Walking With the Divine Healer
My wife, Nicole, and I have been on a journey of health and wellness together for many years. She has struggled with various autoimmune conditions since our first daughter was born (2014). I’ve done a lot of research and have implemented major changes to my diet and lifestyle, like an autoimmune paleo protocol, natural cleaning products, functional medicine, and therapy. We even went to great lengths (and expense) to avoid mold and environmental toxins.
My intention in pursuing wellness was always to be healthy so I can be there for my family as a husband and father in the future. Still, despite my best efforts, none of these solutions were truly “holistic.” Each change left me looking for the next health hack as if there were some silver bullet out there I hadn’t yet discovered.
Then, in early 2021, I participated in Reform Online LIVE, and I realized why my previous efforts fell flat: they weren’t rooted in Christ. There was no spiritual dimension to my health journey. I didn’t view my health through the lens of my relationship with God and how He made me.
From Day 1, Reform opened my eyes to the image of Christ as the Divine Healer. Jackie’s explanation of what it means to be whole was a lightbulb moment. It brought my understanding of biology and psychology together with what I had known since Catholic grade school: that we are made for intimate union with God and communion with one another. That’s only possible through His divine grace.
Like our faith, Reform Online LIVE was both a communal and deeply personal experience. The weekly sessions gave me the knowledge and encouragement I needed, while the individual coaching and accountability provided tailored recommendations and regular check-ins to implement what I had learned.
I saw big improvements in areas I’ve struggled with for years. My stress levels went way down. I’ve finally made space for things that used to fall off the schedule when I got busy, like prayer and play. I got back to regular functional HIIT training (with more rest days) and have seen an increase in lean muscle and decrease in soreness and chronic inflammation. My energy levels are back up and I’m seeing far less mood swings (probably due in part to lower stress but mostly grace).
Today, I’m showing up as a more integrated version of myself for my wife, my kids, my friends, and Christ. I want God to heal me so I can accomplish the mission He has given me as a Christian father with energy and vigor, and offer up my suffering along this path toward sanctity. I’m grateful to finally have a truly Catholic foundation for my health and wellness journey — Reform is helping me bring it all together.I know I still have a long way to go to become whole and holy. But that’s the point: it’s a process. Now that I have a Christ-centered framework, I’m no longer looking for some silver bullet. Jesus is the Divine Healer I needed on this journey. He’s walking with me and leading me.
