“All flesh is as grass,” the LORD immediately answered in my spirit, when I was sitting in an office and wishing out loud that I had a body that was more lean and tan.

The phrase My Creator used was from Isaiah 40:6, and He sounded slightly irritated. He had every right to be! I quickly repented for not appreciating enough the slim sound strong body and healthy skin He had given me.

1 Peter 1:24-25 says, “For, All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

Our spirits are the eternal part of us; the real us, but our bodies will return to dust. However, we need our bodies to get the LORD’s work done on the earth, and as our pastor once said, if we just had one car to last us for life, we’d take excellent care of it!

Of course I had been focused on the wrong thing when God corrected me; it is the spirit that is by far the most important, and it is that part of us that is being renewed and strengthened every day, even while our bodies are aging in the natural process of life (2 Cor. 4:16).

I am not a body; I am a spirit who lives in a body. I apologized to Him for wishing I was different, which is a torment common to mankind.

Also, the things I wanted to change were actually under my control, but if I was trying to feel more loved by my spouse and others by doing them, then my motive was wrong.

I have heard many reports of world-famous models who, no matter their wealth and audience, never feel beautiful enough, good enough, loved enough, and wind up on drugs or killing themselves or whatever to end their misery. It is a destructive cycle that can only be broken by believing the love of God, Who loved us so much He sacrificed His only Son for us (John 3:16).

God, Who created us and is Himself a Spirit (John 4:24), put our spirits into our bodies so we could live on earth and complete the Assignment He gave us—much like an astronaut puts on a spacesuit to accomplish his or her mission in space. I have heard more than one preacher call our bodies our “earthsuits.”

I believe it is a godly desire to have more energy and a strong body—but not for the admiration of others; the purpose is to be healthy to get God’s Plan for your life accomplished. Life is easier and more pleasant when we feel good and strong. We are more confident and creative, which is certainly part of the plans God has for us—part of abundant life (John 10:10).

The Scriptures give us wisdom on how to have a better life. The last part of Proverbs 11:9 states, “…through knowledge and superior discernment the wise are delivered.” Isaiah 55:2 says, “Listen, listen to Me and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” (NIV)

Also, Proverbs 21:31 exhorts us that “Victory rests with the LORD.” Almost every verse in the Word applies to health in one dimension or another, but another of my favorites is Psalm 91:16: “With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

Whether or not you believe in the Bible, there are a lot of opportunities for any person to be sick and die if they don’t know how to resist the various forms of curse in the world. Your Holy Health is based on the everlasting, unchanging Word of God that has a solution for holistic healing—in your body, your marriage, your family, your soul, your money, and even for your purpose on the planet.

The great psalmist and prophet, King David, said in Psalm 11993, “I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.” He understood that life is created, sustained, and preserved by Jehovah God. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Check out the Word for yourself. Ask the LORD to help you understand it, and He will. He is the Author of the Bible!

Years ago, I started desiring better health for my husband and myself, and asked the LORD to guide us in how to do this. He has been faithful, and Clayton and I have enjoyed better health, more energy, greater alertness and focus, and greater confidence, plus the satisfaction of knowing we’re being good stewards of our bodies, His temples.

As 2 Corinthians 6:16 states: “What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (AMP)

Personally, I enjoy going to the drug store only to buy candy or makeup or such--instead of prescriptions and other medicinal stuff. 

My dad lived to be strong until he was 82, when he contracted diverticulitis and went into the hospital, from which he never returned. For about 25 years before that, he worked on his farm every day, getting lots of fresh air and good exercise, as he grew fresh veggies and tended his fruit and nut trees. He was strong enough that he walked on his own and even picked up all the pecans from the many trees every fall, with very little help if any through the years! He and Mom also had started eating healthier the past decade or so, and that helped too.

In addition, I hear they both prayed every day. They had stated decades earlier that they believed in the LORD Jesus Christ, and I know it is Him that gave them every breath—as He gives each of us every moment. They were also people of integrity who were very generous, hardworking, and loving towards others. To me, such characteristics can serve to promote your holy health.

The LORD has increased our holy health by teaching us to modify or change several things, but not all at once. (He knows us too well for that.) He led us to start filtering our tap water, and now we double-filter it and check the TDS (total dissolved solids) often. He also led us to a local health food store and many simple solutions for better health, from organic food and supplements to how to replace household products (dryer sheets, antiperspirant, lotions, shampoo, and more) that contain harmful chemicals, with products that work as good or better and contain none of the junky stuff.

These better products are available and even if they require a bit more investment of money, you are worth it! Buying organic and Non-GMO food, supplements, and products can save you much money and time by helping keep you healthy and thus out of the doctor’s office and pharmacy!

The biggest factor that has improved the health of my husband and myself—besides reading the Word of God and praying every day, plus attending a Bible-believing church regularly as He commands us (Heb. 10:25),—is changing the types of food we eat.

We made a change or two at a time, such as greatly reducing the amount of sugar and fried foods we ate, and eating more fresh vegetables. When those became habits, then we’d tackle something else, such as not drinking sodas anymore and drinking more water.

We didn’t try to change many things at once. We’ve had to be purposeful with this, but as we have kept doing these new things and started feeling better, it was easier to keep doing them. Then they became habits and we had no desire to go back to the old ways.

Such it is with all of life; whatever we focus on and pursue to do will become a habit, and once it becomes a habit, it becomes much easier because we do it almost automatically. This works in the negative and the positive, and the LORD helps us replace the negative habits with positive.

It all comes down to choices. You are responsible for your life, so ask the LORD to help you start today to choose healthy habits in every area. Pick one area and get going. He will help you! Actually, He is already helping you, because you are reading this book.

By the way, none of this is medical advice—only the beneficial experience of my husband and myself and others I personally know. I am not a doctor nor a nutritionist. I am simply sharing what has worked well for me and people I know personally. Be sure and check first with God—Who created you and sustains you every moment—and your doc if you are unsure about any of this.

You have to do what is best for your body, and everyone is different. We are all a concoction of chemicals, and some people may be sensitive to certain things, such as people who take specific meds that won’t mix with grapefruit juice, for example. So check with Daddy God and any medical professional you trust, for the LORD gives us wisdom and peace to go His way.

You are worth it, and you can do this!

The God of Heaven will give you success! (Neh. 2:20)

Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. They lift Him up in books (P.O.W.E.R. Girl!; LEGACY; Visions of the King; Your Holy Health; more); presentations; service in church, community, and the world; and via the "River Rain Creative" (309 videos) and "POWERLight Learning" You Tube channels.