Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

In the United states the leading cause of death in women and men is heart disease. God teaches us to care for our bodies, that it is a temple. Ironically most of the diseases we face are preventable including heart disease. Obesity continues to plague our communities at an unprecedented rate.

As Christians we tend to focus on our spiritual health. Many of us focus on making sure we find time to pray, to read the Bible,  to build our spiritual lives, but God also asks us to care for our physical bodies.

How can we do this? Eat healthy. It’s always interesting to watch the gyms fill up during the new year. To watch many of us making a new year’s resolution that often has to do with losing a few pounds or giving up sweets. But, because we often are operating in the flesh we tend to let go of these new year’s resolutions within weeks or a month. God doesn’t ask us to loss a few pounds, he doesn’t ask us to stop eating certain foods, instead he asks us to seek him.

If we look at God’s view of us, we will understand just how much he loves us. We will think of the importance of living along enough to fulfill our destiny knowing that this is what God wants. He wants us to be able to see our kids grow, to hold our grandkids, to share memories that supersede one generation. Knowing this means understanding that what we put in our bodies will impact the quality of life we have and the burden we place on our families.

I’ve always loved walking, in fact I used to joke that I must have gotten that love directly from Jesus because he had to walk to save souls, to heal the hurt and care for the poor. I’ve also realized that it only takes a few steps to change your life. Even when I started running I first thought, if only I can make it a few blocks, a few blocks turned to 6, 7. Eventually I started thinking of conquering entire neighborhoods. Walking may seem like the easiest form of exercise but the impact it has on someone that has never exercised is huge. It also reminds me of how simple steps will change the way you view the world.

A person that walks will always see more of God’s world than a person that doesn’t. You will meet other walkers, runners, people that you may be able to help on your Christian walk. You will have time to reflect, but most importantly you will be caring for the temple that God has given you.

We Want to Know:

How are you caring for yourself?

How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle?

What are some of the challenges you face when it comes to being healthy?