It was Thanksgiving day, 2006. As soon as my feet hit the floor it felt like a mac truck had hit my stomach. These were no ordinary menstrual cramps either. It was the kind of pain that had me doubled over, crawling on my hands and knees, shouting for help. I was panicked as I wondered what the heck was wrong with me. The pain came from out of nowhere and I had no prior clues otherwise that something was wrong. I ended up spending most of Thanksgiving day in my bedroom recovering and searching the world wide web. (never a good idea)

My mind went to all the extreme places that a mind with access to the world wide web can go. Do I have a tumor? Am I going to die? The usual freak out questions.

Looking back I can see this was the marked beginning of my body trying to deal with the extreme emotional stress I was encountering in my life. I was lone spearheading a Christian fitness movement/ ministry. My marriage was a wreck. People who said they loved me were walking away. I was a woman who felt abandoned and rejected. I was a woman who had no peace in her life other than when she was in the presence of her King. My gut was recoiling into a place of safety and protection from the devastation.

It’s taken me years to recover and claim healing in my heart, mind, and my second brain..my gut.

Did you know our guts are very much like a second brain? The gut consists of sheaths of neurons that are independent of the brain. When we think neurons, we most commonly think brain. Interestingly enough, our gut has it’s own unique neurons embedded into the wall of the intestines. These neurons allow us to “feel” the inner world of our gut and its contents. This second brain can control gut behavior independently of the brain itself.

On Thanksgiving Day of 2006, my second brain had a breakdown. My second brain had declared war against the war I was in. And the whole time God was fighting for me; to reclaim and restore my life and this time on a solid foundation that nobody or nothing could ever devastate again.

I have no proof of this, but I have a feeling that maybe David or Paul had some possible gut issues. Read Psalm 51 when David is busted by the Prophet Nathan about his infidelity with Bathsheba. Tell me he wasn’t kicked in the gut with pain, anxiety, fear and worry.

“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”

Ugh..I am doubled over for David.

The beautiful thing about pain, is in The Kingdom of God, it never gets the final say. God is. God has come. God will come. God will continue to protect and provide for his people.

My marriage today is new. My gut…well…it’s on the mend and I believe healing is happening. In the places where my gut is not fully healed I am blessed because it leaves me totally dependent upon Him. I kind of like Him. And He kind of likes me. It’s worth it.

Enjoy this workout below that celebrates our dependence upon God through the good and the bad. Just push play to enjoy the song. If it doesn’t get your fingers popping, you might be dead…spiritually speaking.

I am where I am today in all of my relationships because He is who He says He is. I am free!

WORKOUT PROGRAM:

• 4 Minutes AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) 5 squats, 5 push ups, 5 Abdominal V-sits, 5 mountain climbers
• Do this video
• REPEAT 2-4x

Comment below if it got your fingers popping! OR if one better…you do the workout!

Peace friends,

Alisa Keeton