Happy Sunday!
I’m excited because today starts a new weekly series that I have been wanting to do for awhile.
I realize that this blog is called “food FAITH FITNESS” but we talk about 95% food, and not much faith or fitness. So, with the New Year I plan to bring you some more of the other 2 F’s.
Stay tuned for me fitness/health stuff, but today I want to talk a little bit about faith!
Starting today, and for all the Sunday’s going forward I’d really like to share a favorite Bible verse of the week, plus some things that God has been teaching me. Each morning while I get ready for my day, I listen to a sermon on podcast. So, on Sunday’s I plan to share a few things that I have learned from listening to them throughout the week. I may throw in some more quotes/Bible verse images as well.
So, without further ado, let’s start the Sunday reflections for the past week!
This weeks reflection is from a sermon called “Run Strong, Finish Well” from a podcast from Village Church in Surrey, BC, Canada. I used to attend this church when I lived in the land of Maple Syrup, and Pastor Mark is AMAZING. All the sermons speak to me.
Brief synopsis of the sermon:
Getting rid of all the baggage that slows us down in running the race of life for God. The pastor really challenged us to look into our lives and identify areas that may be bringing us down, without us even realizing it. For example: any “hobbies” that are no longer hobbies and have turned into all-consuming obsessions that are distracting us from living for God. Additionally, any little sins that we do that we excuse as “just our human nature” so we don’t pro-actively try to work on them. All these things can weigh us down, which prevents from running the “race” in the best form that we can.
What hit me:
It’s funny that the example of  a “hobby turned obsession” that the pastor used was fitness. I have been pretty open with you guys that I struggle with being “too healthy.” If you’ve read my about me, you’ll know that I struggled with an eating disorder, and then previously had been on diet plan, where I weighed all my food and counted all my calories. Basically, I wasn’t living.
I’m happy to say that since the last update on this, I have gone off the crazy food-weighing diet plan. However, this was only within the past few weeks. It’s been going great, but I really needed to hear the pastor use that as an example, as it was just solidifying my belief that my obsession with having “the perfect, fit body” (is there such a thing?) truly was preventing me from living the whole, healthy and HAPPY life that God wanted me to live. There have been some bumps over the past few weeks of truly learning to listen to my body and trust that it knows when it needs food, when it doesn’t and that I don’t need to eat on a super strict plan, and it was so reassuring to me to hear that what I was doing was right, no matter how scary it was at times (that’s why I picked the above verse.) I never intended for my healthy lifestyle to inhibit me from  life, and I definitely never intended for it to take away from living for God.
It’s funny that a  fitness obsession was used as the example this week. God knows exactly whatcha need to hear. 🙂
So, this week it really hit home that I can’t do what I always used to do. Go off my “plan,” get scared that I’m gonna gain 284903820429 lbs without counting calories, and then go back on…and be miserable and obsess about eating the perfect amount. The past few weeks, I’ve been able to focus more on my sermons, more on Mr. FFF and less on eating/calories/when I am going to eat and it has been AWESOME and so freeing.
Of course I still appreciate any prayers as I go through all this. 🙂
That’s it for the week. Until next Sunday!
Has God been teaching you anything this week?
Bridget McGahen says
Well that’s certainly something to chew on! I count macros and live a very fit/active lifestyle, but that doesn’t stop me from spending time meditating on God’s word. I don’t think its necessarily bad to have hobbies (and I don’t think you’re saying that it is), I think it’s the intention behind them and the preoccupation. Because people can elevate anything above God– fitness, image, material things, their job, their quest for the perfect husband, their kids, etc.
The primary thing is to keep God exalted in our lives as he should be, and to be a light to the world as we’re practicing our hobbies.
That means me not grimacing at the guy hogging the squat rack, but rather softening my heart and being kind to gym strangers.
This is a great, thoughtful post. Lots of things to think about!
Taylor Kiser says
Totally not bad to have hobbies at all! We can’t spend 24/7 praying and reading the Bible. But, you’re totally right with the intention and preoccupation with them!
I totally struggle with the squat rack hogging guy though 😉 Things to work on!
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts Bridget!!
Stacey @ Bake.Eat.Repeat. says
It’s always so amazing to me how you can hear a sermon and it’s like it was written specifically for you. That happens so often and it’s just incredible how God can speak directly to you through other people. Glad that you’re finding things easier lately, sending prayers your way that it continues to go well!
Taylor Kiser says
Right! Crazy how that happens, and so so great! Thanks for the sweet words and prayers friend!