WEEK 1

EMBRACE GOD'S PURPOSE, DESIRE, AND DESIGN

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

EPHESIANS 3:20

Early in my fitness career, Karen, a more seasoned female trainer, told me that my body had great symmetry. She had quite the following among our clients, so I respected her opinion. Karen suggested that, with a little bit of effort and training, I could be a strong competitor in fitness shows. I was so hungry for meaning, validation, and approval that her words "You could be a real contender" were enough to make me look into what it would take to bring home a trophy from a competition.

For the next four months, I lost myself in the gym and spent hours in grocery stores looking for food to support my new goal of becoming a fitness champion. I read all the bodybuilding magazines and watched numerous fitness competition videos. I even enrolled in a beginners' gymnastics class filled with eight-year-olds so I could learn to do a back handspring — a necessary skill in the routine of any top-placing contestant. (Confession: I never learned how to do one. There's something about flipping backward that my twenty-one-year-old mind could not fearlessly approach. I even prayed that God would help me learn so I could place higher in all my shows, and then, of course, I would give Him some credit. God knew better.)

The final week before my first fitness show was sheer torture. I had to cut out carbs (the primary fuel for all the body's systems), eliminate salt, and continue trying to "cut" (or define) my muscles without destroying them. I felt as if I had the flu and wanted to punch everybody who crossed my path. I was miserable, hangry (hungry + angry), and irritable. It turns out that your body gets cranky when you aren't kind to it.

The night of the show, I couldn't have been more ready! With my skin painted the color of mahogany, oiled up to show the highs and lows of all my "cuts," clothed in my five-hundred-dollar purple competition bikini and Lucite heels, and with the number 15 on my hip, I walked onstage. I flexed. I did my quarter turns. Then I performed my three-minute, high-energy fitness routine (sans back handspring). A little later I came back onstage to hear the results. I was awarded third place. Although I had placed the first time I'd competed in a high-caliber fitness show, I didn't swoon and celebrate my accomplishment. I was focused on one thing: Get me food! As I walked offstage, I saw a disturbing vision that is forever burned into my brain. A fellow competitor who didn't place had walked off the stage before me. With a light sweat still glowing on her skin, she was kneeling in her blue bikini and heels before an Igloo cooler, shoving food into her mouth with animalistic fervor.

In that one quick moment, I was scared. It was as if I saw a neon warning sign over her head, flashing, shouting into my soul, "Caution! Danger ahead!" I wasn't walking with Jesus then, but I am confident He was walking with me. God was saving me — directing me from something that could have become self-destructive, not to mention obsessively time-consuming.

For me, fitness competing was playing with fire. God seemed to be telling me that if I made this my life purpose, I would not become the woman I was searching to be. Though I thought I could find purpose and validation by increasing my physical power and sculpting my physique, God, in His sweet wisdom and kindness, wanted to keep my heart from bondage and destruction. Even before I was faithful to Him, He was faithful to me.

GOD'S PURPOSE — HIS STRENGTH!

Though Karen's words had made me think I could find purpose by honing and showing off my own physical power, God had a better plan. In Exodus 9:16, He says, "I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

God desires to show us His power and ability. We are to do all things in His power and in His way, not in our own. This includes weight loss and health gains.

His power strengthens us. What a relief! This means we are not on our own. Since His purpose is to show us His power and strengthen us through that power, we do not navigate our own course. To those who don't know God, this sounds like foolish talk. After all, we have a hard time relinquishing control. We grew up thinking that our goal in life was to become self-sufficient, productive members of society. We were taught that everything in our lives was based on our own accomplishments and life choices. We may have earned good grades, gone to college, graduated at the top of our classes, found good jobs, and lived morally upright lives, but still we wonder if it's enough.

As we embark on a journey to better health, it's tempting to tell ourselves that we just need to suck it up and be more disciplined, that weight loss and healthy habits are things we just need to "do." Before we begin beating ourselves up, though, let's ask, Is it possible that our choices, good or bad, could be a small part of a bigger plan that God can use for our ultimate good? Maybe these weight-loss, health, and body concerns are issues God can use to get our attention and gain our affection.

Desperation and disgust are powerful motivators for change, but they do not lead to lasting results and increasing joy. We ask for six-pack abs instead of a beer belly, when what we really long for is love. We ask for less jiggle when we walk, when what we really want is belonging without the fear of rejection. We agree to work harder, whether at our jobs or at the gym, when what we really hope is that our lives will have more meaning.

We were made for more.

For The Wellness Revelation to really transform our lives, we must soften our hearts. We need to remember our stories: where we come from and what God has already done for us. He has guided us every step of the way, planting and growing in us His purpose, His power, and His strength. God wants to remove the burden we carry when we think that everything hinges on our might and that the "win, lose, or tie" is all within our control. It is just not true. God desires to be our strength in all things.

God's power is made perfect in our weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). For His strength to change us as we work through this program, we must surrender all of ourselves to Him. We must lay it all down with a humble heart.

HIS DESIRE — HOLY AND WHOLE

Once we've surrendered ourselves to God's strength and power, we organically develop a thirst to maintain unbroken fellowship with Him. Because outside forces will try to pull us away from His ways, we will always be in need of His sovereign and loving hand to guide our desires. Until people wanting to lose weight or live healthier lives understand this, they will continue to keep the weight-loss craze in business. Another book, infomercial, or unused treadmill (that will undoubtedly be used as a clothesline) will find its way into their homes and onto their credit cards.

How do we know whether we are desiring what God wants for us? Through His Word, He tells us what He created us to be.

First, God desires us to be holy (see 1 Peter 1:16). The Hebrew word for "holy" is qadowsh, meaning "set apart." The Greek word for "holy" is hagios, meaning "set apart from common use and dedicated to God." Sounds kind of snobby, huh? But being holy does not mean assuming that we are better than everyone else and should put on plastic bodysuits to keep ourselves from being soiled by others who just don't get it. What it does mean is that we "set ourselves apart" from what the world says is right and acceptable in order to follow God's will. He asks us to be holy (which involves doing things differently from others) for our own well-being, protection, and health so that we might protect, care for, and love others, glorifying God in all of it. Once we are called by God, we move from belonging to this world to belonging to the Kingdom where things are done very differently.

The Bible gives us all the direction we need to know how to act and live according to God's will, whether we are facing opposition, confusion, adversity, or celebration.

Scripture calls the process of moving toward holiness "sanctification." The pain that we go through, sometimes repeatedly, enables God to show us a doorway through our suffering. God meets us where we are, taking us by the hand and leading us through the fire. His purpose is always that we come out on the other side knowing the depth of His power and love. When we give ourselves to God, we will be sanctified (or set apart) from the ways of the world. Holiness (going a different way) is a by-product of our sanctification (letting God take us the better way). We begin to reflect a life like the one Christ lived — a holy and whole life. Christ in mind. Christ in heart. Christ in soul. Christ in strength. When we are holy, then we are whole.

God also desires wholeness for us. The dictionary defines whole as "containing all the elements properly belonging; complete ... not broken, damaged, or impaired; intact ... uninjured or unharmed." Is that even possible? We all come broken, not whole, into this pursuit of better health. Our minds don't often reflect our desire to love God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength. In fact, this brokenness is what drives health and fitness trends. Humanity is seduced into desiring the perfect body (which, by the way, does not exist) so that we may reflect the image of perfection. Yet the one true image of perfection is found only in God. We were made in His image, and He is perfection. He lacks nothing. He contains all the parts and is not broken, damaged, or impaired. Through Him, our wholeness can be restored.

For the next eight weeks, we will be learning about and coming back to God's desire for us to be holy and whole. They exist together. The more we commit to God's way (holiness), the more whole we will become. This program is an opportunity to be put back together again by the One who made us and who knows where all the pieces go. He is the best psychologist, friend, personal trainer, life coach, and nutritionist we could ever have. God desires to come intimately near to us so He can reconstruct us to look more like Him. After all, this was His original plan: "Then God said, 'Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us'" (Genesis 1:26, nlt).

HIS DESIGN

If you question your value, remember this: You are God's design. In Jeremiah 1:5 He says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." He personally formed you — every follicle of hair on your head, every cell of skin, and every unique quality that makes you you.

After preparing a world just for us, He "breathed" us into existence on the sixth day of creation. We are etched with the fingerprints of an awesome God! We are composed of intricate details that science has yet to figure out.

When I was in college, I loved taking art history classes. I was inspired by eye-pleasing art and was fascinated to learn the what, when, why, and how of each artist and his or her creation. I also discovered that understanding the artists themselves and knowing their experiences at the time they created a masterpiece led to a deeper appreciation for the designers and their work.

On a more personal level, you may have children in your life who've given you lopsided bowls from ceramics class, paper-cup ornaments for the Christmas tree, and macaroni bracelets and necklaces. When a child presents you with these creations, you wouldn't dare take them and throw them in the trash. They are beautiful in your eyes, and even more so in your kids' eyes, as they are the creators.

God is the ultimate Creator, and since He is never changing, we can discover in His Word more of what He might have been thinking as He designed us and breathed life into us. Have you ever heard the saying "How you care for the creation is a reflection of how you feel about the Creator"? Think about that. You matter to God. The whole you. That is why the way you take care of yourself — His creation — matters.

Currently, we face a growing epidemic in the United States (as well as globally). As of 2014, 70 percent of Americans were overweight, and this number keeps growing. At the other end of the spectrum, some people engage in extreme bodybuilding (as I did) or have been trapped by eating disorders. Either way, too many of us are putting a lot of stress and strain on His design. From inside out and top to bottom, we alter ourselves physically, which in turn affects us mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. We are no longer true reflections of His creation. We are not free to live and love as God originally designed us to. Let's get back to who we were created to be. You are His one-of-a-kind masterpiece. No other you has ever existed or will ever exist again. It's time to care for His creation — His design.

RESPOND

With All Your Heart

Be sure to access the Wellness Revelation Workout Calendar on page 240. This week you and I are going to meet via video, and together we will figure out where you are physically, in terms of muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, and cardiovascular ability. In a spirit of courage and kindness, we will find a starting point for your journey ahead. Don't worry or run away in fear! Tape measures and scales are not necessary. This will be fun — I promise!

MAKE A COVENANT

When you purchase a car, you sign a contract that solidifies your commitment to uphold your end of the deal by paying for the car. When you become a home owner, you sign a document in which you pledge to make your monthly payments. And when you commit yourself to another person in marriage, you sign a certificate that legally binds you to each other. Anytime two parties come into agreement concerning something of great worth, a formal contract or covenant is involved.

Covenant = "a mutual consent or agreement of two or more persons, to do or to forbear some act or thing; a contract; stipulation"

Covenant (with theological implications) = "an agreement which brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people"

We were created by God for God, and each one of us belongs to Him. God purchased us back from the powers of sin and darkness through the blood of Jesus on the cross. As believers in Christ, we are now in a covenant, a love contract for life, with God Himself. Since we also desire to improve our well-being, something of great worth, let's get bold and make an agreement with God. Let's agree to let Him be God, and we will be His people.

On page 13, you will read and sign your covenant. I would ask that you find some quiet time to reflect, pray, and make this a moment when you put a stake in the ground. Place a spiritual marker in your life so you can look back and say, "That was when God did ______." Please sign the covenant and refer to it daily. May it remind you how faithful God is in carrying out His promises to you when you give Him your best yes.

YOUR ACTION PLAN

Most likely you have done some fitness goal planning in the past. This time I want you to make your plan by answering the following questions thoughtfully and intentionally. Be specific. (One-liners won't do.)

Please list your motivation(s) for choosing to complete The Wellness Revelation and the reasons you want to make a positive change in and for your health.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how motivated and willing are you to change? _____

What obstacles have kept you from making positive health changes in the past?

What are you willing to do in order to remove these obstacles?

List your top three physical health goals.

1. Example: Reduce bloody pressure so my doctor discontinues medication

1. ____________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________________

List your top three spiritual health goals.

Example: Grown kindness toward myseifanid others

1. ____________________________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________________________________

What are you hoping to learn from this experience?

THE MOVING FORWARD JOURNAL

You will begin keeping a food log this week (starting Monday), which is a key part of the Moving Forward Journal. You can photocopy the template on page 239 or download a copy of the journal at www.revelationwellness.org/book/workout.

I was inspired to name this journal Moving Forward by Exodus 14:15. After finally letting the enslaved Israelites go, the Egyptians had second thoughts and began chasing them down. As they approached the Red Sea, the Israelites feared for their lives. They cried out to Moses and to God. Moses replied, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm" (Exodus 14:13).