Balanced Growth - Guest Blog by Adelee Russell

Once upon a time I lost 75 pounds. (That's right. Seventy-five).

I tried to lose weight on my own for YEARS prior to that for all the wrong reasons (i.e. so I could finally be one of the skinny girls. I hated my body). 

Every time I tried I failed. Until one day I stumbled across an article in a magazine for teen girls called "Brio" that emphasized the importance of combining your spiritual, physical, and emotional fitness--with your spiritual walk leading them all. 

It never occurred to me to invite God into the weight loss process (other than the occasional "please make me skinny" prayer). 

So I did. But first I had to come to a point of surrender. And by the grace of God, I was actually able to tell Him sincerely, "God, if you want me to lose weight, please help me. I can't do it on my own... but if You" (and here was the hard part) "want me to stay this way please make me content with my body just how I am."

It took So. Much. Freaking. Surrender to say that last part. To realize and acknowledge the fact that God loved me just as I was. And if He wanted me to lose weight it would be because He wanted me to be physically healthy for reasons He knew. But not because He didn't love me how I was or that He just wanted me to be skinny.

After that turning point, I decided to spend time with God before every workout. I'd read the Bible or a devotional, or pray, and then I'd work out for 20 minutes or so. 

Small steps led to a radical 75-pound change. And my life was transformed spiritually, emotionally, and physically. 

Skinny was no longer my goal. Healthy. Active. Strong (in ALL THREE categories) was my aim. 

Fast forward about ten years later and I've gained a lot of weight back. 

Yes, I realize God loves me just as much at my current size as He did after my initial weight loss. But my lifestyle has changed. And I don't like it. And it has bled into other areas of my life, including my spiritual walk. 

I listened to a podcast tonight (something I used to do while I worked out, so I could train myself mentally and spiritually at the same time), and the speaker, Lina Abujamra, said that the four most dangerous words in a Christian's life are "followed at a distance."

She was referencing Peter in the book of Luke where, unlike John who stood by the cross as Jesus died, Peter followed behind at a distance, watching everything happen to Jesus. And he ended up denying Him and running away. He gave up, and he went back to his old life. His old job. His old way of living. 

For those of us who know the story, we know Peter finds redemption in the end through the love of Christ offered to him.❤

The same is true for us if we accept it. But the overall point of the message was this: the less we focus on God, the more distracted we will get and the more likely we will be to lag, or in some cases backslide, spiritually. 

My weight will probably ebb and flow throughout the seasons of life. But right now God is using it as a wake-up call to remind me of something even more important that I don't want to let slip: my relationship with Him.❤

He's given me a great gift. My body works (most of the time) in the ways it should. But getting healthy would help it work a lot better, and enable me to use the gift He's given me to its fullest potential.

There's also this thing called discipline. And if I don't cultivate it in one area, chances are I won't in a LOT of areas. 

It starts with my physical life... then it seeps into my spiritual life... which becomes revealed (some times in really catastrophic ways) in my emotional life.

I feel like I'm waking up after a really long sleep. But the passion is coming back. The fervency to know God on deeper and deeper levels is coming back. 

The motivation to take care of my body so I can be energized enough to walk with God like I long to do is returning. The desire to be able to spend time with Him without falling asleep or getting super distracted or just plain lazy. 

Thanks to a dear sister in Christ who has offered free health coaching, God has given me some encouragement and support in this area.❤ It's awesome to see the body of Christ helping each other.❤ 

The first time I went through this journey I did it by myself (and God of course). And I honestly, I think I needed to have that journey.

This time He's brought community into it. Which is beautiful and encouraging. ❤ 

So here I am. About a week into it and already I'm sleeping better, therefore I am more "present" in the day and more able to focus. I can't wait to see the changes God will bring as I walk each step with Him.❤

Adelee Russell is a freelance writer from Brownsburg, Indiana. When she’s not writing you can find her exploring old bookstores and hanging out at coffee shops. To read more you can check out her blog at www.rewritten27.wordpress.com.