Launch out into the deep

Aloha! Thanks for stopping by to check out my blog :) It's a long one, but totally worth your time. If you have an extra six and a half minutes, please watch the video from Steve Harvey. He encourages the audience to 'jump' and take a chance at pursuing their dreams. The 'jump' is a great analogy to what I am doing with Faith Building Fitness and what this blog is all about. Enjoy!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kILVFRlUtT8

Well friends, it's time once again for me to jump. After all, He does take us from glory to glory, from strength to strength and from faith to faith. Just when you start to get comfortable, it's time to grow and go deeper. After playing sports throughout childhood and adolescence this lifestyle of exercise and fitness was very much a part of my life and my personality. I excelled in team sports and received accolades and awards for physical fitness during my service in the military. This love for exercise and God's people was consummated in a passion to teach others about health. Becoming a personal trainer was a desire God put in my heart as an avenue to reach His people. I first started working as a personal trainer at Gold's Gym in the spring of 2014.

Business was going well and I was especially enjoying the many relationships I had built with new clients during the first year at work. My job as a health and fitness professional soon took on a whole new dimension when I fully devoted my purpose to being used by the Lord in full time ministry and enrolled in Victory Bible College (VBC) during the spring of 2015. During the same season I was lead to enroll for classes at VBC, the Holy Spirit started convicting me about the environment at Gold’s Gym. Secular music was played throughout the gym. I had several supervisors that were not believers. There were antagonizing spirits of lust and pride that pervaded the place where I spent most of my time during the week. Now, don't hear what I'm not saying; we are called to be a light in this dark world and to shift the atmosphere wherever we go, but for my time of preparation at bible school I knew that my place of occupation had to change.

I began to pray for an exit outside the corporate wellness industry and an open door into a church wellness program, a non-profit fitness ministry or a faith based health organization. God answered my prayer and gave me an opportunity to move to Oral Roberts University's Aerobics Center. I was not only blessed with an open door to work as a personal trainer, but I was also given a team of trainers to lead as the program director. Many of the skills and abilities I had learned as a leader in the military were put to use again as I managed a non-profit, faith based fitness organization; Living Well Ministries.

In the last year, my belief system has undergone an extreme makeover. Bible school will do that sort of thing to you. The public education system and military training did a really good job teaching me how to be a leader with worldly knowledge and to confidently trust in myself. Although I was raised in a Christian home and attended church during my upbringing, I had not yet learned about spiritual laws. During this last year at bible college I have been taught about the kingdom of heaven (God's system), being led by the Holy Spirit (not the mind or flesh) and how to walk by faith (not by natural sight).  Throughout this journey I have discovered with firsthand experience not to lean on my own understanding, but to seek God in every decision and to trust Him with my whole heart. As I seek His will, He shows me the path of life and leads me besides still waters. God speaks to me in the secret place during devotions, through visions, in my dreams and most often through the Holy Spirit.

After taking a break from personal training over the summer of 2016 and working full time at John's school I needed to hear from the Lord. VBC would be starting again at the end of August and I knew God wanted me there full time. Regular, full time employment would not be a viable option for me; bible classes occupy the morning, John gets out of school at 3 and then homework has to fit in there somewhere. Many of the working adults pursuing higher education with families can relate to my dilemma. I could easily pick up where I left off in May with my clients and resume part time personal training at ORU, but was that the 'right' choice or the 'easy, comfortable' choice. If this health and wellness business is really a part of God’s plan then I want to rest assured that it's by God and for God. None of me, all of You Lord.....

"God's plans are blessed.

Where He guides, He provides.

What God directs, He protects.

Blessings untold, are waiting for you.

As God guides and directs the things you do."

Pastor Billy Joe

I woke up at midnight on July 1^st, 2016 and clearly heard in my spirit that I was to contact a friend and purchase the fitness equipment he had for sale. The Holy Spirit not only told me to get the equipment, but confirmed that personal training was a part of my calling and that I was to move my fitness business to the garage of my house. This was quite an unusual idea because I had no extra money at the time and to my knowledge the equipment had already been purchased by another mutual friend. The next day I emailed my friend to ask if he had sold the equipment to which he replied "No, it's still available."

About a month after I received confirmation to resume working in the sphere of physical health and wellness the Lord showed me both the name and the mission statement for my business. I was sitting in front of a smart board watching VeggieTales with about 20 first graders during the second to last week of my summer job. In my spirit I heard Jude 20 and saw the words faith and fitness back-to-back. Once I grabbed a piece of paper I began to doodle the image in my head; the cross was standing up boldly in the center with faith and fitness on either side. I sent my rough draft to a friend who shared it with a graphic designer and created the logo that you see branding the business today.

"But you, beloved,

keep building up yourselves

on your most holy faith,

praying in the Holy Spirit."

Launching out into the deep has been a journey for me along the road less traveled. He is with me always; He will never leave me or forsake me. Even though it's a little scary to launch a personal business and leave the security and benefits of working for another organization, I can rest in His plan for me. I can trust that, like Billy Joe said, "Where God guides, He provides." I can't help but giggle when I think about the tenacity and grit God has placed on the inside of me. He did knit me together in my mother's womb after all and He has directed my every step even when I didn't acknowledge His leading in my life. 

Have you ever met one of those people who like to think they are the best at everything, they're indestructible and they won't back down from any challenge? It's not self-confidence but a God confidence. Some call them brave and bold, others label them young and dumb. Maybe David the shepherd boy was thought of in this way? I'm sure Jim Elliot carried a similar label. One of my favorite quotes from Jim embodies his complete devotion to the call of God on his life;

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot

keep to gain that which he cannot lose."

All of life is a balance of grace and truth, love and law, work and play. From the farm lands of Foyil, to the training grounds of leadership in the military, and now as a nurturing mother in bible school. He is molding me and shaping me into a tailor made vessel for the outpouring of His love. As I look back over the last 29 years I can see the fingerprints of God on different events of my life. Now as I cast the vision for my ministry, His fingerprints start to take on the image of a painting.  We are His beautiful masterpiece, even when we can't see the whole picture.

Veterans of war, among many combat related issues, have difficulty leaving the service because they have been taught to give their life (figuratively and literally) to defend the country for which they serve. When you take on the identity of your profession and start to downplay your identity in Christ alone, it's easy to let the temporary trappings of the world distract you from God's perfect calling in your life. The Lord had to take me through a season of breaking before building me up. Just like a horse has to be broken before they are ready to carry a rider safely, God has to teach us to submit and obey.  This breaking can also be considered a time of separation as the Father teaches us to rely on Him alone for our every need. He desires that we are freed from all things and that He alone is our source. I have been torn down, broken hearted and stripped bare of the self-securities my life was created upon.

If anyone desires to follow Christ, he must deny himself and take up his cross. I am now a new creation in Christ Jesus, built up on my most holy faith by receipt of a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Sometimes we have to lay our promise, our beloved baby down on the altar. God wants a surrendered heart, fully obedient to His Word, His ways, His voice. He is faithful and He will always provide, just like He did for Abraham. 

Faith Building Fitness is not just my business, it's my story; a testimony about establishing my house on the rock and sharing the journey I have traveled to lay the foundation. I invite you to join us during the week for classes and for community. Come out to the garage gym, share your story and become a part of our fun, fit family. We aren't just working out together, we are doing life together; accountability, encouragement, exhortation, edification, compassion and cooperation. Time is short and quickly slipping through our fingers. Make your health a priority and invest time into stewarding your physical body; the temple of the Holy Spirit.  It’s time for you to jump!  

Though one may be overpowered by another,

two can withstand him,

and a threefold cord is not easily broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Check out the website here: https://www.facebook.com/faithbuildingfitness/?notif_t=page_fan&notif_id=1476221198644083 and come join us for weekly fitness, fellowship and faith building.

Foods Effects on Emotions

Food’s effects on your body; from emotions to energy.

We have all heard the “thall shall not’s” of dieting:

·         Thall shall not consume sugar and dairy

·         Thall shall not eat fried or processed foods

·         Thall shall not eat GMOs and gluten

Besides the number on the scale, or the dress size we wear, why should we watch what we eat? How much do the foods we eat really effect our bodies; emotions, energy level, complexion, hormones, heart health, etc.?  When we eat or drink something our body receives it as either a nutrient or a toxin. Food and drinks can help or hurt your health. The choice is up to us, as always God sets before us life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life that you and your seed may live (Deuteronomy 30:19). We have a responsibility to learn what foods contribute to life and what foods will lead to death, then to eat nourishing meals that will strengthen our body to complete God’s assignment for our life here on earth.

I cannot overemphasize how important nutrition education is during this fast paced, ever changing millennial generation.  My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). If we do not have knowledge about which foods can cause disease, and which can cure disease, we run the risk of destroying our bodies by consuming harmful substances. Food is not just calories but information – instructions that control your gene expression, hormones, immune system, and brain chemistry and provide the raw materials to build every cell of your body. The food you eat even determines which gut bacteria flourish in your digestive tract – good guys or bad guys. Each bite is literally controlling every function of your body.

Chronic disease affects half of all Americans and accounts for 84 percent of our $3.8 trillion health care bill. This would be depressing except for one simple fact: Most of these chronic illnesses are lifestyle-related diseases. That means they’re preventable, treatable and often even reversible through changes in lifestyle factors like proper diet, adequate exercise and managing stress. More specifically, the food we eat (or don’t eat) is the single biggest driver of chronic illness – everything from heart disease to diabetes, cancer to dementia, arthritis to autoimmunity, and more. The beauty of the human body is that if you take out the bad stuff and put in the good stuff, the body heals. And it doesn’t take long – often just 10 days. And if you are really sick, you can continue. Then in 40 days most chronic problems will dramatically improve or go away entirely.

As early as medieval times, people started to take great interest in how certain foods affected their mood and temperament. Many medical culinary textbooks of the time described the relationship between food and mood. For example, quince, dates and elderberries were used as mood enhancers, lettuce and chicory as tranquilizers, and apples, pomegranates, beef and eggs for fertility. The past 80 years have seen immense progress in research, primarily short-term human trials and animal studies, showing how certain foods change brain structure, chemistry, and physiology thus affecting mood and performance. These studies suggest that foods directly influencing brain neurotransmitter systems have the greatest effects on mood, at least temporarily. In turn, mood can also influence our food choices and expectations on the effects of certain foods can influence our perception.

Complex Mood-Food Relationships

The relationship between food and mood in individuals is complex and depends “on the time of day, the type and macronutrient composition of food, the amount of food consumed, and the age and dietary history of the subject.” In one study by Spring et al. (1983), 184 adults either consumed a protein-rich or carbohydrate-rich meal. After two hours, their mood and performance were assessed. The effects of the meal differed for female and male subjects and for younger and older participants. For example, females reported greater sleepiness after a carbohydrate meal whereas males reported greater calmness. In addition, participants aged 40 years or older showed impairments on a test of sustained selective attention after a carbohydrate lunch. Furthermore, circadian rhythms influence our energy levels and performance throughout the day. “Early birds” feel most productive the first part of the day and their food choices become particularly important during lunch and throughout the afternoon. “Night Owls” feel most energetic later in the day and should pay attention to their breakfast choices as they can increase or decrease energy levels and influence cognitive functioning. For example, according to Michaud et al. (1991), if you are an evening person and you skip breakfast, your cognitive performance might be impaired. A large breakfast rich in protein, however, could improve your recall performance but might impair your concentration. This illustrates the complexity of relationships between food and mood and the need to find a healthy balance of food choices.

Studies have found that diets low in carbohydrates increased feelings of anger, depression, and tension and diets high in protein and low in carbohydrates increased anger. Diets high in carbohydrates have a generally uplifting effect on mood.

As much as food can affect our mood, our mood can also affect our food choices. In a study by Macht (1999), female and male participants were asked to report how their eating patterns changed with emotions of anger, fear, sadness, and joy. When experiencing anger and joy, participants experienced increased hunger as compared to feelings of fear and sadness. Anger increased comfort and impulsive eating, and joy increased eating for pleasure. Another study found that people eat more less-healthy comfort foods when they are sad. Participants either watched a happy or a sad movie and were provided with buttered popcorn or seedless grapes throughout the movie. The group watching the upbeat movie consumed significantly more grapes and less popcorn than the group watching the sad movie. In addition, when participants were provided with nutritional information, the sad people consumed less popcorn than the happy people and the happy people did not alter their consumption.

Psychological effects of food consumption

Cognitive factors are often more powerful than physiological factors. For example, if a group of dieting individuals is asked to eat foods high in calories, they might experience anxiety and other negative emotions because they are afraid of gaining weight. These effects have nothing to do with the ingredients of the foods themselves. In addition, learned appetites can also influence our experience of foods. For example, our favorite foods usually trigger positive emotions. Even the smell of food can evoke a strong emotional experience. Furthermore, the situation in which food is consumed and our past experience with particular foods also affects our emotional response. For example, a person who thinks that drinking a cup of coffee will increase alertness might feel more alert even after drinking decaffeinated coffee.

Fat is good for you

Omega-3 fatty acids can influence mood, behavior and personality. Low blood levels of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids are associated with depression, pessimism and impulsivity, according to a study by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In addition, they can play a role in major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse and attention deficit disorder. In recent decades, people in developed countries have consumed greater amounts of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, contained in foods such as eggs, poultry, baked goods, whole-grain bread, nuts, and many oils, that outcompete omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), both members of the omega-3 fatty acid family, contribute to the fluidity of the cell membrane thereby playing an important role in brain development and functioning. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, other seafood including algae and krill, some plants, meat, and nut oils. Many foods such as bread, yogurt, orange juice, milk, and eggs are oftentimes fortified with omega-3 fatty acids as well. Fish oil pills are sold as Omega-3 fatty acid supplements.

Sugar is bad for you

According to the USDA, the average American consumes anywhere between 150-170 pounds of refined sugars each year. That breaks down to more than 20 teaspoons of the added white stuff per person per day. And our collective sweet tooth is growing. For the past decade, Americans’ sugar consumption has edged upward at the average rate of nearly 2 percent a year. Why the sugar obsession? The vilification of fat may be partly to blame. During the low-fat frenzy of the past couple of decades, oils were squeezed out of processed foods – and sugar was pumped in to make reduced-fat foods tastier. It seems clear now that we effectively traded one dietary evil for another. New research is revealing disturbing links not just between sugar and obesity, but also between sugar and inflammation. Inflammation, of course, has been implicated as a major factor in a number of vitality zapping diseases, from cancer and diabetes to atherosclerosis and digestive disorders. Whether you’re concerned with managing your weight, your health, or both, it makes sense to evaluate the impact your sugar habit could be having on your body.

On the spectrum of dietary dangers, processed sugars are on a par with unhealthy fats. “High-fructose corn syrup is the primary cause of obesity in our culture,” says Elson Haas, MD, author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition (Celestial Arts, 2006, New Edition). “Our bodies simply aren’t built to process all that sugar.” Common sources of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) include: drinks like juice, soda and processed coffee varieties like lattes and frappes, condiments like ketchup and mayonnaise, breakfast cereals, yogurts and breads. Still, to date, sugar doesn’t have nearly as bad a reputation as it probably deserves. One of the reasons it slips under the radar is that connecting the dots between sugar and disease requires widening the nutritional net to include all refined carbohydrates (like processed flours, cereals and sugars of all sorts). This may seem like a fine point, but it’s an important distinction.

Most dietary sugars are simple carbohydrates, meaning that they’re made up of one or two sugar molecules stuck together, making them easy to pull apart and digest. Complex carbohydrates, like those found in whole grains, legumes and many vegetables, are long chains of sugar molecules that must be broken apart during digestion, therefore offering a longer-lasting surge of energy. The presence of naturally occurring fiber, protein and fat in many whole foods further slows the sugar-release process. The more processed and refined the carbohydrate, as a rule, the faster it breaks down in the digestive system, and the bigger the sugar rush it delivers. That’s why refined flours, sugars and sugar syrups pose such a problem for our systems. The body is exquisitely designed to handle small amounts of sugar. But refined carbs deliver a larger rush than our bodies were designed to accommodate, or even cope with. In ancient times, hunter-gatherers coveted the occasional piece of fruit or slab of honeycomb as a rare treat and source of rapid-fire energy for, well – hunting and gathering.

Today, sugar lurks behind most cellophane wrappers, and the energy it provides is more likely to get socked away on our hips than burned while stalking dinner. Being active goes a long way toward vanquishing excess sugar in the bloodstream, but it doesn’t negate the need to watch your intake. To make matters worse, unlike the fruit sugar (fructose) our ancestors savored, today’s sugary treats are made with refined sugars (usually some derivative of table sugar or high-fructose corn syrup), which can overwhelm the body’s ability to balance blood sugar. A newly understood phenomenon, inflammation underlies modern health scourges, from heart disease to obesity to diabetes. “Sugar can play a role in inflammatory diseases,” says Dave Grotto, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “Poor regulation of glucose and insulin is a breeding ground for inflammation.”

Under normal conditions, inflammation helps the body rebound from injury. For instance, if you cut yourself shaving, white blood cells race to the scene to mop up the wound, destroy bacteria and mend tissue. But when the injury is deep inside the body, such as inside the blood vessels of the heart, hidden inflammation can trigger chronic disease, and experts are only beginning to understand how sugar fans the flames. The best way to reduce unhealthy sugars in the diet is to consume fewer processed foods and drinks in general, and refined carbs and sugars in particular. Fuel your energy demands with a slower-burning balance of proteins, healthy fats and whole-food carbs. For a healthier alternative to sugars that you add at the table or kitchen counter, dietitian Grotto suggests switching to sweeteners that are higher in naturally occurring fructose, such as agave syrup or malted barley, which have a less dramatic effect on blood sugar and insulin. Still, you should limit your intake to no more than 3 teaspoons a day. “These sweeteners won’t elicit the glycemic response of table sugar,” he says, “but you shouldn’t eat them by the gallon.” For sweetening tea or cereal, you might also try stevia, a natural calorie-free herb made from a South American shrub. It’s sold at health-food stores as a dietary supplement and is widely available in both powder and liquid forms.

So where do I go from here?

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:3). God has given us everything we need in the earth and in His word to live an abundantly blessed life. He has provided the bread of life for the health of our spirit and body in Jesus Christ and He has provided the sustenance we need for the health of our bodies in nature. When we make the right food choices we contribute to the consecration of our personal temple of the Holy Spirit, we equip our body to complete every good works and the Lord is able to use us to reach the world without any hindrance or ailments in physical health. God cares about every little detail of our life. I hope you realize after reading this blog that your food choices do matter and even physical issues of life have implications for the spiritual realm and our spirit man. Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." (Joshua 3:5).

Stay tuned for my next blog about how emotions and trauma from your past affects your physical and spiritual health. Shalom!

For a more exhaustive list of HFCS containing foods check out this website: http://www.celestialhealing.net/Food_contain_HFCS.htm

Citation: http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/2011/02/you-are-what-you-eat-how-food-affects-your-mood/#.VzKfDfkrLIU

Across the finish line and beyond

Well, we did it. For those of you who may not follow me on Facebook or connect with my personally that often, Amanda and I finished the marathon last month. It took us nearly 5 hours including pit stops at just about every water point, chatting with other runners along the course, grabbing snacks from random strangers supports the race from their lawns and even a bathroom break at a port-a-potty.  The weather was cold getting started (about 35 degrees Fahrenheit) but warmed up to a beautiful and sunny 50 by mid-day. The 10th anniversary of Tulsa's Route 66, it was very well organized and the largest turn out in the races history.

I have to admit the race was as hard as remembered a marathon to be, having run my first just three years ago in Honolulu. The first half of the run... 13 miles, is enough to wear any cardio expert out, but the last half is where the real intestinal fortitude is found. It was fun until we neared mile 15 and we realized there was no turning back.... no changing our mind and opting out for just the half.  Where the adrenaline wears off and the pain set in.  And that's when the mental strength of having trained those last 12 weeks finally pays off.

The night before the big event I sat down to make a list of 26 different prayers that I would use to guide my thoughts during the race. After all, much of my training and the reason I agreed to sign up for another full marathon was to take advantage of the time logging miles to pray for Living Well Ministries and the direction in the coming year. Then the morning came and the hustle to get up, get ready, get some breakfast, get Grandma all set up to babysit, get downtown, get the car parked and get to the finish line was a little overwhelming. I forgot my list at home.

The show must go on. And that was exactly what it turned out to be; a show. As I ran those 5 hours that Sunday and experienced all that marathons have to offer yet again, I couldn't help but think about how I missed my normal life. Sleeping in late on a Sunday morning, making breakfast with my son and getting ready for church. Spending time with my brothers and sisters in Christ, worshiping and praising God at the gathering place, then feasting on the Word that is preached. It was like my whole day of rest, Sunday, was stolen from me. By the time I got home from the race it was nearly 2pm and I hadn't eaten lunch, showered or greeted my son for the day. I digress...

I know it was just one day for the entire year.... well actually if you count the 12 weeks of training it was much more than that, but who's counting. Uh, this girl! I am counting :)  I am counting every second of every day because we MUST number our days. We have to realize how precious the resource TIME is and use every second to the best of our ability. Don't get me wrong here folks; I am a health professional and totally endorse regular exercise for everyone, but Lord help us to maintain balance in our life. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. I Timothy 4:8

When the going gets tough...

I want to share some exciting news from the happenings of Living Well Ministries before I give an update on my marathon preparation. We have added a new personal trainer to the team this month and purchased several new training tools. Troyleesha Brooks is a current ORU student and is a well known group trainer in the Tulsa area. We are honored to have her apart of the ministry and look forward to expanding the group training class schedule at ORUs Aerobics Center. The noon PraiseMoves classes at ORU on Mondays and Thursdays also continue to grow with both classes having three (and most weeks five) regular participants. During the last week we were also contacted by a Christian pastor from Africa who is interested in meeting to discuss a potential partnership and future missions opportunities. After meeting with the ORU Aerobics Center director and discussing the target market, we decided that in order to best reach the people of Tulsa the event should be held outside of the campus. Please continue to pray for direction and a specific location to hold our annual community service event, tentatively planned for the beginning of May.

We are less than one month out from the Route 66 Marathon and boy is the training turning up! Last Sunday Amanda and I completed our 15 mile training run in about 2.5 hours. So if you did the math, that puts our pace at a comfortable 10 minute mile. The weather was a perfect 65 degrees and made for a calm, cool afternoon on the trail. It's incredible how much easier these distance runs feel when the temperature is lower. As I pondered this incentive on Sunday it occurred to me that this marathon SHOULD be much easier than my first for several reasons; I am not in Hawaii running in 90 degree temperatures, I did not just have a baby 8 short months ago, I am now a fitness professional and have grown by leaps and bounds in my knowledge of exercise and it's effects on the human body, I discovered foam rolling, I have a fantastic friend that is going to run along side me for all 26 grueling miles to keep me company and keep me sane!

This Sunday we will go for 18 miles and than the following week we will complete the final training run of 20 miles before tapering to race day on November 22nd. Ideally, these longer runs would have been competed in increments of only 2 miles (10, 12, 14, etc.) but after I got sick at the beginning of October and missed a week of running the training plan had to be accelerated in these finals weeks.  As I have poured so much time into this whole marathon training during the last three months; devoting literally 6 or more hours a week preparing carb conscious meals, stretching routines, foam rolling and active recovery sessions, mapping my long run routes on the computer and then finally executing the runs.... what a commitment!

During just about every one of my PraiseMoves classes I will teach the Runner posture (low lunge stretch with both elbows on the mat on in-step of the front foot and knee) and read the following verse: Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Hebrews 12:1-2  Can we just meditate on the idea of life being a race we must run with endurance? Oh and it's a big race, where everyone comes to watch.... no pressure. We should probably do our due diligence to prepare for the event, no? My heart is convicted of a need in my life for better time management. As I realize how much effort is needed to effectively prepare for my upcoming marathon and now experience first hand how much energy is being expended to ensure that I am ready for the race next month, I can't help but compare the task at hand with that of the most important assignment I have in the life; preparing for eternity. Practical application people: what am I doing every day, every week to know God and make Him known? I can't help but think that we are also nearing the end of our training program and Jesus' return is very soon. Are you ready? No doubt it will be difficult as we near the end, but keep your eyes on Jesus, on the finish line and He will give you grace and strength to the complete the mission. 

Struck down but not destroyed

First let me apologize for my leave of absence. I came down with a mean cold and missed about a week of training and a double dose of this blog. It's been a crazy couple weeks and I am glad to report that life is back to normal....almost. We moved to a new house last weekend (thank you Jesus) and even though we had many hands to help, the chore of relocating all your personal belongings can be overwhelming to say the least. So anyway, yesterday I jumped back in the saddle with an 8 mile run and felt better for it. I have fallen a bit behind on my mileage, but I am hopeful that I can make it up and complete the training program in time to run the full marathon on November 22nd.

Please stay tuned for details and most importantly pray with me for direction as we move into 2016 and make plans to grow Living Well Ministries. Last week we sent a few volunteers to a health fair at the Tulsa Community College Northeast Campus and met many students who showed interest in our mission, requesting more information about the ministry. At the end of this month we have another opportunity to serve students along with other folks from the community at the Oral Roberts University 50th Anniversary Celebration on October 24th at the 5K Arena Challenge. Some of the team will compete in the event and some of the team will be at the finish line to share refreshments and encouragement for the participants. 

I will meet with the ORU Aerobics Center Director this week to discuss our Spring community service project and to what level the University desires to be involved. Join with me this week to petition God for revelation knowledge and discernment about exactly where the event should take place (ORU, community center, church, public park) and who should be invited to serve alongside us (vendors, practitioners, health care providers, non-profits, wellness professionals). I am also finishing up our very first quarterly newsletter and contribution card that will be sent out before the years end. Pray for the Lord to guide and lead my efforts in writing blessing me with creativity, charisma and compassion as I reach out to those in contact with the ministry. Finally, I am so excited that the new promotional video is almost complete! We should have the short clip uploaded to the website by the end of this month and the webpage will also a few fresh additions on display. Coming soon!

II Corinthians 4:9-11 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

Ouchie

For as long as I can remember running has always been apart of my weekly routine. Back in high school I played basketball, softball and ran track so as you can imagine I did plenty of running during those four years. Then in college I had to keep up with all the male cadets during our monthly PT test for ROTC so regular running was a priority. Even after college, I was on active duty in the Army so maintaining my cardiovascular endurance for the 2 mile run portion of my PT test was again a priority.

Then I left the Army and started working as a personal trainer. Running was a workout a still enjoyed, but there was no event to prepare for and no one to chase around the PT track. So I started entering local races and even created a running group at Gold's Gym. This fueled my fire for competition and held me accountable to regular running for about a year.  Then life happened, priorities changed and I had less time to enjoy running. In March I competed in my last race, the Post Oak Trail Half-Marathon and since that event have been lucky to log 5-10 miles a week usually only getting one or two runs.

I say all of that to tell you.... Since I registered for the Route 66 Marathon in November, I have resumed a diligent and disciplined running regiment. And boy, does it hurt! I have never been so sore (well maybe after completing my first marathon back in December of 2012) after a run. Last Sunday I completed 6 miles and have paid for it in aches and pains. Foam rolling, lacrosse balls, warm bath... nothing has soothed the sore muscles. I haven't tried any Bengay, but tonight it's going down!

I digress. This purpose of this blog is not to whine about my running ailments, but instead to encourage others that may be going through a similar scenario as they make a re-entry or their very first entry into the running scene. This stuff is hard, it's very hard on your body and should not be done haphazardly or without a professional's opinion as to whether you can perform the exercise without damage to or loss of health. But for those of you who are in the clear and have a green light to train, don't give up! Take a few days off to rest if you really need a break, and then get back on the grind. The hardest part is getting started, but soon the miles will get easier and the runs more enjoyable. We're in this together! Here we come Route 66 :-)

Hebrews 12:11 (ESV) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Vacation Training... if there is such a thing

Are you supposed to workout on vacation? I guess that depends on your perception of exercise. If we understand the benefits of regular exercise and how necessary it is for our health to enjoy an active lifestyle, I believe more people would make physical activity apart of everyday, whether at home or abroad. John and I enjoyed the long, Labor day weekend at Grand Lake camping. We took bicycles and the jogging stroller and immensely enjoyed exercise in the great outdoors on each of the four day we were out there. And I can't forget to mention swimming, that was probably the best part!

I also need to give you an update on my marathon training and intentional prayer time for the ministry. During my three runs last week (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday) I was only able to log about 10 miles. Due to the holiday and so many various activities ongoing the training was brief but beneficial nonetheless. The Lord spoke to me last month during a prayer session with the Founder of Living Well Ministry (Greg Mcann) about growing the ministry and he clearly said "Cast your net." I shared this with Greg immediately after the prayer time and told him I felt like the encouragement was specifically for the resources needed to fulfill the vision I have been given for the ministry. So last week I got to see this encouragement to cast my net in action both physically and supernaturally. While we were camping at Grand Lake, John and I ran into a fisherman who had a fishing net! It was so cool to watch the man use his net to catch several small fish. 

And last Friday before taking off to enjoy my vacation I had the opportunity to meet with a couple new volunteers to begin planning for upcoming events through the end of this year as well as the two annual events that will occur in 2016 and in years to come.  This was the supernatural part of casting my net and seeing the Lord answer the prayer for human resources. Praise God for sending humble servants to volunteer their time and talents by helping Living Well Ministries share the Goods News of Jesus through health and whole person wellness. I believe this blog is also apart of 'casting my net' to inform others about the mission of the ministry and how they can get involved. So please stayed tuned each week to learn more about Living Well Ministry, how to pray, how to get involved and how I am doing with the Route 66 Marathon training :-)

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. 

PS....I want to share an article with you to support my case for regular workouts. Enjoy it and then go get moving!

Position stand addresses aerobic, resistance, flexibility and neuromotor exercise

INDIANAPOLIS – 

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has just released new recommendations on the quantity and quality of exercise for adults, definitively answering the age-old question of how much exercise is actually enough.

The position stand, titled "Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory, Musculoskeletal, and Neuromotor Fitness in Apparently Healthy Adults: Guidance for Prescribing Exercise," reflects current scientific evidence on physical activity and includes recommendations on aerobic exercise, strength training and flexibility. Consistent with the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, ACSM’s overall recommendation is for most adults to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.

“The scientific evidence we reviewed is indisputable,” said Carol Ewing Garber, Ph.D., FAHA, FACSM, chair of the writing committee. “When it comes to exercise, the benefits far outweigh the risks. A program of regular exercise – beyond activities of daily living – is essential for most adults.”

The basic recommendations – categorized by cardiorespiratory exercise, resistance exercise, flexibility exercise and neuromotor exercise – are as follows:

Cardiorespiratory Exercise

• Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. 
• Exercise recommendations can be met through 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (five days per week) or 20-60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise (three days per week).
• One continuous session and multiple shorter sessions (of at least 10 minutes) are both acceptable to accumulate desired amount of daily exercise.  
• Gradual progression of exercise time, frequency and intensity is recommended for best adherence and least injury risk.
• People unable to meet these minimums can still benefit from some activity.

Resistance Exercise

• Adults should train each major muscle group two or three days each week using a variety of exercises and equipment.
• Very light or light intensity is best for older persons or previously sedentary adults starting exercise.
• Two to four sets of each exercise will help adults improve strength and power.
• For each exercise, 8-12 repetitions improve strength and power, 10-15 repetitions improve strength in middle-age and older persons starting exercise, and 15-20 repetitions improve muscular endurance.
• Adults should wait at least 48 hours between resistance training sessions.

Flexibility Exercise

• Adults should do flexibility exercises at least two or three days each week to improve range of motion.
• Each stretch should be held for 10-30 seconds to the point of tightness or slight discomfort.
• Repeat each stretch two to four times, accumulating 60 seconds per stretch.
• Static, dynamic, ballistic and PNF stretches are all effective.
• Flexibility exercise is most effective when the muscle is warm. Try light aerobic activity or a hot bath to warm the muscles before stretching.

Neuromotor Exercise

• Neuromotor exercise (sometimes called “functional fitness training”) is recommended for two or three days per week.
• Exercises should involve motor skills (balance, agility, coordination and gait), proprioceptive exercise training and multifaceted activities (tai ji and yoga) to improve physical function and prevent falls in older adults.
• 20-30 minutes per day is appropriate for neuromotor exercise.

In addition to outlining basic recommendations and their scientific reasoning, the position stand also clarifies these new points:

• Pedometers, step-counting devices used to measure physical activity, are not an accurate measure of exercise quality and should not be used as the sole measure of physical activity.
• Though exercise protects against heart disease, it is still possible for active adults to develop heart problems. All adults must be able to recognize the warning signs of heart disease, and all health care providers should ask patients about these symptoms.
• Sedentary behavior – sitting for long periods of time – is distinct from physical activity and has been shown to be a health risk in itself. Meeting the guidelines for physical activity does not make up for a sedentary lifestyle.

“It is no longer enough to consider whether an individual engages in adequate amounts of weekly exercise,” said Garber, who is an associate professor of movement sciences at the Teachers College of Columbia University. “We also need to determine how much time a person spends in sedentary pursuits, like watching television or working on a computer. Health-and-fitness professionals must be concerned with these activities as well.”

The position stand’s purpose is to offer health-and-fitness professionals scientific, evidence-based recommendations that help them customize exercise prescriptions for healthy adults. The position stand is published in the July 2011 issue ofMedicine & Science in Sports & Exercise_®, the official journal of ACSM. To access this position stand, visit http://www.acsm-msse.org/.

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The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 45,000 international, national and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.