Fitness and Faith

I discovered Morgan Farr when a friend asked me to read her website. She is a young voice with passion for truth, bringing a biblical spin to so many things. In this Health UPGRADE, she connects health to ministry.

"What if the temple walls were crumbling," Morgan asks. "Would you repair them?

I (Dawn) know where's she's going with this. It's simple-but-profound truth.

Morgan continues ...

Imagine a temple of the Lord that has fallen in to disrepair. You would want to clean it up, get things working and in a way that welcomes people in to your ministry.

Did you know the exact same thing applies to our bodies? 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.”

How awesome is our God? He calls us to ministry and He gives us this awesome body to accomplish His glory.

Your body is your temple; it is your responsibility to keep it in good repair. So let me ask you: How is your temple? Are you satisfied with it? 

I am not talking about what it looks like; I am talking about what you can do with it. Can you do everything that you need and want to do? If not let me encourage you, health and fitness are vital to having a successful ministry! You have to take care of your body to use it for God’s glory. After all, it is His body, not yours. 

So here is my list to help you UPGRADE your ministry by taking care of your temple.

1) Pray about it!

The hardest part about getting healthy and fit is having the discipline to stay motivated and focused. Ask God to help you stay on track and to manage your time well. My favorite verse to pray for discipline is 2 Timothy 1:7 which says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

2) Eat Right!

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

I will tell you a secret, fitness is achieved 60% in the kitchen and 40% in the gym. There are a ton of healthy recipes on the internet that you can access for free! My number one advice; cut out sugary drinks and replace them with water. Instead of chips for a snack, try some cut up veggies. Meals don’t have to be super complicated or expensive to be healthy.

3) Get Moving!

Your body is a gift from God; use it. No matter where you are in the fitness spectrum, you can start today. No access to a gym? No problem.  Get up and take a walk. Play with your kids in the back yard. Put canned food into shopping bags and lift them. Got young kids? Try doing squats while holding them. It is exercise for you and they will have a blast “helping mommy.”

You can absolutely do this! Remember what it says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”  

It isn’t enough to just read your Bible and do studies. We are called to stand out, to be different.

John F. Kennedy said:

“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.”

We owe it to ourselves and to our Creator to take care of the temples he has given us and use them for His glorification.

What steps can you take today to start taking care of your temple?

Morgan Farr is an Army wife currently stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas with her wonderful husband Brian. She is a homemaker that dedicates her free time to ministering to other Army wives through Bible studies, one-on-one interactions and physical training. Morgan writes about her transition out of feminism and into biblical womanhood on her blog.

Graphic of Temple: WikimediaCommons, Italy Modena Jewish Temple