PHYSICAL FITNESS

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of fads in the nutrition realm: low fat, low carb, high protein, paleo, keto, gluten-free, vegan, and more. I’ve come a long way from the days when I opened a box of noodles with bright orange powder to make “cheese sauce” for my kids’ lunch…but I’m not 100% perfect in this area (and never will be). I’m just a mom doing my best to feed our big family reasonably healthy meals on a budget. But the journey to awareness of what we DO eat has brought significant changes to our grocery list AND our health! And there’s no going back. When we know better, we do better! Taking time to learn about what I was feeding my family was the first step to helping us become healthier physically. Then we began looking at other items besides food: what else were we putting in and on our bodies? What kinds of toxins had we unwittingly brought into our household? My boys had tons of respiratory issues, and it seemed everyone came down sick whenever someone caught a sniffle. Our food journey led us down a path to freedom we never could have imagined, as we are now healthier than ever.

EMOTIONAL/MENTAL FITNESS

Studies show 34% of Americans suffer from some form of anxiety. In a family the size of mine (we have 9 kids), that would mean 3 or 4 of us…and if I’m honest, the statistic has at times proven true within our own household. I never once gave a thought to my (or my kids’) emotional or mental health until after Baby #8 joined our family. For the first time ever, I had a post-partum experience that went beyond crying in the shower or feeling the “baby blues.” I was already using some natural products at the time, and my friend who introduced me to them encouraged me to be intentional about using them several times a day, every day. The change was significant…in fact, our newfound knowledge became a lifeline when, a year later, we learned we were expecting a child with a life-limiting disability. We didn’t even know if she would be born alive. Even though our sweet Verity has already overcome many odds (to include reaching her 3^rd birthday!), the journey with her has taken a huge toll on everyone in our family. Being intentional to support our mental and emotional health has allowed us to come through some incredibly dark times, becoming stronger in the process.

FINANCIAL FITNESS

According to one source, in October 2019 the average credit card debt per U.S. household was $8,500. That's $1.088 trillion in total credit card debt divided by 128 million U.S. households! Considering there are families like mine who carry ZERO credit card debt, it makes you wonder how in the world folks will be able to dig out from the financial hole they are in. This is another area in which I lacked education coming into my adulthood. Oh, I knew math well enough, and I learned how to balance my checkbook and keep up with my bills. But planning for the future was entirely abstract. Taking some financial classes as a young married couple helped my husband and me to get on track financially. One especially valuable lesson? Learning how multiple streams of income will not only take off financial pressure but also set us up for financial success and security. It can start small: for many families struggling financially, a mere extra $200 per month can help them pay off debt faster and significantly add to their savings!

SPIRITUAL FITNESS

For me personally, all the above areas of health and wellness fall under the authority of a loving God who created me and has a plan and purpose for my life and the lives of those I love. When I have walked through the valley of the shadow of death, He has been there to pull me back from the edge of darkness. When we’ve missed a paycheck and wondered how the mortgage would be paid, He provided out of His abundance. When our daughter was born with an extra 18^th chromosome and a host of difficulties related to her unique genetic make-up, God equipped and enabled us to take on the role of special needs parents with grace and ease. My spiritual life has been the foundation on which I can build all other aspects of LIFE. It is my relationship with Jesus that ultimately makes me FIT for life. I love teaching folks about wellness and encouraging other mamas in their own journeys. While I will never, ever push my personal beliefs on anyone else, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the fact that spiritual fitness is just as important as any other area we’ve discussed here today.