It is Well With My Soul
My response to A Taste for Life’s January theme — Well-being
When you are my age, well-being becomes a pretty important topic. At 63, I don’t walk as fast as I used to. I no longer pop up from sitting Indian-style on the floor. As a matter of fact, I can’t even sit Indian style anymore. 🙄 Our lifestyle decisions when we become seniors hold a lot more weight. If you carry around more than you should, it’s not good for your well-being.
That’s not a jab at the folks fighting to lose unwanted pounds.
One of the best things I did for my well-being was adhering to a 16/8 intermittent fasting program. I lost 30 pounds, and I’ve kept it off. I feel SO much better. I don’t tucker out as quickly, and not seeing rolls of fat in the mirror makes for a better start to my day. This is a lifetime regimen for me now.
Here’s a quick tutorial on 16/8 intermittent fasting. You eat during an eight-hour period and fast for 16. If I eat dinner at 5:30, I can have breakfast at 9:30. If I don’t eat until 6:00, I have to wait until 10:00 for breakfast. In the beginning, it was tough because I always woke up ravenous. My favorite meal was breakfast, and I often ate something as soon as my eyes opened. After about 18 months of following the program, I’m good if I don’t eat until 11:00.
The most important thing I do for my well-being is to stay connected to God. I talk to Him every morning in my journal. I read a couple of chapters in my Bible, and I pray a LOT. I live by the instructions Paul offers in 1 Thessalonians as best I can.
I’ve found that I can remain joyful even in difficult situations if I’m praying and being thankful. When you have complete trust in Jesus and know He will never leave or forsake you, you can rest in Him. You take on His peace which surpasses all understanding. Your well-being is based on who you are in Him and not what you do or don’t do.
Do you have a relationship with Christ? Inviting Him into your life to be your closest friend is easy. Open your mouth and talk to him.
My life was a complete disaster. My marriage looked to be over. My husband was drinking himself to death. The stress of owning and operating a bar and grill full-time was draining me of all of my strength. My son’s life was a disaster, and I had employees that depended on me. I was losing it!
But, God! He knew what it would take to get me to give the care of my life and those that I love over to Him. And He knew that this type-A control freak was not letting go easily. After all, if it wasn’t done my way, it wasn’t done the right way. When I look back on the maniac I was, it’s hard to believe I didn’t have a heart attack.
I was driving home from an Al-anon meeting and screaming to God, “I can’t take anymore! I want to die from this pain, Lord,” I wailed.
Have you ever heard God’s still, small voice? You may have heard it mentioned in church or read about it in your Bible, but have you experienced it? It’s a beautiful thing. The night God spoke to me on my way home from my meeting, I felt His presence so strongly it was as if He was sitting next to me in the passenger seat of my Durango.
I probably should have found a place to pull over. I was crying so hard that I could barely see. I heard an audible voice say, “Charisse, give Tommy to me, and I will save your marriage and his life.” That was it. One sentence was all I needed. I screamed for God to take care of my husband and told Him I’d stop trying to fix him. “I’m done, Lord. I can’t do this anymore!”
I could see God smiling in my mind’s eye. It was as if He was saying, “That’s what I was waiting to hear.” A sense of peace and joy came over me as I had never experienced. The tears of despair turned into tears of joy. I grabbed onto that feeling and held on for dear life. I’m still hanging on.
As my post title says, it is well with my soul. My well-being depends on Jesus. He is my rock and my foundation. If you have questions or need prayer, please reach out. I’m here for you.
If the rest of the story about my transformed life interests you my memoir Born Again in a Biker Bar is available on Amazon.
Here’s a couple of posts on my spiritual walk. I hope you find them encouraging.