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This past weekend, Pastor Dave brought a message about stepping into our health to start off the new year. Undeniably, our health is important to us, but it’s also important to God: “The decisions I make about my health are an opportunity for me to honor God with my life,” Dave said. And like Dave also said, most of us know we need to change something (our exercising habits, our eating habits, etc…), but it can be really hard to get started. Maybe more than that, our end goal can be so ambitious–“I want to look like Michael B. Jordan/Emilia Clarke, I want to work out every day, I want to lose 50 pounds”–we feel defeated before we even begin. 

As we start to put into practice what we heard, let’s be sure to take it slow. It’s important to have goals, but let’s keep them realistic. Changing any habit takes time, including working out and eating better, so let’s start small. What is one thing you can do today to make yourself healthier? 

Can you go for a walk?

Buy something more nutritious at the grocery store?

Cut your favorite unhealthy indulgence in half?

Whatever you choose to do, journal about it, make a little note in your phone, or tell someone about your win. Like Dave brought up in his message, accountability is an important piece to making lasting change, whether you take steps to keep yourself on track or ask if you can check in with a friend.

Each day, take a little ground,no matter how small, and celebrate that victory. If it was easy, all of us would be eating great and in the best shape of our lives, but it’s a challenge, and it will take time. Let’s lean on God and pray for continual strength and self-control.

And when we slip and sneak that cookie, or skip that workout, let’s allow ourselves grace: okay, we backslide, let’s get up and back at it the next day. We can do this, Church! Through God, we can do all things, one day at a time.