Neat week, huh guys? For my part, I've thoroughly enjoyed examining what Tim Challies said and breaking it down into segments. What does God, the owner of your body, expect from you as its steward? He expects that you will present it, steward it, nurture it, and finally, employ it.

"You need to employ your body. Inner godliness is to be displayed in outward acts of kindness. James shows the unity of faith and works in this illustration: “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:15-17). The love of God in your heart is to be displayed by the works of your hands. Young men are at their physical peak and bear a double responsibility to use that strength for the good of others. “The glory of young men is their strength,” says Solomon, “but the splendor of old men is their gray hair” (Proverbs 20:29).

Many people today hold to a form of the ancient teaching of gnosticism. They believe the soul has great significance while the body is merely a useless vessel to be used or abused. But as Christians we see that there is much greater unity than this. To care for the body is to care for the soul."

So, I'm sure it's been nice to hear grace-based health advice from someone like Tim Challies. I encourage you to read him at challies.com. Here are his send-aways for us as we wrap up the week:

"Plan to be fit. - Plan to get fit and stay fit through wise, moderate eating and regular, vigorous exercise.
Guard against idleness. - Guard against the idleness that keeps you on the couch when you should be active.
Guard against gluttony. - Food is a great gift, but it makes a terrible god. Learn to practice self-control toward food and renounce any sign of gluttony.
Prepare for the decline. - As your body and perhaps even your mind grows weak, there will be many new temptations to sin. Read Ecclesiastes 12:1-8 as a glimpse of your own biography and ask, “What will sustain me in that day?” The answer is simple: godly character. Nothing but godly character will sustain you as your body decays and your mind weakens. Even while you give attention to your physical health, do not neglect your spiritual wellbeing."

Like I said, it's been a good week. Kinda sums it all up, amen? Did anything new hit you over the last week about our care and concern for the body that may not have ever occurred to you? Hope you've enjoyed the entries. It's my honor to serve you.

- Jimmy Peña