Fit Faith

I have been absolutely overwhelmed with the success of my new Book Fit Faith. I wrote it with the desire to share Scriptures and truths that helped me through my weight loss journey, in hopes that it would inspire others as well with what God can do. You can order your's too through the link to the left on Amazon.

Heritage

Deuteronomy 11:19 “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” ESV

Today is my parents’ 40th anniversary. It doesn’t seem possible in many ways, the chiefest of being that it means they’re getting older. To me, my daddy has always been strong, able-bodied, and steadfast. The fact that they’re getting older pains me. I have to confess, the following thought has crossed my mind more than a few times: When they die, who will pray for me? From my earliest memories, I recall family prayer time, prayers around the table, prayers by the bedside of our sick family members (including me), and a confident assurance of their faith in God. For whatever need we are/were facing, they always have complete faith that God will come through. The spiritual heritage I have is incredible, and I strive every day to pass it on to my children. 

I love the direction given in our Scripture today. We often joke that kids don’t come with instruction manuals, but in a way, we already have the instruction manual. All we have to do is take every available opportunity to teach them about Christ, live it out in our own lives, and trust God to lead and guide them. 

From the time my husband I realized we were going to be parents, we have tried to live out Deuteronomy 11:19 with our children. We talk about our faith, trust, and hope in God every chance we get and are careful to give God glory for all that He does in our lives. Our home is filled with reminders of His Word, music that exalts Him, and opportunities for them to learn about Him. Let me be clear before I go on. NOTHING in this world is more important or can substitute for a spiritual heritage. God designed our society to live in families from the beginning of creation. And He has been clear in His Word that spiritual training is of utmost importance to our children’s upbringing. We only get one chance to raise our children; there are no do-over’s, and we’ve got to get this part right. They desperately need to know that God’s Son died to save them and that His blood will give them strength for whatever they may face in life.

As I’ve grown in my relationship with Christ, and He has confronted me with my need to care for the body He created, I realize that my children also need a physical heritage. The culture in which we live pushes its agenda upon our children to make themselves happy. Whatever feels good, tastes good, looks good, and is comforting must be good, right? Wrong. Our children will not exercise or choose to eat healthy on their own. Let’s face it. When faced with the decision to eat a iced, sprinkle-topped cupcake or apple slices, which one looks more appealing to a child? When faced with the decision to play video games on the couch or ride their bicycle on a hot day, which would you choose? We’ve got to take opportunities to encourage them to care for their bodies, secondary to their souls.

If we are going to raise our children to follow Christ, they need good vehicles with which to minister. I ministered for many years in a broken vehicle, and it was hard. The funny thing about it is, I really didn’t realize how hard life was until I was no longer overweight. How much more I could’ve done for the cause of Christ if I had the energy I have today! How much more I could’ve done for the cause of Christ if I had felt this good all of those years I wasted. 

So as we walk along the walking trail at the park, ride along on our bicycles on the bike trail, and eat healthy dinners together around the table, we talk of God’s goodness. We talk about God’s protection before we get much-needed rest at night, and we pray together, trusting God for our future and praising Him for our past. All the while, we endeavor to model healthy living. I think God is pleased.

Encouragement for Today

Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward.” ESV

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” ESV

Identity

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you might declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” NIV

I was a pretty smart kid. I always made good grades, and I typically got awards, being recognized and rewarded for my academic achievements in my school. I was pretty confident too in my intellect, owning my identity as a smart kid and always being capable of catching on when others may have struggled. I was good at art too, and music, but there was one area where I didn’t excel....P. E. I loathed P. E. 

Looking back, I realize that P. E. must’ve not been much of a priority at our school because we only had to go once a month! Oh, but that dreaded once-a-month P. E. class was torture. With a fast heartbeat and a slow trickle of sweat, I stood on the sidelines, always hoping that today, this day, I wouldn’t be picked last. Kickball was always the sport of choice, mainly because, that’s all the equipment the school owned. But that once-a-month kickball session was enough for me to decide that sports just wasn’t my area of achievement. I wan’t good at it, I didn’t feel confident, and I certainly would never be picked as a team captain. That one 45-minute game was enough to ruin my entire day and my self-confidence. Just the thought in the morning before school that I would have to go to P. E. that day was enough for me to fake sick and beg to stay home. 

In our Scripture, Peter is encouraging Christians who are undergoing incredible persecution to remember whose they are. While they are enduring these times of insult and ridicule, they are tempted to retaliate, or worse, turn their backs on their Christianity. Peter knew that their frustrations were discouraging, so he encourages them to view their treatment as an opportunity to testify for Jesus Christ. Peter reminds them of their identity in Christ...chosen, royal, God’s possession. And because of their status in God’s sight, they can declare His praises, the one who has redeemed them from darkness to light. They have been set free from the old meaningless life, where they wandered day in and day out, just surviving. Now they thrive, knowing that this life on earth is only temporary, but given to us to prepare us for what’s to come.

As I look back on those times of embarrassment and nervousness in fifth grade P. E., I wish I could’ve talked my 10-year old self into understanding that this stage was only temporary and that my identity didn’t lie in my inabilities. I wish I could’ve assured that little girl that sometime in the future, that awkward stage would go away and that God could turn something of uncertainty into a testimony of what God can do. 

There are still times when I feel awkward, as I attempt new physical endeavors. Most of the time, new exercises don’t come naturally, and I have to work harder than other coordinated people. But the fact that I’m not naturally gifted in the physical exercise area only adds to my testimony of how God can work in a person’s life. He gives me strength, encourages me daily, and gives me the desire to honor Him with my body. Because of His work in my heart, my desire now is to please Him in every area. That’s my identity in Christ. I’m so glad that my identity isn’t wrapped up in my intellect, my lack of success on the kickball field, or my physical capabilities. It’s the fact that I am chosen, dearly loved, and a part of a royal priesthood. I have been called to declare His praises to has brought me from darkness into His truly marvelous light!

Encouragement for Today

Hosea 14:7 “My people will again live under my shade. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines. They will be as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon.” NLT

Romans 5:10-11 “For since our friendship wit God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” NLT

Distractions

Psalm 119:15 “I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.” NLT

The day had finally come. My husband and I had embarked on a road trip...without our kids! What luck! We were driving to Little Rock for a long weekend to ride our bikes on the Arkansas River Trail, something that we hadn’t been able to do for two years. We had always ridden the bike trails around our home and in this area with our children, and today, we were anxious to see what we could do, and how far we could go on our own. He drove, and I navigated us to a parking area where we could park the car and mount our bikes, but about a mile before we arrived, he was flagged down by a motorcycle cop. What did we do wrong, I thought.

Speeding. He evidently was speeding. He had no idea what the speed limit even was, and I honestly, didn’t even care. He got a ticket, and the guy was a little snotty about it too. Tensions were high in the car as he rolled his window up and drove away. I didn’t say a word, just looked straight ahead, and held my breath for what I thought he was going to say. 

You see, my husband is a brooder. I despise brooding. Why can’t he just go ahead and state his feelings and get it out of his system! But no, he’s a brooder, and when things go wrong, he likes to contemplate all of the facets of the situation...for days! I honestly thought in that moment that he was going to say that he didn’t feel like riding his bike and that we should just go to the hotel. But he didn’t! Shocked, I just sat in the car while he unloaded our bikes and got our water bottles ready to go. 

Distractions come in all shapes, sizes, situations, and even satisfactions. Usually, they are things that keep us from doing the things we want to do, the things we know we should be doing, and the things we must do. That day, I’m glad that my husband decided that, instead of brooding over a situation that he could do nothing about, we would go on our bike ride as planned and let nothing stop us from enjoying our day.

Satan loves to throw curve balls when we least expect it. It may come in the form of a speeding ticket, bad news at work, an unexpected bill, or an illness that keeps us from working out longer than we really needed. Distractions turn our desire and focus from the Lord to the situation at hand. Instead of focusing on walking on the path that God has laid out for us, we get sidetracked by the flowers on the side, the roadkill in the middle, and flat tires on the way.

But the psalmist here pulls our attention back to God. He will think upon, ponder, keep his thought process focused on the Lord. He will continuously ponder the Word of God. Satan will try to distract us, but we must intentionally direct our thoughts back to Him. 

How do we do that? 

1. Memorize Scripture. His Word will not return void!
2. Make sure you spend time in the Word and in prayer daily, preferably in the morning so that your thought process is set for the day ahead.
3. Pray that He will remind you and make you aware that you have become distracted. He is faithful!
4. Rebuke Satan. The Scriptures say that he will flee!

What distractions have pulled your focus away from the things you are trying to accomplish? What areas of your life is God trying to work? Focus your thoughts, contemplate His Word, and renew the vision for your life.

Encouragement for Today

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.” NKJV

Matthew 24:13 “But those that endure to the end will be saved.” NIV

Comparison

Click below to view my blog posted today on Joy From Grace

Comparision...The Fastest Stealer of Joy

Weight Lifting is Boring

1 Peter 5:10 “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” NLT

There’s one aspect of physical fitness that I have not yet learned to embrace. Running, cycling, endurance, sit-ups, calisthenics, and nutrition in general were all struggles, but with time, I’ve conquered and learned to love them. However, weight lifting...I don’t like it. It’s hard. It’s boring. And it hurts....for days at a time. I just don’t understand it, I guess. I mean, you just stand there, doing the same thing over and over again, and there’s nothing to do to distract your attention from the fact that your internal flesh is ripping at that very moment. It hurts too. Sore muscles are a good thing when I think of how my workout must’ve really been a great one. But when it hurts for days at a time, and it’s already time for your next weight building session, I despise it. In fact, I’ve neglected that part of my fitness journey more than I’ve actually performed it because, in case I didn’t mention...it’s hard, it’s boring, and it hurts. 

Strength building in our spiritual life is kind of the same way. It’s hard, it’s boring, and most of all, it hurts. But how do we get stronger in our spiritual life, and how do we learn to trust God? It’s only through trials that we learn how to trust. It’s only when I face hardship in my life today that I get to experience the faithfulness of God. Oh, it’s good when I remember all of the times God’s been faithful and all of the times that He’s brought me through the storms of life. But today when I face new obstacles that I hadn’t anticipated, I have a greater strength in knowing that the same God who has always been faithful is the same God that stands with me today. 

In our Scripture, Peter reminds the church as a whole that sufferings on this earth are only temporary, and in fact, are only momentary compared with the span of eternity. We can rest assured that after we have “suffered a little while,” that He will place us then on a firm foundation. It’s only through the hardships of life, holding to the faithful hand of God, that we become stronger in Him. 

As I lift weights, I can trust that this hard, boring, hurting exercise is necessary if I want to grow and stay strong. It’s not enough for me to simply run or ride my bicycle, simply burning calories, but if I want to be physically strong, I have to go through some strength training. Yes, it is hard, boring, and painful, but it’s only momentary, and will provide me with strength.

Are you facing a hardship today? What trials are you facing that seem so painful right now? Remember, they’re only temporary. And from these trials, you will get stronger!

Encouragement for Today

Proverbs 31:17 “She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.” NASB

James 1:12 “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” NLT

Romans 8:18 “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” NLT

Endurance

Romans 5:3-6 “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance, develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” NLT

I couldn’t wait to try out my new toy. My husband and I had just embarked on a new adventure of becoming healthier in our bodies and creating a healthier environment in our home. We scoured the area thrift stores and sales ads, carefully buying used exercise equipment so that we could build our own home gym. Our latest find from the used sporting goods store was a new-in-the-box row machine. What luck! We brought it home, set it up, and I quickly jumped on to try it out. It was smooth, the tension was just right, and I could feel my heart rate rising almost instantly. Suddenly, the temperature in the room shot up, and I was breathing heavily. “Wow, this thing really works! Those fitness experts really know what they’re talking about when they recommend rowing! I’ll try this out for 5 minutes today. After all, this is only my first day” I thought. 

I didn’t make it through the first five minutes. After only three minutes, my legs and arms felt like stretched out balloons, and I literally fell on the floor beside the thing in a heap, breathing heavily, sweating profusely, and convinced that this thing was created by Satan himself as a torture device. “I hate it,” I told my husband in a breathless wail. I didn’t touch the thing again for a week. When I got back on, my goal was 5 minutes again. This time, I only lasted 2 minutes. It was worse the second time around!

Romans chapter 5 begins a section of Scripture, where Paul expounds upon the theology of assurance and hope. Starting in verse 3 of chapter 5, Paul explains that endurance is developed through problems and trials. If we are ever going to experience salvation, newness of life, we must initially go through some problems and trials. 

No one wants to face problems, heartaches, relationship failures, illness, or financial ruin, but all of the things we face here on earth can be used by God to bring us into a greater trust of Him. Our text today says that when we go through these times, they produce endurance. And endurance produces a strong character. And then building on that, a strong character develops a “confident hope of salvation” (verse 4). 

Whenever we face problems of any kind, we can rest assured of two things. First, God is with us. And secondly, we read in our text that we can rejoice in our sufferings because they produce valuable qualities in our character. Then in verse 6, we read that Christ comes at just the right time, when we were utterly helpless. 

When we feel that problems are overwhelming, we can rest assured that God Himself will come at just the right time, but meanwhile, we can journey on, developing that endurance, strong character, and the confident hope of salvation.

The days of struggling with the despised row machine have long passed, and I’ve even been able to build up some endurance to put in a full workout. Being consistent in performing the exercise needed to build up my endurance was all it took to build the strong character I needed. 

When we start a new workout routine, things are just that...new. But we can rejoice in the new obstacles we face, confident that it will bring about endurance. And the endurance will make us strong. 

Encouragement for Today

Hebrews 10:36 “Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” NLT

James 1:2-4, 12 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing... God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” NLT