To be able to enjoy good health, a woman can choose activities which help move her up the path to better health. Since it takes effort on her part, I call these activities “Healthful Endeavors”. If you recall, my first blog post was on setting goals. Goal setting is an activity which helps one carry out many things. However, completing random items on a “to-do” list does not necessarily take you to your desired destination. A better approach is for a woman to set goals based on her priorities to be sure they take her on the path to where she really wants to go. One path many women want to take is to develop a healthy relationship with God. Women want to make God a priority in their lives.

Personal Story

As a young mother, I struggled to have a regular “quiet time with God”. I had gone from being a college student who could read the Bible through in a year to being a mom of “two under two” in less than three years. I was desperate for a deeper relationship with God. How could I make time for that with everything that I needed to do?  I wanted to make having a quiet time a priority. My mental and physical health depended on it.

Developing a Relationship with God

I realized that the most important activity for health is to develop a relationship with God. When I spent time in prayer and Bible reading, God showed me His love for me and guided me. How did I as a busy mother make a relationship with God a priority? Here is what I did:

• Made quiet times “first”. I had prayer and Bible reading while I was my first morning feeding of their infant. At other times, I found the “first” opportunity of the day to spend some time with God: after my husband left for work, when the children went down for their afternoon naps, or immediately when I had completed my workday.
• Daily prayer allowed me to commune with God. I expressed my concerns, praised Him for good and bad things that come into my life, and got guidance for the many perplexing situations that arose. The Bible gave Scripture passages that helped me deal with different situations.
• I learned that I could commune with God throughout the day, and not only during a single “sit down” time. I could walk and talk with Him all day. I would ask for God’s guidance when situations of all sizes arise. I thanked Him for providing with many blessings. During difficult times, I learned to trust God my heavenly Father.
• There were also weekly activities I used to build my relationship with God. I enjoyed gathering with others on Sundays to worship. I was periodically involved in a small group. Sometimes I invited another mom to my home as a prayer partner.

As I made a God a priority, my mental and physical health improved.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. How do you make God a priority? Please encourage others by writing in the comment section above.