Straining forward to what lies ahead
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.”
Philippians 3:13
Reading Through Philippians
Philippians has been one of the most influential books of the Bible for me. As I work my way through a Bible study of the New Testament, I recently completed Philippians, and so many verses stood out to me. They reminded me of God’s character, His promises, and His steady presence in our daily lives.
Philippians 3:19-21
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:12-13
I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 3:13
Out of all the verses, Philippians 3:13 kept coming back to mind. Life will always bring ups and downs, but dwelling on what is behind us does not move us forward. We cannot change the past. We can only look ahead and trust God’s guidance. Trusting the Lord means letting Him lead us into what is next and allowing His grace to wash over what we cannot control. We are seeking His kingdom, and His kingdom is to come.
A Recent Experience
Not long after reading this verse, I had an experience that made me feel like I’d slipped back to old bad habits.
My thoughts immediately went to the past. What did I do to get here? What mistakes did I make? How did I fall off track? I truly thought I was past this. Every question I asked and thought I had was centered on myself. I was placing myself at the center instead of seeking God and asking, What do I do next? Where are You guiding me?
Here is what happened. I got bloodwork done, and was genuinely excited for the results. I used Geviti, which offers more nuanced bloodwork and uses optimal ranges instead of average ones. At a typical doctor’s office, ranges are based on the average patient population and do not always reflect what is ideal. They also run far fewer markers.
Geviti provided a much fuller picture from a women’s hormone blood panel mapped to optimal values. It felt like a step in the right direction. I live an intentional life for energy, fertility, and general wellbeing, but I had not deeply checked how this lifestyle was showing up in my blood markers, which are typically known as the most accurate measurable indicators.
When the results came in, they upset me a little. They were not terrible, but my hormones were not in the optimal range. I left feeling discouraged. My lifestyle is aimed at supporting balanced, healthy hormones, yet my numbers did not reflect that. I struggled for a few years with my body, hormones, losing my period, and getting it back again. For so long, things were off. Now I finally feel good, truly good, and yet something still seems out of line in my blood results.
Wrestling With Feelings of Failure
I caught myself feeling like a failure. It felt as though everything I had been working toward had slipped through my fingers, and that somewhere along the way I had fallen back into an old pattern of not giving my body the raw nutrients it needs. While some adjustments still need to be made, staying in that mindset does not move me forward. Dwelling on the past only pulls me down. The reality is that I am not where I once was.
It’s important for me to remember that my blood markers and lifestyle are not my idol, and that I need to seek God’s guidance first in all things. This helps me live in alignment with His design and choose to look ahead rather than behind. Seeking God in all things, praying through the hard moments, and allowing Him to direct my next steps is the only way forward.
I want to help women achieve health in their lives and feel good in their bodies. I’ve had my struggles and I know God is using this season to prepare and strengthen me as I continue striving for what lies ahead.
What I Am Changing After My Bloodwork
Here are a few ways I’m choosing to support my nutritional needs as I care for my hormones, thyroid, and stress levels:
Starting each morning with God’s Word and a gentle prayer walk to calm my nervous system and begin the day with encouragement
Drinking more water with electrolytes (Paleo Valley orange flavor)
Cooking and sitting down (rather than rushing around) for three meals a day, being intentional and choosing foods I enjoy (always praying over my meal first)
Pairing red meat with vitamin C to increase iron absorption
Eating three Brazil nuts a day for selenium to support T4 to T3 conversion
Using extra virgin olive oil and eating walnuts for omega-3s
Including more berries for antioxidants
I am excited for this journey and grateful that God gave me wisdom in a moment of fear. It reminded me to keep looking ahead and trusting Him with what comes next.
Leave a comment about your own journey as well.
