Journey to Jesus

One of the most important things in my life is my relationship with Christ.  Unfortunately, it has not always been that way.  I grew up in a loving home with conversation flowing about the Lord.  I have always known Jesus.  But I have not always had a close relationship with Him.

My own fitness journey started almost four years ago, but it was not focused around Christ at all.  I had more of an attitude of: “I can do this on my own.”  Even when I did need Him, I held Him at an arm’s length, never really letting Him into my journey.  At the time, I had such a "worldly" mindset about physical appearance, never taking a Biblical approach.

Fast forward to a couple of years ago.  My husband was gone every week, traveling for work.  I was home with my dog and feeling pretty lonely.  I did not have a ton of friends, and the ones that I did have were busy with their own lives when I tried to invite them over.  I had never been so lonely in my life.  It was a very trying time for me.

I would call my mom, crying because I was so lonely. I hated my life and what it had become.  I missed my husband, who seemed to be absent, even when he was home.  I didn’t know how to live life like this.

In May 2015, I lost my Granny.  She was my last living grandparent, and I truly had no idea how my life would change after her death.  It was on the five-hour drive to my hometown to see her in the hospital that I knew I had to get my life together.  I was just barely getting my relationship with Jesus back on track.  But it was in her death that I knew I needed to get my act together. I knew I needed Him more than ever.

In those days, weeks, and months later, I had a rough time grieving the loss that she left in my life.  Living so far away, it was easy to “forget” that she was gone.  But coming home to visit family was a whole other reality.

I remember being at a women’s weekend with my mom in November 2015. I was listening to the speakers and the truth that God was pouring into my life was changing my heart.  I needed my husband.  I needed him to be home.  But that was not my reality. I knew I had to be patient.  I somehow also needed to be able to grieve for Granny.  I had no one to talk to…no one to ask how I was doing.  I was simply broken.  Honestly, I really feel that I had hit rock bottom--spiritually and emotionally.

Then in December, I heard the words that I guess I needed to hear…”We’re moving.”  I was excited about the possibilities and hopeful for the future.  My husband would no longer be traveling—he would be home with me every night!

In 2016, I made it my year to heal. I needed my heart to heal. I needed my body to heal. I had been unkind to my body, and I did not follow any sort of meal or nutrition plan as I grieved.  Unfortunately, in that time, I gained all the weight back that I had lost.  I had also been unkind to my heart, as I did not give myself grace or time to grieve in the way that I needed to.

I realized that the piece that I was missing all along was --> Jesus.

>>>hashtag duh<<<

The first step that I knew I needed to take was to make sure that I had daily time with God.  I made sure to read my Bible each day, pray, and to apply what I was learning in my life.  I was also diving into some personal development books based on different topics that I needed.

I knew that I had to start back at square one with my health.  But this time, I knew I needed to include what I had been learning.  I had to include God on this journey, because He is the reason why I was on this journey in the first place.

Over the next few days and weeks, I want to share with you how Jesus has changed my mindset and the process that I've gone through.  There are six different phases that I have been through, and I am excited to finally be sharing with you exactly how my journey to Jesus has deepened my faith!

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