Sometimes you just have to take a Step......

 

It was a bright, sunny late Autumn day and I was reflecting on a sermon our senior pastor had preached about finding our passion(s) and using them for kingdom purposes. (I'm loosely summarizing here). And I thought that sometimes we show the love and light of God through the things we are passionate about....from doing life with people face to face.  and thus SoulSteps was born.

SoulSteps is the name I've chosen for a Women's Walking Group I've formed for women in my church...or any woman who wants to join.  But there's a second part to SoulSteps:  A Hikers Group.  The hiking group is really where my passion lies....whether it's taking people into the woods on a pine needle trail or doing some "forest bathing" sitting by a gurgling stream....or whether it's climbing a mountain trail to an open summit with the earth spread out below us. 

Our  church has what is called "Connect Weekend". This is where anyone can sign up to join various groups, Bible studies, book clubs, classes, youth/teen events or prayer groups.  I run a book club on Wednesday evenings for 12 weeks and now I'm running not one SoulSteps Walking group but two!  I had so many women interested in this once a month group that I had to divide women into a Saturday morning group and a Friday morning group. We meet from 9-10 AM. Either my self or one of my former small group members will read a meditative Scripture, we will pray, and then walk. Each group has about 10 women who are serious about walking for fitness and doing some meditation. It's a "come when you want/when you can" type of group.  I truly was amazed at just how many people signed up! Even my oldest daughter signed up, along with one of her friends!

And because men were interested.....thus, the Hikers Group was formed.  I have more women hikers signed up than men, but the men who have signed up want to bring their SOs/wives and/or children on the "Family Friendly" hikes and now my husband will be more likely to hike because there will be some men for him to hang out with!  The hikes won't begin until at least the end of April due to winter and trail conditions being less than ideal.  Everyone loved the idea of just choosing which hike they want to join in on, and that there's no major commitment level...it's a "come when you want" type of group. Some hikes will be for families and some will be adults only.  There are no fees.  I have referred people to a resource that I printed up from our NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation and posted in our church center app for them to refer to.  This is just basic hiking etiquette and trail etiquette per DEC recommendations and guidelines, mainly to keep every one safe. I also have written up an Acknowledgement of Risk that every parent of a minor must sign or anyone over age 21  must sign if they want to participate.  Another member of my church, who runs a weights/aerobics type class, suggested it since the social events from any church sponsored group are not in and of themselves endorsed by the church.  Meaning, any  small group or book club that engages in social activities off the church campus are at people's own risk. EVERYONE was on board with this which has been making things easier. We will keep the signed forms on hand and they only have to sign once, not for every single hike they go on.

The thing I am most excited about is that the people who signed up already have some hiking experience.  Everyone was ok in learning that pets are not allowed and that they  might have to drive themselves to a trailhead if me or my husbands car is full. 

Our church has never had a group like this that I know of, and I was even asked to discuss the group at the Fitness class this morning that was being held in one of the church classrooms. 

So about 20 women for Walking and about  another 25 of us for Hiking.  Sometimes, I'm overwhelmed to think about organizing everything, but I will use my teacher skills I've cultivated over the years and like my pastor has said, if you have  an idea for a group and you try it and it fails, no one cares!!  And if it's a success, we give glory to God!

I'm excited to see what this new chapter in my life will bring. One woman told me this morning that I have really begun to embrace my retirement........and why not??  I believe in living life to the full and enjoying every moment.