My Own JOURNEY to Wellness

So about 10 years ago, I was a super health nut! I typically ran 60-80 miles per week. I ran marathons, ran road races competitively, did weight training, was a coach, had a coach, was a vegetarian, etc. The highlight of my week was my long run! Can you imagine?! It blows my mind when I think about it now. Needless to say, those days are long gone...

God has since blessed me beyond my imagination with the incredible gift of raising 4 small children (ages 8, 7, 2, and 14 months) and one with a major medical condition. Anyone would agree that as a mom, your kiddies come first. Of course! However after a year of having Silas on the Gerson Therapy (and within that year I also was pregnant, had a baby, and then later miscarried another), I realized that I was living my life so "sacrificially" that I almost became a martyr to the therapy. I'll post one of these days about the typical day in the life of a Gerson Person. It's fascinating... Anyway, I was recently talking with Jordan and realized that I had pretty much forgotten who I was. That runner that I used to be and who my identity was tied up in, no longer existed. For the first time in my life, I was terribly out of shape--and I mean terribly! I wasn't quite sure what I enjoyed anymore... I realized that I've somewhat isolated myself in the past 16 months which is virtually necessary to get the day's work done, but I've missed out on many social events and even surprisingly some friendships have changed. It's been at times lonely doing this therapy... It's no one's fault, but some people don't tend to understand and often don't seem to validate the work of the therapy because it's not through conventional medical methods. It's okay, but it doesn't take away from the seriousness of Sy's disease and how imperative the therapy is to his health. I always knew and rejoiced in the fact that I was God's Beloved... but for the first time, I wasn't sure how much I was loving myself.

Anyway during this past year, I had some blood work completed a couple of times because I was having a few medical issues and in general, not feeling great. Finally my doctor sat down with me and said that as much as I want to be there for my husband, kids and others, I needed to make some radical lifestyle changes or I may not be around for them. Whoa... What?! So here I am busting my chops to do this amazing therapy for my kid and ironically, my own health is starting to deteriorate. How many times do we do that as moms? We give our all to our family and leave nothing or at best, the leftovers for ourselves. It took a little while to sink in but the reality finally hit that it was really time to turn my life around. I had the head knowledge since I'd been studying natural therapies for almost 10 years. I had implemented loads of what I learned but definitely still had my own vices and used some of them as a crutch to get through this last year. After spending hours and hours in the kitchen prepping for Sy, the last thing I usually want to do is to cook a healthy dinner for myself!

So I found this amazing kickstart for my life--ironically from a person who healed herself from cancer through the Gerson Therapy! When I find out more about her own story, I see so much of my own. Jordan and I both decided to challenge ourselves and felt that if we're going to speak publicly about Gerson and Sy, then we needed to understand exactly what it was like for ourselves and to better understand how Sy feels each day. We want to be the real deal. And Wow! All I can say is that it completely changed my life! In those 10 days, I found freedom! I realized that we give food--whether it be specific foods or sugar or caffeine, such power in our lives. I don't want food to empower me... I want God to empower me! There is such freedom in letting go and truly eating to live and not merely living to eat. It's amazing how quickly even my taste buds have changed when you take out salt and sugar. Not only did I cleanse through the liquids but I also started cleansing through a new morning regime for ME! Not in a selfish way but in a loving way... I've been convicted that I need to serve others, including my family, out of an overflow of what the Holy Spirit is doing in my own life. If we constantly give to others out of chaos and depleted reservoirs, then over time we will feel the effects of that on our bodies... So I've been really challenging myself these days and constantly asking myself, "What do I love to do?" and "What will bring me the joy I once knew?"

So that leads me to my new morning routine... It includes quiet time with God, prayer time through meditation, oil pulling, coffee breaks (not what you're thinking!), dry brushing, listening to beautiful music, and juicing. I no longer resent the therapy and think about what I'm missing out on but instead focus on the life and healing that God is doing through the therapy for Sy. Instead of thinking of restrictions, I'm focusing on the great things I do have and enjoy! It's all about perspective. I've found the gift in Gerson... It's more than just healing our boy... It's healing ourselves and reconnecting our spirit to our ultimate Healer. As moms, we absolutely have to take time for ourselves--quiet retreats for our own soul care. It's so important. So as I mentioned before, this is a journey for me. I'm not there yet but I'm learning and implementing all that I can. I'm even starting a course to bring about even more transformation and I'm pretty stoked about it. My life sure looks different than it did 10 years ago and I'm sure it will look even more so 10 years from now. So who knows?! Maybe, I'll even be back to running... :)

What about you? What things do you implement in your life for your own soul care?

A Mere Act Of Kindness?

One day almost two months ago, I was headed to a friend's birthday luncheon... I was super excited to celebrate my dear friend, but never in a million years did I expect that day to be so extraordinary... nevermind so life changing!

I was riding down to the celebration with another one of my sweet friends when we stopped to unexpectedly pick up the guest of honor's mother-in-law. She was visiting from out of town and was going to join us. I've admired this woman and was looking forward to having some time with her to chat and catch up on a beautiful, November afternoon in Florida.

So in the car we started talking and about 30 minutes or so later, she told me that she keeps updated on Sy and had been thinking of him a lot and proceeded to tell me about a couple of ideas that she had heard about. First of all, I was blown away by the fact that this busy woman who lives states away and doesn't even know our family all that well, takes the time to stay updated on Sy but also spends time thinking of possible treatment options for my son! How amazing is that?

Anyway, she shared with me about this new therapy that has a learning clinic in San Diego and a patient clinic Mexico... As she spoke, things started clicking in my mind and in my heart. I'm sure she thought that it was just another conversation and just a mere act of kindness by sharing some of her ideas and thoughts... However to ME, this was more than an "act of kindness" but rather a conversation prompted by the Holy Spirit himself. She had no idea that this was the prefect conversation spoken at the perfect time. Little did we know that a week later, Sy's doctor in Cincinnati would regrettably be telling us that "we are out of options" upon more failed biopsy results. Ordinarily this would have been completely overwhelming, disheartening, and saddening beyond words. My heart would have been shattered. Instead although a door was definitely closing, God had already opened a window a week earlier.

My friend's mother-in-law shared with me about The Gerson Therapy that day. This therapy has been used to treat many diseases--mostly those who have suffered severe stage four cancer where chemo and radiation have failed. This therapy is often found for those whom the doctors have said, "We are out of options." Granted Sy is not dying by any means, but we've noticed a gradual and steady decline. Jordan and I both have sensed that we're slowly losing his health. This therapy sounded crazy but perfect! At this point, what did we have to lose?

So we've spent the last two months researching and researching. We've read all the positives and all of the criticisms... So we gave it to God. We know He will heal Sy and will provide a way... This therapy was something we desired to pursue, but the regimen and cost are just overwhelming. You see, there is no way that we can do this on our own. It will take a "village" to help us. Although the theory sounds amazing, the reality of it seems almost impossible. But of course with God, nothing is impossible. Absolutely nothing.

Meanwhile, the windows have started flying open... And I mean FLYING!! (I guess those details will have to be for another blog entry.) :)

The point of all of this jibber-jabber is that words of encouragement no matter how small or mere acts of kindness are always needed and the Holy Spirit can use them to radically change or even save people's lives. Literally. That one encouraging conversation two months ago I will forever remember and I know Sy's life will never be the same. Thank you!


http://www.mosaicfl.org/?pg=cG9kY2FzdEVwaXNvZGVz&pid=RXBpc29kZXM=&sb=0&sid=Q2FycnlpbmcgVGhlIEdvc3BlbA==
For a great message, please listen to Carrying the Gospel/Active Kindness...