Uncommon Path Network

Dear Path Finder,
 
I pray you find your purposeful path, walk audaciously in it, and inspire others to find theirs too.

So… from living life without a smartphone to now walking instead of driving? Oyena, what’s going on? Honestly, I’m still figuring that out too!

Part of me suspects (half-jokingly) that God might be preparing me for life deep in the rural areas, where you don’t need a smartphone, and the roads aren’t exactly welcoming to cars. I’m joking, I think… I hope… and I pray that’s not the case! 

So, what’s this about walking to the mall instead of driving? Well, since starting my daily morning walks, an idea came to me: on days when I’m going somewhere nearby, what if I challenged myself to walk instead of driving?

Last week Tuesday, I tested it out. I walked to buy lunch for Daniel (who helps us keep the yard clean and the garden alive), about 1 to 1.5 km away, then picked up a Takealot parcel nearby. Today, after work, I walked to the nearest mall. By the time I returned, I had clocked in 7 km.

As I walked, to a place I would normally drive to without a second thought, I paused mid-step and realised: I am walking… to the mall. That pause became more than just a moment to catch my breath. It was a moment to ask, “Lord, what does this mean? What are You teaching me here?”

He wasted no time in answering.

He showed me that my desire for change and growth would first be expressed in small, everyday things, so that when He starts moving in the “big” areas, I’ll already know what it takes to let go of the old and embrace the new.

Lately, I’ve noticed how intentional I want my life to be. I’ve always been a “busy” person, but God is teaching me to be present in everything I do. He’s showing me that not everything impactful has to look like being “booked and busy,” “labouring hard,” “staying up late and waking up early,” or “speaking on public platforms with powerful people.” Sometimes the impact is in the quality of life itself.

A few “out of the norm” things I’ve enjoyed lately:

1. Making tea, pouring it into a teapot, and serving myself in a cup and saucer.
2. Taking myself on a solo date after church. I thought it would feel awkward, but with my diary and pen in hand, it felt intentional instead of lonely.
3. Walking out the gate and leaving my car behind. I even had a fun conversation about taxis with a stranger (who assumed I didn’t own a car) and admired young women driving big SUVs (yes, I love them so much. SUVs just make sense).
4. Sitting in my lounge, wrapped in my fleece blanket, enjoying a home-cooked meal without scrolling through my phone.
5. Choosing not to fix every single problem that comes my way. As someone wired to “fix” everything, this has been hard, but freeing. And I realised… no one died because I didn’t rush to rescue them.

You might be asking, “Oyena, what does this have to do with me?”

Maybe nothing. Maybe everything.

For those tired of living the same routine and longing for more meaning in your days, I want to remind you: before the new comes, the old has to come off. And change doesn’t always start with something dramatic. Often, it begins with small, simple promptings.

Be excited to do something different. Step out of your comfort zone. Those small, seemingly insignificant changes can transform the quality of your life, and lead you closer to the dreams God has placed in your heart.

One of the most unexpected gifts of my walk to the mall was the clarity it gave me on something that had been troubling me for weeks. I thought I needed to sit still at home with my journal and Bible to hear God clearly, but my answer was wrapped up in simply walking to the mall.

I don’t know what this will look like for you, but I encourage you: search it out, and give it a try.

Shalom,
Oyena