Unlock Health

Sunday, April 15, 2012 Posted by Joline

After experiencing a grueling move from IL to PA, my husband fell into a heart-wrenching depression. Depression. With a capital D. He wasn't just sad. It was dangerous. With another capital D.

The reason for our move was fantastic. The job and community we were moving to were amazing. And ordained. There was nothing that should have caused, nor had we indication that the next 1.5 years would be anything but a cake walk once we got settled.

It sucked.

When your spouse can BARELY get out of bed in the morning, and once he does, stands in the shower for an extended period of time in order to hide the sound of his cries from the children, life sucks.

Was I mad at God? I wasn't.
Did I doubt our move? I didn't.
Was I worried? Hell, yeah.
Did I need help? Absolutely.

Help came in an unexpected way. Via exercise.

Yep. That's what I said. Good old-fashioned "temple restoration".

I never mistrusted God, though I hated seeing my husband in pain. I was exhausted from having to bear the emotional weight for the family, for while he was present, he wasn't "present", but I never doubted that God was completely involved and engaged with us through the desert.

And yet, I heard Him say quite clearly, "Pick up your mat and walk", which essentially meant, "Take care of yourself, Joline. Now."

Exercise unlocked a new emotional stability, mental clarity, and a positive spirit that had been hidden in a dark, dim closet while my husband suffered. One of us had to be well, otherwise the entire family would have landed behind a locked door. Stuck. Fumbling in the pitch black chaos for the key that would let us out.

Exercise was the key God handed me.

Now? Two years later, and 20 years of marriage under our belts, my spouse is doing great, and we are both committed to helping others realize that the inner shell, which was "knit in thy mother's womb", is indeed a creation from God, and we must not make light of caring for it and restoring it when necessary. If we believe the body is His creation, we should be careful not to ignore its condition.

If you would like further details on my journey, please visit the Fit With Jo page on my personal blog at Cuppa Jo.