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4-Year Anniversary of my Most Pivotal Body Moment Ever…

A strong body cannot create a strong mind. But a strong mind can create a strong body.

and what God is still teaching me about it today…

Loving yourself and your body. It’s a pretty heavy topic to touch upon. But one that I feel is important to talk about. We all have different levels of confidence and we all have our own ways of improving how we think about our body. Some people are shy about the way they look whereas others push themselves and accept what their body looks like by wearing certain outfits or even doing Nudist Dating! My point is, we all hae different ways of dealing with our body and I would like to share my story with you all today.

June 1. Always a day I pause to remember and reflect on how far I’ve come.

In life, we will have these cornerstone days of our history; where it’s almost as though you can dissect your life into “before” X and then “after” X. This day, in the history of my body image is that day.

June 1 was the day that I did my first (and only) body building competition. It was the moment where I was backstage, a lean 13% body fat and still felt like the “fat girl in the room.” It was my moment of absolute certainty that having the perfect body was NOT the cure for my insecurity I hoped it would be.

It was also the day that my now husband came back into my life, which trust me, with this handsome stubborn man I am married to, is a miracle that only God could orchestrate!! Love you, Howard ?

This day includes a dichotomy of feeling like I disappointed God with my disobedience while He was busy simultaneously BLESSING me with the man of my dreams. All of which was a miracle that has penetrated my life so deeply that I decided to devote my life, business, and body to Him all the more. It sent me on a trajectory where I would find my calling-and ultimately, finding you, Friend, through this platform!

So, I’ve written quite a bit about this day and how much it has changed me (you can read past posts here).

But lately, I have been having a more Spiritual understanding of what God was really doing for me as I have been reading the book of 1 Samuel.

1 and 2 Samuel tell the story of the prophet Samuel who would be used by God to anoint both King Saul and then King David in the Old Testament.

For those who are not familiar with many OT stories, I think you would really like 1 Samuel because it reads like book. And if you want even more of a colorful picture of this story, I really like the completely fictional, but accurately Biblical account of this by author Francine Rivers in her book “Sons of Encouragement.”

So, the story goes like this….

At this time in Biblical history, we see the people of Israel are getting antsy and are falling prey to, once again, trying to fit into “social norms”instead of sticking to what God has called and commanded them to do.

So they are asking for a King so they could be like all the other countries around them. In doing so, they essentially are rejecting God as their King, Who tells them as such (through the prophet Samuel) and yet they demand one nevertheless.

So, God fulfills their desires and chooses for them a King that would fit their shallow standards. Saul is a King that is “tall and handsome” and has the stature that would look the part of a King. (1 Samuel 9:2)

But, the problem with Saul is that he is woefully insecure. He cares far more about pleasing men than he does about pleasing the Lord and so he is irresponsible, proud, and disobedient to the specific commands God gives him. In doing so, God turned his back on him and even says, “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” (1 Samuel 15:11). Ouch!

King Saul would still rule for 40-years as King, but he would be tormented by evil, prey to irrational fears, and would eventually kill himself in battle.

Meanwhile, God would not abandon His people, but instead would deliver for them a King that would to this day be the epitome of pride and prestige to the nation of Israel (in fact, when I recently visited Jerusalem, the Jewish quarter has a sacred area of where they believe King David’s tomb to be).

God appointed and anointed a boy, King David, who was not the tallest or the strongest or most aesthetically “king-like” in appearance. But he was a “man after God’s own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:14)

And even though this man would commit grave sins against the Lord as well (he would be an adulterer and murderer!), he would humble himself, throw himself at the mercy of God, and God would resurrect this King as a historical powerhouse that would unite all 12-tribes of Israel like never before and serve as the lineage to Christ himself!

So, I was thinking about this story and I was thinking about my own story with my body image issues and I can see God’s plan and mercy in it all too.

Some lessons and parallels I see:

Lesson #1. Wants vs Needs

You see, just like the people of Israel who were demanding a King of God, I lived a life that demanded the superficial blessings of God based on the “social norms” surrounding me.

I wanted to “look the part” of everything. The reason why I ever entered the extreme dieting and exercise program of training for the bikini competition was so I could “look a part” of trainer and someone I thought I needed to be to be more successful and well liked.

And, while God warned me, just like He warned the children of Israel, He gave me exactly what I “wanted” in my looks so I would be woefully aware that I did not have “what I needed.” (which was true confidence).

God will allow you to fail at the things you THINK YOU WANT in order to prepare your heart to receive what He knows you ACTUALLY NEED.

King Saul was that experience for Israel. Choosing King Saul for Israel was not a “mistake” that God made. I believe He knew exactly how it would play out but still gave Saul every opportunity to choose a different path for himself.

Lessons #2: Looking the Part vs. Acting the Part

God was teaching the Israelites that looks only get you so much. And just because someone is big and tall and “looks” like a King, does not mean that they have the character of a King nor are they ready to be truly used by God.

This was me as well. “Looking the part” would never make me ready to play the part in character. And I would only learn that from the hardship of pain from failure.

What Israel would learn, what I would learn and what I hope you learn in your body journey too, comes from the Truth of God’s Word when He was instructing Samuel to choose the smallest and youngest brother of the house of Jesse,

“The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.“ (1 Samuel 16:7)

Lessons #3: Humility Comes Before Honor

We serve a God of great mercy friends! We serve a God of abundant grace. In things great and small; our sins and our strengths. He works it all for our Good, but only if we can humble ourselves before Him and receive it. Saul failed to do this, but David excelled at it.

I encourage you as you pass by a mirror today, if you are tempted to feel disappointment in what you see reflected back, to pause, and take a moment to reflect on your HEART more and receive some love from God.

Open up to a heart posture of surrender. Tell God that you know you care about your surfaces a lot, but allow Him to do His good work on your heart. When God opens the eyes of your heart, you gain peace with your body and purpose with you soul.

Nothing feels more satisfying that fulfilling God’s purpose IN YOU. Set your thoughts back on taking that next best step with Him.

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{#FitFaithFriday} My Interview with Courtney Samuel!

My Interview with Courtney Samuel

Meet Courtney!

I've known Courtney for a while now as he and his wife (and my best friend) Jennifer Samuel (already featured for #FitFaithFriday week #1) are the main reasons why I became a trainer and so passionate about fitness, specifically what weight training can do for a person mind, body and spirit!  

So, it was an absolute pleasure to sit with my "big brother" and chat more about how his Faith impacts his personal fitness, his business, and every aspect of his life!  

I love Courtney because he is a big (like, seriously STRONG!) guy with such a humble and soft heart for God and for his family.  He wears tattoos, listens to rap music, is into cars, but puts his Faith and Family FIRST in life.  He's a perfect representation of what a REAL RELATIONSHIP with God can look like!  It's authentic, real, and from the HEART which is what God looks at most!  

We can all learn more from Mr. Samuel in how to aim true and be bold in your Faith!    

Check out our live interview from his gym, Bodies by Perseverance below!

Court 2

I LOVE this opportunity to ask these questions of women who are all going through various experiences of Fitness and Faith and learning how God uses each of us in some unique ways but it all serves mightily in expanding His Kingdom. Cassia is certainly a bright bright light, and I'm so inspired by her! I know you will be too!

 

Don't have time to watch the full interview?   Here are some highlights of what Courtney had to say...

When asked, "How does your faith impact your fitness, and your fitness impact your faith?"

Courtney said, "So faith and fitness intertwine with life and everything that you do. So a big thing I believe in is being humble on top of the hill and grateful when you’re at the bottom. Basically, when your in a valley, that’s when you have to rely on your faith and when you’re reading scripture every day and that’s when you’re saying, “God, I know you’re going to pull me through this.” But at the same time when you’re at the top of that hill, that’s when you have to be humble and say,  “Thank you, Lord, for bringing me this victory.” Because life goes up and down. It’s day in and day out.

A big saying we said this year was “Compound Consistency.” This means being consistent day by day by day and building upon that. Fitness and Faith. Daily Bible study. Daily eating habits. Daily exercise habits. And then when you compound all of that it just becomes life."

 

When asked, "You have tattoos, play rap music, but also have scriptures on the walls of your gym.  How does this juxtaposition represent your true Faith?" 

Courtney said, "It is. So when I grew up my parents were hardcore Southern Baptist. You know, it was church three to four hours every Sunday, which was cool, that was their thing. But as I developed my own personal relationship with God (which I tell everybody, “It’s about your personal relationship with God.”) I find myself being more spiritual versus more religious. My spiritual relationship with God, to me, is my personal relationship with God. What I do externally, how I carry myself, it’s kinda like how people judged Jesus, in an essence.

You can’t judge a book by its cover. I have tattoos.  I play rap music. I’m not ashamed of that, but in my heart I know who my God is and if anybody asks me, I will tell you who my God is and my faith. You know, the things that you do, just like society, you have to take with a grain of salt. I listen to rap music. I don’t let it influence me. Honestly, I don’t even listen to the lyrics, I just like the beat and it gets me motivated. So that’s kind of how I live my life. I do like tattoos, but they’re an expression of me. They’re an expression of my faith.  My tattoos are a story; kind of like a chapter opening and closing, and that’s just who I am. Bottom line: when we all die we’re going to be in spirit form anyway, so our bodies won’t be here.

When asked, "How would you advise someone that is just getting back into shape or struggling with the process of health to fall in LOVE with taking care of their health better?" 

Courtney said, "Number one: it’s a process. It takes time and anything worth having takes time, but what I try to convey to my clients or to anyone, is that it’s an investment. It’s an investment in your body and you have to be able to take care of yourself and feel good about yourself before you can take care of anyone else. No matter how much money you may have or position of power you may be in, if you don’t have your health you have nothing. So that’s what I try to convey: invest in yourself, invest in your health and then use it as a challenge.

I don’t think we challenge ourselves enough. I think everybody’s just caught in the rat race and just doing enough to get by. Why not challenge yourself and try something new. Get yourself to the best, optimal "you," you can be. It doesn’t have to be a professional body builder, but it can be the “best Mandi,” the “best Courtney.” See how your car runs—take care of that Ferrari!

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{FitFaithFriday} Meet Kara Osborne of Wellness Witness!

My Interview with Kara Osborne

RevWell Retreat 2015 - Kara Osborne-0029

Me: Tell us a little bit more about what you do and how you came to start it?  

Kara: Hello! I’m Kara and I live in NC with my husband and two kids. Up until last year I worked as a school counselor and fully expected to stay in this career for years! My undergraduate degree was in Education and my Master’s in Counseling, so when God called me to launch a faith based fitness ministry, I had no clue what He was up to! I officially began my ministry Wellness Witness on January 1, 2014 and God has used it to change not just my life, but also my family’s lives, my career, and my community. I now work full-time running this ministry which involves teaching local fitness classes, blogging, writing, speaking, and also run an online membership community of women who are trying to get healthier HIS way called the At-Home TRIBE.  

Me: How do you think your Fitness impacts your Faith and your Faith impacts your Fitness?  

Kara: When I FINALLY learned to get healthy, I did it the Lord’s way. I stopped seeking ‘fitness experts’ opinions, I stopped buying all the shakes, supplements, and products, and I started seeking the Lord. Turns out, it’s all connected. You can have a super fit, strong body and still have a heart far from the Lord. He has taught me much about this area and now I get to spend my days teaching others HIS truth about true wellness and wholeness.

Me:  What is the number one thing that you see women struggling with today?  How do you think Fitness and/or Faith can help her in that struggle?

Kara: I actually think there are THREE main issues, but they are all related…. I am so weary with seeing women striving to perform, putting their worth in their weight, and then competing with one another. I know this must break God’s heart. We women tend to decide that something is wrong with us. Then we strive, struggle, hustle, and work with all our might to try to “FIX” our problem. We utilize tools that are not good indicators of success such as the scale and then allow it to dictate to us our value, worth, and success. When we see other women doing well, it makes us mistakenly decide that we are not. We incorrectly see HER victory as OUR defeat. All three of these issues come from the same place: We have forgotten how much we are loved. A woman who doesn’t know that she is fully known and fully loved by the Lord is dangerous. She will spend her days trying to do more, be more, and have more and be unable to recognize the beauty in herself and those around her. Want to finally get free? Spend some time with the Lord allowing HIM to remind you how much you’re loved. How much you’re valued. How much He has in store for you. How He created you specifically, on purpose, and for a purpose…THAT will change everything.
 

Me: What is the biggest lesson you've learned recently?

 
Kara: God keeps reminding me: It’s not about the weight. I know this isn’t what you would expect to hear from a fitness professional, but it’s the truth and I can no longer try to push fitness gimmicks to those who so desperately need freedom.  It’s not about the weight. It’s not about food. IT IS A HEART ISSUE, friends. Struggling to find a healthy life balance? Ask yourself this question: If you never saw the scale move down 1 pound, would you still obey Him in stewarding your health well? Would you still want to eat well and move often? If your answer is no, then I would challenge you to consider where your true motivation lies.
 

Me: What dreams do you have for this year and for the future?  What role do you expect God to play in developing these into realities?

Kara: I’m a big dreamer so I’ve got some big plans for the year ahead! I’m launching my first book in the next month called FINALLY FREE and am praying that God will use it to change lives. I would like to continue speaking and to become bolder with the messages that HE has given me to proclaim. I am praying that my At-Home TRIBE will grow and multiply and that women will begin to find such freedom and wholeness in Christ that it will begin spilling over into their families, their friendships, and their communities. I believe that God is rising up an ARMY of women who KNOW who they are and whose they are and who are ready to be FREE and to unashamedly pursue their calling. It’s happening- I can see it even now. And the thought of it makes me so excited I can’t hardly stand it!
 
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ME: I am just starting a blog series on living with FRUITFUL Health and walking through how to live the 9 Fruits of the Spirit in our health.  We are starting off with LOVE of course!  Can you tell us how it is that you have found a way to LOVE taking care of your health?  How do you know it's REAL love?

Kara: This goes back to my answer above, but a woman who truly knows how much she is loved can’t help but to go out and love others in that same way.  For me, the question of taking care of my health comes from the way I view my relationship with the Lord. I like to explain it this way: If you’ve got children in your life, think back to a time that they brought you a homemade gift. These gifts can tend to be a bit of a mess, right? Sometimes it’s hard to tell what they are, or even to know what to do with them. But what do we do with those gifts? We treasure them, right?  Not because the way that we view the gift, but because of the way we feel about the GIFT GIVER.  GOD is the giver of an amazing gift- our very bodies! And because I love Him, I want to take good care of everything He has given me.  It’s an act of love and stewardship. Because I love Him, I want to obey Him and cherish everything He gives me. Operating from this place of love is one that helps me continue on when I’m weary and helps me to remember WHY it matters.

ME: Is there anything you have coming up that we can join you in? 

Kara: Yes! I would love to have you check back in the next few weeks to get a copy of my upcoming book, Finally Free. It’s a 28-day journey to finding TRUE freedom through Christ in our health, our hearts, and our homes. The book is a journal that will feature a daily reflection, scripture, prayer, plus healthy habit tips and bonuses. I think it’s going to be a valuable tool for many!


Also, for anyone looking for an At-Home option to learn to get healthy God’s way and to be DONE with the scale, the At-Home TRIBE is a great option. For $12 a month, you can have access to a community of women all around the world who will hold you accountable, a full library of workouts and resources, a monthly calendar, an exercise database, and more. More info is at www.wellnesswitness.com/at-home-tribe-membership

 If you'd like to connect with Kara, you can find her on these social media platforms!
 
 
You can follow Kara on the above social media platforms to find out more about her!
 karaosborne-8
 
 

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What Will Be The Root Cause Of Your Outstanding Health?

We are embarking on a deep journey through how to grow FRUITFUL HEALTH and FITNESS.  
 
Meaning, from the Galatians 5:22-23 that references the fruits of the Spirit, we want to GROW these character values in the context of our health. 
 
We desire to grow more Love in our health.  More joy in our fit lifestyle.  More peace in our body and with our eating.  More patience in our progress.  More kindness toward our faults and setbacks. More good intentions for our health, not superficial desires only.  More faithful hope we can cling to through change.  More gentleness to ease into habits we want to sustain.  More self-control and discipline to keep us progressing toward our goal!
 
As we intentionally plant these values into our health ecosystem, they will only naturally spill into all areas of our life too!  It will radically shift ALL AREAS of your life!
 
Here’s the catch— we all know how hard true CHANGE is right?  If growing these things were literally as easy as planting seeds in some soil outside, then we would all be healthy, happy and more Spiritual beings.  But the type of planting we are doing is a different kind of hard labor.  It’s not as much “physical” as it is “Spiritual” and “Mental.”  
 
Changing the way we THINK is just about the hardest thing we could ever do because so much of our thought-life exists subconsciously and it exists in a form of “self-sabotage.”  
 
So, how do we plan to overcome THAT aspect in this process?  
Well,  one incredible Pastor, Robert Morris of Gateway Church, just so happened to do a series on what’s called the “Root Cause.”  It was on how you look DEEP ENOUGH to determine was was really to root cause of every single thing in your life.  You can listen to the first sermon of this series HERE.  
 
From those 3 teachings I was able to remind myself of 4 VITALLY important aspects that we must all cling to in order to grow any desirable fruit in our health and life.  
 

#1:  JESUS is the ROOT we are the BRANCHES.  

John 15:5 Jesus says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches.  Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  For apart from me you can do nothing.”   
 
Another word for “VINE” is the ROOT.  And if you are trying to grow fruit on anything other than Jesus then it won’t work long term. 
 
For example:
—Growing fruit from the ROOT of public opinion will keep you chasing the fad diets.
--Growing fruit on the ROOT cause of disdain for your body will keep you doing things that HARM your body not LOVE it.  
--Growing fruit on the ROOT of obsessiveness and control will keep you spinning your wheels on power that is limited instead of relying on the unlimited power of God through Jesus. 
 

#2. You are attached to the vine (Jesus) by GRACE alone.

 

You did not do anything to EARN Jesus in your life and there is nothing you need to do to keep Him there.  It is a FREE GIFT that not one of us deserves, because we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God, so it is by GRACE THROUGH FAITH and NOT by Faith through Grace.  
 
Meaning, your "Good Deeds" are not what earn your attachment to Jesus.  Being a “good person” is not enough to get into Heaven either.  
 
Receiving Grace is actually FAR FAR simpler than we make it out to be. 
 
All you have to do to receive salvation is “confess with your mouth and believe in your heart and you will be saved.”  (Romans 10:9) That IS IT.  
 
I know that I know that I know that we as the “good Christian” girls and boys  think that must continue to EARN God’s free gifts of salvation, and we strive toward earning so much of the blessings that God has already freely given us.
 
That we can take the Love story that is the Bible and make it into a Rule-book so very easily.  We do see commandments and things in there, I know its easy for us all to start to think we somehow have to do a lot of things in order to receive that relationship with Christ but you DON’T.  You really don’t.
 
All you have to do is "confess with your mouth, and believe in your heart” and BOOM you are connected to that VINE that is Jesus. 
 
If you have never done that before, I encourage you to simply close your eyes where you are and confess in your mind that you know you need a Savior and believe in your heart that Jesus is that Savior who was sent on the earth to rescue you and you will receive His Holy Spirit within you.  You will be on your way to growing in Faith!  God bless you!!  
 

#3  All We Have to Do Is “Remain” Connected:

Now, this verse tells us to “remain” in Jesus and Jesus will “remain” in you.  Another translation says to “abide” in Jesus.  
 
All this really means is to STAY.  You don’t have to do anything but stay right where you are, connected to Jesus through the good times AND the bad times <——that’s the hard part.  
 
Most of us are good with staying with God when all things are going well, but we see just how quickly we can pull away from God when it starts to storm.   
 
Pastor Robert did an entire sermon on what he called “Bitter Roots.”  When we unknowingly hold out bitterness and resentment for God for the bad things that we have had to endure in our life, we produce BITTER tasting Fruit too.  Because the ROOT determines the FRUIT, right?!  
 
I have quoted Pastor Rick Warren as saying, “For every act of self-sabotage is a LIE that we are believing.” 
 
Well, Pastor Robert rightfully determined that the root cause of this resentment and bitterness toward God is often that we believe the lie that God is somehow holding out on us.  That He is purposefully making us suffer or that He caused a lot of our painful experiences in our life.  
 
It is very very important to realize that so often we believe a host of lies planted by the evil one with the very purpose of getting us to walk away from God so that we don’t harvest the Fruit that HE KNOWS we are about to grow.  The devil KNOWS just how powerful you are when you are connected to Jesus and when you are following in your purpose for life, including your health.  So he is actively engaging you and attacking you to believe things about your circumstances that are just not TRUE.  
 
God does NOT CAUSE all of the bad things to happen in our life, He gave us FREE WILL which in turn gave us the opportunity to sin and fall prey to the power that sin has over our lives and this world.  
 
"BUT, GOD works for the GOOD of those who love Him”(Romans 8:38)….so never lose hope that no matter what the devil will try to do to break you down and keep you there, God will NEVER NEVER NEVER give up on you and He will use it all for your GOOD.  It has already been DONE.  “It is finished.” (John 19:30 ) 
 

#4.  You BEAR the Fruit, but you don’t PRODUCE it.  

You are not able to produce LOVE, JOY, PEACE of any of the fruits on your own.  Many of us fall of the trap that we either have to LABOR to produce these things ourselves.  
 
The ROOT determines the FRUIT.  But as this verse describes, you are to BEAR the fruit, which means to “CARRY” it.  
 
The VINE of Jesus is what actually produces the fruit and we get the privilege of showing it off to the world.   
 
This is not to say that you don’t take any credit for your part.  I know a lot of Christians that think that “humility” means to put themselves down in order to raise Jesus up.  NOT TRUE!
 
You have a vitally important role that should not be overlooked—your CHOICE.  If you focus on strengthening your connection to the Vine of Jesus AND sticking it out when you experience the “PRUNING” of God’s work, you indeed have done Good work and will be rewarded for that in Heaven.  
 
Showing humility through this process is key.  Recognizing you didn’t CREATE anything on your own is certainly part of it.  But I love what Rick Warren has to say about humility, “Humility is not denying your strengths, it’s being honest about your weaknesses.”  
 
Producing LOVE is a weakness we all have….but HOLDING TIGHT to the Love of Jesus is a STRENGTH that you can surely develop.  
 
This is what we are setting out to do!   Starting next week, we are going to dive into how to grow and harvest LOVE in your health! 

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{FitFaithFriday} Meet Health Coach, Cassia Hope!

My Interview with Cassia Hope

I found Cassia through a Momsanity monthly challenge (whom I've introduced you both founders now!) and absolutely LOVE following her on social media, especially Instagram! She's got some spunk and strengh all rolled up into one awesome mom, wife and health coach!

me

I LOVE this opportunity to ask these questions of women who are all going through various experiences of Fitness and Faith and learning how God uses each of us in some unique ways but it all serves mightily in expanding His Kingdom. Cassia is certainly a bright bright light, and I'm so inspired by her! I know you will be too!

 

Me: Tell us a little bit more about what you do and how you came to start it?  

Cassia: I am currently an online fitness coach. I have always loved fitness, but in the past, I subscribed to an all or nothing mentality when pursing my ideal body image. After my second baby my weight was up, my energy was low and then my marriage took a dark turn. To try and "solve" the problem I started excessively cutting my calories and running for hours a day. I ended up extremely sick, was crippled by the pain of a kidney stone and found out I had adrenal fatigue. This is when God wrapped me in His arms and called me to journey with Him. My marriage was restored, healed and transformed. I was able to move forward in God's grace and felt so happy, but I got so busy prioritizing my marriage and babies that I stopped making time for myself. I had stopped working out and was just eating whatever my kids wanted. I knew I was made for more.  So, that's when I got low. I asked God to show me the right way to get healthy and guide my path. I began making slow changes that were obtainable and realistic. As I grew stronger in my walk with the Lord, He put it on my heart to start a fitness page on FB. He used this to help me connect with others and through sharing my journey I felt affirmed that my calling is fitness and ministry woven together. I was so scared to put myself out there an share all the broken fragments of my life. But God doesn't see brokenness, He sees obedient hearts willing to serve Him...and He blesses that. I'm so thankful for all the pains of my past now. God has used every trial I have endured to provide someone else with comfort or hope. That makes everything I do and share so worth it. 

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Me: How do you think your Fitness impacts your Faith and your Faith impacts your Fitness?  

Cassia:  My personal niche and passion is weightlifting/bodybuilding and as a figure competitor, I realize there is a general stigma attached that we are vain, self-absorbed and sometimes egocentric. But this passion is so spiritual and personal to me. I read stories in the bible about Samson and David and I feel drawn to the fact they were called to be God's warriors and experienced great physical strength that came from Him. And I often think of Rebecca and how she carried all those water jugs on her shoulders for the camels. To me, it's an incredible gift to use my body in a way that I could never experience on my own. When I train, lift and exercise, I feel SO close to the Lord. I pray through sets, I call on him for just one more rep and when my body crumbles in exhaustion, I feel SO thankful He let me experience the gift of seeing what my body is truly capable of, in HIS strength. Stepping on the stage isn't what it is about to me. It's about watching my creator, with his hammer and chisel, slowly chip away at all my rough edges and create a masterpiece. Something that is beautiful, majestic and breathtaking.
  
 
 

Me:  What is the number one thing that you see women struggling with today?  How do you think Fitness and/or Faith can help them?

 
Cassia:  Over the past year I am so blessed to say God has used to me reach an extraordinary amount of women. The one thing we all have in common is the deep, dark longing to fill an intense void. We all have pain, brokenness, guilt and shame and choose different things to try and band-aid those wounds. Many of the women who feel compelled to reach out to me use food for comfort and struggle with negative self talk and body image. My prayer is to help them see that God is willing to be our portion and in Him we are made whole. A book that greatly changed my life is "Made to Crave" by Lysa TerKeurst. Lysa goes into great detail about how we have made food a false idol and need to invite Him into every single aspect of our lives...especially our health and wellness. If we are not honoring His temples, it is easy to be mired in guilt and shame. Caring for our bodies in mind, body and spirit is not vain or a luxury. It is part of our calling.
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Me: What is the biggest lesson you've learned recently?

 
Cassia:  Right now I am reading For the Love by Jen Hatmaker. It is a phenomenal book about letting go of the impossible standards we have placed on ourselves and letting God's grace define our lives. As a wife and mom, I feel like failure all.the.time. I'm learning this is such a big, fat LIE! I'm not a failure at all! I just need to remember I live for an audience of ONE. If I am I am willing to share what a HOT MESS I truly am, it gives God that much more of an opportunity to be my savior and shows others that we don't have to have it all together! When we are weak, He is strong!!! Our lives should reflect this truth.
 

Me: What dreams do you have for this year and for the future?  What role do you expect God to play in developing these into realities?

Cassia:  For a long time, I thought God owed me something. After an era of very dark trials and heartbreak, I kept thinking "ok Lord, go ahead and reward me for all the pain I endured!!!" But in the past year through studying God's word and being blessed with amazing sisters in Christ who act as sacred echoes, I have learned that my blessing is NOT in people, places or things. My desire and heart's call is to bring Him glory and that truly can't be measured on this earth. I'm throwing away my "well, in the next year I hope this happens..." mentality because I don't need a bigger home, wealthy family or prosperous future (I've honestly felt I had all of those things at one point...and they did NOT bring satisfaction). I just need me some more Jesus. My dream now is to become a woman He can trust to share the gospel, hope and light. I know God will continue to move me if I allow Him to refine me. No one wants to pray for trials, but if we truly want to change and become who He has created us to be, we have to be willing to let Him grind down our rough edges.

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ME: I am just starting a blog series on living with FRUITFUL Health and walking through how to live the 9 Fruits of the Spirit in our health.  We are starting off with LOVE of course!  Can you tell us how it is that you have found a way to LOVE taking care of your health?  How do you know it's REAL love?

Cassia:  I love taking care of my temple. I know it's real love because when I don't honor it, I feel laden in guilt and self-loathing and I miss out on God's best for my life. I LOVE exercising, moving in ways that push the confines of our earthly minds, and eating with the perspective that God has given us food as fuel. I LOVE the feeling of being so in tune with my physical being that I am not wasting time questioning and berating my body. When I LOVE my body, I hear God's affirmation saying, "Go boldly. Show other women they are not prisoners here but can be free to release the shackles of the flesh and serve with bold and brave abandon. I am with you brave and mighty warrior" -Judges 6:12
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 If you'd like to connect with Cassia, you can find her on these social media platforms!
 
 
Cassia is a proud mom of two and successful health coach to women interested in weight lifting and some figure competitions. You can follow Cassia on the above Facebook and Instagram handles and find out more about her coaching on her Facebook business page!  Cassia hosts several monthly private groups for women focused on Faith and Fitness!  
  
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{FitFaithFriday} Joining the “Momsanity” with Emily Saunders!

I was delighted to get the opportunity to get to know the founders of Momsanity, Emily Saunders and DebbieBAISDEN.  They are both doing some incredible things for mom's and women desiring simple but effective ways to stay fit and balanced in life! 

Today, I got the chance to get some more insight from the co-founder, Emily and loved what she had to say!  You can tell she has an incredible Spirit (especially when you read that she offered to do this interview while 28-weeks pregnant and wearing a cast on her foot!).  

I loved what I learned through her eyes, and I know you will too!  IMG_4016k

Me: Tell us a little bit about what you do and how you came to start it?

Emily: My partner Debbie and I started Momsanity almost 3 years ago when my son was a tiny baby.  She was newly widowed.  It was a crazy time in our lives.  I found that there were plenty of resources for FIT mom and also for moms of Faith, but not a lot that put it all together.  Our mission is to help busy Moms juggle their many responsibilities while prioritizing faith, fitness and nutrition.  We focus on putting God first while offering programming by Moms and for Moms including short and effective fat-loss focused workout videos and realistic but scientific nutrition guidelines, recipes, and more.  Our Momsanity Sisterhood Facebook group is where God really works His wonders.  Our sisters pray together, encourage one another, ask for and offer advice, share successes and struggles and so much more.  It's a beautiful thing!
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Me: How does your Faith impact your Fitness and your Fitness impact your Faith?

Emily: I love this question!  Fitness impacts my faith in many ways.  Our earthly bodies are weak no matter how "strong" they are.  I depend on God to get me through every single day.  I also appreciate that a passion for fitness is a gift that God gave me to share with others.  I love how He works in so many ways!   How does Faith impact my fitness?  My workouts used to be about achieving a certain look, but now I just want to be strong and healthy so that God can use me however He sees fit.  I also give myself a lot of grace.  It's ok to have seasons where fitness is not a top priority even though it's a big part of my job.  He's got it all figured out :)certainly work hand in hand! So many aspects of faith and fitness mirror each other, and they integrate well together.  
 
 

Me:  What is the #1 struggle that you see women facing today and how do you think Faith and/or Fitness can help them? 

 
Emily: The I think that women struggle with conflicting messages coming from every angle.  Be strong.  Be submissive.  Be a leader.  Don't be too bossy......  Both faith and fitness can help with the struggle.  I think that a balance of both creates a quiet confidence- confidence in something bigger than ourselves that carries us through.  God never changes and if we read and follow His word then we'll always be on the right track to what matters.
 

Me: What is the greatest lesson you have learned recently?

 
Emily: Going back a couple of questions...I'm grateful for an able body.  It's something I take for granted far too often.  At 28 weeks pregnant I tore some soft tissue in my ankle while getting up off of the floor (yes really!).  I had to be in a cast for 3 weeks and it made me so very thankful for a strong and otherwise able body.  The experience reinforced to me that no matter how strong we are, our earthly bodies are still feeble.  It made me appreciate two working legs and the ability to run around and chase my son on the playground even when I don't feel like it.  It reminded me of the power of prayer as my injury often requires surgery, but so far it's healing beautifully on its own!
 

Me: What dreams do you have for this year and for the future?  What role do you expect God to play in developing these into realities?

Emily:  At Momsanity we have so many fun things planned.  We are focusing on ONE goal per month with our Sisters in 2016 as "bite sized chunks" work best in making lasting changes.  For the first time we have several brand new physical products planned AND we're changing membership site platforms soon.  God has been with us from Day 1- He breathed Momsanity into existence- and He's working in our sisterhood of women constantly. We pray and listen and plan.  He closes some doors and opens others.  It's a wild ride for sure!

 

ME: Do you have anything coming up that we can participate in? 

Emily:  We're excited for a fun February challenge called #onthewall.  We'll be encouraging ladies to participate by taking a time out to do a wall sit and recite Psalm 23.  Women need more quiet time and sometimes these little "time outs" that incorporate fitness with time with God can be a perfect reminder to do so!  More details coming on both Facebook and Instagram. 
 
 If you'd like to connect with Emily and the Momsanity nature more, you can find them on these social media platforms!
 
 
 
Emily Saunders is a co-founder of Momsanity along with her partner Debbie.  She is passionate about helping women achieve lasting changes both physically and spiritually.  She is a Mom to 3 year old Adler and has another baby boy on the way in February.  Emily is married to Wiggy, an Integrative MD and together they created Raise Them Well- a brand that creates  toxic-free products for kids and families.  Find out more at www.raisethemwell.com
 
Emily Saunders
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New Series: Harvesting Our Health in 2016

Harvesting Our Health in 2016

Confession time.   I have NO green thumb.  I thought it was green for a while there, but apparently I was seeing things.  
Yes, I thought I had seens some shades of sage or even a nice evergreen color on my thumb when I planted some nice boxes of fresh herbs for all the cooking I was going to do...  
...and when I bought REAL house plants, instead of the fake ones, when I thought it wouldn't be that hard to water them.  
 
...and when I bought even those EASY succulents in that planter for my office, because who can mess up a plant you don't have to water all that often?
 
I can.  That's who.  
 
Dead.
Dead.
Dead.
 
I guess I didn't really account for the fact that we travel for over 100 nights per year (although in my defense, I wasn't prepared for that).  Or just for the fact that I OFTEN forget to do MANY THINGS that are right in front of my face!
 
How many times I thought, "Oh I should water that plant!" But then thought, "Meh, I don't feel like it right now, I'll remember to later." Only, never to remember, obvi.
 
Those poor, pretty plants are all dead now NOT because of something horrible I did to them. 
I didn't water them with cyanide.  I didn't cut holes into their stems, cutting off their water system.  I didn't shut them out of the sunlight.  
 
No.
 
They're all dead because I never committed to doing the things I needed to do in order to keep them alive.    
It was my INACTIVITY, not my ACTIVITY that was their demise.  It wasn't the plant's fault, I just didn't take responsibility.  
 
Those living plants were in SURVIVAL MODE and I didn't give to them the nutrition and the care they needed to move into THRIVAL MODE and eventually, their resilience gave way and I was left with FAILURE.  
 

THIS ^^^^^ IS THE LAW OF THE HARVEST. 

 
Now, before I move forward with this principle, let's make sure we CLEAR UP what this law IS and what this law IS NOT.
 
WHAT IT IS:

In short, this is the "you reap what you sow" principle in life. 

 
However, there appears to be some common confusion and mixing of this principle with OTHER modern principles and beliefs.  For example:
 
  • The Law of the Harvest is NOT the same as Karma.  It doesn't simply mean the "what goes around comes back around" belief as taught in Hinduism and Buddhism (although, technically, these religions believe that a PAST LIFE actions determine the fate of our PRESENT LIFE).  
 
  • The Law of the Harvest is also NOT the same as "Newton's 3rd Law of Energy" either, which states that "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
 
Again, these principles are SIMILAR, and I'm not saying that they don't necessarily exist (although I don't believe in the "past life" principles of Buddhism and Hinduism), I'm stating the obvious fact that MANY PEOPLE commonly confuse words like "Karma" with this Biblical principle and Law of the Harvest.
 
The Law of the Harvest is much, much better than Karma and the laws of physics because we're talking about GOD here.  
 
We are getting into the abundant, supernatural, all powerful kind of laws that reflect God's goodness and God' love for us.  
 
Of course, in real life, this law that was designed to be a GIFT quickly become our demise because the other side of the coin is the REALITY that we do a lot of things that result in far greater negative consequences than we signed up for.  
 
Many tend to BLAME God in these times where we are suffering the consequences not of our own actions, but of the actions of others who came before us.   So what God has created for our BLESSING feels like a PUNISHMENT because the fall of Man has broken this system. 
 

Here's What I See....

So, SO  many of us are in "Survival Mode" in our health and in our life.  And, like my poor plants, we are not giving ourselves a chance to grow from SURVIVING to THRIVING.   We are barely hangin on.  
But God did NOT create us to merely survive in life.  Or to settle of mediocrity.
 
Oh no.
 
He created us to THRIVE in life.  He created us for a "Promised Land" type of lifestyle and health.
 
And I know so many of us have full INTENTION of one day "Thriving" in our health, but just haven't committed to doing the things we need to do in order to allow for that transition to take place.
 

And here's the kicker, I think it's simply because we don't fully UNDERSTAND and APPLY the Law(s) of the Harvest, so we DO A LOT OF THINGS in a way that won't allow us to graduate from surviving to thriving.

 We go half-hearted in our health effort and we reap half-hearted results.
 
Much like when I didn't water my plants, we will stop and think, "Oh I should go work out," but instead of just going, we think, "Meh, I don't really feel like it right now, I'll do it later."  And of course, later never comes...
 
Or with our eating, we think, "Oh I'm full and I really don't need this dessert," but then we eat it anyway because, well, it's there and we think, "what just one dessert?"  But it usually doesn't stop at one dessert just one day, does it.
 
So, when we put in small efforts and get small results, we think the SYSTEM and blame our "slow metabolism.
 
...Or our CIRCUMSTANCES prevented it, blaming our "lack of time."
 
...Or even our GUILT gets in our way, thinking of our failures and not wanting to set ourselves up for defeat, yet again.
 
This is painful, hard stuff.
 

But, there IS HOPE. 

By learning the 7 Laws of the Harvest you will apply HOW you can plant seeds in FAITH that will make ALL the difference in your:
 
CHOICES
ACTIONS
VISION
EXPECTATIONS
RESILIENCY
PREPARATION
& CORE VALUES
 
Remember, THRIVING in our Health is SO WORTH IT.
 
  • Surviving Health = where you feel like you are punishing yourself when you eat vegetables or exercise.
  • Thriving Health = when you feel SO GOOD when you eat nutritiously and move often that choosing NOT to become not an option.
 
  • Surviving Health = every time you pass by the mirror, you experience that tinge of dismay. The results aren't coming fast enough or aren't going in the direction you want at all!
  • Thriving Health = when you forget to look in the mirror because you are off doing the things God created you to do.  And even when you do look in the mirror, you see with new eyes of love and compassion.  You see yourself the way God sees you.

 

  • Surviving Health = when you buy and rely on overly expensive programs, shakes, or meal plans to follow because you don't trust yourself to make decisions on your own.
  • Thriving Health = when you trust yourself and know your body.  You feed it when it's hungry and stop when it's full.  You know when to PUSH and when to REST.  You enjoy food but aren't constrained by it.
 

SO, this is "Big Girl" stuff for 2016.  Part of the #SURRENDher16 initiative!  This is digging deep and as my mentor Jill Coleman would say, "leveling up" in our life and in our health.

 
Stop SETTLING for a life that is barely SURVIVING.  It's time to THRIVE.
 

So, we are going to GROW SOME GREEN THUMBS and get to plowing!

 
And, don't worry, if you're like me and are NOT GREAT at planting, not to worry, the key to your success is not in YOUR ABILITY, but in God's ability THROUGH YOU.  All you have to do is commit and SHOW UP.
 
#PLANTINGINFAITH is a game-changer mindset for our health!
 
The 7-Laws of the Harvest will allow us to life our BEST LIFE.  And because we've already learned the imperative facts that:
 
1. it take 21-days to form a MEMORY in our brain & 
2.  63-days to form a HABIT.
 
We are not going to just slide right by some of these lessons.  We are going to dig deep and make sure we understand, learn and apply them to their fullest potential in our life!
 
See you free gift below to help you start this journey!   Here's to Happy Harvesting!
 

Join the Harvesting Series!

If you are interested in learning more about how to Harvest Your Health in 2016, then I'd love to welcome you to my email list!  I'll be giving away the BEST content to my inner tribe!     In fact, I have a FREE 7-Day devotional series I wrote for you on "Harvesting My Health" through the 7-Laws of the Harvest!  I think you'll really like it!

Just click the button below to grab your free copy and I'll look forward to connecting with you soon!

FREE 7-Day Devotional

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You Say This Is What You Want, But…

You Say It's What You Want,

I just completed my Vision board for 2016. I have done them every year since 2013 and absolutely believe in the value that having a visual representation of the “God-sized” and specific dreams for your life and what it can do to your subconscious psyche.

You can check out my “business” vision board here….

Vision Board

(there are a lot of words in my “vision”…because I’m a “words” kind of girl!).

But you know what I see when I look at this board with my big bold and audacious dreams?

Sacrifice.

That’s right, when I look at this board, I see that for every big, bold, audacious dream I want to achieve in this year, which include dreams for my business, dreams for my health, dreams for my income and my servant heart, I am ONLY going to find success in these dreams by making the right CHOICES that will allow these to be fulfilled.

Contrary to what you might think that dreams are, and especially what a lot of people think GOD DOES FOR YOUR LIFE, is that it’s not about “wishing” for things to be better. God is not a genie where you rub his lamp and he appears to just grant you all the things you want and the “good feelings” you desire.

No. God is after your HEART and He is after your SPIRIT and He deserves it wholeheartedly. God wants you to be with Him forever in Heaven which REQUIRES that you make some sacrifices in your life here on earth. Love is a sacrifice.

You see for every list of things that I desire to achieve this year and in my lifetime, is an equally long (if not longer) list of things that I WON’T do.

So today, I am challenging myself and I am challenging you to get real with what it is you say you want out of life so you can discern not only those things that you WANT out of this year, but also those things that you will have to be willing to SACRIFICE. Consider it some “Unapologetically SURREND’hered” tough love that we all need in the New Year….

 

 

You say you want to be healthy…..

…..but are you willing to commit to some health changes, for say… ever? I know you might be thinking that you are totally sacrificing when you go on those 21, 30, or even 90-day cleanses and willpower challenges, but those are NOT actually sacrifices that will serve your health in the long run, nor are they what God requires of you.

Paul writes,

“..give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and HOLY sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (Romans 12:1 NLT)

I didn’t notice him saying, “Give your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice for 30 days….” did you? So why would we think that our health is something we go “on” and “off” of too? We are not called to “diet” we are called to achieve HEALTH.

A much greater sacrifice, and the type of sacrifice that will get you what you want—TRUE HEALTH— is to make a lifestyle change with one bold step at a time, what I call in my new program, the her Health Lounge, the “Next Best Step Action Plan.”

The discipline required to go at the slow, steady pace of real fat loss is a sacrifice for our “immediate gratification” flesh.

The self-control required to monitor your impulse eating and assess your actual hunger means that you will sacrifice your cravings and emotional eating habits.

The patience and self-love it takes to actually give yourself some REST instead of just pushing HARDER and HARDER at the gym or by over-dieting is a sacrifice to our guilt-driven, overly worrisome, fleshy tendencies.

If you say that you want TRUE Health—LASTING health– then you will have to sacrifice your TIME, ENERGY, RESOURCES and MINDSET to figuring out and dealing with the LIES that you are believing right now that are preventing you from the TRUTH. The truth of how God sees you and what God desires for your health and for your life.

If you are unwilling to sacrifice and invest in those practices that help you get deeply rooted in WHY you deserve to be healthy and HOW you are going to do that in a way that serves you SPIRITUALLY as much as it serves you PHYSICALLY, then you are not yet ready to actually attain or maintain TRUE HEALTH.

You will not find True Health unless you are willing to go DEEP enough to uncover it. This is a sacrifice of our ego.

You say you want to be happy….

…but are you willing to sacrifice doing those things and exposing yourself to those environments that do not serve your joy?  You will only find true joy when you immerse yourself in joyful and love-giving environments on a regular basis.

Are you willing to sacrifice all the time you spend following people on Facebook and social media that gossip, slander, complain and criticize?  Are you willing to sacrifice the secret love you have of watching reality TV shows and “keeping up with” all those celebrities that will either make you envy them and their perceived looks or “success,” or make you feel superior and prideful because you love to hate them?

Are you willing to sacrifice watching the news or the political pundits that just over-analyze and tell you why the world is “going to hell in a hand-basket?”

Maybe the world isn’t the “Promised Land” that God designed it to be, but you are not contributing to that dream and promise of God by watching these obsessive shows who’s only platform is to just CRITICIZE everyone.

Are you willing to GO FIRST?

You say you want to be happy, but are you willing to take a stand and GO FIRST in showcasing the ways of true joy? Are you willing to tell people that it’s because of God’s love and the sacrifice of Jesus that you are even capable of feeling the fruits of the spirit like Love, Joy and Peace?

Are you willing to sacrifice your reputation and the fear of “what other people think about you” by being authentic, honest and forthright? To “be the change you wish to see in the world” first, without waiting for another courageous person to do it and you follow?

You say you want God’s blessing….

…but are you living a life that shows that you really BELIEVE in Him? It’s not enough to just have a head knowledge that God exists, but you must have a HEART knowledge that is only showcased in how you live your life.

As Rick Warren states, “Believing there is a God and believing that Jesus died on the cross is not enough to get into heaven. Because the devil believes in God, and the devil believes in Jesus, but it doesn’t mean that the devil is going to be in heaven.”

Did you catch that?!

He referenced, James 2:19 “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror!”

The word “believe” is actually translated as “pisteuo” in Greek. It means to “trust in, to cling to, to rely on, to adhere to and to commit to.”

Are you willing to do ALL OF THOSE things for God?

(For more on this, listen to Rick Warren’s great Daily Hope podcast HERE.)

Let me be clear, all this is not to say that you “earn” God’s blessing, as we know that we can never EARN God’s love. It is freely given. Your HEART must come to the understanding of the GOSPEL which can be boiled down to one simple phrase, “His grace is sufficient for me…” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

But, this is about how you having daring Faith that will move God to not only bless you more richly here on earth, but the ultimate and true gift of rich and wonderful blessings in Eternity.

Are you willing to sacrifice and SURREND’her ALL of your life to Him, even those things you do in secret?

Are you willing to give Him reign over your life and take up your cross DAILY (not just on Sundays), sacrificing the desires of your flesh?

Are you willing to die to yourself and your innate and selfish ways for the greater good and to be of service to others?

Are you willing to endure through some uncomfortable times and do the things you fear the most because you know that this is God’s dream for your life?

Are you willing to sacrifice your time to connect with Him daily and to study His word so you can have a deeper, more meaningful relationship?

Are you willing to give up the “RULE-FOLLOWING” of religion that makes you think you can just follow a “checklist” to Heaven in exchange for a real, authentic, and a completely unique relationship with God?

You say you want love…..

….but are you willing to sacrifice for it?

If you want to truly LOVE your life, then you must sacrifice for it.

Love is not just following “good emotions.” Real love is a SACRIFICE.

Mother’s who love their child sacrifice their sleep, their time, and their needs for their children. Husbands who love their wives sacrifice their fidelity, their selfish, lustful desires and are called to work, provide and submit to her. Wives who love their husbands sacrifice their nagging desires, their controlling tendencies and are called to provide, respect and submit to their husband. These are all a sacrifice to our innate, selfish tendencies.

And God, who so richly loves YOU, sacrificed “His one and only Son so that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). <——— THAT is real sacrifice. Do you BELIEVE THAT?

So when you dream up these God sized dreams for your life and you have high hopes of accomplishing everything you can in 2016 and beyond, remember that it is LOVE that moves mountains and ultimately LOVE is a sacrifice.

Having said all that….

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I invite you on this CHALLENGE with me in radically shifting your health to be able to achieve the things you say you want from your HEALTH and your LIFE and join me in the “her Health Lounge” coaching program. I am only offering this program 2 x per year, so if you don’t snag the chance NOW, you won’t have another opportunity until SEPTEMBER.

It is a 6-month journey, delivered in an online portal, that will require a sacrifice and investment of your time and your resources, but you will be blessed with a rich harvest of rewards for your body, mindset and spirit.

Your LIFE, not just your HEALTH will be transformed by this journey when you commit to it wholeheartedly!

her Health Lounge starts on Monday January 11 and goes through July 9. All 26-weeks are mapped out for you on the Sales Page.

But, if you enroll with me NOW through January 7 (at Midnight), you will get 3 MEGA BONUSES, that include:

  1. Access the the Lounge for a FULL YEAR instead of just 6 months.

  2. “her Worthy Time” spiral planner and daily devotional along with a video training on the best Time Management Practices for balance and productivity.
    herWorthyTime

  3. “Nutrient Based Food Prep for busy lives” printable guide and video training.

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ALL FOR FREE! 

Until Midnight Tonight!

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Also, if you desire to have a more hands on, 1:1 coaching experience, I am offering only 10 spots in my Platinum Membership that comes with weekly phone calls and custom nutrition and exercise plans. You can set up a FREE consultation call with me by reserving a spot with me HERE and we can discover if we’re a “right fit” for each other!

Join Today!

http://herhealthlounge.awrightfit.com/

 

Categories
Uncategorized

{#FITFAITHFRIDAY} Meet Jill Jacobs!

One of the biggest blessings that God gifts us in this life is simply each other.  To know that there are others out there who, though they may be thousands miles away, with different lifestyles and in seasons of their life, still show that they *GET IT* and *GET YOU,"  even if they hardly know you.  

That's how I felt when I read the answers to my questions about all things Fitness and Faith from my new friend Jill Jacobs.  I found myself smiling, saying, "YES!!  She totally *GETS IT!*  I briefly met Jill at a retreat earlier this year.  She also works with my business coach and mentor, although she is a year or two ahead of me in the business realm!   She is a gem!  You definitely need to follow her on all social media platforms.  

I hope you feel the same joyful sentiments when you read what she has to say about her life experiences and how God has affected her Fitness and her Faith!!  

Me: Tell us a little bit about what you do--when you started and why you started:

Jill: After having my 2nd and last child in 2007, I made a decision to make my health and fitness a priority. Over the next couple of years, I went through a fairly long process of learning what works best for me and my body PLUS what I enjoy doing. 
 
As it turned out, I loved kettlebell training and got great results with that style of training. I loved it so much that I ended up getting certified to instruct and also got several other certifications in personal training and nutrition coaching.  Just a few months later, my business was born!
 
I was getting asked for help in the realm of fitness and nutrition by friends and family after they saw my transformation over the years. The natural progression was to start an online coaching service to help ladies everywhere! 
 

Me: How does your Faith impact your Fitness and your Fitness impact your Faith?

Jill: They certainly work hand in hand! So many aspects of faith and fitness mirror each other, and they integrate well together.  
 
I believe that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that I'm to treat it that way. I'm a daughter of the creator and am His masterpiece. It's my job to take care of God's creation including my body. I strive (read: struggle!) daily to see myself as He sees me and care for my body accordingly. 
 
Likewise, my fitness has impacted my faith by showing me that I actually do have self-discipline. By having the discipline to workout and eat right, I see that I also have it in myself to practice spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible study, giving, etc). When fitness became important to me, I suddenly found time to it happen. The same is true with spiritual things.  
 
I've certainly not perfected self-discipline. I mean, I'm tempted to sleep in instead of work out.  I love chocolate and could eat it daily! I have learned that I can dig deep or find workarounds for my biggest struggles (i.e. have a daily chocolate protein shake to ease my chocolate cravings 🙂 ).  The same is true with things like prayer and Bible study. I'm able to find manageable ways to fit those priorities into my day!
 
 

Me:  What is the #1 struggle that you see women facing today and how do you think Faith and/or Fitness can help them? 

 
Jill: The top struggles I hear from women revolve around a lack of motivation to exercise and not having enough time (i.e. staying busy with family, kids, and other responsibilities). 
 
Having a deep faith can help women re-prioritize their life and find a deeper reason to be motivated to take care of their bodies. For me, I want to be able to take on tasks that honor God. I never want physical limitations that are within my control to keep me from serving His purpose. This deeper reason motivates me to stay fit and healthy plus prioritize the actions that get me there above ALL the other things that could fill my day. 
 
 

Me: What is the greatest lesson you have learned recently that is tied to your Fitness or your Faith?

 
Jill:I was coached early on in my journey to keep faith and politics out of my business so as not to turn people off. About a year and a half ago, I made a conscious and potentially risky decision to throw that advice (the faith part at least) out the window and let the chips fall. I decided that I only wanted to work with people who accepted that I'm a woman of faith whether or not they shared my faith. 
 
The lesson I learned was that by being true to who I am, I have been able to connect to a whole new world of fitness professionals, followers, and clients who all love Jesus too! I now truly believe that faith BELONGS in my business. I can't compartmentalize it or separate my faith from any part of my life.  
 
 
 

ME: Do you have anything coming up that we can participate in? 

Jill: Yes. Thank you! I have several things going on at the moment. 🙂
 
First, I coach women individually on how to simplify the fat loss process. We all too often over-complicate it. I know I did for many years, but it's because I didn't know what to do or where to start. Thanks to the process I went through, I'm able to help ladies get results quicker than I was able to! If anyone wants information on my one on one coaching service, they would need to head over to this link: http://jilljacobs.me/one-on-one-coaching/

 
Secondly, I co-created a group coaching program called My Best Body Inner Circle. We have a fabulous group of ladies and are actually celebrating our one year mark this week! We have a super special deal through this Sunday, 12/20/15, to celebrate a year. Ladies can try out the coaching program for the first 4 weeks for just $1! We cover all things exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle! Your readers can find out more about our group coaching program here: http://mybestbodyinnercircle.com/invitation/

 

My co-coach and I would welcome anyone to give our program a try and know that it would add tremendous value to their life. We'd love to help as many women as possible get strong and confident in 2016!

 
I'd love to connect further with your readers on all my social media platforms! Find me here:
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jilljacobsme

 
Categories
Fit Faith Friday Health Coaching Spiritual Health Uncategorized

{Fit&Faithful Fridays} Maryalice Goldsmith


As I started A. Wright Fit and stepped into this “Fit & Faith-based” company, I was met with many challenges—one of which was I really didn’t know what I was doing. (Disclaimer: To a very large degree, I still don’t!). But one of the smartest things I invested in during this start-up process was a business and mentorship coach and group of women to help me along the way. This gem of a woman, Maryalice Goldsmith, because my online mentor. She is just one of my coaches, along with Jill Coleman who started the Best of You Coaching program for online coaching professional women!

can be a bit tricky, but Maryalice has such warmth and compassion, that it actually translated very profoundly through your writing and assistance. As I started to know her better and looked through some of the awesome programming she was offering in her own online space, I was in awe. Read on about what Maryalice has to say to some of the deep Faith and Fitness related questions I asked her. You can also read the entire article on my blog post here:

Maryalice Goldsmith

InsideoutWellness, GoGetters Online Mentorship

Me: Tell us a little bit about what you do and how you started your business?

Maryalice: I started my business back in 2008 as a “hobby”. I put my 3rd and final son on the bus and thought, “What the heck am I going to do now?” After being a stay-at-home for 14-years I knew I wanted to tap into more areas of my brain. I loved being a stay-at-home Mom, but I got to that point where I knew I wanted to challenge myself and do something outside of that.
I decided to get certified in personal training and I started my “hobby” in the basement of my home. Whilst I’m still currently operating from my basement, it’s better than nothing. Eventually, the business will get to a level where I can move to a different space. For now though, I’m stuck in the basement. When I get clients, I do feel a little bit unprofessional telling them that I’m in the basement of my home. When I told my friend this, she suggested that I could always visit yourvirtualofficelondon.co.uk to look at getting an office address in London. That would make my business seem a lot more professional, so I might look into that at some point. It would also save me from giving my home address out.

In less than 18-months I had over 36 one on one sessions and 6-different varieties of bootcamps; boxing, TRX, sports conditioning and traditional style bootcamps.

I was in for about 50+ hours per week.

This was so not the goal. So I decided to check myself before I wrecked myself.

I made the decision to go online so that I can reach more people, get more time back in my life, and that work life balance we all desire. If it wasn’t for numerous guides to get me online such as this how to park a domain article, I would have had to fork out a lot of money trying to gain an online presence.

Running an online fitness empire is empowering, but it does have its technical challenges, especially where managing a website is concerned. For example, it is so important to use a reliable server such as Hostiserver to ensure that visitors to your website enjoy a smooth experience and are therefore more likely to engage with your brand.

It has been the best, most challenging, most incredible experience of my life.

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I hired a business coach back in 2013 and in 2014, she hired me to help her coach her clients. How cool is that?

2015 has been one of the best years in my business, I am so incredibly grateful.

My goal for 2016 is to continue to impact women in a positive way.

I run maryalicegoldsmith.com and I have two signature programs; Go Getters Online Mentorship and InsideOut Wellness.

I literally get to coach women everyday how to live happy, healthy, and successfully from the inside out.

It is truly a dream come true!

Me:How has your Faith impacted your Fitness and your Fitness impacted your Faith?

My faith means everything to me. It was a gift given to me by my parents – the very best gift they have ever bestowed upon me.

My faith impacts my fitness because I believe in order to honor God and the body He gave me I need to treat it with care, pride, and love – the way He would.

My fitness impacts my faith because when I respect my workout regiment I am the best version of Maryalice I can be. I am happier, more energized, and I shine my light (it’s a pretty bright light!!!). When I am not taking care of me, well that light is not so bright.

I don’t have that pep in my step… it all comes down to taking care of myself and giving myself what I need to be the very best version of me. Fitness helps me accomplish that.

Me: What is the biggest struggle you see women facing today? How do you think Faith and/or Fitness can help them in finding a solution?

Busy-ness! We are so busy with work, the kids, family & friends, and life in general.

I believe this busy-ness has distanced many women from their faith. In that, they are distant from their soul.

They have lost their connection with their spirit. They no longer know what they want, need, or desire out this life. They are on autopilot and as a result, they have become more and more numb to their goals.

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The power of faith is enormous. There is NOTHING in this world you cannot face without faith.

It grounds us in understanding what truly matters.

It motivates us to make decisions that honor who we are and believe that no matter what, if we are staying true to ourself, everything will work out.

Having faith allows us to understand that this moment is simply that, a moment in time. NO matter your struggle, your burden, and or your fear… this too shall pass.

With faith you are armored with a strength… it is the strongest muscle that supports your soul!

Me: Do you have anything coming up that we could join in?

I am super excited about my upcoming Go Getters Online Mentorship that will kick off on January 11th. I have put a great deal into this program and I’m super proud of it.

My Father, who passed on May 23rd of this year, was my greatest motivator. I could remember being as young as 8-years old and my Dad telling me, “Maryalice, you can be anything you set your mind to, ANYTHING. I don’t care if you want to be the first President of The United States – you can do it. You have to work hard, be the best you can be, and be a go getter!”

So, in honor of my Dad I want to help women be Go Getters Online. To go after their dreams and create the lifestyle they desire by building a thriving online business.

If you want to start your own business, then you can do it. Just don’t forget that it is a lot of hard work, and you need to be determined to succeed.

Make sure you know what you need to do, make a detailed list if you need to. For example, it’s important that you register your business as soon as you can (check out Your Company Formations Limited for more information on this), make sure you have a solid business plan etc.

Don’t panic though you’ve got this. And if you are worried then I’m here to help.

This is an 11-month hand holding mentorship, NO SHAME! You can access all the information here: http:www.maryalicegoldsmith.com/go_getters_online

The application process is open, and anyone who fills out an application will receive a link to hop on a call with me. I am only taking 20-serious online entrepreneurial women, so its important that we vibe.

I also believe in human to human contact and the online space often prevents that from happening, I am looking to change that.

To all you Go Getters reading this, I would love to connect!

You can also follow Maryalice on all things social media here:

www.maryalicegoldsmith.com
www.facebook.com/insideoutwellness08
www.twitter.com/MaryaliceHere
www.pinterest.com/insideoutwell
www.instagram.com/maryalice_goldsmith