Strong body, strong mind? Your Choice.

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth.” (3 John 1:2)

In a nutshell, the definition of fitness, is defined as the state of being physically fit and healthy.  “Fitness” is a broad term that means something different to each person, but it refers to our own optimal health and overall well-being.  Being fit does not only mean being physical healthy, but being emotionally and mentally healthy, too.

As a fitness professional for over 30 years, I have had the awesome privilege of serving hundreds of people through group exercise classes and personal training sessions.  At first, my focus was about vanity and body image, including mine, and many of my clients’ goals of becoming fit was about weight loss for a special occasion, like a wedding, a dream vacation, a birthday, or an anniversary, so they could slip into that slinky dress or bikini and reclaim the size of their yesteryears.  Though these were the goals of my clients, I was determined to help them reach those goals, but they were worldly superficial goals that’s meaningless if you don’t know the Lord.  

Well, it wasn’t until my late 30’s—when I found Jesus—that I learned the true meaning of growing strong, and it’s spelled out in the Bible.  After my baptism, the desire to stay in fitness and serve the Lord helped me to level up and change my fitness game. I learned that being “fit and healthy” isn’t so much about protein shakes, starvation, counting reps, and sets, but it’s all about honoring God with our bodies because we are not our own—we’ve been bought with a precious price, the price of Jesus’ blood.  

The body must be kept in a healthy condition in order for the soul to be healthy, as the condition of the body affects the condition of the soul. God has given to every believer a health message that, if followed, will lead to a strong body, and a strong mind “fitting us for ministry and for heaven.”  In Genesis 1:29, you will find the original diet for mankind and animals. In Daniel 1:8-21, you’ll learn more about an abstemious diet to help aid you in building a strong body and mind.
In closing, God lead me to this ministry of health as part of my assignment to help bring about an intense awareness to the body of Christ that our bodies are not our own.  We are to glorify God in our physical bodies and not tear them down.  And remember, being fit is not an event, it’s a process as we continue to grow in Christ Jesus!

Challenge:
My charge for you is that as you strive to prosper and become more spiritual, remember to never lose sight that we have a body as well as a soul to save, and we must take care of them. As we get closer and closer to the soon return of Jesus Christ, it’s vital that we begin to strengthen both our bodies and our minds, so that we can withstand the Satan’s attacks. What will you do to build up your body and mind today?



BY Karen R. Gardner & Katie C.M. LI
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