With January already here, many of us will begin to make New Year's resolutions. What will you decide to change? If you're considering your health, dont' forget to think about your spiritual wellness. Although most New Year's resolutions center on physical health, Stephanie Dean, author of Fit to Serve (Dec 08), says your spiritual health goes hand-in-hand with your overall wellness.
The book is a six-week Bible study designed for use in group meetings. Fit to Serve contains five lessons each week for six weeks that combine spiritual disciplines, nutrition and exercise for a comprehensive wellness program. Ms. Dean coordinated with Don and Carol Mathus, fitness experts, and Julie Bender, a nutritionist, to create a step-by-step plan to improve one’s wellbeing. The plan centers on the spiritual condition as the foundation for a healthy life.
In Fit to Serve, each daily lesson includes a spiritually-focused study, which often includes Ms. Dean’s first-person experiences, and a Health Bite with tips and specific exercise guidelines. The spiritual portion is divided into six disciplines – one for each week: Bible study, prayer, worship, service, solitude and simplicity. Spiritual topics such as anxiety, forgiveness and faith are studied from a biblical perspective. Participants are asked to answer various questions for more in-depth reflection. The Health Bites include tips for staying motivated, exercising correctly, eating a balanced diet and setting goals – all with the overarching theme that “health improvement is forever.” A leader guide is included to help facilitate group sessions.
“Fit to Serve provides insight into two important areas of one’s life: physical health and spiritual health. The authors propose logical, fact-based solutions to weight-control issues as well as insightful guidance for spiritual growth. This book offers reliable, practical, and timely information about staying healthy in a busy world,” writes LuAnn Soliah, Ph.D., R.D, in an endorsement of the book.
Stephanie Dean is a dietitian, author, and speaker. She earned a B.S. in nutrition sciences from Baylor University, completed the dietetic internship at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, and completed a certificate in adult weight management by the American Dietetic Association. She works in Dallas as a registered and licensed dietitian and is completing a master's degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.
The book is a six-week Bible study designed for use in group meetings. Fit to Serve contains five lessons each week for six weeks that combine spiritual disciplines, nutrition and exercise for a comprehensive wellness program. Ms. Dean coordinated with Don and Carol Mathus, fitness experts, and Julie Bender, a nutritionist, to create a step-by-step plan to improve one’s wellbeing. The plan centers on the spiritual condition as the foundation for a healthy life.In Fit to Serve, each daily lesson includes a spiritually-focused study, which often includes Ms. Dean’s first-person experiences, and a Health Bite with tips and specific exercise guidelines. The spiritual portion is divided into six disciplines – one for each week: Bible study, prayer, worship, service, solitude and simplicity. Spiritual topics such as anxiety, forgiveness and faith are studied from a biblical perspective. Participants are asked to answer various questions for more in-depth reflection. The Health Bites include tips for staying motivated, exercising correctly, eating a balanced diet and setting goals – all with the overarching theme that “health improvement is forever.” A leader guide is included to help facilitate group sessions.
“Fit to Serve provides insight into two important areas of one’s life: physical health and spiritual health. The authors propose logical, fact-based solutions to weight-control issues as well as insightful guidance for spiritual growth. This book offers reliable, practical, and timely information about staying healthy in a busy world,” writes LuAnn Soliah, Ph.D., R.D, in an endorsement of the book.
Stephanie Dean is a dietitian, author, and speaker. She earned a B.S. in nutrition sciences from Baylor University, completed the dietetic internship at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, and completed a certificate in adult weight management by the American Dietetic Association. She works in Dallas as a registered and licensed dietitian and is completing a master's degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.
