If you are like me, you've put on a few pounds since the world went crazy. And maybe, like me, you're not okay with that. But did you know that your body, mind, and spirit have done nothing wrong? They are doing exactly what they were designed to do.
Your mind takes in the world around you. Your heart feels the uncertainty of the situation. Your spirit senses that something is wrong, horribly wrong. The people that you talk to, listen to, debate opinions on why things got this way and how we can get back to normal. Your body has heard the message loud and clear. "Things don't look good out there. Times are tough. I'd better store up some resources, pack away some reserves, save some calories for a rainy day."
Your whole being worked together in unison - body, mind, heart, and spirit - in collaboration with those around you - in order to gain this weight. This is exactly the way God designed it to work. The world may be broken, but these extra pounds you have around your middle are proof positive that you, my friend, are responding and adjusting to it as a whole person.
You were created to be whole.
So, doesn't it make sense that if you want to reverse this process, to get the weight back off, that you are going to need to convince every part of your being that these extra pounds aren't needed anymore? Your mind needs to know that everything is in God's control and He will work it all out for good. Your spirit needs to know that there is still beauty, hope, and joy to be found in the world. Your heart needs permission to love, to embrace, to be soft and tender. Your relationships need to feel safe and secure, free to trust and depend on each other. Your body needs to be convinced that the danger is over, that resources are plentiful, that you are ready to move forward again and live more freely and vibrantly.
You were created to be whole.
Your whole being has become masterful at self-preservation this last year. Maybe now it's time for change. You were not created to live your life with your body in a state of rest and your mind constantly whirling. You were not created to be surrounded by family and friends yet feel lonely and rejected. You were not created to have a broken, disjointed, disconnected and segregated life.
You were created to be whole.
Your body was created to be efficient. Your mind was created to solve problems. You were created to be together and work together with others. You were created to love God, love others and - don't miss this - to love yourself. You were created to connect with God and to live a meaningful life filled with joy, peace and purpose. You are a daughter or son of the King and you live smack dab in the middle of His kingdom. Mending brokenness, restoring wholeness - that's the mission of the Kingdom of God.
Embrace wholeness.
There is a biblical model for finding and embracing wholeness in your life. Later this month we will be holding a Wholeness Meditation & Creative Practice that will create some space for you to explore what that looks like for you.
Beginning in February we will be offering five stand-alone sessions around the topic of whole person weight loss, a program we call Wholly Yours, that will walk you through simple steps that you can take to reclaim wholeness in each dimension of your being - physical, intellectual, emotional, relational and spiritual.
Through the Meditation and Creative Practice event you will learn how to increase your awareness of your whole being. Through the Wholly Yours sessions you will learn how to take intentional, sustainable steps that will make it easier to lose weight and increase your chance of keeping it off. For more information about these upcoming events, visit our webpage at the link below.
Embrace wholeness.