Lesson

Spiritual Health

 

Don’t Look at the Waves

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in Matthew 14:24-31:

 

“Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

“Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

 

I think we can discover so many truths about our journey to better health through these passages. You are probably thinking, “What??? What does this have to do with my health journey?”

 

Here is what I believe about this story from Matthew: When we are struggling to exercise and eat healthy, Jesus is saying, “Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here.” He cares about everything you do, and He wants you to talk to Him about all the things that worry you. He promises to be with us always. It’s our choice: Do we want to put our trust in Him and step out of the boat, or do we want to stay in the boat and live in fear? It might seem easier to stay in the boat, but joy comes in trusting and “walking on water.” Are you ready to trust God and ask for His help on your health journey?

 

When Peter finds the faith to get out of the boat, he walks on water! But what happens as he is walking? He takes his eyes off Jesus, and he looks at the waves. He fears the waves are too much and he starts to sink. Do you ever do this? Do you ever take your eyes off of Jesus and instead focus on everything that is happening around you? What wave are you looking at? What is causing you to take your eyes off Jesus? What is causing you to fear that you won’t be able to make the lasting, healthy changes you know you so badly need?

 

Is it the scale that isn’t moving like you want it to? Is it someone in your life who says, “Why even try to lose weight? You know you haven’t kept with it in the past.” Or is it your own thoughts of doubt: “I’ll never do this, so why even try?”

 

You must remember: “Nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) Turn your eyes away from your challenges and keep your eyes glued on Jesus, and you will succeed.

 

When we mess up and start to sink, all we need to do is extend our hand and allow Jesus to pick us up. Too often, if we skip a workout or eat something we know we shouldn’t, we immediately think, “Oh, here I go again; I’ll never be able to do this.” Don’t do that to yourself. Having a bad day is just that - a bad day. When you eat something you shouldn’t or you skip a workout, don’t fall into thinking “Here I go again.” You can always start fresh the next morning. Don’t concern yourself with yesterday.

 

We all make mistakes, and when we do, we just need to cry out, “Save me, Lord!” like Peter did when he started to sink. Jesus will be there, ready to extend His hand and help you. I love this quote: “Failure is not the falling down, it’s the staying down.” -Mary Pickford

 

The last part of this story really touches me because I think this is so true for many of us - we doubt whether Jesus can really help. We ask for His help, but there is something deep within us that doesn’t fully understand the true power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. I mean, think about it: God’s Spirit is in you - of course He can help!! Cast all doubts away, and have complete confidence in Jesus’ power.

 

Zechariah 4:6 has become my go-to verse when I doubt whether I am capable: “Not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit.”

 

This verse reminds me that I am not capable on my own. I don’t have the power or strength to do the plans God has prepared for me, but with His Spirit, I’m unstoppable!!

 

One night, my son Quinn and I were talking about these verses. We talked about how much we love this story and how there is so much to learn from it. I asked him if he wanted to talk about what he thought my wave was, and then what I thought his wave was. He was willing to dig into this. What he said to me took my breath away. He said, “Mom, when it comes to Faithful Workouts, don’t worry about the money. Don’t let the money be your wave - just keep doing what God is asking you to do and it will all be OK.” (Is he not the cutest thing ever?) I will never forget his words, and I believe God was speaking to me through Quinn.

   

Physical Health

 

The Importance of Drinking Water

One of the simplest and least expensive ways to improve your overall health is to drink water. Your body is made up of about 70% water, which plays a vital role in nearly every bodily process. Water is essential for proper digestion and circulation, numerous chemical reactions, nutrient absorption, waste elimination, and flexibility of the blood vessels. It regulates your body’s temperature and benefits the skin by acting as an internal moisturizer, keeping the skin moist, supple, and clear, as well as preventing premature aging due to toxic buildup.

 

Imagine: water does all this AND it doesn’t add any calories to your body! There is no substitute for water in providing your body with what it needs for optimal cellular function.

 

I remember a famous actress saying once, “I drink plenty of water, it just has ground coffee in it.” NOT!! Most people think coffee or soft drinks count as sufficient hydration, so it is not surprising that an estimated 75% of North Americans are chronically dehydrated and fail to drink the suggested eight glasses of water per day. Not good, considering water is the second most important nutrient for your body (next to oxygen).

 

The question of “How much is enough?” is not that simple to answer, because it varies from person to person and depends on things like your activity level, the weather, and your size. However, a good general rule is to drink 64 ounces of water a day. I have also heard that you should drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water. So if you weigh 140 pounds, drink 70 ounces of water. Again, this amount may vary when you factor in other variables.

 

Please realize that drinking too much water can also be harmful. Drinking too much can make your kidneys work overtime to filter excess water out of your blood/ circulatory system. Forcing your body to accept too much water within a short period can actually be deadly (in extreme circumstances). Try to space out your water consumption throughout your day.

 

Some people feel thirsty often, so they drink plenty of water. Others can go all day without feeling thirsty. Thirst can be a reliable indicator, but it isn’t always. If you don’t feel thirsty, you need to monitor your water intake to make sure you’re drinking enough.

 

Another indicator of whether you are drinking enough water is the color of your urine. Clear urine indicates that you are well hydrated, while dark yellow urine indicates that you need more water in your system. Remember that some chemicals/medications (like synthetic vitamins) and heavily pigmented foods (like red beets) can add substantial color to your urine.

 

When you are ill, eating or drinking anything can be the farthest thing from your mind. Yet it's vital to maintain a good level of hydration to help the immune system fight off infection and assist in eliminating the by-products of any illness. Dehydration weakens your body's overall immune system and leads to chemical, nutritional, and pH imbalances, which can eventually cause sickness and premature aging.

 

If you get bored with drinking plain water, here is a list of fun ways to flavor your water naturally:

• Strawberry & Cucumber Pineapple                 
• Mint & Ginger Cantaloupe
• Orange & Raspberry Watermelon & Mint

  If you still need extra encouragement, know that people often think they are hungry when it is actually hydration their bodies are craving. Instead of reaching for something to eat, try drinking a glass of water first. Also, when we are dehydrated, it can slow down our metabolism, making it easier to put on weight.  

Now go fill up a glass of water and start drinking! I find that if I carry a water bottle with me throughout the day, I drink more water.

 

My Water Story

In August 2009, my family was in England enjoying a home exchange. My husband had just returned from a meeting in the US, and I was going to spend the last week in England with my three children, who were 14, 13, and 11.

 

I woke up one morning feeling off. I was nauseous and a bit weak. I just didn’t feel good. Well, over the next five days, I deteriorated. I went to the doctor who had no answers. Another doctor came to the house - still no answers. My husband was wondering if he needed to fly back. My mom wanted to get on a plane and help. My kids didn’t know what to do.

 

By day five, I was scared. I really couldn’t do anything. I hadn’t eaten anything. I wish I could fully explain what I was going through, but it’s hard to put into words. The best way I can describe it is that it felt like every cell in my body was dying. I felt like I was dying.

 

I was taken to the hospital, severely dehydrated. They still had no answers, but they gave me lots of IV fluids. I flew home. I needed a wheelchair to get on and off the plane. I could no longer walk. The flight home brought some of the most challenging hours of my life.

 

As soon as I was wheeled off the plane and saw my husband, I broke down crying. I screamed, “Just get me to the hospital, just get me to the hospital.” We went straight to the hospital – they loaded me with IV fluids again and ran even more tests, but no answers. We went back home for a day, and then back to the hospital, where at last, they found an answer. We finally had a diagnosis. I had contracted a parasite (cryptosporidium) from the drinking water in England. I know - who goes to England and gets a water parasite?

 

By this time, my digestive system was in bad shape, and my liver results weren’t great either. For 13 days I didn’t eat, and then for 10 days, I was on an extremely restricted diet. Not a healthy way to lose weight!

 

So often, when I am talking to someone about a challenge in their life, they say, “You can’t understand what I am going through because you haven’t walked in my shoes.” And they’re right, I probably can’t really relate, but I have walked in the shoes of someone who is suffering from a parasite. I have felt the incredible misery of this disease. I would have died of dehydration if I hadn’t had access to medical care. My kids would have watched me die.

 

It makes my heart absolutely break for the moms who watch their children die from a parasite from drinking dirty water and they can’t do anything to help them.

 

I believe God allowed me to go through this so I could share it with you. I know this because one morning, when I was lying in bed asking “WHY??”, I heard the word “inform.” I knew God wanted me to share what I had been through.

 

It is easy to take clean drinking water for granted because we can have a glass whenever we want one. All we have to do is go to the sink, turn on the faucet, and drink as much as we want. The truth is, most of the world isn’t so fortunate. The United Nations Development Program, in its annual Human Development report, states that 1.1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water. The most heartbreaking news is that 5,000 children die each day because of a lack of access to safe drinking water. That means nearly 10,000 parents watch their children die of a preventable cause.

 

I encourage you to pray and ask God if He wants you to support a water ministry. There are great ministries whose goal is to allow everyone a clean glass of water. They bring them physical water, but offer them living water too.

 

I really mean this: I am thankful I went through this experience if it moves you to action. Like I said, I have walked in their shoes and I felt their pain.

   

Inspirational Story #3: Sharon

 

Faithful Workouts was the spark that changed my life. I started doing Faithful Workouts primarily for exercise. I liked the music, loved Michelle, and found the workouts to be tough and to have a lot of variety.

 

But that little spark... that constant message about Jesus loving us and wanting us to be healthy so we can better serve him... turned into a flame! By doing Faithful Workouts several times a week, I found myself thinking about God 7 days a week, not just on Sundays. I found myself to be calmer, more patient, and peaceful with people because we're all just trying to make our way and be loved and accepted. The music that Michelle plays just saturates my heart each time I do the workouts, and I realize that I'm almost praying while exercising because I'm listening to - and sometimes singing along with - lyrics that are right out of scripture.

 

I am more fit and healthy as a result of Faithful Workouts. Not just the workouts, but the recipes and tips have helped me to make yummy but easy meals that just happen to be healthy as well. I also find myself listening to K-Love or The Message on the radio instead of news or pop music.

 

So what started as a little spark has really grown into a flame that encompasses my whole life. I'm reading the bible more now, not because I'm "supposed to" but because I'm curious! I want to learn as much as I can about the way God wants us to live and how he sent His Son as an example of that life. I hear Christian songs through Faithful Workouts, and I go look up the lyrics because I want to truly understand the message. I think about what I eat and make an educated decision - is this fuel for my body or junk for my body?

 

Michelle really has a way of simplifying things... whether it’s boiling down a message in the Bible to simple terms, making cooking easy by having limited ingredients and minimal effort, or showing simple options in the workouts, I feel anyone can just come as they are and Michelle meets them where they are… which is not easy to do over videos or TV but somehow she manages to do just that.

 

I’m grateful for Faithful Workouts and have plans to keep on going well into my 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond!

~Sharon