19 Do you not know that your bodie are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
3 John 2
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
Ephesians 5:29
29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—
Have you ever felt like you were on a hamster wheel, and you could not find an off ramp? Well, I finally realized that the only way to find the off ramp is to just jump off. The constant running and rushing through life, like our hair is on fire is not what I believe that God intended for our lives to be like.
Somehow, it’s easy to get caught up in all of the craziness. And although we keep rushing our way through life at a hundred and twenty miles per hour, deep down inside I truly believe that we know it’s not healthy for us. The toll that it takes on us mentally, physically and emotionally is simply not worth it. Nor is it worth the stress that we put on those that we love and care about. So, by now I am sure that you are thinking, well ok, but what’s the solution? To be honest I don’t have all of the answers, and I am still trying to figure it out also, but here’s what I have decided:
1. REST
I have decided to get more rest. I have been running for years on only five to six hours of sleep each night. I don’t know about you, but I am easier to get along with when I have had a good night of sleep. My goal is to get an hour to two more each night. As I am getting older, I realize that my body needs more rest. I also think when I am rested I have more clarity of mind and I make better decisions.
2.EXERCISE
I plan to get more exercise. When I am rushing around it’s easy to put my health on the back burner. I plan to put myself on the schedule. If I schedule it, it will get done. Hopefully!
3. EAT HEALTHY
I have really cut a lot of sugar out of my life. It’s not been easy, but I see significant changes in my health because of it. I am not suggesting that you do this, I am simply sharing the choices that I am choosing to make. Also, I want to eat more leafy greens and other fruits and vegetables, in other words more foods that grow from the ground. I am definitely pulling back from processed foods and choosing to make water the drink of my choice with a twist of lemon or lime.
4. QUIET TIME: BIBLE READING, PRAYER AND MEDITATION
No more rushing through Quiet Time! It must be a planned event. For me, preferably, early morning before the rest of the world wakes up and starts making phone calls and sending text messages works best.
5. JOURNAL
Journaling is one of the healthiest things that you can do for your mental and emotional health. I have been journaling for decades, and I plan to continue to do so.
6. VACATIONS
For years I have neglected to stop and plan a nice vacation. We have taken short weekend trips, but nothing that would be considered a real vacation. So I plan to explore some new places to travel to and just enjoy making some great memories.
7. FRIENDSHIPS
Wow! where would we be without great friends? I have been blessed with some of the best friends in the world, and I thank God for them. If you are struggling to make friends, I will share that my strongest and most lasting friendships have come from people that I met who were in my church family. Let me say, there is nothing like getting up with friends and just relaxing and enjoying a great meal together or a relaxing conversation. However, this will require that you slow down.
Rest is self-care. Why not make a commitment today to give all of your burdens and cares to God and take some time to just breathe. It’s important for your mental, spiritual and physical health.
You can be a greater blessing to those that you love when you are well rested and not stressed.
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 17:22
22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
