Walking as a Spiritual Practice – How it began.
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Scott Spradley - Spiritual Director[/caption]
Back before I knew what Spiritual Direction was, I ran marathons and distance races (at my own slow pace). During training for these races, I had the opportunity to share long runs and walks with some of my dearest friends. As I would spend hours and miles with these friends, it never failed that we would share in holy conversation, talking, praying, and listening through the issues of faith and life. Many times I thought, "One day, I will start a group that is not limited to runners or people of a certain fitness level. We will walk, we will talk, and we will pray together and build our connections with God and each other.”
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Providence Church Hope Trail[/caption]
As I trained to be a spiritual director, this idea slipped to the back of my mind. Then, just a month or two after I completed my certification process, my then, spiritual director, Kasey Hitt, asked me what kind of direction practice I felt God was inviting me into. Within hours of hearing that question, I sensed a holy, but loving, whack on the side of the head, reminding me of this walking group idea. With prayer, guidance from Kasey, and God's invitation, I began working through, shaping, developing, and finally inviting others to the group, Walking as a Spiritual Practice. From our first walk, I’ve been amazed at the God encounters I’ve had the gift of experiencing with our group as we walked, prayed, and talked together. I’ve also been awed by the various faces the same trail will show us as we walk it month after month. To me and to other, this trail has become holy ground.
If you’d like to see what mixing walking, prayer, and deep connection with God, God’s creation, and God’s people can yield, I invite you to join us! See upcoming dates and times.
Scott Spradley - Spiritual Director[/caption]
Back before I knew what Spiritual Direction was, I ran marathons and distance races (at my own slow pace). During training for these races, I had the opportunity to share long runs and walks with some of my dearest friends. As I would spend hours and miles with these friends, it never failed that we would share in holy conversation, talking, praying, and listening through the issues of faith and life. Many times I thought, "One day, I will start a group that is not limited to runners or people of a certain fitness level. We will walk, we will talk, and we will pray together and build our connections with God and each other.”
[caption id="attachment_19980" align="alignright" width="225"] Providence Church Hope Trail[/caption]
As I trained to be a spiritual director, this idea slipped to the back of my mind. Then, just a month or two after I completed my certification process, my then, spiritual director, Kasey Hitt, asked me what kind of direction practice I felt God was inviting me into. Within hours of hearing that question, I sensed a holy, but loving, whack on the side of the head, reminding me of this walking group idea. With prayer, guidance from Kasey, and God's invitation, I began working through, shaping, developing, and finally inviting others to the group, Walking as a Spiritual Practice. From our first walk, I’ve been amazed at the God encounters I’ve had the gift of experiencing with our group as we walked, prayed, and talked together. I’ve also been awed by the various faces the same trail will show us as we walk it month after month. To me and to other, this trail has become holy ground.
If you’d like to see what mixing walking, prayer, and deep connection with God, God’s creation, and God’s people can yield, I invite you to join us! See upcoming dates and times.