When I think of the word obedient, I think of the nuns in Catholic school when I was a child.  I was scared to death of them!  One classmate, let’s call him Johnny, failed to follow rules and what happened to him made me want to be obedient.

The nun who was teaching our second grade class told Johnny to put his hands on top of his desk.  We all held our breath as Sister Mary Margaret got out her wooden ruler, walked over to Johnny and slapped his knuckles not once, but three times with the ruler. The worst part: Johnny wasn’t allowed to cry. I sat up straight and kept my eyes on the chalk board in front of me.  I didn’t want to end up like Johnny.

The word obedience conjures up oppressive images for me.  Does it for you?  Do too many rules and regulations feel stifling?  We can all look to the mandates and lockdowns for examples of severe and arguably tyrannical decrees.  Today I’d like to focus on being obedient to God, the true authority that guides me and my life.

Disclaimer: I fail.  A lot.  I fall short of living up to being the godly woman I’d like to be, and I ask for God’s grace every day.  None of us is perfect.  We are all human and that means we all make mistakes. Living up to certain standards can be a wicked dance of disappointment. We know what we should do, but we all fall short of perfection, don’t we?

I’ve been teaching group fitness classes for more than forty years.  I do it because I love it!  I love seeing the smiling, sweaty faces of my students getting carried away by the beat of the music.  Seeing them happy – while exercising – fills my heart with so much joy.  I know that getting to the gym wasn’t easy for them. They could have been sidetracked with an endless list of errands or obligations.

I feel the same.  At times, I’d rather sit on the couch with my dogs than think about getting sweaty and exerting energy. Teaching helps keep me on track and accountable.  I can’t cancel a class unless it’s an emergency. Once I get to the gym, however, I’m pretty darn ecstatic!  One of my students once asked me if I smile throughout my class because I really love teaching, or if I’m just pretending.

Immediately no! (There’s a funny social media video about that). After a life-threatening illness from toxic mold exposure in my home, I know what it’s like to lose my health.  There were days and weeks and months I could barely get out of bed.  The first thing and last thing I do every day is thank God for my health. I still have set-backs but I’m so grateful for the days I have energy and can move. By the grace of God I recovered.  My smile is pure gratitude.  And to know that I’m keeping my body healthy and helping others is a double dose of joy.

No one has to tell me that if I only eat junk food and sit on the couch, I’ll be out of shape, overweight, and I’ll be setting myself up for a lifetime of health problems. When I take the time to eat good food and exercise, I’m healthier and happier. It’s the end result that appeals to me. Having self-control and discipline isn’t easy. Again, I’m not perfect.  I can annihilate a small bag of Fritos or a couple of warm, fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookies.

In this life, the result I keep striving toward is obedience to God. I want to be a good and faithful servant.  I want to do His good work. When I get to heaven, I want to hear “well done.”

Matthew 25:23: His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”

Obedience comes with sacrifice but the end result is freedom.  If I trust in God and have faith that all of this craziness that’s taking place in the world today is His plan, I will not be stifled with anxiety.  We all know that stress can lead to inflammation in the body, which leads to other illnesses.  Being bed-ridden is not fun.  You can’t do the things you love to do with the people you love.

It took years to regain my health, and I still get set-backs from time to time.  My documentary about toxic mold will be coming out soon. I’ll share the natural remedies I used to regain my health, and also show you how to recognize and remediate toxic mold.  You may be surprised to know that the symptoms of mold illness can be migraines, asthma, flu-like symptoms, joint pain, digestive disorders, and is constantly being misdiagnosed.  Subscribe to my email list at www.ShemaneNugent.Rocks and you’ll be the first to get access to the documentary when it’s available.

If the end result for you is to have supernatural health, boundless energy and peace in your heart, consider incorporating the disciplines of prayer, bible study, and exercise in your daily routine.  You’ll have freedom to move better, live happier, and have peace in your heart.