We've spent this month talking about what it means to be good stewards of the bodies we've been given. We've talked about caring for them, appreciating them, and allowing them to rest and recover.
But there's another question worth asking: What are we taking care of ourselves for?
Yes, I want you to feel good. I want you to have energy, strength, mobility, endurance, and confidence in your body. I want you to be able to travel, garden, play with your grandchildren, climb stairs, get up off the floor, and keep doing the things that bring you joy.
But to what use?
I believe we were made for more than simply feeling good in our bodies. We were made to live, to love, to contribute, and to serve.
1 Peter 4:10 says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in it's various forms."
I've always loved that idea of stewardship because it implies responsibility, but it also implies purpose. We aren't given something simply to keep it in perfect condition. We're given something to use well.
That includes our strength.
Being strong enough to carry something for someone else matters. Being fit enough to help a neighbor, work in your garden and share your bounty, volunteer, serve at church, keep up with your family, or show up when somebody needs you matters. Having enough energy to make a meal for someone who is struggling or enough physical capacity to spend a day helping your kids, grandchildren, or parents matters, too.
These may not look like traditional fitness goals, but they're some of the reasons I care so much about functional strength and overall wellness.
I don't want you to exercise just so you can exercise more. I want you to build a body that allows you to participate fully in your own life and gives you the capacity to be there for other people, too.
Sometimes strength is about what you can lift. Sometimes it's about how long you can keep going. Sometimes it's simply having enough in the tank to say, "Yes, I'll help."
That's a pretty good reason to take care of yourself.
After more than 20 years of helping people become stronger, move better, recover from injuries, and feel more capable in their bodies, I've finally created a website that explains what I actually do. It's something I've been meaning to put together for a long time, and I'm excited to finally have a place where I can share it all in one spot.
If you've been thinking about getting back to feeling strong and feeling like yourself again, or if someone you know could use a little help getting there, take a look at my new website. And if you're not sure where to start, you can always call me and talk it through. There's no pressure. Sometimes a conversation is the best place to begin.
As we close out August, I hope you'll think about your own gifts and what you want to do with them. Take care of your body, certainly. Get stronger. Recover well. Nourish yourself. But don't forget to put all of that strength and energy to good use.
Be strong enough to serve.
That's stewardship, too.