This is not a transformation photo, or a progress photo, or a before and after photo. Read until the end and you'll see where this picture ties in. :)
What do you think of when you hear the word, "health"?
I admit- I'm a word nerd and love to look up words in the dictionary, but usually when I do that, it's because I want to get a deeper understanding of something. I might think I know what it means, but when I read the actual definition, it helps me gain clarity.
When you look up the word, "health", you'll see two definitions- the first one, "the state of being free from illness or injury, " and the second, "a person's mental or physical condition".
God created us in His image (Genesis 1:27). He is a three-part being, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit- namely Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. We are also a three-part being- we are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body. In the two definitions of health that we just read, two of the three parts of us as humans are mentioned: physical and mental, which is the body and the soul, (or the mind).
It is foundational teaching for us to know how we were created by God before we can begin to think about what comes next.
When I looked up the word, "growth" in the Bible, I found 25 verses where the Holy Spirit inspired the Bible authors to write about growth. As a mom, if I have to repeat something to my daughter even just two times, it's because it's really important and I need her to hear me and listen. Likewise, if the Holy Spirit says something even one time, it's definitely worth our time.
Growth in the Bible is not just a repeat. There's simply no getting around the very truth that God commands growth- He does not suggest it, He commands it.
Hebrews 6:1 talks about growing spiritually, "So let's press on to maturity, by moving on from the basics about Christ's word. Let's not lay a foundation of turning away from dead works, of faith in God..."
There are many other "growth" scriptures in the Bible that we won't go into here, but it's very evident that God is not only for growth but that it's His will for all believers.
After establishing the truth that growth is God's will, the next question we naturally ask is, why? Why do believers need to grow spiritually, mentally, and physically?
In Colossians 1:9-12, we find the answer to that question, "...We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,
so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light."
Two truths we can glean from these scriptures: Growth pleases God and growth builds endurance and patience. Especially as moms, we can agree that patience is needed in raising kids! Growing spiritually, mentally, and physically produces patience, because growth isn't without pain.
Patience is the one characteristic of the fruit of the spirit that cannot come without a trial. We simply cannot develop patience without going through some kind of situation that produces it within us. I'd say parenting is one of these. :)
Growth is absolutely essential to living a full life that God has called us to live. Think about the people you admire, the people you look up to- maybe they are believers and maybe not, but they have all grown in some way to get where they are.
How awesome is it for believers to embellish this truth from God's Word that we are to grow up! And, it doesn't have to be complicated or overwhelming.
As a busy mom, business owner, and the other many hats I wear on a daily basis, it makes me thankful that I have tools in my toolbelt to pursue growth every day.
This is where the photo at the top of this post comes in. On the left, I had no physical fitness routine, I wasn't reading my Bible consistently or praying more than a nightly prayer, and I didn't even know what the term, "personal development" was.
Looking back on the definition of health that we started with, I was the opposite of that: unhealthy.
The Lord spoke to me in such a clear voice back in 2010 or 2011 saying these words, "Cara, how can you do all that I've called you to do if you're unhealthy?" He asked me a question. It's the one time I can pinpoint almost like an audible voice inside me that wasn't me!
It was a great question. And, it made me really start thinking.
Friend, the truth is, I wouldn't be able to do any of the things I do today very well without the growth I've pursued the past 7 years. My daily "growth plan" is extremely simple. In fact, someone may look at it from the outside and wonder how what I'm doing every day will add up, but it does.
If you're a busy mom, and you know that you need to start pursuing growing wholly (physically, mentally, and spiritually) then I invite you to spend 5 days with me inside a private group where I will be teaching all about growth and how simple it can be in your everyday life. While it doesn't take a lot of time each day, the impact you'll see will be great.
Take the Whole Mama Challenge. Let's do this together! We start Monday, January 30th.
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