Dear Ones,
Hope you wake to a wonderful weekend. Today Al and I are going to Hackensack early this morning where I will visit a friend in Assisted Living; then go on to a Christmas Tea at the church we went to while living on the lake. Ann will be joining me there also, and  Al is going to have lunch with a friend. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
   Our bodies are sacred and they are fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator God. We can spend lots of time trying to look gorgeous, physically fit, and to perform well but that is not why they are important; rather it is because our bodies house our souls.
   I read James Smith new book, The Good and Beautiful You,” and he shares how the world’s narrative that our bodies are disconnected from our souls and that they hinder us in our spiritual formation is so false. Actually it is the opposite for we use our bodies to worship, serve others, pray, love , study, and connect with others. He writes how our bodies need our souls in order to live and move and souls need our bodies to be known; together they make us who we are. 
    Of course, we often sin with our bodies and the Apostle Paul tells us to not use our bodies as instruments of wickedness but to present ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness. (Romans 6) Smith gives 5 signs that our bodies are sacred and first of all when he created man He said, “It is very good!”. In Greek that is saying magnificent, perfect wonderful. Wow! Secondly When Jesus came to earth, he became human and took on a body, soul and spirit and was like us, experiencing all that we feel. Thirdly the church is the body of Christ and when we know the Lord, we become part of that body and all members of one another. Fourthly, as we take communion we are taking in the body and blood of Jesus and being transformed into the body of Christ. Fifthly, is the glorification and resurrection of our body One day we will have resurrected new bodies and what a glorious day that will be…no more pain or suffering but new wonderful bodies just like Jesus’ resurrected body.
    With our bodies and our souls, we connect with God. Just think God creates our bodies and souls as a place for Him to live in and find pleasure. Let us treat our bodies well and use them to worship and serve the One who made us.
Challenge for today: Go for a walk and thank the Lord for your amazing body!
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy