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Prayer Walk
Ministry!
Welcome to the Prayer Walk Ministry! You will find
information about:
God
loves to be with us in all areas of our lives and so it is natural
to include God in our life as we walk. To combine prayer and walking
means that we intentionally speak and listen to the Lord as we are
walking. We choose to be mindful of God and God's creation as we
take each step. Our pace can be slower than normal as we notice
specific items along the path as we walk. As you consider the information
on the Prayer Walk pages, open your mind and heart to experience
God in new ways. May your time with the Lord be blessed with fresh
joy and a deep and restful peace as you pray and walk with God.
Enjoy!
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Prayer
Walking
The experience of PRAYER WALKING is simply to pray while
you are walking. Time spent in prayer can be enriched as you notice
God's creation and share your thoughts and feelings with the Lord
as you walk. As you include God in your conversation you can deepen
your faith and grow in your spiritual life. Prayer walking can
bring added joy and peace in your life and help to reduce the
stress and strain of daily life.
PRAYER WALKING can also help to improve your physical health as
you exercise through walking. The pace of each step in prayer
walking can be slower than it would be if you were simply walking
as a form of exercise. As you are prayer walking, take slow steps
and open your heart and mind to experience the peace of God. Invite
God to join you and speak to God with words or in silence. Prayer
walking is learning to walk with ease, to relax and be free to
experience life in your movements. Be aware of each body part
as you walk. Breathe in and feel the air in your lungs. As you
breathe out, picture all of the cares and worries of your day
being lifted out of your life. While walking, let go -- of your
sorrows, your worries, your cares, and anything else that might
keep you from experiencing peaceful joy and complete freedom in
Christ.
When PRAYER WALKING you are not in a hurry, but rather you are
savoring each step, each moment in prayer. It is like going for
a stroll, not running a marathon. The purpose of the body movement
is prayer itself, with body, mind, heart, and spirit. Going is
important, not arriving. Prayer walking is not a means to an end.
It is the end. Each step is joined with prayer and every step
is taken with your heart focused on the Lord Jesus Christ.
As you pray and walk, be mindful that you are walking on holy
ground and that the presence of the Lord is with you. Be open
to notice anything that strikes you as important -- a leaf, a
stone the clouds, etc. When something catches your attention,
stop walking and silently relish the moment and enjoy the blessings
of creation. If you are not able to stop, simply lift the moment
to the Lord while walking and acknowledge the blessing you have
noticed. Explore ways to be aware of and enjoy God's presence.
Walk lightly, walk reverently, attend to each step. Let each time
your foot touches the ground be a time for deepening your relationship
with Jesus. Be aware that God is with you and share what is on
your heart and mind with Jesus.
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SUGGESTIONS
WHILE WALKING:
1. Decide on a theme for your time in prayer walking before you
begin to walk with the Lord. Some ideas could be -- God's creation;
The events of the day God has created; The goodness of God; People
in your life; and any other idea that the Lord gives you will be
fine.
2. When you have chosen a theme, reflect on the theme and consider
any Bible verses that remind you of the theme. For example, if the
theme you chose was "The Secret of God's Garden" you could
ponder: What secrets does God share in the garden? What does the
cycle of life in the garden tell me about God? Where do I see beauty
in the garden? How does the cycle of life for humans connect with
the cycle of life in the garden? A Bible verse that goes along with
this theme could be, "This is the day the Lord has made. Let
us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
3. God wants you to enjoy his presence and as you walk, be mindful
of his love for you. Think about how much Jesus loves you. You may
want to sing, Jesus Loves Me as you walk or reflect on the ways
you can see God's love for you in your life. You might ask yourself
questions, such as: How can I let Jesus heal my spirit, soothe my
soul? How can I experience more of God's love as I walk?
4. As you end your time of prayer walking remember to thank God
for the many blessings that you have received as you spent this
time with the Lord. Let the joyous experience of prayer walking
continue to bless your life as you go about your day. Let the peace
of God reign in your heart as you leave prayer walking and go to
work or other activities in your day.
5. Go in peace to serve the Lord! Thanks be to God!
Links about
Prayer Walking:
http://www.explorefaith.org/artress/
- Exploring the Labyrinth with Lauren Artress
http://www.labyrinth.org.uk/
- Online Labrinth
http://www.sacredspace.ie/ - Sacred Space
http://www.spiritualdisciplines.org/walk.html
- Article on Prayer Walking by Donald Whitney
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