I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the body, not in the mirror-obsessed, Instagram-perfect kind of way, but in the “God lives here” kind of way. For the longest time I have been called “fat” and many other names you can imagine. I then began hiding in my body for various reasons. Lately I’ve been reflecting and making some moves. I’m stepping into a season where I no longer see my body as something to control or complain about, but as something sacred to care for. A temple. A dwelling place.
And it hit me, if my body is God’s temple, why have I neglected it for so long? Why have I treated exercise as punishment instead of worship, or food as comfort instead of fuel? “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Right now, I’m thinking that I can either keep making excuses or choose a new way of living, one that blends faith, fitness, and freedom. I’m learning that everything is connected. When I go on a hike, my mind clears. When I eat cleaner, I feel lighter emotionally. When I lift weights, I lift my confidence too. And when I pray before a walk, it feels like I’m walking with God.
During lockdown, I was mostly indoors, baking banana bread and surviving. My body took a backseat. But this year, I’ve started doing things differently. I’ve been walking more, even if it’s just to the shop and back. Hiking on Saturdays when I can. I got a gym membership I’m actually using, and I’ve started learning what foods energize me instead of drain me.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about partnership, with my body, and with God. I’m choosing to build this temple with intention: step by step, meal by meal, stretch by stretch. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
This isn’t a phase. It’s a commitment. To myself. To my purpose. To the One who made this body not just functional, but holy. Building and putting progress before perfection. If you want to, join me on this journey, follow me on Instagram. Let’s build our temples well, make them strong, whole, joyful, and ready to carry the glory.
