Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so
easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before
us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat
down at the right hand of the throne of God.
—Hebrews 12:1-2
Getting started is the hardest part. Even beginning
this post is difficult. But I know I have to write it.
How did I get there? How had I unraveled years of
hard work—years of living a healthy lifestyle, eating right and exercising?
Ever since high school I carried a few extra pounds,
but it wasn’t till I turned 40 that I decided to do something to shed the extra
weight. I signed up for Weight Watchers and within eight months dropped close
to 50 pounds. I felt like a new person—or more like the real me had finally emerged, finally been set free. Free to wear shorts, free to be comfortable in
a bathing suit—free to be comfortable in my own skin. I vowed never to go back
to that old place.
But—and there’s always a “but” in every story,
right? Within ten years 20 pounds found their way back to me. As I conversed
with friends, I discovered I was not alone. They too struggled with their
weight. They too needed to do something. We all needed help—and we needed the
support of each other. Collectively, we started a First Place 4 Health group at
church in April of 2010, and I took the helm. First Place 4 Health is a nationwide
Christ-centered healthy living program that addresses the four-sided
person—physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental.
Soon my friends and I were connecting our stories
and strengthening our friendships. But the connections didn’t end there. In our
meetings, we studied the Bible and made connections between our challenges and
what Scripture had to say about overcoming them. We memorized verses that
reminded us of God’s promises. And we grew, just as Jesus grew (see Luke
2:52)—in
wisdom (mental) and in stature (physical) and in favor with God (spiritual) and
man (emotional). We learned that when we keep God in “first place,” everything
else in our lives falls into its proper place (see Matthew
6:33).
Somewhere along the way, the weight began to fall off. And I realized I had found
the formula for living a balanced life. And I thanked God for First Place 4
Health for helping me make the connection.
