Finally Free! Giving Your Health and Fitness Journey to God Changes Everything!
I would venture to say that most, if not all, women struggle or have struggled with their weight or body image in their life. I know I have. I know most of my friends have. Comparing ourselves to others, especially images in the media has led to a lot of unhealthiness in mind, body and spirit, ironically in a pursuit of health and wellness. Literally billions of dollars are spent each year on weight-loss, exercise, diet drugs, diet books, and weight-loss surgeries. You can’t watch TV or scroll social media for more than five minutes without seeing advertisements for weight-loss or fitness products. If these things work then why are a majority of Americans overweight or struggling with chronic diseases related to being overweight or poor eating habits? Why are so many people living in bondage to yo yo diets, food addictions, overeating and body image issues? Something is missing in most of the strategies out there to get in better shape and live a healthier life. That something is GOD! When we as believers see our bodies the way God does and see ourselves the way He does, I have found the motivation for being in better shape changes. The strategies change. The goals change. The focus changes. The results change too!
I spent a huge chunk of my adult life with an unhealthy body image and an unhealthy relationship with food. The number on the scale was my “report card” and too often the determiner of my mood. From college days through the years I was raising my sons, I feel like my health and fitness goals and the means to achieve them were often frustrating and did not have lasting results. It wasn’t until I was going through menopause that God opened my eyes to what was always missing in my fitness journey. It was Him! My motivation wasn’t where it needed to be and I was seeing myself through the eyes of the world and not through His eyes. Going through the symptoms of menopause; weight gain, hot flashes, fatigue etc., I began tosearch for ways to manage through it without medicine or hormone replacement. The Lord led me on a journey that would ultimately change my life and help change the lives of many others as well. He led me to first, get to the root of why I wanted to be in better shape in the first place. He showed me that being fit wasn’t the end goal in itself. It was being fit and healthy for something. The goal needed to be to feel my best and be my best in mind, body and spirit so I can serve Him to the best of my ability! I needed to have the strength and the energy to go and do all the things He has for me to do! This body is His temple! He took the focus off of me and put it on Him. This changed the entire ballgame! He showed me that by simply focusing on eating God made food in moderation instead of packaged man made food is best. He has given us so many delicious foods to enjoy! Eating the foods He has given us and cutting way back on processed foods full of additives and added sugar was what my body was longing for! Then He showed me that I needed to add strength training to my exercise routines. Proverbs 31:17 says of the Godly Proverbs 31 woman that she girds herself with strength and that she strengthens her arms. She doesn’t strengthen her arms just so they will look good! She strengthens her arms because she is busy serving others and needs strength for the tasks! Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works! He has good work for us to do that He planned beforehand! Eye-opening moment for me! I need to be healthy and strong as I can be to serve the Lord with my life. When I began to pray for Him to help me do that, He did! The healthy eating and the strength training became an act of worship instead of a self-centered obsession or activity to check off my to do list. This changed everything! I have since started and oversee a Christ-centered fitness program in my community called FaithFit. I believe God is changing lives through it!
As women we go through different seasons of our life. From young adulthood, to caring for a family, to career, to middle age and caring for elderly parents and then we get older ourselves. In each stage, caring for this temple of the Holy Spirit is important. With each stage of life comes unique challenges to do that. But God is able and willing to empower us and equip us! It comes down to our motivation. Fitness itself shouldn’t be the goal. Being fit for the mission God has for us should be! We usually consider our faith and our fitness to be in two different compartments of our life. Jesus is Lord of all, and that includes our health and fitness. Trust me. Submitting it to the Lord will change things when you do!
Hear what Amy, a 34-year-old mother of two young children has to say about how combining her faith and fitness has changed things for her!
“At 34, I am the healthiest and in the best shape I’ve ever been. Weight was never a huge struggle for me, so I didn’t put a lot of (if any) effort into exercise or taking care of my body. My motive for fitness was solely my appearance.
Quickly into my thirties, God really started showing me that being healthy and taking care of my body is NOT ABOUT ME! 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, ‘Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you…Glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ I can’t teach my kids about obeying and submitting to God in ALL things if I am not allowing Him access to all areas of my own life. I want to take care of His temple.
I began attending FaithFit, a Christ centered fitness class, where my focus was on getting healthy for what God has called me to do. My motive shifted to being ready and fit for His mission, not mine. As I submit my body to Him, He equips, strengthens, and gives me the endurance for every good work. I can play, do life, and be on the go with my kids and husband (which is my first mission field) without feeling weary and fatigued. Today, I’m more capable of fulfilling the plans he has for me, because my fitness is not for me. It’s for Him.”
Janet, age 54, has found freedom and relief from symptoms of menopause through prayer and guidance from the Lord. Read her testimonial of how seeking the Lord’s help in her health challenges changed things for her.
“I was never a very sporty/athletic person, but I was always able to keep excessive weight down in my 20’s by dieting. I had to add walking to that regimen when I hit my 30’s and 40’s. Now in my 50’s, and having been thrown into surgical menopause rather abruptly, I found that nothing I had done before would touch the weight gain. Hormone replacement therapy worked well to control things like the hideous hot flashes, and mood swings, but no diet or aerobic type exercise could touch the weight gain. Not only was I piling on the pounds no matter what I did, my health was starting to suffer. My routine bloodwork labs were not good. I was starting to get high blood pressure and my achy joints were worse than ever. I was not ready to be that old that young! I guess I was hoping that my doctor would have some easy, magical solution, but instead she told me that I just needed to eat healthy and add a little bit of strength training. My blood sugar and thyroid were fine. I just needed to work. I’ll admit the idea of strength training didn’t appeal to my relative couch potato self at all. I had images of bulky muscles, and lots of pain. I wasn’t even sure I had the time for it. But the more I researched it, the more it made sense. As we age, we lose muscle mass, and muscle mass is what helps our bodies maintain good metabolism. Menopause makes it even harder to maintain those muscles! Every singe article I read about ways to lose weight for menopausal women over 50 pointed to some form of light strength training, combined with a healthy, balanced diet high in lean protein. The science was there, and I couldn’t argue with it. Walking for exercise was easy. I could just go outside my house and walk down the street. But, I had no idea how to make the time or even get started with strength training. After months and months of prayer about it, I believe God showed me the way when a friend invited me to Lisa Jarvis’ power up class, and I took a chance and went. I didn’t expect to love it, but I did from the first day! FaithFit is a very welcoming environment full of positive people of all walks of life. I actually had fun from the first time! I was taught by Lisa and her crew the right way to work out the whole body, and now I’m addicted to it – not just the workouts, but the whole experience with meeting new friends, bonding with others who also want to improve their quality of life, and best of all the positive devotional messages at the end. It has truly been a blessing to me – body, mind, and soul. I’ve been attending FaithFit Power up classes for a year and a half and look forward to it each week. Best of all, I’ve lost at least 30 lbs and my labs and blood pressure are back to normal! My joint pain has eased a lot, and I’m so much stronger than I’ve ever been. It’s a really wild thought that 54 year old me could probably take 24 year old me down quite easily. It has now become not about how I look, but how I feel, and I can honestly say that I feel great! I didn’t realize how bad I had felt until I started making these changes and getting stronger. At my last physical, my doctor remarked “whatever you’re doing, keep it up”. We are so blessed to have a place like FaithFit in our community! It has literally been an answered prayer for me.”
Martha, age 74, shares how giving her health to the Lord has benefitted her life. She recently sent me this message.
“I am 74 years old and recently widowed. The death of a spouse is a life-changing event. I am so thankful I am a Christian, but I feel this loss has made me dig deeper for more faith. I had even gotten to the point of questioning if God had taken the wrong family member. I knew I could not do this by myself. However, a dear and precious friend invited me to a FaithFit class at her church. It has been a life-changing event for me. It has not only helped me to be healthier, it has made me a better Christian. I get up early every morning to read and study my Bible and pray to God every day. I ask Him to use me to help others. I am so thankful we have a FaithFit ministry here in Paducah, Kentucky.”
There are many things concerning our health that we have little or no control over. But there is much that we do. Life is a gift. Our body is a gift! It is the vehicle that carries our soul and His spirit while we live on this Earth. Being a good steward over it is what we are called to do. We are called to glorify God in all areas of our life. This includes our fitness. When we see this for what it is, it changes our motives and God can use it to better equip us for Kingdom work He has called us to! The focus shifts from me to Him! The Lord is always there for us and He cares about every area of our life. When we ask Him for wisdom and guidance, He will give it to us! I am thankful He opened my eyes to this truth. It is very freeing! And when Christ has set you free, you are free indeed!
