Valerie H. Hess is an instructor in the Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation and Leadership at Spring Arbor University, and Lane M. Arnold is a spiritual director. Their paperback has been published by InterVarsity Press and Renovare USA, a non-profit Christian organization that emphasizes spiritual formation through the practices of Jesus and the church. For Christians the body is the temple of God and must be treated with tender loving care and respect. Jesus had a body just like us and he models ways for us to live "more fully integrated in body and heart."
Wise stewardship of our body means paying close attention to what we eat, the amount of exercise we do, our sleep, and our physical maintenance. Hess and Arnold call self-care a Godly activity and issue a challenge to us to try to engage our bodies in both corporate worship and private prayer. We get a sense from them how important our flesh is as they delve into a theology of food, cultural messages about the body, the chill winds of consumerism, the ache and the agony of suffering and pain, the need to have a wellness plan, and a plea for us to look after the planet which is our home. Hess and Arnold have given added value to the book with four appendixes including a study guide and "Holy Habits for the Whole Body."
