This one thing...

I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.
Nehemiah 6:3

The sermon at church on Sunday was called This One Thing. I cannot express how fantastic it was to sit in service and hear this sermon preached. It was real, y'all. It spoke to me and I hope it spoke to so many others sitting in that service.

This one thing. There's always this one thing. Something that needs to be changed or worked on. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Not just on Sunday and not just this week. I've been thinking about it for a few months, maybe even years.

I want to be healthy. This is my year. You know why? Because "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down." I will not come down when someone tempts me with unhealthy choices. I will not come down when my mind and my will are weak. I will not come down when I feel like giving up. I will not come down because I am doing a great work!

My body is a temple. I'll admit to not always liking my body, but you know what? God does. He gave it to me and He loves me. When I think about God as the great Artist, I can't help but think how we are his beautiful pieces of art, His creation. Just like art, we all have our own opinions. Some may like it and some may not. But God, the Creator, loves each of His creations. We are all unique and we are all His.

So my commitment to God and to myself? I choose to be healthy. My goal is to make good choices with my time, my energy, and my food.

This isn't just some willy nilly new year's resolution. This is real. This is my life and if I don't do something about it, no one will. I am responsible for me and I know this will make God proud.

I'm not saying I'm going to lose 50 pounds (though I'd like to) and I'm not saying that I'll run any marathons (though I would like to attempt a half) and I don't want to become so engrossed in reaching this goal that I ultimately undo it. I want to be healthy in all areas - that means balancing my time, giving my children and husband the "me" they deserve, and serving God through all areas - including my body. I wrote recently about serving God in a more wholistic way. And I guess what I mean by that is serving God wholly - whole-heartedly, with reckless abandon, in all areas and focuses of my life.

"I am doing a great work and I cannot come down."
This has become somewhat of a mantra for me.
I say it to myself over and over.
I have to remind myself what I'm doing, what my endgame is.
I say it when I don't want to get on the treadmill.
I say it when I don't want to play outside with my kids.
I say it when I really want that piece of chocolate cake sitting in the other room.
I say it when I would rather be reading a book than spending some quality time with my husband.
I've said it to myself about 300 times this week already! And it's worked for me.
It helps remind me of what I am doing.
And Who I'm doing it for.