Health Challenge 2007

For the new year, our Church began a health challenge, our very own Biggest Loser of sorts, and Greg and I are team captains...sounds like fun, huh? So, for the first week in January, everyone who signed up ate like pigs, and now we're all in withdrawals because it started this week. As captains, it is our job to encourage, motivate, and help those members of our team, and this is something that Greg loves to do. I decided to send out encouraging messages to our team each week and I thought I would include them here as well.

So, if one of your resolutions was to live a healthier lifestyle, why don't you join us? We have 10 weeks to loose some weight, get into shape, and develop healthy habits for a lifetime!

Here's this week's encouragement:

I just wanted to send you guys a little something to encourage you on our health challenge journey this week.

I was reading in Proverbs this morning, and Proverbs 3:5-9 in the message Bible says "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!"

There is so much that God is saying to me in these verses - here are a few things:
#1 - You can't do it in yourself, but I can enable you - Trust me!
#2 - When evil (this week it's name is COKE!) comes my way - RUN to GOD! He'll help me overcome! (and He has)
#3 - He wants our very bones to vibrate with life!

Now you may think that your very bones vibrating with life is ok, however you really don't understand how that's going to help you fit into smaller size pants - but let's remember what bones do: they support our flesh and provide a frame for which we are created, but most importantly, they are where the blood comes from! If our blood is full of sickness and disease, then our bodies feel that...the sluggishness when our white blood cells are fighting infection, the rate at which our heart has to pump our blood, and we're probably even feeling it if our veins are full of cholesterol that keeps the blood from flowing smoothly. If our blood is full of muck and junk, we don't feel like working out!

BUT, If we trust in God from the depth of who we are, not just with the words coming out of our mouths, then he is going to infuse our bones with new, fresh, cleansed blood that will make an inner change in our hearts and lives but will produce an outward result!

So, keep up the good work! I know it's a pain to have to take a break once an hour to go to the bathroom because of all of the water we're drinking, but in the end, it's worth it! When your body is screaming for sugar, salt, and unhealthy food, keep your eye on the end result. When your muscles are screaming from the way you are working them and forcing them to move in a way they are unaccustomed too, think on how much stronger you will be and the new testimony you will be able to give! And think of the potential new people beyond our walls you will be able to touch because of it.

I love you all and I'm so glad we're on this journey together!

Bunches of Blessings!
Joy