Have you wondered how to connect with God in every part of your life? Or questioned how this BIG universal God can be known in and through your everyday routines? Me too, which is exactly why I began pursuing a faith that permeates every aspect of a holistic lifestyle!
For in Him we live, and move, and exist. Acts 17:28 (NLT)
What is a Holistic Faith Lifestyle?
The Holistic Faith Lifestyle blog, along with every resource created and curated here, is intended to equip you to walk and grow in holistic Christianity. Seeing things in wholes and inviting God into the entirety of our life is what this site is all about! When we surrender in full, rather than parceling ourselves out, we become more spiritually grounded and feel supported in every aspect of life.
A holistic faith lifestyle surrenders all things to God and longs to meet God in all things, whether or not we deem them spiritual. This is why I sum it all up as “seeking sacred in the everyday”.
Our everyday verbs and nouns may not appear faith-based or spiritual when we’re in auto-pilot. But in the big picture, eat, drink, diaper, launder, commute, laugh out loud, grieve, consider, rest, as well as, the stranger on the corner, neighbor, dog, flower, garden soil, and regular old me all exist through God and for God (see Colossians 1:16).
All of it holds significant potential for meeting with God. Finding an “everyday sacred” attitude helps us better know our Creator and catch the vision for ourselves and all of humanity.
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How To Connect With God in Every Part of Your Life
I’ve compiled some great resources for equipping you as you explore how to connect with God on a deeper level. Some are published here at Holistic Faith Lifestyle and some come from other voices I trust. Think of these resources as your garden stakes, cages, hoops, and trellises. Lean on them as you strengthen your roots and continue to grow!
Faith and The Intersection of a Holistic Lifestyle
A holistic lifestyle considers five aspects that make up our total being. These include our Physical, Emotional, Mental, Social and Spiritual health. By bringing each of these aspects beneath our banner of faith in Christ, it becomes easier to see which areas of life are already God-inclusive and where we may be trying to redeem or restore an area using only our own strength. This approach can be a great first step towards a holistic faith lifestyle.
1. Connect with God in your Physical Health
God can be trusted to guide us in our everyday health routines. Whether you’re weighing out which philosophy to follow in treating a diagnosis or how to have the self-discipline to get 30 minutes of daily activity when you don’t feel motivated, God offers love and wisdom!
Get Connected!
These reads will get you thinking about the connection between your physical body and your spiritual connection. As you read, notice any physical reactions you have to the material. Do you experience sighs of relief or tensing of the muscles? Whatever your response, take it to God in prayer throughout the day. Consider journaling it out as a way to unearth any limiting beliefs over your health and your ability to heal. Trust that God will meet you here and provide endurance.
But if we follow Paul’s advice and dedicate our bodies to God in worship, then we are, in some way, doing something at once fully physical and fully spiritual. We’re taking part in God’s divine dance that is not limited to just the spiritual realm or just the physical realm, but to all of us: heart, soul, mind and strength.” ~ Relevant Magazine, “Is Physical Health a Spiritual Issue?“ Read More….
Whether you carve out twenty minutes each day or an hour a few days each week, make a habit of fighting for joy in Christ through the habit of exercise. Regular exercise is worth so much more than a flat stomach or a smaller waist size. It can be a pathway toward deeper love and joy in our heavenly Father.” ~ Desiring God, “Exercise for More of God: Five Reasons to Train Your Body“ Read More…
I also felt personally challenged by the affirmational prayers at the end of this article and hope they spur you on, as well!
If your physical health is an area where you’ve been reluctant to seek God, these Bible studies can help you set intentions and follow through on a holistic faith connection.
2. Connect with God in Your Emotions
Our emotional health affects all other aspects of our life. It is important to notice and process emotions rather than ignore or push through uncomfortable feelings. Journaling and talking it out with others whether that be a friend, counselor, or inner healing minister can be a big help in emotional processing. And since this is a look at our holistic health, it is important to remember that our emotions affect our physical health as well as our mental, social and spiritual wellbeing.
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I am fascinated with how intricately God made us including how emotions are processed and stored in our bodies, affecting our overall health. We truly are fearfully and wonderfully made! I wholeheartedly believe that God desires we walk in love and yes, that includes love directed at ourselves. Unfortunately, Christians have a hard time with this concept. As though there isn’t enough love to go around. Or if we love ourselves, we reduce our love for God. When I consider all the ways our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions impact our future and our children’s futures, I can’t help but believe that abundant life and freedom for freedom’s sake applies to our life in the here and now! These resources help connect the dots between our emotions and our big, abundant Source of Every Good Gift!
How Being Honest with God Can Be Your Secret Weapon for Healing
Emotional Healing with Flower Essences
Healing with flower essences has been a game-changer for me and my family! So much so that I studied under Freedom Flowers founder, Seneca Schurbon, to become a Flower Essence Practitioner. Knowing God has provided this and countless other avenues toward total health spurs me on in my faith and adoration of our Creator. Read my Jesus Follower’s guide to healing with flower essences or click below to access free samples!
3. Connect with God in Your Mind
Applying our faith to our mental health requires spiritual discipline. The Bible advises us to renew our minds, take every thought captive, pursue wisdom and use our cognitive abilities to process God’s words and will for our life.
Taking thoughts captive and destroying anything that sets itself up against God helps guard us against sin and poor decisions. It also safeguards us against propagating limiting beliefs, creating idols of dependency and deteriorating our overall health.
When we take every thought captive we are empowered to live in gratitude, stay positive and endure the race set before us.
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Additional Reading
4. Connect with God in Your Relationships
Relationships can be a huge part of how much we enjoy life, how we see ourselves and how connected we feel in our communities. When these things are positive and supportive, a person is more likely to volunteer and make faithful commitments and to help with missions that matter to them. On the other hand, when we face emotional trials it can be tempting to withdraw and limit social interaction.
God says we are better together because when connected, we support one another and hold one another accountable. Even in relationships with people of different faiths, we should feel encouraged to be open and not hide any part of ourselves from those we love. If you feel overly taxed, burdened or hindered in your relationships call on God to bring in and bring out the right relationships. Don’t be surprised if God begins the work in you, too.
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A great way to connect with your community and build relationships is through volunteering, either with your church or outside organizations. Take time to consider what matters to you, where you’d like to see change and who you’d like to bless.
We love because he first loved us. ~ 1 John 4:19
Understanding your spiritual gifts is a big help in choosing where and in what capacity to give back. This free online Spiritual Gifts Test is a great way to get started. You may be surprised at how a gift you possess can be used for God’s bigger picture!
And in this message from Northpoint Church, Pastor Andy Stanley offers a refreshing look at how we prioritize religion and the effect that has on our relationships and community. Watch below or listen here!
5. Connect with God Spiritually
Within a holistic faith lifestyle, all things rest beneath a spiritual lens. Within a holistic lifestyle, the spiritual aspect is also highly important even for those not practicing religion or a beliving in a specific faith.
Spirituality includes introspection, self-acceptance, and the instinct to pull value from time spent in stillness and in nature. Spiritual health can also include intuition, the desire to do what is right and the will to overcome adversity. Within a holistic faith lifestyle, we use all of these spiritual avenues to connect with God!
It may not appear spiritual but eat, drink, diaper, commute, laugh, grieve, consider, rest, the stranger on the corner, neighbor, dog, flower, garden soil, & you all exist through God & for God. Click To Tweet
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In Nature
Getting out in nature provides countless opportunities for spiritual connection. If opportunities feel sparse, try being mindful of sights and sounds on your way to the mailbox. The smallest acts of intentionally looking for God yield big rewards. The Ancient of Days will not disappoint when we set our hearts on seeking deeper connection!
Did you know that just reading about nature and seeing images of nature have been proven to reduce stress? Reading about the way others connect with God in nature boosts the benefit! Stacey Pardoe and Sharon of Active Outdoor Women, have a gift for connecting spiritually with God through the appreciation of nature.
But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. ~Job 12:7-10
THROUGH CHRISTIAN MEDITATION
The proven scientific benefits of meditation span all five aspects of holistic health. What isn’t touted often enough is the additional benefit meditation brings to our Christian faith. By sitting still with our thoughts and intentionally being open to God’s presence, we learn to manage our emotional reactions, offer more patience and compassion, take thoughts captive, and become sensitive to any aspect of our holistic health that falls out of alignment with the will of God. I can’t say enough about how meditating has brought me closer to God.
In order to receive the benefits, however, we can’t just know what they are. We must consistently practice meditation in order to reap the benefits. It can take a while to create a daily habit, so start small. I promise with repetition, you’ll fall in love and meditation will become a treasured part of your day! I hope you’ll join me in using Holistic Faith Meditations to support your practice. Sign up below!
