I started walking. Some days I walked 1 mile, other days I walked up to 4 miles at one time. I walked pushing my baby in his stroller, listening to songs or podcasts. Sometimes I would call a friend or family member while walking. In solitude I would walk with nothing but the occasional car driving by our paved driveway. I walked and prayed. I walked and cried. I just walked. I wasn’t doing it for exercise, but somehow walking seemed to be the only thing I could physically control in my life. I kept up with my mileage occasionally, but it wasn’t even about the miles I walked. I had no real goal. I just knew I needed to be outside, breathing in fresh air, and feeling sunshine on my face. I needed to just do something.
This was a very difficult season in my life. I had experienced the death of a family member and grief spirals you sometimes in ways you can’t even predict. It wasn’t just the loss of the loved one. It was a reminder of how little control we have over our lives. No one can truly calculate death and the toll it takes on those left behind. While grappling with the emotional rubble, I had taken up walking.
Of course this amount of daily walking caused me to lose weight because I had been leading basically a sedentary lifestyle. Even as people took notice and shared kind words, I didn’t even realize what I had done for my health until an ordinary night with my family.
I should preface saying my husband is an avid mountain bike rider. He is athletic while I am not. Our compromise is that our family rides bikes together as long as we choose greenways or paved trails. I do enjoy riding bikes, but I honestly took this hobby up because of my husband. I am the slowest out of our family. Usually our children are encouraging me to keep going because they know I am the weakest link of the bunch.
Now that I have clarified my ability (or the lack thereof) to be an efficient cyclists- let’s get back to the story: I had not ridden a bike for a good amount of time due to pregnancy and then waiting for our baby to reach the age to be a bike passenger. We were finally able to take a bike ride as a family of five. We rode approximately 8 miles that night, and I probably could have continued to ride except I wrecked. See, I told you that I am not one for athleticism. The revelation I and my husband had though was my level of endurance (pre-wreck of course.) Before my pregnancy, I was almost given out at just 5 miles. I literally felt so strong though and could have continued to ride several more miles. This may be a good time to say that our family achieved a milestone in November 2025 by riding 24 miles around Jekyll Island’s paved trails. We were obviously spent after that trek, but I could not believe I had successfully completed this with my family.
I owe my strength to the daily walk. Walking seemed so minimal. It seemed so basic. It seemed so unexciting…until I tested my physical stamina.
Isn’t this just like our daily walk in God’s word? You open the same Bible, you read verses that are familiar to you, and then you do it all again the next day. It’s not like there is an updated version being produced every year. Of course you may highlight verses that you are studying or write down thoughts, but it’s literally the same 66 books every day. It’s nothing really new. When you become a new Christian, reading your Bible is probably one of the most common pieces of advice given from long time believers.
But it seems so elementary, so routine, so uneventful. That is until you’re experiencing a health crisis, loss of a loved one, financial situation, or can we just say life…because we know life is full of unexpected events, twists, and turns. The 66 books that seem outdated actually have provided guidance and answers for believers throughout time.
It is amazing how repeated reading of the scripture can give you endurance in the rough time you are in.
Some that have encouraged me are:
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Pslam 46:1
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1 Peter 5:7
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
Psalm 37:23
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Psalm 3:5-6
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
These are just a handful of verses I have mediated on during hard seasons. The good news is that I was familiar with them when life was easy before the hard time hit.
I hope you continue to walk in the word of God because it is truly our strength. You may not see the immediate results of the time spent studying a portion of the Bible’s 66 books, but I promise there will be a day when you are glad for those minutes spent learning who God is.
What is a verse that you have reflected on that has been tried and proven in your Christian walk?
-Jennie