Fitness Friday, Inside Out Edition

First, my stats:

1.) Didn't go to the gym at all last week.
2.) Didn't track my food on paper, but I still planned my meals
3.) Registered a 3 pound loss, which brings me to the 75 pound mark. Yay!

I'll be honest--I don't know how that 3 pound loss happened, but I'm not complaining. Last weekend was EXTREMELY busy and this past week has been a recovery week for me. I suspect that simply resting and getting enough sleep has enabled my body to release some more of my extra padding.

So, this week's topic is open for folks, with the suggestion that we speak to how our spiritual journey relates to and impacts this physical fitness journey. As many of the ladies have already attested to, they are one and the same. When I am trying to do things in my own strength, I get discouraged, distracted, and derailed. And when I am mindful to pray and look to the Lord for my strength, it is then that my desires change, which leads to a change in my behaviors.

It all starts in the heart. Who and what do we love? Who and what do we think we need to be "happy?" Who and what satisfies us? If our eyes are truly on Christ and all that He has given us, how does [insert favorite food here] compare? It doesn't!

And though we all know that to be true, the lust of the flesh is a powerful force and difficult to resist. My 140 pounds of extra flesh was a testament to years of greed and excess. But thankfully, our Heavenly Father is loving and patient and saw fit to use me anyway. But how much more could I have done? I'll never know, but I do know that this battle is what I have been given to do now-- a ministry of self-discipline, if you will. And it is by far the hardest thing I've ever had to do. There have been other times in my life where I have been stretched beyond my comfort zone. I learned quickly how to pray: "Lord, I can't do this. I need You, I need Your help, I need Your guidance--I know you called me to do this and I want to do a good job but I am in so far over my head. Help!"

Well, here I am again--even more so--and my prayer is the same. For without the leading of the Holy Spirit and the renewing of my mind, I could & would not be doing this. It was my loving Heavenly Father who disciplined me harshly enough to get my attention in the first place. It is He who pointed me in the right direction and provided a support system at just the right time and in just the right way to help me change my bad habits. When I needed new clothes, He not only provided them--He gave me more clothes than I had ever owned in my entire life! He used a shared loss to bring me into a friendship with Wendymom, and through her I got back into the gym habit. I have a wonderful, supportive husband who will eat whatever I fix with no complaints and who encourages my efforts. Over and over again God has proven Himself faithful to bless my obedience and direct my steps. I just have to trust and obey. Daily. For the rest of my life, and in all areas of my life. Wow, what an awesome responsibility; an overwhelming one if it were all up to me. But it's not.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. " Matt. 11:28--30

In my case, that's true in a literal sense--I am lighter! Can I even tell you just how different I feel--how much better--with 75 less pounds on my body? I can jog up & down stairs where before I was winded by simply walking them. I can move and work and not tire so easily; the other day I got changed in a bathroom stall at church (not the handicapped one) and put stockings on WHILE STANDING UP. 75 pounds ago, I couldn't have maneuvered in a regular bathroom stall AND to put on stockings I had to sit down and lift my leg to my knee with my hands since my own leg muscles couldn't do the job. I can walk around in heels for most of the day and my feet don't hurt. The work of the ministry that I'm involved in has been so much easier this year than in past years--imagine that! So many blessings, so many reminders that there is no better place to be than in obedience to God's Word.

And by God's grace, that is where I will stay.