by natalie horne
Body, mind and soul. They are undeniably interconnected and their conditions are dependent on one another. A healthy body is not a requirement for faith and intimacy with God, but I’ve found in my experience that when I care for the basic needs of my body, my spiritual life flourishes. What we eat, whether or not we exercise, and what we do in our free time can all help or hinder our relationship with the Lord. I can say with confidence from a God-given place of wholeness in Christ, there is a very real tie between my physical wellness and the state of my soul.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Day 5 – Compose a thank you letter to someone who has changed your life.
Dear Greta,
Words cannot express how grateful I am for you. We haven’t seen each other in a while, but the impact you’ve had on my life has been profound. You and I met during the end of my sophomore year at Pepperdine while you were interviewing for the full-time intern position at Malibu Pres. I didn’t know it at the time, but you would play a significant role in saving my life just a few months following. It was no surprise that they chose you for the job, and you moved to Malibu in the fall. That town was a weird place for you, especially compared to the Northeast, but you fit in just fine. I knew as soon as you showed up that you were someone I wanted to know more, but I had no idea what would come of it. We started to meet weekly over hot coffee (for you) and hot green tea (for me). I remember you found it so strange that I never drank caffeine. You and I, we came from such different places, such different lives. You were a Northeastern theater girl, and I was a former cheerleader from California. Yet, our lives collided in the most beautiful way. I was in pain. A lot of pain. I was more broken that I realized until I started meeting with you. You were the person that the Lord decided to use to love me. I was moody, hard-hearted, serious and empty. And yet, you loved me. Every day you sent me an email or a note, reminding me that I was beautiful, loved, or “fearfully and wonderfully made.” God used you to bring light into my darkness, to bring peace into my turmoil.
Thank you for being willing to love someone as unlovable as I was back then, and for investing your time into what may have seemed like a hopeless cause. I didn’t realize until this past year—when I had the privilege of filling your shoes as one of the full-time interns—just how much uncertainty there is when you are in the mentor role. You pour time and energy and love into a girl and sometimes you never see how God is using you. I don’t know if you felt that way about our time together, but just in case you did, now you know just how valuable our relationship has been to me. Thank you for changing my life.
In Love,
Natalie
