When the Health and Wellness bible study (now The Ten Guiding Lights to Health and Wholeness) class first started, everyone took turns introducing themselves – what they did for a living or in their ministry, what their thoughts were about food and the body. After listening to these introductions, I realized that, in terms of my own thinking and knowledge, I was very far off. Naturally, this was troubling because I knew how I was raised to eat. My family ate healthfully — of course, my brother and I had our snacks, but my mother was very serious about proper nutrition. We even had our own vegetable garden in BROOKLYN! So, I wondered about how exactly I had allowed life to take me so far off course with my health.
As a matter of fact, I was far from healthy or well when the class began. I was battling lightheadedness to the point that I would be nearly falling down two to three times each day. That’s crazy! And for me, food was a passion — bottom line. There was nothing spiritual about it. My only spiritual thoughts about food were to say grace to thank God for it. But thank God for his divine timing. I totally forgot that I had signed up for the health and wellness bible study when, suddenly, I got the reminder call. And I’m so very thankful that I was obedient in attending. Because of this class, I have had a health epiphany! I have realized that food is to be enjoyed, but even more than that it’s to nourish us so that, in every area of our lives, we can thrive. I realized that eating doesn’t have to be complicated. I used to cry, frustrated because I was a victim of information overload. You don’t have to place yourself in bondage with fad diets and all the things I’ve tried in order to lose weight.
I truly, personally experienced how much God loved me. If I just go, if I’m just open to learn, He’ll meet me and give me what I need. So health and wellness truly is a spiritual journey. God wants us to be well, and He has made everything available to us. But we can perish, like I was, because of a lack of knowledge. Knowledge is so powerful! And now, I truly feel empowered and equipped to go the distance.
In this class, I have also discovered that I am stronger than I thought I was. For a month now, I have been waking up at 4:30 am on Saturdays to practice for the Big Pumpkin Run. NO SATURDAY SLEEP-INS FOR A MONTH! But it was worth it in the end. The progress is fantastic – power-walking in two hours during the first week, then jogging and walking the next. I’ve never been able to jog before. Today, I finish in 39 minutes!
To wrap things up: what health really means to me, Joanne Olivia Funchess — it means going the distance. It’s not a temporary assignment or a quick fix. It’s for life. And, you know what? I am worth the life journey. I can make simple tweaks in my diet and eating lifestyle. I can add the right foods, one by one until I am totally eating well for my body. I can get in the right amount of water every day. I can continue to walk, jog – I can have control and be patient with myself to accomplish a goal. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
