I thought I would share how this concept has applied in my life in the area of health.

During my first pregnancy I had a condition that commonly affects pregnant women called sciatica. This pain starts in your lower back and will shoot down through your legs and numb your foot. It will also hit you suddenly and your leg will go out on you and you collapse on the floor. Maybe some of you can relate.

Well, I really didn't have proper knowledge and awareness of my condition. I didn't know how important exercise was in improving and preventing it. Plain and simple I was ignorant of the problem and the solution. And I sucked it up like a martyr and ignored the pain. Did I really think it would just go away in time?

Well, ten years later it was worse than ever, affecting both my legs. I wasn't getting any younger and I didn't want to have future health problems. After reading I Corinthians 6:19-20 I was convicted that I wasn't taking proper care of the only body God had given me.

This Scripture says: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

I began 6 weeks of physical therapy (3x a week) in December 2009 doing low impact stretching, strengthening exercises and the recumbent bike (5-7 minutes). I also used a TENS machine and heat pad for 10-13 minutes during my therapy visits. I did the exercises at home on the other days along with walking on the treadmill. These were very mild exercises (most of them laying on my back), but after a month my hamstrings and core were stronger and I was at an intermittent pain level. I was amazed at what a significant difference the small, repetitious exercises made!

What was shocking to me was that when the therapist was doing the initial consultation there were times I couldn't even move my left leg. I had ignored this problem for so long and my body had compensated and I had grown weak. I literally felt like a handicap.

 If you ignore it it will only get worse!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So after finishing up therapy in January 2010 I felt like a new person! I had little to zero pain level most days and since my body was feeling better I was motivated to exercise. I began jogging on the treadmill 3 days a week and continuing my therapy exercises. I had never run my whole entire life, but I discovered that I enjoyed it. In April 2010 I did a 10k with my sister-in-law. I wasn't fast, but I finished!

Exercise has now become a regular part of my life and it is so vital in preventing the sciatica pain from coming back. It still comes and goes, but it is amazing how therapeutic and healing some core exercises are.

I had ignored the condition (sciatica) and avoided the solution (exercise) for ten years. I ask myself, why did I wait so long? Well, Philippians 3:13 says, "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." So I'm not gonna beat myself up anymore about what I didn't do and how my conditioned worsened over time. What is important is I am doing something about it now and I feel great!

So I encourage you .... if there is something in your life that you need to quit ignoring and do something about ... you can do it! Offer it up before the Lord and ask Him to give you the strength and the strategy to move forward with it.