I practice in my Christian tradition that:

  • my mind is to be fixed on praiseworthy things
    Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kind of things. – Philippians 4:8

  • my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
    Don’t you know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? – 1 Corinthians 6:19
  • the Spirit of God dwells within me
    The Spirit is in you, and you have received the Spirit from God. – 1 Corinthians 6:19

I find these teachings helpful and true for me. Holding these Bible verses in my heart brings me peace and purpose. Yet, as my ALS progression renders more of my body useless, I’m perplexed as to how my failing body is worthy to be a temple of God.

I view my mind, body, and spirit as separate entities and struggle to keep balance because I’m not able to tap into my mind and spirit to bolster my failing body.

Something was missing in my understanding. I was missing the inseparable and interdependent relationship of the three. Coincidently (well maybe it’s not a coincidence), I’ve been studying the Eastern Cherokee people of North Carolina for a work of fiction. The Cherokee people believe that one must strive to maintain social and spiritual harmony and balance. Internal harmony and balance allows individuals to be at peace with their bodies, their thoughts, their emotions.

Looking at my life through the Cherokee lens was the subtle shift I needed to bring my mind, body, and spirit back into balance. Can I find balance amongst my mind, body, and spirit with my body being a hot mess of dying motor neurons? I think, yes.

There are eleven major systems in the human body. Just one of mine, the nervous system, is failing and ten other systems are going strong. I can focus my thoughts on all the systems in my body that are doing well and speak health into my body by integrating my mind and body.

My spirit? The Holy Spirit dwelling in me? I’ve got some work to do here.

I’m Forgiven and Free and working on integrating the three.