Lysa TerKeurst is a pretty funny gal. I laughed pretty hard at some of the stuff in these chapters but I won’t spoil it for you by mentioning any of it.
What I did find ironic within myself was the heresy of Gnosticism is living strong inside of me. Crazy but true. I was stunned to find that I carry around ideas that St. John and St. Paul warned against in the Gospels so long ago. I thought this stuff was ancient history! I’ve been living with it for a while and maybe some of you have too…or maybe it is just me…
I have fallen into the trap of thinking that my spiritual self is important but my body is not. I would have told you that my body is a temple and all that…and I was good to my body by not abusing it with drugs and smoking. And that is about as far as I have gone in taking care of this body….because my spiritual life is all that truly matters. Living with that attitude is Gnostic in nature but I could also make the argument for Platonic dualism as well…
Taking care of myself isn’t really about losing weight or getting healthier. I am actually happy to stay the way I am. My husband loves me the way I am. I would not be any happier a few sizes smaller and there would be no major change in my life.
Why do I really want to be healthier…really?
I live in this body. I worship in this body. I seek God with this body and HE DWELLS IN ME. Isn’t it my responsibility to care well for this Dwelling Place? To care with a heart of joy and gratitude?
Encountering my inner Gnostic was something of a revelation for me and I am working on kicking her out…but it takes some diligence to change a way of believing. I think revelation is a nice term. By revelation I mean…it’s like God thunking me on the head and saying, “Wake up, dummy!”
in pursuit of wild things 
October 26, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Ever heard that song by Mercy Me, called “So long self”. That kind of reminds me of this post. I haven’t felt that good for over a year now. I am starting to realize that its important. I need to take care of me. It’s not about weight loss, although I need to lose some weight. It’s about taking care of myself so I can continue doing what I’m meant to be here for.
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November 1, 2012 at 8:14 am
I had never heard the song before but did find it on YouTube this morning. That song sums it all up pretty well. Like you I haven’t felt all that well. My last pregnancy was very difficult and I ended up having my gall bladder removed after delivery. The weight just did not come off this last time and I let this tear me up. But as I work on eating healthy and getting more exercise I physically and emotionally feel better. I’ve never really bought the whole mind, body, spirit connection stuff in the past (because it is usually tied up with New Age teaching…or non Christian teaching). However, I am now learning there is a connection. I do not have any answers but we were created with a soul, will, emotions, and a body. I think it only makes sense that physical, emotional, and spiritual health should all work in balance together.
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