God is great; God is good
Let us thank Him for our food. Yay God!
Yep, this was one of the first forms of prayer my husband taught our kids when they were young. I was just grateful to have everyone seated around the table and a husband who was attempting to teach them to be thankful for the food before them. These moments were food for my soul.
Food for the soul is a journey that begins from the inside out. A journey where God speaks the language of our heart. The place where our spirit, will, emotions and self-understanding converge; the very places that may be starving to be fed. This is where transformation begins. Every individual has a unique journey – some may involve eating disorders, auto-immune diseases, food sensitivities or allergies – so just as each of us is a unique individual created by God, our journey towards health has its own unique path.
After years of struggling with this love-hate relationship with food and the life changes happening in my body, I did as millions of others do – I entered the diet craze. Go ahead, quiz me on any diet program out there – I’m sure I’ve tried them all. Despite all the changes I tried to make, I just couldn’t seem to find a healthy relationship with food. That is, until one day I fell to my knees and realized it was one area of my life that I was trying to control on my own. It was that day that I packed up all the hurt and frustration and surrendered it to God. Each step, each failed attempt was a learning experience of who I was and who I wanted to become. I needed to apply the same spiritual tools to my eating and health issues that I used for other areas of my life.
What this series isn’t
This series isn’t about vanity and how we look on the outside. It is about making better choices for our health as keepers of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us; it is about practicing daily how to cultivate a healthy relationship with food while we discover a deeper dependency on God. As with all things transformational, God teaches us that we need to start where we are and let that move us towards a behavioral and mindful shift and that begins deep within.
“The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground–
trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. …
The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”
~Genesis 2:9
Food isn’t bad for us, how could it be, God created it. Food is a reminder that God is the source of that food; His grace and provision for His children. He is also our creator and he created us with hunger, cravings, and temptations. So, this very creative God of ours not only gave us food to nurture our bodies, but He also wants to use it to teach us something about Him.
When we encounter unmet needs and emotions and self-medicate with what is readily available to meet or desensitize that need, we often reach for things to fill that empty space inside. For some that may be drugs or alcohol, for many, it’s food or other unhealthy behaviors. We are starving to satisfy that hunger.
Throughout Scripture, there are thousands of references to food as a source of sustenance but also as sacred symbolism and spiritual events. Approaching Scripture from this perspective opens up a dialog for prayer and an ear for God’s guidance. Together, we will break the bread, so to speak, and unpack the process of moving from an unhealthy mindset towards food and a greater dependency on God by listening to His truth, making wise, healthy choices and better self-care.
As a health coach, I guide clients towards becoming the best they can be, equipping them with resources to empower them to envision their dreams and skills that move them into action. The power of God is ignited within us when He is our source of strength, His Word affirms our worth, and His love and acceptance draw us closer to His heart each and every day.