideas to be expanded later, or an engaging introduction. I ask the Lord to guide my thoughts. 

On my walks this summer, I discovered a quiet place to gather my thoughts. Several areas in my community are newly developed, and one includes a new park with picnic tables. I began to sit in the warm sunshine, feeling cozy surrounded by newly planted trees and bushes, where I composed articles and devotions, complete with revising and editing. Ideas that had been bubbling up now became clearer... 

And I received the Lord’s wisdom. I’m reminded of the promise: “From his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6 NLT). 

It's October now, and the warm days of autumn have given way to chill winds here in Calgary. I’m once again sitting at that picnic table, writing my first ideas for this November IWO post. But today, though it is sunny, I can’t stay long. The wind whistles through my jacket. It’s too cold for my fingers to edit and revise, and I can’t complete my whole post. I head for home, still thinking through and praying to receive more of the Lord’s insights.

Image by Pixabay