Faith & Wellness Challenge
- Dr. Layne McDonald
- Jan 13
- 5 min read
What if growing closer to God didn't require choosing between your physical health and your spiritual life? What if the path to deeper faith actually included taking better care of your body, mind, and soul, all at the same time?
Welcome to the Faith & Wellness Challenge, where we're discovering that God cares about every part of us. This isn't about perfection or comparing yourself to others. It's about taking one month to explore how caring for your whole self can actually draw you closer to the heart of God.
Why Faith and Wellness Belong Together
Here's something beautiful: your body, mind, and spirit aren't separate compartments. They're designed to work together, each one affecting the others in ways that can strengthen your relationship with God. When we pray while walking, our minds often become clearer. When we eat nourishing foods, we sometimes have more energy for serving others. When we rest well, we're often more patient and kind, more like Jesus.
This challenge isn't about adding more pressure to your life. It's about discovering simple, sustainable practices that help you feel more connected to God and more alive in your own skin. Whether you're brand new to faith or you've been walking with Jesus for decades, there's room for you here.
Your Four-Week Journey
Week 1: Prayer Walks and Moving Meditation
This week, we're taking our conversations with God outside. Prayer walking combines the physical benefits of gentle exercise with the spiritual discipline of prayer. You don't need to be a marathon runner or have perfect prayers, just start where you are.
Daily Challenge:
Take a 10-15 minute walk while praying. It could be around your neighborhood, in your backyard, or even up and down a hallway if weather or mobility requires it.
Prayer Focus Ideas:
Pray for your neighbors as you pass their homes
Thank God for what you see in creation
Lift up your concerns and worries
Ask God to show you how to love the people in your community better
Community Connection:
Share photos of where you walked or one thing you noticed during your prayer time in our group thread. You might be surprised how God shows up in the ordinary moments!
Week 2: Gratitude Journaling and Heart Health
Gratitude isn't just nice, it's actually powerful medicine for both your soul and your body. Research shows that people who practice gratitude regularly experience better sleep, stronger immune systems, and deeper relationships. More importantly, gratitude shifts our perspective to see God's goodness even in difficult seasons.
Daily Challenge: Write down three things you're grateful for each day. They can be big (answered prayers) or small (a good cup of coffee, a text from a friend).
Creative Options:
Keep a note in your phone
Write on sticky notes and put them where you'll see them
Share your gratitude in voice messages with a friend
Draw or doodle your thankfulness
Community Boost: Each day, share one item from your gratitude list in our group thread. Watch how celebrating each other's blessings multiplies the joy!
Week 3: Screenless Sabbath and Soul Rest
In a world that never stops buzzing, pinging, and demanding our attention, rest becomes an act of faith. This week, we're practicing the ancient discipline of Sabbath by taking intentional breaks from our screens.
Daily Challenge:
Choose a specific time each day to put devices away for 30-60 minutes. Use this time for prayer, reading Scripture, having face-to-face conversations, or simply sitting quietly with God.
Bonus Weekend Challenge:
Try a longer screen break on Saturday or Sunday, maybe 2-4 hours. Notice what happens in the quiet spaces.
Screen-Free Activities to Try:
Read a psalm out loud
Write a letter to someone you care about
Take a bath or shower while thinking about God's love
Have a real conversation with someone in your household
Sit outside and just be present
Week 4: Nourishing Foods and Celebrating God's Goodness
Our bodies are gifts from God, and how we nourish them can be an act of worship. This week isn't about diet culture or restriction, it's about celebrating the good foods God has provided and paying attention to how different foods make us feel.
Daily Challenge:
Add one nourishing food to each meal. Maybe it's berries with breakfast, vegetables with lunch, or a handful of nuts as a snack.
Mindful Eating Practice:
Before one meal each day, pause to thank God for the food, the hands that prepared it, and the way it will nourish your body.
Community Recipe Share:
Post your favorite simple, healthy recipe with a note about why it makes you feel good. Bonus points if there's a story attached!
Top 3 Ways to Go Deeper in Community During This Challenge
1. Accountability Partners with Grace
Partner up with one or two other people doing the challenge. Check in with each other 2-3 times per week, not to judge or compete, but to encourage and pray for each other. Share what's working, what's hard, and how you're seeing God in the process.
Make it Work: Set up a simple group text or meet for coffee once a week. The key is consistency and kindness. Remember, the goal isn't perfection, it's connection with God and each other.
2. Celebrate Small Wins Together
Every Friday, share one small victory from your week in the group thread. Maybe you took your first prayer walk, wrote down gratitude on a tough day, or tried a new healthy recipe. Celebrating these moments together builds momentum and reminds everyone that progress matters more than perfection.
Community Amplifier:
When someone shares a win, respond with encouragement! A simple "so proud of you!" or "this inspires me!" can make someone's entire week.
3. Prayer Support Network
Create space for people to share when they're struggling with the challenge, or with life in general. Sometimes the most powerful community happens when we admit we need help. Set up a dedicated prayer request thread or time during your group check-ins for people to share what they really need.
Practical Love:
Don't just say "I'll pray for you" (though definitely do that!). Ask specific questions: "What would be most helpful this week?" "How can we support you practically?" Sometimes prayer support looks like bringing someone a meal, offering to walk with them, or simply sending an encouraging text.
Making It Sustainable
The real magic of this challenge happens when these practices become part of your regular rhythm with God. As you wrap up the month, pay attention to which activities felt most life-giving. Maybe prayer walking becomes a weekly habit, or maybe gratitude journaling sticks around permanently.
Remember what Layne McDonald often reminds us: faith is meant to be lived in real life, with real bodies, in real community. This challenge is just the beginning of discovering how God wants to meet you in every aspect of your life.
Ready to Start?
Your Faith & Wellness Challenge begins whenever you're ready, today, next Monday, or the first of next month. There's no perfect time, only the time you choose to say yes to caring for the whole person God created you to be.
Join us at www.bounlessonlinechurch.org where you'll find community, encouragement, and all the support you need for this journey. Because here's the truth we believe with our whole hearts: you're never forgotten, never alone, and deeply loved by God: exactly as you are right now.
Your body, mind, and spirit matter to God. This month, let's discover together just how much.
Ready to connect with others taking this challenge? Visit us online at www.boundlessonlinechurch.org or contact us directly, in person at www.famemphis.org on Sundays and Wednesdays.
We'd love to pray for you and cheer you on!
First Assembly Memphis 8650 Walnut Grove Road Cordova, Tennessee 38018 Phone: 901-843-8600 Email: info@famemphis.net
Comments