For This House
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
My body is a temple… but I don’t always treat it like one.
Most days, chocolate and a spot on the couch win out over fueling and moving my body the way it deserves.
Sleep is a priority in theory, but in reality, it gets pushed to the side as I juggle two little ones, household tasks, and way too many mental tabs open at once.
Diet trends come and go, and the comparison game runs on autoplay. I continue dishing myself platefuls of whatever social media is serving instead of tending to my never-ending to-do list—or my soul.
What we consume deeply affects our health and self-image, but it goes beyond food and drink. Our words—especially the ones we repeat silently to ourselves—shape how we see and treat our bodies.
I’ve always struggled with insecurity, but after having my second child—a daughter—I felt a shift. I want to speak and feel about my body the way I hope she will feel about hers someday. I know this won’t just happen. It takes intention, repetition, and God’s truth to rewire my thoughts.
Even though I’m in awe of all my body has done through pregnancy, birth, and healing, it still takes real effort to speak kindly and truthfully to myself. Comparison culture is a strong influence.
There’s a quote that often echoes in my mind:
“We are all what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” ~Aristotle
If that’s true, then what I repeatedly say to myself matters just as much as what I do.
I’ve recognized that this may not be my season for having a perfect, toned body… but if I can rehearse what I think about the beautiful, capable body God has given me, I believe my actions surrounding nutrition and movement will follow.
I’ve collected some verses to pray and proclaim truth over my self-image whenever the lies sneak in. Here are some of the things I’m practicing preaching to myself:
The Lie: “My body is so far gone. I’ve really let myself go. How can I come back from this?”
The Truth: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. — 1 Corinthians 6:19
The Lie: “I hate the way I look in the mirror.”
The Truth: I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. — Psalm 139:14
The Lie: “If only I looked more like that/her…”
The Truth: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will. — Romans 12:2
The Lie: “These thoughts are just part of who I am—I’ll never change.”
The Truth: We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. — 2 Corinthians 10:5
The Lie: “I should have [nicer clothes, a better body, a more put-together image, etc.].”
The Truth: And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. — Matthew 6:28-29
I’m writing this mid-struggle—somewhere between truth and transformation—and I’d love for you to join me.
God invites us to wholeness, and part of wholeness begins with the way we speak to ourselves. By aligning our words with what He already says is true, we’ll begin to focus on ourselves less and on Him more, which will spur more intentional choices as we care for our bodies. We are not our own, but belong to Christ.
One thing I’m doing to rewrite these thoughts is hang scripture in plain sight. If one of my reflections resonated with you, I’ve made a free download to put that Scripture in front of you. I’ve hung mine on my bedroom mirror. Maybe your struggle is something different—if that’s the case, search for a passage that speaks truth and life into the lies that are discouraging you and put them in front of you.
Dear Lord,
thank you for the gift of my body. I praise you for the way you knit me together—beautifully and purposefully. You know every detail, every function and every flaw. Help me not to get tangled in the lies I have believed about my body. Rewire my thoughts so that my gaze is fixed upon you, not my reflection. Guide and encourage me as I model health—not perfection—to my kids. Strengthen me to walk in grace, gratitude, and truth.
Amen
Ally is the primary founder of For This House. She just finished renovating a cute, old house in small town Washington where she lives with her husband and young son. Ally is a teacher by trade, but also enjoys library cookbooks and watching Downton Abbey. Learn more about Ally.
Ally is the primary founder of For This House. She just finished renovating a cute, old house in small town Washington where she lives with her husband and young son. Ally is a teacher by trade, but also enjoys library cookbooks and watching Downton Abbey. Learn more about Ally.