10 Steps to Destiny- #6 Stay Healthy
It is such a pleasure to, once again, reach out to you and share yet another step to destiny. I am particularly excited about this one, "Stay Healthy," because in order for us to receive any blessing from God, it will inevitably come through our physical body. To that end, it is imperative that we stay healthy.
God wants His people to be healthy in every aspect of life. This is what He means in 3 John 2, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." What many people fail to realize is that prosperity is not exclusive to money; it further covers our relationships, our businesses, our professions, our families and our spiritual lives. But note that the second part of that clause says, "...and be in health." This suggests that the prosperity and the good health go hand in hand. What a shame it would be if we do all that we can to achieve an optimal life, but lack excellent health! Would we be able to totally enjoy the benefit of the blessings that God has in store for us? Absolutely not!
The Word of God has already told us that our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 6:19). And one of the many things that God has made His children stewards of is our bodies. This means that He is trusting us to take care of our bodies. He is trusting us to treat our bodies as if they are really important. Allow me to share a few practical steps that will help you to do just that. Please note that there is nothing formally scientific about these steps. They are tried and tested methods that have proven beneficial in my life:
(1) Eat healthy - Now, I know for many, doing this is much easier said than done. Most fast food menus offer very little traditional value. But those who have super busy schedules (dropping kids off to their various engagements, keeping your own appointments, caring for aging parents, etc.) may be particularly challenged in that area. My suggestion is to try and prepare your meals at home as much as possible. Stay away from processed foods and search online for resources that will identify foods as "God's foods."
(2) Exercise - There is more availability of resources for exercise today than ever. You may choose to walk, run, work out to fitness DVDs, join a group, ride a bike, use a treadmill or even hire a personal trainer. Identify a regimen that works well for you and stick to it. A suggested minimum amount is 30 minutes a day.
(3) Drink Water - Water is a very essential element for attaining optimal health. It flushes our kidneys and washes away other impurities. It is interesting to note that there are a number of varieties of water available today. Choose the one that is best for you.
(4) Get Rest - I am from the old school and still believe that a minimum of eight hours of sleep is necessary to be considered a good night's rest. The reality of it, though, is that this is quite a challenge for many. My suggestion is that if you cannot get a full eight hours in, try to at least take a nap during the day. I have been amazed at the burst of energy that can come after a 30-minute power nap.
(5) Avoid Stress - Like eating healthy, this step is a lot easier said than done. My philosophy is this: Stress brings on sickness. Sickness brings on disease. Disease will inevitably kill you if you let it. Why put yourself through that? Avoiding stress may mean that you will have to release some people from your life, remove yourself from some activities, or make other major changes. Pray about it and ask God to give you the strength to do what you need to do.
Remember, God wants each of us to take care of our body while we are here on earth. If we are still alive, that means that we have not yet made our transition into glory. This further means that we do not yet have our new, glorified bodies. Therefore, precious people of God, I encourage you to do all you can to stay healthy.
Pushing You Towards Destiny, I am
Pastor Alonia Jernigan