Project 50: Redefining Priorities and Faith

Hey girlfriend! A little under a month ago, I came across an online challenge called Project 50. It's a mindset challenge designed to improve health and wellness with the goal of creating a better lifestyle. The tasks of Project 50 include waking up before 8 a.m., reading 10 pages of a self-improvement book, dedicating one hour to studying or improving a skill, maintaining a morning routine, eating a healthy diet, and working out daily.

To be honest, even though I was already living a pretty decent lifestyle before Project 50, it was still a challenge to keep up in some areas. In the beginning, I found myself pushing through, constantly refocusing and rededicating myself to the challenge. But now, 22 days in—almost halfway through—I can complete it on autopilot. The shift from grit and grind to grace and pace happened around day ten, and things started getting easier and easier.

I even added a few of my own personal goals to the challenge, like meditating and attending church. I'll admit, I failed a few times. I struggled to keep the Sabbath, missing a couple of Sundays, but still making it to the gym five days a week. That’s when I realized it was time for some deep reflection.

How had I committed to an online challenge but not to my walk with God? On days when I didn’t feel like it, I dragged myself out of bed, powered through a “productive” day, and hit the gym. Yet, something as minor as rain or lack of sleep could convince me that skipping church on Sundays was justified. Shame.

Then, in a service I attended last week, the pastor said something that really hit home: We always say relationships are 50/50. However, our relationship with God should be 100/100 because He gives us 100, so we owe Him that in return. He was absolutely right. I call on God constantly—in trial, tribulation, and even in traffic if it’s bad enough—but I had the audacity to not show up for Him.

Compared to Project 50, attending church for two hours once a week was nothing. It was the bare minimum. I realized I needed to get my priorities straight. So, I reached out to a friend and mentor, sharing my realization and my intention to make a change. Ironically—or maybe God-willingly—she made the same comparison between our daily relationships and our relationship with God. She used the Five Love Languages and suggested we should show love to God in the way that resonates with us most

My love language is words of affirmation. So, if I want to feel closer to God, I need to affirm Him—not just with my words, but through my tithes, deeds, time, energy, and efforts. And that’s really what Project 50 is about: an affirmation to my health and well-being.

Maybe you’re like me—committed to getting to the gym, clocking into work, showing up for family, friends, or kids, and even catching the latest TV episode or sports game. But do you show up for God with the same energy? Do you give Him the same dedication He gives you?

I’m not asking this accusatorily—because I’m guilty too. I’ve been guilty of only wanting God when I need Him, asking for His blessings while neglecting to read His promises. I’ve wanted God to bless me with riches but haven’t shared my tithe. I’ve expected to be placed on a pedestal, without ever putting Him on one.

In some ways, I was a “closet Christian.” I loved God and knew who He was, but I didn’t worship Him wholly, openly, and consistently. Imagine being in a relationship with someone who only loves you when it’s convenient for them—that’s toxic. But unlike the people we encounter on Earth, God is gracious and merciful. If we repent and return, He will receive us with open arms.

I remember praying to God, asking for someone who would hold me up when I’m down, cherish me, and read my mind to know my every wish. I wanted a perfect love. But perfect love can only come from a perfect person—and God is that perfect being. I was looking for fulfillment in worldly relationships and tasks, but I had completely missed the point. True fulfillment and satisfaction can only come through God. He is the only endless, unshakable source of peace and consistent reassurance. If I prioritize my relationship with Him, all other relationships will reflect that.

As I finish the second half of Project 50, this redirection is a reminder of what the challenge—and life—is really about: consistency, dedication, and devotion. But to the right things. Things that will improve, uplift, and transform me from the inside out—with God at the top of that list.