Did you start the year with New Year’s Resolutions?
Many of us set goals to take better care of ourselves, get healthier, lose weight, eat better, manage our time, pray/meditate daily, stop cursing at fellow drivers, etc.
Health goals in particular appear at the top of lists year after year. Why? Because they’re important to so many of us.
As a doctor and a Christian I am very much aware that our bodies are temples, true miracles. When I was a kid I wanted to fix them when something went wrong. Sadly, my training taught me that more and more things are going wrong, and it’s often because we’re not taking care of our bodies as well as we could.
We fill them with too much food, often “junk”. We don’t move them like we should.
We each get one body, one life. Our bodies are what allow us to go out each day and contribute to the world, to do God’s work. So it behooves us to do more of the things we should be doing, to live longer and get more done.
Lent will soon be here. Many see it as a time for prayer, denial, even fasting. Are you someone who gives things up? Meat? Chocolate? Alcohol? Coffee? Television?
Wondering what this has to do with those resolutions and goals?
For Lent we frequently set personal goals, important things we want to accomplish in that 40 days. Denying yourself something for 40 days can be a difficult goal, and certainly an accomplishment when you make it through to Easter.
This year for Lent why not set mind, body and spirit goals? Care for the body/temple you are responsible for. You will become better able to do the work God has given you to do.
And how will you do that?
Christ Walk!
Read the book. Christ Walk A 40-Day Spiritual Fitness Program is written by Anna Fitch Courie, a registered nurse and graduate of Education for Ministry, EFM. Each day there is a 1 to 5 page chapter to read including a “Biblical Big Idea”. You’ll read about having a Christ-centered life. You’ll learn how to keep your body healthy and fit. Most chapters are 3 pages or fewer. Each chapter has a few thoughts to consider and one or more Bible verses. There is also space to record your steps taken for the day, miles journeyed, your chosen exercise (more on this below), your spiritual thoughts, and feelings.
Pick a route. Pick from the list in the book. During Lent will you walk 65 miles from Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, to Jerusalem? You’ll have to walk 1.6 miles every day.
Maybe you’ll decide on the Via Dolorosa, Jesus’ route through Jerusalem during the last week of his life — 88 miles, 2.2 miles a day.
Choose a route you feel you’ll be able to complete, but be sure to give yourself a bit of a challenge. Don’t do the Nazareth Challenge, (1.6 miles — about 4000 steps a day), if you put 5,500 steps, (about 2.2 miles), on your activity tracker on most days.
Some of you may read this and think you can’t do it.
Yes, you can!
Here’s how…..
Use a pedometer, an activity tracker, or a smartphone with the right app. Start counting your steps. Your stride will determine how far you travel in a particular number of steps. But in general, about 2,000 steps will be a mile.
If you don’t use one of those gadgets to count your steps, use time. In 15 to 20 minutes of steady walking you’ll cover about 1 mile. To cover 2.2 miles each day you’ll have to walk between 33 and 44 minutes depending on whether you’re faster or slower. It’s doable.
There are routes for everyone at every level. You can even pick one of the longer routes and do it as a group, splitting the mileage between members. Just remember that everyone has to do their part. Get your kids involved. Think of the example you’ll set. They can be part of your family group, or they can participate as individuals. There is even a separate book available for teens and tweens.
For even greater flexibility you can use other activities in place of some of your walking. For every 15 minutes of yoga, dance or aerobics credit yourself with 1 mile. You can even credit yourself 1 mile for 15 minutes of prayer/meditation or volunteerism. I urge you to actually walk as much as possible.
This is a call to all. Christ Walk is a very motivating Lenten practice. Why not buy a copy right now and get ready to start walking…
Would you like to join a very active email list that will lend support, encouragement and motivation as you do Christ Walk? If so, please forward me your email and I will add you to our Christ Walk email list.
