Back in the spring of 2024, I began a health transformation and sought out several coaches and mentors.
One of them was a functional medicine doctor who tested my VO₂ max and ran me through a series of functional longevity markers — including strength, power, cardiovascular capacity, etc. — to assess how well my body was aging.
The results were humbling. Embarrassing, even.
A body far heavier than it should have been (not exactly a shock 
) and lab numbers I couldn’t ignore any longer.
That was the turning point — the spark that started real change. 
During one of our conversations, I told the doctor how sobering it felt to watch so many people my age being diagnosed with serious diseases — or suddenly dying of heart attacks.
His response grabbed me and I couldn’t stop thinking about it:
“In your 50s, the debt comes due.”
He probably didn’t realize it, but that was the come-to-Jesus talk I needed to course-correct.
{Thank you, Dr. McNab}
That line has stayed with me because it forced me to face the reality of my habits — and my own health.
As I’ve shared throughout this habit series, habits have been central to my Peace with Food journey. 
As we near the end, I want to take a wider view and talk about why habits matter so much in the first place.
Habits are not merely routines that feel boring or impersonal; they are expressions of what we truly value.
And at their core, habits are about stewardship. 
When we hear the word stewardship, we usually think about money — but it goes far beyond that. It’s about what we do with everything God has entrusted to us:
• our time
• our energy
• our attention
• our bodies
• our relationships
• our money
• our calling
All of these are shaped by habits.
Every habit is either an investment or a withdrawal in our stewardship account. When we steward those investments wisely, they compound into life and strength — and peace. 
But when we neglect them, the cost is often delayed — but never erased.
In other words, the bill doesn’t arrive immediately… but eventually, it comes due.
That’s why habits matter so much.
They’re shaping every aspect of your life.
So yes, the bill does come due. Whether it’s in your 50s or later, habits always have long-term effects that eventually produce a harvest.
But here’s the good news. And it is REALLY good news.
If you find yourself on a downward habit curve (which, by the way, I’ve found myself on more than once — so no judgment here), you can choose TODAY to course correct.
You may be tempted to think, “Forget it. It’s too late.”
If that’s your mindset, may I suggest considering a different perspective?
I know for me, that kind of thinking usually comes from focusing on the long road ahead. And while it is wise to — as Jack Welch would say — “face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be,” sometimes the distance to the destination can feel so overwhelming that it keeps us from starting at all.
When I began my health reset — now nearing the two-year mark — I knew it would take time.
(LOL… I just didn’t think it would take this much time. Still haven’t reached some of my goals yet, but I’m still working on it. 
)
But do you know what I experienced on Day 1?
j o y & h o p e
And they have been a constant ever since.
Research suggests that the greatest joy and satisfaction don’t come from reaching our goals, but from making progress toward them.
I know that’s been true for me.
How about you — how long does the satisfaction last after reaching a goal?
Usually, it’s short-lived.
That’s because growth isn’t a final destination; it’s a continual process.
Which makes starting today an even better reason to start today.
In fact, you can start right now — with a decision — and seal it with your first Low-Hanging Fruit action 
(or take giant action if that’s more your style – whatever it takes to get you momentum 
).
I just want to encourage you not to let the disappointment of a goal that feels years away keep you from beginning today.
Whatever route you choose, start now because you’ll blink and it will be 2 years… 5 years… 10 years down the road.
4 Questions to Ask Yourself:
What decision do you need to make right now?
If nothing changes, what will life likely look like two years from today? 5 years? 10 years?
If you say yes to change, what could your life look like in two years? 5 years? 10 years?
What is one Low-Hanging Fruit action you can start immediately — and keep doing — to build momentum?
Joy is in the journey — and it begins the moment you start.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1… let’s go. 
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” —Galatians 6:7-9 (NIV)
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