The Missing Piece in Your Health Journey: How Faith Changes Everything

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In a recent newsletter, I talked about wineskins and how new wine can’t be poured into old ones (Mt 9:17). The same principle holds true not just for faith, but for health. You can’t pour new habits, new hopes, or new healing into the old “wineskin” of the world’s way of doing things.

Why? Because the world’s system of healthcare is cracked and broken.

Despite spending billions of dollars every year on health care, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology, our nation’s overall health continues to decline. According to the CDC, over 40% of US adults are obese, and nearly 76% live with at least one chronic condition such as heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Chronic diseases account for 90% of all health care expenditures. With all our advances, all our access, and all our effort, we’re not getting healthier.

Something isn’t working. You know, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result 😊. Been there!

We live in a culture obsessed with “instant” everything. Instant food. Instant results. Instant gratification. But at what cost?

We’ve traded health for hype, following the latest trend, discovery, or guarantee, and sacrificed quality for convenience. It’s no wonder so many people feel burned out, confused, and frustrated — doing all the “right” things and still not thriving.

What about you? Are you genuinely happy with your life? Or are you tired of all the quick fixes and promises that don’t materialize? Have you settled with “well, this is the way it’s just always going to be” and given up and given in?

At Through Him Health & Wellness, we believe true wellness was never meant to be microwaved 😊.

There is a different way...A different path.

It’s not an easy one, but one that can move you forward instead of stagnating or spinning your wheels. It’s one that can give you hope in your final outcome. It requires both faith and actionable steps, but the benefits far outweigh the effort.

It's life with Jesus.

In John 14:6, Jesus declared, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” While Jesus was specifically addressing the question of eternal salvation with his Disciples here, His statement is far-reaching and applicable in so many areas of our lives, including our health and purpose in life.

The original Greek word for “way” in this passage means “a road; route; mode or means; journey; highway.” Puts an entirely different light on it, doesn’t it? Let's put this in context in the above verse.

I am the road, the highway you should travel.

I am the route you should take.

I am the means by which you should travel and get to your destination.

I am a journey—not stagnant, not one moment in time.

Your health—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual—is not a one-stop shopping experience. It’s not meant to be something you occasionally do or take care of. Instead, it is meant to be walked out every day of your life with intention, purpose, discipline, and faith.

God’s design for health is holistic, relational, and meant for a lifetime. It integrates all aspects of who we are because we are not made up of separate components. We are woven and knitted together, fearfully and wonderfully made.

The Through Him Difference

Health coaching is on the rise, and that’s a good thing. Rising health care costs — premiums, deductibles, and prescriptions — have pushed many people to start seeking a better way. Most clients begin coaching with goals like losing weight, improving nutrition, increasing activity, managing stress, or getting better sleep. And that’s wonderful, as these all are important steps, especially in the management or prevention of chronic disease. 

But here’s what often happens: as people start addressing their physical health, they discover something is still missing. They realize that health isn’t just about food, exercise, or habits. It’s about the condition of their hearts; about their mindset; about what’s going on spiritually and emotionally and how these things tie in to and influence their physical health.

Sometimes, progress stalls because the why behind the goal isn’t right.

People often begin with motives rooted in pleasing someone else — a spouse, a parent, a doctor — or in pursuing something that looks good but doesn’t bring heartfelt peace. Others reach their goal but can’t sustain it. Or they arrive where they want to be and still feel empty.

When this happens, it usually has to do with their why.

I’ll use myself as an example. When I was a child, I was overweight. I was made fun of, bullied, and often was the last one picked for the dodgeball team in PE class. In fact, I usually wasn’t even picked at all; I was just the last one left. All of this deeply hurt.

As I got older, I decided I wanted to lose weight and become athletic. My why was to look good—like a Covergirl model— in order to be accepted, admired, and liked. I wanted to fit in, to be part of the “in” crowd. I thought that would fix the rejection I felt and experienced.

And I did reach my goal. But as time went on, it became an obsession. I pushed harder and harder, striving for a standard that kept moving, which led to some not-so-healthy new habits. And here’s the not-so-surprising truth I learned in hindsight: even though I was at an ideal weight and physically fit, I still didn’t feel good about myself. Nothing was ever enough. There was always an empty hole that I could not fill, no matter what I tried.

That’s because I was doing it the world’s way.

Then I met Jesus, and everything changed.

I made the choice to surrender my heart to Jesus and invite Him to be not just my Savior, but also the Lord of my life. This last part is one that many people miss or are not taught about when the Gospel message is presented.

I learned what being saved really means, beyond the watered-down message that goes something like “give your heart to Jesus and you’ll have eternal life.” Salvation is so much more than this—it’s an important part as where you end up upon physical death is a crucial matter. But it encompasses so much more.

I learned what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, not just a Christian. This is where the Lord part comes in: learning to live for Him, through Him, and by Him and not for myself. It’s not easy to do and Jesus knew that, so He gave us a Helper: Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit’s gentle conviction, guidance, and teaching are absolutely integral to the transformation process and walking out our salvation each and every day.

He helped me change—and still does— not out of fear, guilt, shame, jealousy, envy, pride, self-serving, or for worldly acceptance, approval, and promotion, but out of love and a heart for Jesus. I have prayed many times for myself like Paul did in Eph 3:14-19 for the believers in Ephesus:

I kneel before You, Father, and pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray that I, being rooted and established in Your love, may have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ for me, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge so that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

He has been faithful to answer my prayer. As I’ve walked with Him, I’ve built a real relationship with Him—not just a façade. I’ve come to truly believe in His love for me — baggage and all—and it is that love that has become my why.

I began to understand what Jesus meant in John 14:15 when He said,

“If you really love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments. The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who really loves Me.”

My desire to become healthier (in all areas) and to make lifestyle changes is no longer rooted in striving, shame, or self-promotion. It’s rooted in love — love for the One who gave me life. I no longer want to lose weight, eat better, or think more positively for worldly reasons. I do it because I’ve come to truly understand that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. This is a real sobering, amazing, and life-changing thought! I started living for Him instead of myself (still a work in progress!), with love for Him as my motivation.

This isn’t something superficial, fleeting, or temporary. It’s a new way of being that transcends any kind of human motivation or love.

And this is the Through Him difference.

We don’t change for the world — we change for Him.

The Challenge of Change

Did you know that around 80% of diseases and health conditions are lifestyle-related? That’s actually good news — because it means that change is possible and well within our grasp. But change—lasting change—is also hard. There’s no getting around that. 

There are so many challenges along the way—old habits that are deeply embedded and don’t want to let go, mindsets that resist new ways of thinking, and emotions that don’t always cooperate or that need healing. There are many stumbling blocks along the way that can hinder progress, like unforgiveness. If change were easy, we would have already done it! 😊

And that’s the thing—most people know what needs to change. Knowing isn’t the problem. Having the doctor tell you that you can avoid diabetes medication by changing your diet and losing weight usually does not come as a surprise.

It’s the doing part that’s hard. It’s the showing up when you don’t feel like it; the pushing through discomfort or disappointment; overcoming fear; the moments when no one is watching and the old patterns are right there, whispering in your ear to keep you stuck; the learning to discipline yourself to keep going and not give up when things get tough.

While some people aren’t yet ready to admit the need for transformation or to take personal responsibility (no judgement!), many others are and know they cannot do it alone. The truth is, lasting change can’t come from surface-level motivation or sheer willpower alone. It requires a deeper shift—a renewing of the mind and heart that goes beyond information, beyond the plethora of weight loss programs, and beyond “just try harder.”

Even Paul admitted that:

“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. Oh, what a miserable person I am!” (Romans 7:15, 19, 24 NLT).

This struggle is real — and it’s not just about discipline or willpower (although they are required). It’s about the condition of the heart and the renewing of the mind.

Paul’s solution wasn’t a new program, supplement, surgery, drug, or self-help strategy. His solution is found in verses 24, 25:

“Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thanks [be to] God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”

That’s where biblical health coaching is set apart from the rest. It’s coaching that is not just science-based; it’s anchored in the Word of God. And who is the Word of God but Jesus!

As a certified biblical health coach, I help people connect the dots between their faith and their health — because how you think and what you value determines how you act, and what you believe shapes the choices you make.

God’s Blueprint for Wholeness

God cares deeply about you — and not just about where you go when you die.

As mentioned previously, many people relate being “saved” only to their eternal salvation. But that is just the tip of the iceberg! God wants you to be fruitful. He wants you to grow in your faith, thrive in your health, and live your purpose. He wants you to overcome just as He overcame and walk in victory as a testimony. He wants you to demonstrate His Kingdom in your life in this world:

“But you are the ones chosen by God…chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted” (1 Pet 2:9-10 MSG).

When Jesus walked the earth, He did three main things: He preached, He taught, and He healed. Healing was central to His ministry — and it still is today.

Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” The word "saved" here— "sozo" — means more than just spiritual salvation. It means to save, to deliver, to heal, and to make whole.

As a born-again believer, I know that God can supernaturally heal. I believe in the power of prayer, the power of His Word, and the power of His Covenant cut with us through Jesus’s shed blood at Calvary.

I also know that my relationship with Him is not one-sided. I have a responsibility and a role to play: to co-labor with Him in my actions and choices, including in my lifestyle and my health. Faith isn’t passive. It’s lived out every day.

Hebrews 12:14 says, “Make every effort to…be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord.”

To be holy means to be set apart. To be in the world, but not of it. To be different to make a difference.

That’s exactly what Jesus was: different.

• He never tried to fit in or follow the cultural trends of His time.

• He didn’t seek popularity or the approval of man.

• He wasn’t boastful, proud, arrogant, or self-righteous.

• He didn’t try to convince people with His words or His story-telling; He just spoke the truth.

• His marketing wasn’t about chalking up a million followers to His name; in fact, He had no marketing at all.

• He wasn’t about promoting His solution, His product, His formula; everything He did pointed to and gave glory to Father God.

• He sought His Father’s Kingdom first, not His own. He loved but He also challenged. He healed but He also said go and sin no more.

Our primary example in this life – above anyone or anything else – is Jesus.

Choosing a New Way

We live in a world where medical advances are astounding and information is endless — yet health outcomes remain dismal. As mentioned, chronic diseases continue to rise. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We have a choice.

We can either continue down the same path, heading in the same direction, or we can choose to be different.

We can make a course correction and go a way we haven’t gone before.

We can go on a new journey with Jesus as the road, the route, and the means.

We can grow in our faith, and as we apply the spiritual principles laid out in God’s Word, in turn growing our spirits, we can begin to thrive in our health in ways that we never thought possible. And as we begin to thrive in our faith and health, we can step in to living our purpose possibly for the first time, or stepping into a higher dimension of it.

And it all begins with laying the right foundation, which is what GLEAN: A 5-Fold Roadmap to Holistic Health is all about.

GLEAN is a journey. The start of a highway to a healthy life. A change in thinking and therefore acting. It’s not a formula. It’s not a method. It’s not a quick fix. It’s a new way of living.

It begins with the foundation for every Christian life: God. It’s not built on promises or guarantees, but on principles — the Kingdom principles Jesus taught about how to live, grow, and thrive. And amazingly (or not!), principles that even medical science is now starting to come into agreement with. It’s called Lifestyle Medicine.

Jesus came to set the captives free, and that includes you! The life God designed for you isn’t just healthier — it’s freer. And far more sustainable than anything the world could ever sell.

Through Him Health & Wellness: Where faith intersects health — and your healing begins with Him.

Have questions? Schedule your free discovery call or contact me.

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