The day I realized I was finally free had nothing to do with losing weight or my body.
It happened in a bikini.
And it wasn’t because I suddenly loved everything about my body, hit some goal weight, or finally felt confident enough. It happened because something far more important had my attention.
A few days earlier, my husband had been in the hospital needing heart surgery in the very same hospital where my dad had heart surgery. Then, just a week later, I was standing on Rosemary Beach in Florida when I realized something that completely changed how I think about freedom.
If you’ve spent years believing you’ll finally be happy, confident, or feel like you’ve finally arrived when you fix your body, I want to tell you what God showed me that day. Because I don’t think freedom has ever been about our bodies at all.
The Spirit of Truth
Hey friends,
I want to start with a foundational Scripture:
“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13 (NKJV)
I believe this is exactly what happened to me that day. It wasn’t something I figured out on my own. I believe the Holy Spirit revealed it to me. And I know many of you are praying for that same kind of clarity. Friend, it is God alone who leads us and guides us into the very best He has for us.
Before we dive in, I wanted to let you know that God has been leading me to completely update Fit God’s Way. I’ll share more about that later because it ties directly into what happened over the last few weeks.
A Week That Changed Everything
A few weeks ago, my husband ended up in the hospital needing heart surgery.
His heart rate had dropped dangerously low and then started fluctuating. It was scary. There were moments when we didn’t know exactly what was happening or what the outcome would be. If you’ve ever walked through a health crisis with someone you love, you know how quickly everything else fades into the background.
Suddenly, what matters becomes very clear.
The following week, we had a trip planned to one of our favorite places in Florida. If you’ve ever been to 30A, Destin, Miramar Beach, or that area, you know how beautiful it is. The white sand. The turquoise water. The slower pace.
As I sat on the beach watching the waves roll in and then pull back out again, I noticed something.
Years ago, even after all the work I had done on my health, there would have been a little part of me that wasn’t fully present.
Maybe you know what I mean.
You put on the swimsuit, but you’re thinking about your body. You go to the beach, but you’re not enjoying the moment you’re in. You’re on vacation, but you’re worried about what you’re eating. You should be fully present, but your mind is somewhere else.
The Day I Finally Felt Free
This time, I realized that wasn’t happening.
I put on my bikini. Yes, I said bikini.
And I felt free.
Not because everything was perfect. Not because my body was perfect. Not because I had finally reached some magical destination where I loved every single thing about myself.
I felt free because I was grateful.
Grateful my husband was alive. Grateful he was healthy enough to be there with me. Grateful that God had carried us through such a difficult week. Grateful for another day together.
As I sat there, I felt the Lord reminding me of something I believe so many women need to hear.
The answer is not in your body.
The answer is not in the next diet.
The answer is not in losing another ten pounds.
The answer is not in finally looking the way you think you’re supposed to look.
The answer is God.
The answer is not in your body. The answer is God.
The Lie So Many of Us Believe
I know that sounds simple, but I think we forget it.
We look everywhere else first. We ask experts. We buy programs. We try diets. We listen to influencers. We search for answers everywhere except the One who created us.
It reminded me of Ecclesiastes.
Solomon had everything the world could offer. Success. Achievement. Wealth. Pleasure. Accomplishment. Yet after chasing all of it, he concluded that apart from God, it was meaningless.
There is a place in every human heart that only God can fill.
And I think many women are trying to fill that place with fitness.
We think, “When I lose the weight, then I’ll be happy.” “When I fit into those jeans, then I’ll feel confident.” “When I finally fix my body, then I’ll feel at peace.”
But peace is not found in a smaller size.
Peace is found in the presence of God.
Isaiah 26:3 says:
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”
Confidence is not found in your appearance.
Confidence is found in knowing who you are in Christ.
Freedom is not found in a perfect body.
Freedom is found in surrender.
What Jesus Wants for Your Health
Matthew 11:28-30 says:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Friend, I think some of us are carrying our health journey in a way God never asked us to.
We’re carrying shame. We’re carrying guilt. We’re carrying disappointment. We’re carrying frustration. We’re carrying the pressure to fix ourselves.
And Jesus is saying, “Come to Me.”
As I sat there listening to the waves and talking with the Lord, I felt Him reminding me why He led me to create Fit God’s Way in the first place.
Not to help women find the perfect diet.
Not to help women obsess over food.
Not to help women become consumed with fitness.
But to help women learn how to put God first in their health.
Matthew 6:33 says:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
That verse changed my life.
Because for years I sought health first. Weight loss first. Fitness first. Results first. But God was inviting me to seek Him first.
That invitation changed everything.
Why I Completely Updated Fit God’s Way
It’s also the reason I’ve been quietly working on something over the past several months.
After helping more than 14,000 women through Fit God’s Way, I’ve been praying about how to make it even more effective. As Bill and I walked through his heart surgery, and then as I sat on that beach talking with the Lord, I realized women don’t need more information.
They need a simpler path.
A simple way to stop trying to do health in their own strength and start seeking God first every single day.
That’s why I’ve completely updated Fit God’s Way.
I’ve simplified everything I’ve learned into a 6-Step Plan for Putting God First in Your Health.
Beginning July 8, I’m going to teach this new version live for four weeks. This will be the only time I’ll teach Fit God’s Way live before it becomes a self-paced course.
If you’ve been wanting to put God first in your health but you’ve felt overwhelmed, I’d love for you to join me. You can get all the details here to join.
This will be the only time I’ll teach Fit God’s Way live.
Going forward, my primary focus will be Living God’s Way Mentorship, where we go deeper into learning how to live God’s way in every area of our lives.
But God has uniquely positioned me to help women in the area of health and fitness, and I don’t want to move forward without giving you the clearest, simplest version of this message.
An Invitation to Walk in Freedom
- If you’re tired of starting over…
- If you’re tired of carrying your health journey alone…
- If you’ve tried everything but have never fully surrendered it to God…
- If you’re ready to stop looking to your body for something only God can give…
I’d love for you to join me.
Because the freedom I felt walking that beach wasn’t found in a diet.
It wasn’t found in a bikini.
It wasn’t found in a number on the scale.
It was found in walking with God.
Galatians 5:1 says:
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”
Friend, I believe God wants you to experience that freedom too.
You can learn more about Fit God’s Way at https://kimdolanleto.com/fit-gods-way-course
A Prayer
Dear God,
Thank You for reminding us that true freedom is never found in our bodies, our accomplishments, or anything this world promises us. Thank You that the freedom we long for is found in You alone.
Lord, if we’ve been carrying our health journey in our own strength, help us surrender it to You today. Replace our striving with Your peace, our comparison with gratitude, and our fear with trust.
Teach us to seek You first in every area of our lives, including our health. Help us remember that our identity is secure in Christ and that we don’t have to earn Your love or prove our worth.
Guide us by Your Spirit into all truth, just as You promise in Your Word. Give us the courage to take the next faithful step and to walk in the freedom You have already given us through Jesus.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Remember, you are called, chosen, and set apart, and you were made to live God’s way.
With so much love,
