Tag: Faithful

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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
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

Categories
Fitness & Training Spiritual Health

Isn’t It Just Like God…. A Testimony of Fitness and Faith

Because It's Just Like God...

It would be 2013, lucky #13, that would be my most transformed year-to-date.  I was single after being in an on-again, off-again relationship going on about 4 years.  I was living in Denver, CO and had just found myself lucky enough to be raptured in a new passion that was soon going to be a career change.  I had always loved going to the gym but then I was given the opportunity to start teaching group fitness classes, training clients and soon became a certified Nutrition Coach.

I had just found my “word”, you know, those words that seem to smack you in the face with how perfect they are for you right in the moment?  My word was SURRENDER as I had realized that even though I grew up going to church, I hadn’t yet fully SURRENDERED and committed myself to a real relationship with God.  Those several heart breaks helped me fill my heart with God’s healing Grace, and now that my life was falling into place just right, SURRENDER was the word I clung to to keep me walking with God and letting Him lead the way.

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However, somewhere at the juncture of deciding to take my passion for the Fitness industry to a career-level, I got scared.  I started to second-guess myself and my self-worth based on my long held body image issues.  As a way to “look the part” I decided I would train for a Bikini Competition.  I vividly remember standing in the gym with a tug on my heart and Jesus whispering, “You don’t have to do this, Mandi.”   The problem was that I had already made my “grand announcement” and was receiving so much praise and encouragement, I feared I couldn’t back out of it.  So I ignored God and thrust myself into 5-months of grueling training for an event my body was not designed to do.   All so I could convince myself I was “good enough” for people to hire me as a professional.

It didn’t work.Show Before and After

The day of the show, I was back stage, at 10% body fat, 20 lbs lighter and still felt absurdly “larger” than the other girls.  I was shaking my head in disbelief.  How could I still feel this way after so much work?  Not recognizing the woman I became, I prayed to God, pleading for Him to just be with me.  I was deep in shame and regret but He, of course, was there all along, and His peace renewed my strength.  I knew I would recommit my heart to Christ and try to put back the pieces of my heart with Him at the center.

But, here is where I would get the greatest shock and gift of grace of my entire life. 

The day of the show, my then “off-again” boyfriend,  Howard, whom I had not seen for 18-months, decided to fly in from California and surprise me at my show!  He was a bit aghast at my ribs and skinniness (he politely asked that I gain back 20lbs immediately) and I thought of it as a sweet gesture of support that I tried not to think much about given the fact that I was attempting to be “OVER HIM” from the past years of pain.  In my heart, he had always been “that guy” that I could not quite get over. 

Howard and I at Bikini

A week later, I got a call from Howard with some news!  He had apparently spoken to my Mom and Dad, asking their permission and forgiveness first, and wanted to let me know that he had finally figured out (with the help of  a couple years of therapy), that I was in fact “The One” all along.  That he had finally overcome his fears of inadequacy and commitment and he was ready to get married, have a family, travel the world and anything I wanted, if I’d have him. 

This news was of course a tremendous shock!  The words I had always hoped to hear were finally being said! I felt elated. 

“But…..,” he said.  Never a good sign.

“I have to tell you, I have a 8-month old baby girl, named Eden.” 

My elation was met with devastation and I could hear no more.  I hung up and cried out to God, “God have I not endured enough?  How can I bear this pain too? Please God….please.”  I cried all night.

But by morning, something in me all of a sudden shifted.  Something in my heart was triggered.  A hair thin strip of peace that “transcended all understanding” formed deep within me and began to grow.  For some reason, I knew everything was going to be alright.  I didn’t know how, but I went back to my word—SURRENDER.

Over the next month and several more conversations with Howard, I would come to understand that this baby girl, sweet Eden, while not planned by her parents, was still planned by God.  She would be an agent of change in Howard and would be used by God to transform his life.  She would renew Howard’s faith too, as he fought his own regrets.

I realized, it’s just like God to do such an act of Grace.   To take a time where I would blatantly ignore his voice and pull away from Him,  AND Howard would certainly make a bad choice trying to do things “his way” too and yet, God decided to bless us anyway. 

It’s just like God to take these unplanned and imperfect circumstances and make them PERFECT agents of change to propel us to the life He called us for, both individually and in marriage. 

“And we know that in all things, God works for the GOOD of those who love Him.  Who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:38

Version 2

In October 2014, I became Mrs. Howard Wright and from that decision of forgiveness onward, my life has been a whirlwind of change!  I gained back ALL the weight, moved to a new city and then another new city just 1 year later, adjusted to life as a “corporate wife” and of course, step-motherhood of a toddler!   And I wouldn’t CHANGE ONE THING!

God uses every single bit of it and has molded every fear,  feat and failure along the way into my Greater Purpose and this venture of A. Wright Fit.   I am passionately using my small platform to help others find their True Health from the inside-out!  Aligning our Fitness through our Faith and allowing God to take the reigns of our LIFE and our health!  To SURREND’her our way to becoming STRONG’her and WISE’her. 

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Because it’s just like God to make us STRONG’her than we know…..

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