Your shoes reveal a lot about you. Open your closet and look at them. There is the stiletto-heeled pair you painfully squeezed into for the Christmas party...The rubber mucklucks reserved for sloppy wet winter days...Those penny loafers, which if they had tongues, would whisper, "classic".

As if driven by instinct, however, your toes are driven to settle down inside the comfortable shoes with the sturdy soles right in the front of your closet. Those shoes, so perfectly molded to the shape of your feet, seem to say, "C'mon, let's go for a walk!"

In the Scriptures your relationship with Jesus Christ is described as a walk.  And if you want to walk with God - for life, not just a few occasions - then you'll need to lace up your spiritual walking shoes with the sturdy "souls". Are you ready? Then, c'mon, let's walk!

To embark on a physical walking program you need to consider three different factors: frequency (how often will you walk), duration (how long will you walk), and finally intensity (how hard will you walk).

Walking experts claim that to accomplish long-term physical fitness, the frequency of your walking regimen should be four or five times a week. How often should you walk with God to grow spiritually fit? Every day! In Lamentations 3:23, God's mercies are new every morning. During your walk each day you can meditate on the freshness of God's mercy. In Exodus 16, God rained down manna each morning for the children of Israel to gather in the wilderness. You, too, can be fed daily by God. If you're in this Christian life for the long haul, then exercise your "soul" by increasing your spiritual walking frequency to every single day.

To start a walking regimen you should being at 1-1/2 miles and gradually work up to 3 1/2 - 4 miles. A three to four mile walk is the optimum distance for sustainable fitness. In my walk with God over the past 25+ years, I've been able by God's grace to build up some endurance. For instance, at first I could only read a little bit of the Bible because it was hard to understand. But gradually, by continuing to walk with God farther and farther, I've been able to grasp spiritual truth in greater and greater depth. 

If you've been walking with the Lord for a while, consider challenging yourself. For instance, start reading and studying in the Minor Prophets - you know, where the gold pages of your Bible are still stuck together! Mine out the nuggets from Nahum. Harvest the truth from Haggai. Be amazed by Amos! Stretch yourself to comprehend the things of God that are found in the more difficult, unfamiliar passages of Scripture. 

Intensity is the final fitness factor in a good walking program. There are four levels of physical walking through which to progress: strolling, brisk walking, aerobic walking, and race walking. Strolling is walking at approximately a mile an hour and provides minimal physical benefit. The "brisk" level is achieved by walking three miles in 45 minutes. Aerobic walking and race walking are characterized by arm and upper body movements which increase your cardiovascular capacity.

At age 54 after the death of her husband, Hulda Crooks became interested in walking. Beginning with walks up some of California's easier mountain peaks, Hulda kept pressing higher. Finally by age 66, Hulda was able to make the walk to the summit of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. She walked to the summit of Mt. Whitney  23 times in 14 years. Then in 1987, Hulda made headlines by walking to the summit of Japan's Mt Fuji at the age of 91. 

Consider progressing like Hulda in your walk with God. You may have begun at a stroll, but don't linger at that low intensity. Work up to the "brisk" level at which your faith and obedience will be stretched. These character qualities will come in handy when your path takes a sudden, uphill turn. Then, after walking with god for a while, add some arm motions. Seek ways to serve. Ask God to use you to significantly influence others.

The beauty of a walking routine is that you don't need a special talent, a sleek physique or snazzy gear. Walking requires only you, a good pair of shoes, and the road. Simple. Practical. Similarly walking with God for life is possible when you remember a few common-sense tips.

1.  Realize your walk with God encompasses your whole life. 

Resist the urge to compartmentalize walking with God as simply your "quiet time" or "devotions." View the totality of your life - who you are and what you do - as walking with God. One of the New Testament usages of "walk" refers to the scope of your life's activities - how you parent, what kind of friend you are, how you live with your spouse, your financial state, your attitudes and actions, your physical well-being, your thoughts and emotions. Adopting this mindset will allow you to see God's hand in everything that relates to you. It abolishes the unbiblical distinction between the sacred and secular. Your entire life is "sacred" because you live every moment as a believer under the watchful, caring eye of your Father. 

2.  Buddy up with other walkers. 

Your walk with God is not only an individual pursuit but should be lived in the context of community. The rough edges of your character will be smoothed out only when you are in relationship with other people. Walking with God is a more satisfying experience when you can enjoy it with fellow walkers. Don't go it alone. Pick up a few partners along the way and enjoy the journey together. 

3.  Regularly evaluate your progress.

Another meaning of the word "walk" paints the picture of a trail that others follow. You may not think of yourself as a trailblazer, but someone is likely following you. So occasionally check the path you're walking. Think about where you're going. What kind of trail are you leaving? Would you want someone else to follow in your footsteps? Is God perhaps leading you to take a different route? Taking regular spiritual check-ups is encouraging as you pause to look back and see how far you've come!

Now is the time to get serious. Rebox those speciality shoes. Lace up that trusty, sturdy pair and commit yourself to "soul" fitness by walking with God for life!

~ By JoAnn Hummel