Is my body the temple of the Holy Spirit or not?

I can enjoy food- but food is not the source of my joy.

A journey of persistence, healing and holy alignment.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve struggled with my weight.

Every January felt like a reset button — a new plan, a new diet, a new promise to myself. And every year, the cycle repeated.
Start strong.
Lose momentum.
Feel discouraged.
Try again next month. Try again next year.

But 2025 hit differently.

Instead of starting another routine, I started digging deeper. I asked the Lord to show me the root of this cycle. And what He revealed surprised me.

Food wasn’t just food for me.

It had become my joy.
My comfort.
My fun.
My reward system.

It was where I ran when I was stressed, tired, overwhelmed. It was how we celebrated. It was the place I went to feel better — even if only for a moment.

Then came the hard question:

“Is my body the temple of the Holy Spirit or not?”

That question shifted everything. I realized I was in my own way. I was the one who needed to hold myself accountable. I already knew what God’s Word says about food and about caring for my body. It wasn’t a lack of knowledge — it was something deeper.

But the shift didn’t happen overnight. It took discipline, honesty, and a willingness to try again — even when I felt like I was failing.

In September, I started an old‑school Atkins plan — not for weight loss, but to learn my body. And it worked. It revealed foods that made me feel sick, inflamed, or drained. It showed me what my body could handle and what it couldn’t.

Then in October, a friend recommended Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz. It helped me understand my rhythms — how to sync with my body instead of fighting against it.

God created our bodies. They are beautiful machines, but they are all different and need different things. We get to go on a journey with Him to discover what works.

By November, I was implementing some of the tools I was learning.

The weight was coming off slowly.

I was discouraged.

But I didn’t quit.

Somewhere along the way, I started walking again — and it became a hobby for me and my husband. I walked more in 2025 than I have since 2018, back when I was an avid exerciser. I’m not perfectly disciplined in exercise… yet. But I’m headed in that direction. Using my lunch hour to walk on the treadmill or walking in the evenings with my husband and our two dogs — I’m discovering things that are fun, that relieve stress, and that bring joy.

Food was never intended to be my source. But slowly, subtly, it had taken over.

I’m still not where I want to be, but I’m definitely not where I was last year. And that alone is a testimony.

The verse that anchored me through all of this was:

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit… you are not your own; you were bought at a price.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19–20

This journey is no longer about weight.

It’s about worship.
It’s about alignment.
It’s about honoring the body God entrusted me with.