Loving Ourselves, Loving Our Bodies – A Fresh Start

Hello everyone!

Who has packed on some poundage over the holidays, and in general?

I know I have and I was meditating on the approach to restoring my body and feeling and looking better. As I was doing that, God’s love swelled up in me. I love that – that is so God! I’m looking at my body and thinking, “Oh boy”, but I’m also receiving His love and comfort at the same time.

When I was growing up, I used to have so much self-hatred with my body. Sexual abuse had laid a layer of shame that invaded and colored my very identity. So diabolical.

Well, hahaha – Love has healed me soooo much that I have learned to genuinely love myself – WHAT a God thing! I REFUSE to condemn and hate myself – and I love the kick in the head to the enemy! Loving myself is honoring and glorifying God within me and I feel His passion over that – not only for me, but for YOU!

Love cares about EVERY area of our lives. If it matters to us, it matters to Him. And He cares about your body! He allowed His to be filleted open so that your precious body could be healed! Wow!

So with that, I felt He wanted me to share my journey and my fresh start with you for whatever you feel led to have a fresh start with!

I’m not a diet and exercise guru, although I know A LOT! I’m an MD who trained herself with a lot of knowledge outside the puny diet and exercise training from medical school. BUT what I REALLY do know intimately and extravagantly is the Source of life – the One Who created you, and your body and the One Who adores you and it! That is power and grace where we need it!

You see, we all have a call and we need a healthy and happy body to fulfill it and to feel good while we do! So I invite you to join me – even if slimming down is not your focus.

There’s a meditation project that I feel Love is inviting you to participate in. For those of you who feel that meditation is New Age, let me help you. The New Age movement took that from the body of Christ – and it is so powerful, it works even if people don’t recognize God as the Source and their Lord.

Meditate or meditation is mentioned 22 times depending on your translation in the Bible.

Joshua 1:8-9 says:

8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go

The word, “meditate” is the word, “hagah”, to meditate, devise, muse, imagine or ponder. This is not emptying your mind so the enemy can fill it. It is filling your mind with what God is saying to renew it (Romans 12:2).

Here’s another scripture. Psalm 119:96-98 New International Version (NIV) says:

96 To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless. 97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 98 Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.

We need to refuse to go under the law. But the word “law” is translated as: instruction, direction (human or divine), or body of prophetic teaching. So as the Lord instructs or directs you in YOUR upgrade, THAT is what you are to mediate on. That makes you wiser than everything that is coming against you!

So what is the Lord having you meditate on?

Discipline yourself to do that, by Love’s grace, even if it is a few minutes a day. Don’t buy the lie that it won’t make a difference. Do not despise the day of humble beginnings.

What can Love do with a little?

First of all, I invite you to meditate on one scripture – it will put you over for EVERYTHING that Love is calling you to do.

1 John 16- 18 (NIV)

16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.

In the Mirror translation, 1 John 16- 18 says (italicized portions are Francois du Toit’s commentary):

16 And thus we have come to know and believe the love that God has unveiled within us. God is love; love is who God is; to live in this place of consciousness, constant love, is to live immersed in God and to feel perfectly at home in his dwelling… 17 So now, with us awakening to our full inclusion in this love union, everything is perfect! Its completeness is not compromised in contradiction. Our confident conversation echoes this fellowship even in the face of crisis; because as He is, so are we in the world – our lives are mirrored in him… 18 Fear cannot co-exist in this love realm. The perfect union that we are talking about expels fear. Fear holds on to an expectation of crisis and judgement (which brings separation) and interprets it as due punishment (a form of karma). It echoes torment and only registers in someone who does not realize the completeness of their love union (with the Father, Son, and Spirit and with one another).19 We love because He loved us first! (We did not invent this fellowship, we are invited into the fellowship of the Father and the Son!).

1 Corinthians 13:8a (AMPC) says:

Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

You see, THAT is what you have going for you!

Seek Love with what territory in your mind and in your life He wants to conquer and transform in, through, and around you. Then FOCUS! You can build on the foothold He takes. These are the powerful, humble beginnings that He wants to lord over in your mind, heart and life. We will take this step by step, flowing with grace provided by the rivers of Love. Join me for your upgrade – Love is there! And let me hear from you!

Love and believe in you!

Catherine