what I do for exercise-recreate

It’s been 10 months. 

10 months since God said, “Your done, Repent!”

10 months since I realized the chains were gone. 

10  months of watching God work and change me in awestruck wonder. And I am so so so thankful it didn't come from a bottle, a prescription, a sleezy self help magazine or even a personal trainer...it came as a gift from God himself.

The reward for repentance is priceless. I will never go back. I have not forgotten. Nor have I shed the flesh that so quickly can revert back to old ways of thinking. 

In the busy-ness of May I found those old habits sneaking in. Made me think. What have I done? What works, what can I tell you to help you if you find yourself in the same situation. 

Life never cooperates.  The fight is never easy. There is never a  better time than right now to repent. You must learn how to obey even when you don’t feel like it or you’ll never experience victory. 

So what worked? 

I rested. The fact that my victory came at the same time I was on sabbatical is no coincidence. I was able to slow down some ( I still poured out my life in ministry, worked part time and mothered full time). 

I received. Instead of leading a Bible Study, I participated in one. And it was no coincidental one either- 10 years after my first introduction - Breaking Free was hand picked for me. I lived it...He really can and wants to set us free. We just give up far too soon or think we are the only case he can't handle.

I reprented. I changed. I said no when the flesh used to say yes. Basic eat less, exercise more. 

I relived. When the change started happening I started seeing food as beautiful, delicious, nurturing, the tastes were exquisite, the flavors were glorious, the colors brighter, the textures new and fresh....what had brought so much shame and guilt before now was such an enjoyable experience. What it was supposed to be before the fall of man I guess. And I anticipate meals and gatherings more. 

I recreated. Exercising was not a chore but a form of worship. I would turn on the praise music and just dance, moving with a thankful heart. Thanking God all the while for a brain, legs that move, arms that can bend, and the music that moves me. I always start my day with God, Chris Tomlin and Tony Horton. In that order. I used what I had and I had P90X so we started and went with it. I love a good challenge. But the mindset is the same- worship the creator through movement. 

I realized that I lost the majority of my weight in those 12 weeks of the contest. With 5 pounds to hit my goal I kept up the 5 days a week exercising, taking 2 days to play with the kids and rest. I made a list- a month of workouts. It gives me some freedom to make things work. I have all the P90x workouts (which provide a lot of variety kenpo, plyo, lots of arms, legs and back, even yoga and stretch ,13 or more) along with running, net flix workouts, step workouts during movies (just something I have) and I created a trampoline workout ( I love that one). Tony says “Do your best forget the rest” and   “Variety is the Spice of LIfe”. You can’t do the same thing all the time, you have to have a balanced workout routine and a fun one! Right now I am swimming with the kids in the summer. I love moving, jumping on the trampoline till you can’t breathe, hiking and bicycling. I do get tired of Tony all the time so I venture out trying other things- my newest thing is running 5K’s . I have my first in 3 weeks! I just do it. No excuses, no quitting, just a long obedience in the right direction. 


Just keep at it!