Let's jump in! Today's topic: Exercise
Has a healthcare professional suggested that you exercise to build or rebuild your strength? Is your scale confirming that you need to sit less and move more?
Today's topic is exercise! There are lots of reasons why Christian women struggle with exercise. Which ones resonate with you?
- We're so busy taking care of everyone and everything, so it seems like there’s no time to workout or we’re too tired.
- Perhaps you were raised to believe that exercise was “worldly” and good Christian women didn’t need to be caught up in what the world is doing.
- Have you been discouraged by the unrealistic expectations for women's bodies to look a certain way, so you gave up on exercise altogether?
- For many of us, all the sweating and exertion is uncomfortable, so we skip it.
I know many of you dread this conversation, so I'm writing today with compassion, candor, and practical help. I want more for you - and God does, too! Here’s the big idea that I want to convey in today’s Happy Monday devotion: Moving our body for is for our good and prepares us to be used for God's glory.
While we don't read about pilates or pickleball in the New Testament, various authors use athletic imagery on many occasions:
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. -Hebrews 12:2 NLT
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. -Philippians 3:14 NLT
In ancient times, athletes trained for races and events. As the scriptural authors wrote about these contests and used words like endurance and perseverance, those words paint a picture of someone who must be prepared or else they won't make it to the end. While there's spiritual application, there's a physical layer as well. Some of the endurance we need to do the work that God has called for us to do requires that bodies be able to withstand the physical toll. Unfortunately, some of us are on the sidelines because our bodies need to get stronger first.
THE PROBLEM BEHIND THE PROBLEM
Here’s what I think: We've been turned off by how the culture has worshipped tiny waists, tight abs, and youth - and rightly so. However, in our full-force rejection of anything related to body image, we’ve neglected God’s common sense wisdom for why exercise is important. We've forgotten that:
- Moving our bodies improves blood flow, which improves healthy digestion and better sleep. Some of us are a nightly walk away from better sleep!
- God created our bodies to release feel-good hormones when we exercise, which naturally lift our mood. This can help with anxiety.
- There’s research suggesting that the bilateral motion involved with walking can help repair trauma in our brain and body.
WHY I WALK…
I began walking for stress relief over fifteen years ago while living with an alcohol-addicted spouse. Most of my walks began with angry or anxious tears streaming down my face. However, an hour later, that movement regulated my body. I'd listen to worship music to refocus my mind. I felt the endorphins that came from moving my body, so I felt uplifted and less hopeless. God also used walking not only to help me keep my mouth shut so I wouldn’t say things I’d regret. I kept walking for the next few years during that stressful situation until I discerned God’s leading to make needed changes.
Now, at 54 years old, I remain committed to moving my body each day. I tend to walk after work to help drain the stress of the day from my bodies and to take deep breathes to refill my body with oxygen. This helps me sleep well, too! I also use hand weights and calisthenics, like jumping jacks and squats to keep my muscles and joints strong. All of these movements work together to strengthen my body so that I have the energy and stamina to travel, speak, and serve all of you.
DON’T GIVE UP ON YOUR BODY
Even if you feel like it’s too late or you’re hopeless out of shape, don’t give up on your body! If you're not dead, then God's not done with using you to make a difference!
I love dreaming of seeing all of us with our heads high, shoulders back, and voices strong yelling, Here am I God, send me! May today's devotion be a reminder that God still has adventure and purpose waiting for you, so never stop praying for ways for Him to use you and then get prepared!
Also, our physical selves will return to dust when we die, but God doesn’t give up on our bodies. He will resurrect our imperfect bodies, just as He resurrected Jesus’ broken body. Even though Jesus’ body was beaten and scarred, God redeemed it, even though God left the scars. This shows us that our bodies tell the story of our faith just like our mouths speak our faith, too.
WHERE TO START?
Do you need to start or restart moving your body? Today's a good day to start:
- Start slow - Of course, check with your healthcare provider if you haven't moved in awhile. Please do not try to work out for an hour to start. Start small and slow, like a walk or 1lb pound weights! Check out Grow with Jo on YouTube for simple exercises.
- Walk with friend(s) - A good place to start is mimicking what Jesus did: He walked with friends. You have many options! You can walk with a friend or call each other and talk while you walk in your respective places. There are also walking discipleship groups where women choose a verse or Bible story to discuss while walking for 30 minutes.
- Step Tracker - Most of us overestimate how much we're walking each day. Accountability is important, so I suggest using step trackers. My step tracker is my watch (because it tracks sleep, too!), but if you don’t want to buy a watch, here’s a simple, low-cost step tracker you can clip to your shirt or pocket to make sure you're actually moving your body.
- Don't worry about what everyone else is doing! We all have different capacities. I'm giving you permission to give yourself what you need and not worry about what others will say.
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Did you sense any helpful a-ha moments or sense God prompting you? What next steps were confirmed as you read or are there any changes that you need to make? Comment and tell me more!
Read the Entire Series: Taking Care of You
Week One: Morning Enemy #1
Week Two: God, I'd Rather Be Sleeping!
