Pt. 1: Showing Love to God

A common struggle I have noticed, and experienced, is thinking that in order to experience gains in strength, we must do hours and hours of an activity every single day.  But this type of thought process is likely to discourage even beginning an activity, and also is likely to cause burnout!  

With workouts, for some reason so many people think that they need to spend hours in the gym, sweating their brains out, every single day without fail, in order to lose weight or tone up.  It is a ridiculous thought process and yet, MANY people believe it.  The truth is that initially only about 30-45 minutes of activity 4-5 days a week is going to provide MASSIVE gains to the cardiovascular system and overall health!  And, you can even break it up into smaller increments if needed!  The goal of the workouts is to have a heart rate of about 60-80% of your max heart rate (220 - age) and keep it there for the workout.  Once this becomes easy for you, you can take it up a notch and extend the workout length to about an hour a day, 6 days a week, with one rest day.  A couple times a week you can do a bit higher intensity activity that brings the heart rate closer to 85-90%, which is called anaerobic activity.  The overall goal, though, is not just the focused exercise time each day, but also incorporating physical activities into your daily living, like taking the stairs vice the elevator, mowing the lawn, playing with the kids, washing the car, going for a bike ride, etc.  All of these things continue to add onto the benefits of the daily workouts, and make health and fitness a lifestyle choice.

These types of activities can also be applied to bible study.  You know, that's the thing I love about truth!  It's ALWAYS applicable!  I have heard so many people make comments about not having "enough time to sit down and do an hour of bible study a day."  Well, I have good news; an hour is not necessary in order to benefit greatly from daily bible study!  Even 10 minutes each day helps you connect with God.  Don't underestimate the blessings He pours out to those who earnestly seek Him.  He will help you to grow when you give Him what you've got!  Be sure, also, to not undermine the value of such focused time.  The long-term benefits of even 10 minutes a day spent with God will bless you for a lifetime!  In addition, it is natural to gradually flow into a longer regular bible study, but this need not be forced.  As you grow in your faith, it will happen as needed, sometimes being longer and others shorter.  God is just looking for your heart to get to know more about Him so that you can follow Him better each day.  He WILL bless any activity that seeks to accomplish this goal.

Fitness (or wellness) can be accomplished in all areas of life.  It is not just about external appearance!  Jesus said, "The most important [command] is this: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,'" (Mark 12: 30).  When we take care of our bodies with regular physical activity and exercise, feeding it foods that are beneficial and not destructive, and provide our minds ample opportunity to increase in the knowledge of God, we fulfill this command and experience God's blessings.  Take time today to focus on responding in obedience to this Great Commandment.

Follow up tomorrow to learn more about the second portion of the Great Commandment; "Love your neighbor as yourself...."

P90X intimidates most people, but this 60 year old man completed this awesome program and got amazing results!  He absolutely had it right, "Do your best and forget the rest!"

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Success Should Never be Undermined!

ALWAYS celebrate the small victories! That's what leads to the huge wins!

How to Get Fit

 I had an epiphany this morning as I sat contemplating some of the common misnomers about getting physically fit and how often they parallel common misunderstandings about how to become spiritually "fit."  It is very common for people to think that in order to get in shape they must spend hours in the gym or working out, literally kill their bodies, sweat their brains out, and be breathing so hard they can barely think.  The truth, though, is that there is a time for this kind of activity, but it is not until you are already at an good level of fitness.  For most individuals who are looking to get to a healthy fitness level, there is a general process that moves gradually to accommodate the physiological changes in the body and it's abilities.  The process does not need to be pushed or rushed, but done in response to the body's growing capabilities.  For those who are coming from a sedentary lifestyle, it is great to begin with 20-30 minutes 5-6 times a week, and working at a level of 40-60% of their maximum heart rate.  This is not an incredibly "intense" level, but it is exactly what the body and heart need to get things moving in the right direction.  Once this level is done with ease, it is time to step it up a notch.  Moving to about 45 or so minutes a day, 6 days a week, with a goal of 60-80% maximum heart rate will accomplish this goal.  At this pace, talking is more difficult, sweat is coming regularly, and the heart gets a great workout.  Mixed in with this activity should be a few days of weight training to ensure the muscles also get a proper workout.  Anywhere past this heart rate action is considered anaerobic activity, which is great in small doses, but if continued for longer periods of time it does not offer the same gains as sticking with a range of 60-80%.  The typical reason for such activity is to experience specific physical gains and changes, such as to complete a marathon.  The average person does not need to work to this level to get great results.  Thankfully, Beachbody knows all about this and has designed programs to accommodate for these changes and to facilitate an easy transition as your body gets stronger and more capable of higher intensity.  They provide basic, intermediate, and advanced programs, but you need to be realistic with your current level of fitness.  If you get a program or follow a workout regime that is too intense too fast, it is easy to burn out from exhaustion, mental intensity, and physical injury.  Getting the right program for your level of fitness is critical!


In a similar way, I understand that many people tend to think that they need to do bible study for hours a day in order to grow.  This is not the truth, either.  The truth is that starting small and regular is more important!  Spending 10-15 minutes in study 6-7 days a week will provide immense gains in spiritual understanding.  Gradually, as this understanding naturally progresses, it is typical to spend more time studying, but this happens naturally and gradually.  Again, it should not be "pushed."  Your spiritual muscles will let you know when it is best to "advance to the next level."  The most important thing, though, is to be in study almost every day.  Getting study, or a workout, for 3-4 hours one day a week will not benefit you nearly as much as 6-7 days of a shorter dose!

Meet Beachbody's CEO, Carl Daikeler

Beachbody produces the top-selling fitness programs available. They have more heart and bravado to fight for the health of people than any entity I have ever seen! This is why I have partnered with them to help fight this Fitness Revolution. Enjoy this video to learn a little more.

The Origin of Unmet Needs - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

I am such a huge fan of getting a regular intake of Godly messages. One way I do this is through email devotions. They are short, to the point, and cover topics of great significance. I listen to WAVA on 105.1 in the DC metro area, and I got a tip from them for this devotional ministry from In Touch. Dr. Charles Stanley, you ROCK! I always get something out of these devotionals, and today's was no exception. I hope you too will benefit from this very important message about God's love, and how we look for love and validation in all the wrong places. I have struggled with this for a long time, but by the grace of God, He is seeing me through so that I become the person He designed me to be, rather than one pent up by fear. My you too begin to be free from the crushing blow that inevitably comes from seeking your value from man! God bless.

The Origin of Unmet Needs - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

No More Doubting Thomas

"Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?...The Lord answered, 'I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.'" ~ Judges 6: 14, 16

"Then Gideon said to God, 'Do not be angry with me. Let me make one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew.' That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew." ~ Judges 6: 39-40

Footnote: "...Demanding extra signs was an indication of unbelief. Fear often makes us wait for more confirmation when we should be taking action. Visible signs are unnecessary if they only confirm what we already know to be true. Today the greatest means of God's guidance is his Word, the Bible. Unlike Gideon, we have God's complete, revealed Word. If you want to have more of God's guidance, don't ask for signs; study the Bible."

Wow, do I struggle with this same thing as Gideon, and later Thomas. I know what I am "supposed" to be doing, but it is so easy to get caught up in my fear and then keep asking God to "make it clear to me." I do this with so many different things, but definitely most often with things that might be perceived "negatively" by others. But, we are not supposed to be fearful of man's judgement, but of God's, so ultimately, when He tells me to do something and I don't because I am scared of what someone else might think, I am putting their value and importance higher than God's...ugh! Today is a new day though. Today we get another chance to begin doing what God is asking, whether or not we are fearful. Fear does not have to stop us...and I venture to say that the more we walk, even in fear, the less fear we continue to have because we experience God's provision and company. He is so great! I just love His promise to Gideon; "Go in the strength you have...I will be with you." What more do we need?!

The clear connection I see with this is the fact that we all know we are supposed to eat healthier foods and exercise regularly in order to keep our bodies healthy, but do we do that? Sadly, as a nation, we are becoming more and more overweight, obese, and morbidly obese...we are literally eating ourselves to death! This type of behavior does not honor God, nor does it honor His creation; our bodies. God has made His promise; He will be with us, so now we need to walk in obedience (no pun intended) and begin the process of living healthy, physically active lives. Doing so will show honor to God and the life He has given each and every one of us, as well as benefit us in amazing ways. God rewards the faithful and blesses obedience. This is definitely an area where the rewards are great and the blessings are known! Start today with changing your life, developing healthy habits, and becoming the you God designed you to be.