Have you heard of the Walk and Talk? It’s a means of exposition often used in television dramas to give the viewer a lot of information in a very short amount of time. It also serves as a transition, moving the characters from one scene to another. “The West Wing”, my favorite television show of all time is famous for them. You can also see them featured in Scandal, ER, and on all the Law and Order franchises.

The “Walk and Talk” has taken on a whole new meaning for me lately. I joined the GirlTrek movement. The organization describes itself as “a health movement for African-American women and girls grounded in civil rights history and principles through walking campaigns, community leadership, and health advocacy.” The current campaign is focused on prayer. We walk for 30 minutes, we listen to a brief biographical sketch of a spiritual warrior, and while we walk we pray.

This is not a new concept for me. I have been practicing my walk and talk for years! I perfected my skill on the campus of Lincoln University of Missouri. I arrived in Jefferson City as an 18 -year old girl with no car, no friends, and no TV. What I did have was two working feet and a Bible. I put them all to good use.

My prayers are a little different now than they were twenty plus years ago. I’m no longer praying that my financial aid comes through. Now I’m thanking God that I was able to pay off those student loans. I’m not praying for passing grades, but praying for grace as I deal with the tests of life.

Not only have my prayers changed, but so have my footsteps. Long gone, are the wandering, wavering footsteps of the freshman who didn’t quite know her way around campus. Today, I step with intention, even in unfamiliar territory. I may not know exactly where I am, or even be sure about where I am going. But I know I am on my way somewhere, and I know that I am not walking alone.

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