During the past few years my life has involved being a wife, the mom of two amazing daughters, doing ministry, working full-time, being a friend and being director of an NPO. God has urged me to take better care of myself through scriptures like 3 John 1:2 (NIV): Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
In the last two months I have lost two close friends, one to cancer and the other because of depression, and that made me stop and realise that God gave us His Word that can never fail. All things can fail but the Word of God can never fail. You can argue against the Word of God, but the Word of God is still going to be correct, and you are going to be wrong. The Gospel is simple for everyone to understand, whether you are educated or not. In the word of God, God gave us keys to help us to live a balanced life, in our bodies, spirits and souls.
What I have learned is to PRIORITISE what is in important in life, and on each specific day. To focus on this, I got a big whiteboard and started to write down all the important dates for our family, so that everyone in the house could see the things that needed to be done and their order of priority. Each day I took 10 to 15 minutes to plan and to prioritise, and that saved me a lot of time and energy in the long run.
EXERCISE is important: to be honest, I don’t love exercise so much, it’s a struggle to get up early in the morning or to go and gym after a long day at work, but the thing is you truly feel so much better if you can get some exercise in, and it is good for your body. One of the best things you can do for your health is to simply MOVE your body, your blood needs to circulate through your organs.
Try eating HEALTHY FOOD. In these modern times, and at the pace people want things to be done, it is easy just to pick up a takeaway meal at a local shop. In the last few years, I have tried to eat at least 2 portions of fruit per day, and vegetables with my main meals. I love my coffee but try not to drink too much of it. Try drinking more water – your body needs to be hydrated and that can make a big difference in your life.
Allocate some time during the month to REST; try going away one weekend a month just to sleep; spend quality time with your family, and just sitting at the feet of Jesus Christ. Your strength lies in your intimacy with Jesus Christ. Set time alone with God so that His Holy Spirit can refill you. Get to do what you and your family love doing. We as a family love horse- riding on the beach, and each time we do that God just restores our souls and starts speaking to us about what He has in store for us next. God is always on the move, and He has new seasons for you. God knows the plans He has for you, and His plans are for you to prosper, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Put your cares upon His shoulders. God can turn your mourning into dancing again and weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
LAUGH a lot, you look so much prettier, and there is proof that your brain excretes special hormones when you laugh and speak positively about yourself. Start seeing the glass half-full instead of half- empty. Smile on purpose when you go to the shopping mall, you will see that you will put a smile on other faces as well. Sit in the sun for 10 minutes and start thanking God for what He has already done in your life, when giving thanks – hope arises and the vitamin D that the sunlight supplies is good for you.
TESTIFY. Tell people about JESUS CHRIST, how God has helped you in the past , or share a scripture – The Word of God brings true hope and it brings light to a situation. In Matthew 5:14-16 ESV: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”. You will see that when you start testifying to God’s goodness and faithfulness, something happens that changes your mindset and faith rises in your heart, and new hope begins to come alive.
When problems come, start speaking LIFE to the problems. In the story about of David and Goliath, David did not have to know how big Goliath was – No, David told Goliath how BIG his God was.
Most of us are not perfect when trying to live a balanced life, but we can all surely aim for that, one day at a time. Choose today to get this balance right!!
I am leaving you with Psalm 23 in The Message Translation:
“God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life”.