For those of you who may not know, my mother and my siblings are from Jamaica. I grew up in a single-parent, Jamaican household, which was quite different from my peers in Baltimore at the time. No, I’m not just talking about the clothes that we wore or the way in which we spoke, I’m not even referencing our ignorance of many days that were important to the Americans that surrounded us. Specifically, I am talking about food. You see, in my mother’s household, we ate traditional Jamaican meals every single day. Whether it was ackee and saltfish with fried plantain for breakfast, or rice and peas with curry chicken for dinner, or corn porridge on the weekends, our food was always unique. I didn’t fully recognize that fact in my youth, but as I got older, conversations with peers revealed to me that the food my mother prepared for us was not what other families ate in their homes. And when I thought of how satisfying my mother’s oxtail and curry goat were to my teen stomach, I felt kind of bad for those who had never experienced such deliciousness.

My mother stood in our kitchen, lovingly preparing meals that would meet our every physical need. Every item on our prepared plate met the nutritional requirements of every health standard of those days. She didn’t load us up on sugar (though I found it on my own), and made sure that every meal began with thanking God for what He had provided. Even back then, my mother made sure that we knew that she had not provided the food before us; no, that meal was from God alone and He deserved the praise. Considering the fact that my mother had come to this country with a limited formal education, it always amazed me how she was able to make sure that we had everything that we needed. You see, it wasn’t just the food on the plate that my mother was feeding us; it was not just the vitamins and minerals found in the edible food before us that my mother poured into us with each meal. My mother was instilling spiritual and Biblical foundation blocks within us. She was making sure that our bodies and spirits consumed what we needed to step out into the world and accomplish what God needed us to do for that particular day. My mother- in her God-given wisdom- knew then what I tearfully learned over the past two weeks: You are what you eat. What I had to learn the hard way was that whatever I feed my body, my body will reflect and whatever I feed my spirit, my spirit will reflect. Just as my mother had fed us scriptures and the teachings of God throughout my childhood, it is now my responsibility to continue that spiritual nourishment now in my adulthood so that I may continue to grow strong in the Lord.

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Sweet friend, if nothing else, I am known for my transparency… is it ok if I share my truth for a moment? Is it ok if I share how I am still healing and growing with each day that God allows me to see?

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For far too long than I care to admit, I have not been feeding my spirit what it needs to function as a part of God’s greater body. From television shows and streaming choices, to music selections, to how I’ve spent my time, my body and my spirit have been consuming things that scream FEAR, seldom consuming that which reflects FAITH. Despite having been fed spiritual food in my youth, adult Michelle needs continued sustenance for my growing faith. Yet even though I know this, I dined from every table except the Lord’s table. And as I continued to miss meals with Him, fear abounded.

One horrible and random allergic reaction caused me to fear doing what brings my heart joy- spending time outside. One comment from a loved one said in jest, caused me to doubt God’s plan in my life. One small ache in my body caused me to run to Google, believing that every possible condition was the one causing dis-ease in my body. You see, because I chose to eat fear, doubt, confusion, and other deeds of the flesh, I was not able to bear fruit of the spirit. I was becoming what I was eating.

Where was the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Where was my faith?

As we prepare for your week, I want us to think about what we eat. National health organizations believe that every meal we consume should provide a certain amount of nourishment. Whether you are a vegan, pescatarian, vegetarian, or meat-eater, every meal should contain dairy, grains, protein, vegetables, and fruit. These food groups allow us to tap into the nutrients that our bodies need to function properly. Protein helps muscles grow and repair. Dairy products provide the calcium that our bones need. Fruits and veggies offer a plethora of vitamins and minerals. We need all of this in order for our physical bodies to survive. Yet as Christians, meals that our mind, heart, and spirit consumes must contain that which will make us stronger in Christ. We need a healthy heaping of God’s power, we need a generous offering of God’s love, to that we must add an abundance of self-control and a double-portion of peace. Finally, we must wash it all down with grace.

Not to be all up in your business, but… what are you eating today???

I love you, Beloved; please remember that you are what you eat.

Be blessed.