Nine years and ninety-eight pounds ago, I began to speak health and well-being into existence, even though my actions at that time were contrary to my utterances. There is a Kiswhahili term known as “Nommo“, which refers to the generative and productive power of the spoken word. My affirmation was repeated out loud to a group of women on a wellness conference call who agreed in 2003 to drink 8 glasses of water daily, eat five servings of fruits and vegetables, move (i.e. dance, swim, bike, hike, walk, or anything fun that increases activity level), take supplements, and not diet, worry about a dress size or numbers on a scale. Simply and positively put, my personal affirming mantra was this: “Today, I consciously choose to act in a way that honors my appetite and my body”.

Now of course, initially, this was easier said than done, and even though my conference call commitments were kept; high fat, sugar saddled, processed foods still dominated my intake. Over a period of time however, those healing words began to influence healing thoughts that elevated healing feelings, and I began seeking more affirming ways to do life. How by the Grace of God the excess weight was released with out a diet or surgical procedure is something to share at a retreat workshop, over coffee or tea. In the meantime, please know, you too have the power to “nommo what you need” for God to help you with. Turn it over to Him if you are ready to let go of control over outcomes, follow His lead and trust the process.

Reference:
Adeyemi, V. (2000). Seeds of destiny. Ibadan, Nigeria: Global Harvest Church.