Lesson

Spiritual Health

Fit to Serve

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

“For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

What grabs me about these verses is that even before I was born, God had a plan for my life. He had a purpose for creating me. Every day that I am here on earth, I have a unique purpose - and so do you. How cool is that?!

Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” sold over 30 million copies. Discovering our life purpose is obviously something we are all passionate about. We want our lives to matter. When we believe in Jesus, and we choose to be His disciples, then we have to look to the Bible for help in discovering what we were created to do.

How has God uniquely gifted you? What are the “good works” He has planned in advance for you to do? The answers to these questions will vary from person to person, but the answer to the question, “What is my life purpose?” should be the same for all believers.

Our purpose is to glorify God. God created us for His own glory. In the book of Isaiah, God says that we are those “whom I created for my glory.” (Isaiah 43:7) In 1 Corinthians 10:31, we are told, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” You might be thinking that it sounds a bit selfish or egotistical of God to create us for His glory, but His motives are all rooted in His love for us. “In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.” - C.S. Lewis

How we each live out this purpose will look different from one person to the next. One night, when I was sitting with a wonderful lady, she told me about the joy she receives from her quilting ministry. I shared with her about Faithful Workouts. The funny thing was, I am almost certain that we were both thinking the same thing: “I am so glad God gifted me for my ministry and not hers.” It is my happy place to lead workouts while talking about Jesus, and I would be so out of place in a quilting ministry. My friend loves to sit quietly with other women and listen to their stories and share Jesus with them. She would be miserable leading workouts.

In 1 Corinthians 12, we are encouraged to be content and thankful for our uniqueness. We shouldn’t compare our gifts to others, and we shouldn’t think our gifts aren’t as important as another person’s. Verses 15-20 explain that we are all an important part of the body of Christ. “Now if the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”

Right now, take a moment to thank God for the unique way He created you. If you struggle with comparing yourself to others, ask God to help you break free from this. Spend a moment talking to God about how you can best use your life as a way to give Him glory. I’m telling you from experience that NOTHING beats the feeling of knowing you played a role in God’s production.

I love what Paul says in Romans 6:13: “So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” One of the main reasons I take care of my body is so that I can be physically fit to respond when I hear God asking me to move. I was 47 when God opened the doors for Faithful Workouts to go on TV. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was that I was healthy enough to walk into what God had planned for me. I LOVE (let me reiterate: LOVE!!!) being part of Faithful Workouts. I know this is where God wants me at this time, and I’m so thankful that my body was healthy enough to accept His offer.

Here Am I, Send Me

There are many reasons why we should take care of our bodies, but I hope that the top reason on your list is so that you are fit to serve in whatever way God calls you to. Please know that God has “good works” planned for you, and you need to do what you can (exercise, eat healthy, eliminate stress) so that when God calls you to go, you can respond with, “Here I am, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)

Physical Health

Healthy Eating on a Shoestring

I often hear, “It’s just too expensive to eat healthy.” I get this. Choosing to increase your food budget might require you to make concessions in other areas of your life. If you struggle with the rising costs of food, is there an area of your spending where you can make cuts so that you can allocate more to your food budget?

Many of us have limited time and have to cut things out of our schedules so that we can exercise and cook healthy foods. It’s much the same with our finances - we may have to cut some things out so we can afford to buy healthy food. I’m sure your health is very important to you. You know that what you eat affects your health. Are you willing to cut out some of the extras- cable TV, a night out at the movies, a new outfit - so you can give your body the proper fuel it so badly needs?

In 198,8 I started my own business. I made almost no money those first years, but because I valued my health, I did allocate more money to my groceries. If you also value your health, it’s important that you do the best you can to bring nutrient-dense foods into your home.

TIPS FOR EATING HEALTHY ON A SHOESTRING

When it’s on sale - stock up. This is great for canned goods. If organic beans are on sale, I will buy enough to last me a few months. When chicken is on a great sale, I buy a bunch, slow-cook it in my crock pot, and then shred or dice it and freeze it. Not only does this save money, it also saves time because I can pull out some frozen chicken in the morning and make a quick meal from it that evening. Certain produce can also be frozen. If bananas or berries are on sale, I bag them and put them into the freezer so I can use them to make smoothies.

Plan around the sales. It’s so easy to look up your local grocery store's sales flyer online, so before you make your menu plan for the week, see what healthy food they have on sale. If they have a great deal on broccoli, plan on making steamed broccoli for a meal, and then use the leftovers in a stir fry or in a soup. If it’s salmon that’s on sale, think about doing a grilled salmon and follow it up the next day with salmon tacos. I often go to the store with just the word “vegetables” on my grocery list and wait to see what is on sale before I finalize my menu plans.

Don’t forget to check the “reduced for quick sale” section. Most grocery stores now have an area for discounted produce, meats, or dairy. I always check these areas. Often, they are discounted because the store ordered too much of something or because the foods are close to their expiration dates. Most foods can be eaten for several days and even up to a week after their expiration dates. I often buy bananas from this section and use them for banana bread or freeze them for smoothies. If you see a great deal on meat that is close to expiring, you can bring it home, cook it up, and freeze it for future meals.

Don’t buy ready-made meals. I know how valuable your time is and how tempting it is to buy ready-made meals, but if you are trying to eat healthy and cut costs, give them up. Not only do they come with a premium price tag, but they usually aren’t as healthy as a meal made from scratch. Sugar and preservatives are added to most ready-made meals, neither of which is very good for you. Bagged salads might save you time, but they take a chunk out of your budget, and they don’t last as long in your fridge. Canned soup is convenient, but if you take about 30 minutes, you can make a big batch yourself. It will save you money, and you can freeze some for a quick meal on a busy day. I never thought I’d be one to make my own bread, but I can make an organic loaf of bread for just over $1.00, compared to the $5.00 it costs to buy it in the store. I usually make about 8 loaves at a time and freeze them.

Buy frozen vegetables and fruit. My first choice is always fresh produce, but I also love that my local store carries frozen organic vegetables and fruit for a great price. It’s so easy to pull out just what I need. Not only is it quick, but I don’t have to throw anything away because it’s gone bad. I use frozen fruit in smoothies. Sometimes I thaw the fruit and then mix the fruit and the juice that is released from the berries into plain yogurt. You can also heat up the fruit and use it as a sauce over French toast or put it inside a crepe. I also freeze my fresh fruit if it is close to being too ripe. Berries, watermelon, bananas, pears, peaches…you name it, I’ll freeze it. Same with veggies - I will cook them, let them cool, and then freeze them for soups or stir-fries.

Use your leftovers. It’s hard to know just how much to cook. If your home is anything like mine, plans change. I might be expecting all my kids to be there for dinner, and then something comes up, and it’s just my husband and me. I understand that plans change, but I get really bummed out if I have to throw away food. I have learned to get creative in how I use my leftovers.

Make your own deli meat. I have been shocked by the rising costs of deli meats.$8-$11 a pound! I was in a store last night and for organic deli meats, the prices were between $12-$24 a pound!! I am also shocked by the sodium levels and all the Rh additives in the meats. If you have kids, you probably make daily sandwiches for school lunches. Here’s a way to shave $20 off your food budget and eat healthier: Buy all-natural chicken/turkey breasts or a beef/pork roast, cook them, and slice them for sandwich meat.

This is the most important one - Don’t spend money on food that offers little or no nutritional value. When deciding what foods you can afford to put in your cart, consider how many vitamins and nutrients you are getting for the money. Ramen noodle soup might be very affordable, but if it offers no nutritional value, don’t put it in your cart. Soda not only has ZERO nutritional value, but it can also cost you more money down the road in health care costs.

My hope is that you will begin to incorporate these money-saving tips into your weekly shopping and that you will notice you are able to eat healthier without spending much more!