Health Coach Jenn Bonner: Where is Your Strength?

Last week was a hot one here in Camas.  Specifically last Wednesday, the 7^th at 4:00 in the afternoon on the Captain William Clark trail in Washougal.  On that trail it was about 95 degrees with little to no shade.  Somewhere during the day I thought this would be the best time to go for a 5 mile run.  I think someone slipped something into my water bottle for me to believe this was a good idea!  Oh, did I mention that I also thought it would be a great idea to wear all black?  Yeah, I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

I made it 2 miles before the light headedness kicked in and another half mile before my vision was impaired with bursting stars appeared.  They were extremely pretty.  As I tried to run the last 2.5 miles all I could think about was the scripture “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  And boy did He strengthen me that day!  I do not believe that I could have made it back to my car without His gentle hand guiding me and taking my pride down a few notches.

I really wanted to run the whole 5 miles, but Christ made sure I knew that if I tried to finish the last 2.5 miles running I might not make it back at all. He also seemed to remind me that He didn’t bless me with a 187 pound weight loss for me to kick it on a dirt trail along the Columbia river.

So, as I walked back to the car, kicking myself for not hydrating better during the day, choosing a really bad time to run, wearing all black in some of the worse heat Camas/Washougal has experienced this year and sweating like I was in a sauna, I realized that Christ really does have more for me to do and that walking was the only way I could get there. Running would have given me heat stroke.

Giving up doesn’t seem to be something I do easily.  I didn’t have a boat I could use.  I didn’t have a bike to ride or a skate board to use.  All of the above forms of transportation would have gotten me to my goal (my car and the air-conditioning it provided) but I didn’t have them as an option or the option would be detrimental to my health.  The only option I had in front of me was the slowest, yet healthiest and safest.

As you look to improve your health don’t expect your transformation (physically or mentally) to happen overnight.  Don’t expect to wake up the day after making your decision to gain back your health with everything figured out and all problems fixed.  Expect that some days the option you need to choose is going to be slower than others.  Expect that some days you make a bad decision and that you will learn from that decision.  Expect that some days you will have to chant “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Just expect to be human.  Love yourself for being human.  Embrace being human.  You only have one chance to be human so make the most of it!