When we’re seeking to feel well and balanced in life it’s important to acknowledge our holistic nature:

characterized by the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole

In other words, we’re more than the sum of our individual parts, and each aspect of ourselves influences and lives in relationship with the whole. We’re physical, emotional, mental and spiritual beings, and achieving a sense of balance in all areas means investing in each area of our lives. Sometimes we can be out of balance by focussing more on one area whilst neglecting (or not wanting to face) another. We need to have courage to be able to face who we are in our entirety, good and bad! Courage to accept who we are with our light and our areas of shadow … our areas of seeming darkness and often hidden pain.

Whatever your personal beliefs about God are I find it an incredible comfort to believe that God is there and sees all and hears all. Psalm 139 tells us that there is nowhere we can go to hide from His presence. What a relief to know this, otherwise if there was somewhere I could go I’d probably be in that place ALOT, or even set up camp indefinitely! Why? Because we can all feel as though parts of us are unacceptable at times. We feel (and hide) a measure of guilt and shame for ‘something’ that we don’t particularly like or want to accept about ourselves. Today, as we look at the spiritual aspect of our well-being, I’d love for you to consider prayer as a way to nourish and nurture who you are, knowing that it will influence all the areas of your life. Prayer for me is the glue that holds EVERYTHING I do together!! 🙏

A few weeks ago I hit a really dark period (well lets say years, not weeks) and then two days ago I had a pretty big meltdown due to the prolonged pain of the experience. I’m not saying this for pity, I’m saying this to let you know that even us ‘so called’ well-being specialists (and I say that loosely) struggle with life and how to respond to the difficulties. We’re not floating around on an ethereal cloud of tranquillity every day. So, two days ago I literally felt broken and questioned my sanity and ability to keep going. As is often the way when we hit that point we actually DON’T want to talk to anyone. Even if we know we probably should. So I went into our cold, dark conservatory (sounds depressing, but I had a lamp and blankets so it’s all good!!) and I started to talk to God about EVERYTHING!! I talked (prayed) and talked (prayed) and talked (prayed), and I sobbed (prayed) and sobbed (prayed) and sobbed (prayed). I even pushed the boundaries of my relationship with God by being very frank about how much I wasn’t happy with His choices for me and questioned why He even created me this way, if He knew I’d be incapable of influencing situations in my life in any meaningful way. At the end I sat there sombre and subdued and although I knew my situation hadn’t yet changed, I did know that I’d been heard and I felt like I’d just spoken to a wonderful counsellor and I knew that I was loved and understood!

I could say ALOT about prayer today but all I am going to say is that despite all the suffering you see in the world and all your unanswered questions, choose to believe in a God of love who cares for you deeply and longs to comfort, strengthen and support you on your journey. Take some time to talk (pray) to God today. Let Him know how you’re feeling and invite Him in to your life to walk the journey with you. He knows EVERYTHING about you after all! And knowing EVERYTHING, He loves YOU!

I’ve written below the Psalm I mentioned, and I hope you find some comfort in the knowledge that you were known and loved when God knitted you together in your mothers womb. Regardless of the story you may have been told! Love and blessings to you, Sam 🙏❤

Psalm 139

“You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the
     far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you…

Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting”