GAIN JOY!!!!

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  John 10:10

Satan tried to steal my joy this past Sunday night, when he crashed my computer just as I completed my blog for the night at 1045pm!  But I don't give up that easily!!   Last night was busy night with my parents coming to watch Avery's bball game, and the Dynamic Duo perform their PIP routine at the game.  I had been busy all day with doing laundry, unpacking from spending weekend at my parents, and cooking brisket & fixins for the family last night.  I almost skipped my You Version when I crawled in bed, but decided to read my passages.  And the peace I felt when I went to sleep last night after reading the Word was wonderful!

The JOY I want to talk to you about is the JOY OF EXERCISE!!!  I can already see some of you giving me the "yeah, right" look or even chuckling aloud!!  But stay with me here...

If you hate doing something, how long do you think you will stay committed to doing it???  Now, I know laundry is the exception, especially when my kids are asking where their clean undies are!! LOL!!  (BTW, I am all for disposable clothes!!  haha!)   But seriously, if you don't enjoy your current exercise program, odds are it won't take much to get you missing it here and there, which we all know turns into 3-4 times a week, and then it's a month before we "MOVE" any of our body in the form of exercise.   And satan finds ways to make us too busy for exercise!!!!  Do you think he wants you feeling stronger - mentally and physically?  NO!!! Because he knows if he can keep you down on yourself, with low self-esteem, he knows the odds of you being a light to others for the work of the Kingdom of God is very small!!  Satan doesn't care what you weigh or what you eat.  He only cares that if he can use food or lack of exercise of to get you down on yourself, where you don't feel worthy to talk about the love of God, or how Jesus saves you by His grace.  Satan is that little voice in your head that says, "Instead of turning to God, turn to that donut or instead of going for a power walk after work, just go home and lay on the couch.  You deserve it!"   

Let me tell you satan is a liar and deceiver!!!!  And he is so very good at it, that it just seems like it is all ok when he puts a branch in your path to cause you to stumble!!  So next time you feel like grabbing something high in fat, sugar, and calories...stop and say, "Go on devil, I don't need you.   God is on my side!!"   

Back to JOY in exercising (I'm a little ADHD as my close friends will tell you! Haha!):   I use to personal train a gentleman at the LifeStyle Centre at Covenant, and he absolutely hated to do any cardio workout on treadmill, eliptical, or bike.  He really didn't enjoy lifting weights either (or maybe it was because I made him do it correctly, and made him work hard enough to be sore on regular basis! ha).  But one day as I watched him playing racquetball with such passion and zeal (and let's just say it was good thing glass to court was sound proof! haha), I had an idea.  I made a deal with him that he could teach me how to play racquetball 2 times a week and I could personal train him in cardio/weighted workout 2-3 times a week, without him griping the entire workout!!   He said, "Deal!"  I really think he liked the idea of torturing me in the court as much as I tortured him!!   Well, after about 3 weeks had passed, he began enjoying my workouts for him, because he also knew he would get to kick my rear in the racquetball court.   Me, being the competitive person I am, however, did learn a lot about playing the game, and realized I had been too judgemental about the intensity of the game.  But let me say, for someone who played tennis in high school, racquetball was quite comical at first if you were watching me!!  LOL!!

My point to this story is you need to find an exercise program YOU ENJOY!!!    Write it down in your appointment book or in your calendar app on your phone!!!  Don't let anything "cancel" your appointment to exercise.   (Unless you have a child at home with the flu maybe! haha...just kidding!).  If you are fearful to try a group workout class, then make a deal with yourself.   If you enjoy walking, tell yourself you will walk 2 days a week, and do a class 2 days a week.  Most people I have had start taking my workout classes will tell me that had to work up to it (mentally) but once they finally took the plunge, they LOVED IT!!!!  Ok so maybe love/hate it!!!  Especially when it involves names of animals, like froggies, doggies, roasted pigs!!  (Inside humor with my BEGC Divas and Motley Crew!!)  

Another benefit of participating in a group class is accountability.   But that is tomorrow's blog!!  Tonight is a challenge to you to find something YOU ENJOY DOING ON A REGULAR BASIS.  (3-4 times a week).  Sometimes your area may limit you somewhat if you don't have access to group classes or a gym with cardio/weight equipment.  But there are endless options out there!!   One of my favorite workouts I do is Turbo Fire with Chalene Johnson.   I am a Beach Body coach, which gives me 25% off any products, and I ordered this video set last year, and love it  when I don't have a class or on the weekend.   Honestly, I have several dvds but this is the only one I will do by myself.   I actually enjoy it more when I make the MC do it with me so they feel my pain too!!  Just kidding!  

Time for some Word now...but be thinking and researching what you can do to exercise.  AND DON'T WAIT TIL NEXT WEEK TO START!!!!!  Tell yourself in the morning, "Today I will start __________."

Set an alarm on your phone if you need reminding.  Start with 20minutes, and JUST DO IT!!  

What is holding you back??  Time? Money? Access to gym?    Later this week I will give you suggestions for a great home workout that doesn't cost a dime!!!!!!  Until then, throw on your tennis shoes and go walking.   Gorgeous weather we have been having here.  Do a video with your kids.  JUST MOVE AND ENJOY how much better you feel when you get your heart pumping a little!!  

"Lord, I just thank you right now for my health...for giving my dr wisdom to put me on medication that would free me from rheumatoid arthritis pain that I have felt for 13 years!!! I praise YOU Father, for giving me strength and talent to teach my classes.   And more than that, I praise you that I find JOY in exercising with my Motley Crew (and the BEGC Divas before).  I thank you Jesus that you have put so many people in my life through the last 20 years that have blessed me in ways I never imagined.   What a privilege I have had to share my JOY and Passion with them through my love of exercise.   Lord, keep me from letting exercise become an idol, and may I always glorify You in what I do.   I lift up each person reading this, that YOU will allow them to find JOY to help take care of that body that was fearfully and wonderfully made!!  Thank you Jesus, for this time I have to write, and for how it blesses me!  In Jesus' name, Amen