Get God Wired in 2009

The vision of a soldier kept coming to my mind. He was dressed in full armor and prepared to represent the authority he had been given. It was undoubtedly clear whose side he was on. He was an ambassador representing the King. He had taken his Kingdom responsibilities seriously in all areas of his life. His thoughts were of that which was true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely and admirable. He focused on things that were excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8 NLT). Spiritually and physically conditioned was he, as he knew he was fashioned in the image of The Most High in which he represented. He poured out his life– body, mind, and spirit, to bring his leader all honor and glory. He understood what the original plan and purpose of his life required, bringing himself under submission to his Lord.

A young lady I knew so desired to maintain a lean physique that she tried nearly every diet pill on the market. Her nutrition regimen had the flexibility of a rubber band; she ate whatever she wanted, assuming diet pills and exercise would compensate. The picture of good health she seemed to many who saw her. Years later she began suffering from serious health problems. Hospitalized for weeks, as a result of taking excessive doses of diet pills, she nearly lost her life. She told me how much she regretted not taking better care of herself. After several surgeries she came to the realization that the fast track to weight loss was paved with an emotional battlefield, self sabotage and disappointment.

Today her health and wellness has taken a different course. No longer does she rely on diet pills. She exercises regularly and maintains good nutrition by planning healthy meals for her and the family. But even more importantly, her self image has changed she now sees herself through God’s eyes, fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). She tells me that through it all she awakened to the fact that she would be held accountable for how she cared for her body and she had a responsibility to bring her mind, body and spirit under submission to God’s word just as the soldier did.

God’s love is so wonderful. Maybe you have been living a life that doesn’t represent who you really are. Perhaps you have wanted to lose weight but couldn’t find the motivation, time or the right guidance. Or maybe you’re hurting emotionally from daily struggles or past disappointments. I want to encourage you to look forward to the New Year 2009 as a time for you to begin again. You were fashioned in the image of El Elyon and there is no greater entity. Get God wired in 2009, begin your road to representing Him who is lovely and deserving of all honor and glory.

Making It Stick This Time

Just recently the Chicago Tribune released an article regarding over 40 diet pills on the FDA’s hit list. There were several dietary supplements that could reportedly lead to risks of cancer, stroke, heart attack and heart palpitations. Also in the news, Oprah admitted that she had not made her health a priority over the past 4 years and, as a result, has gained 40 pounds, which she is now embarrassed over. As we prepare to bring in the New Year, weight loss will undoubtedly be the resolution for many. Determining the best approach toward successfully reaching your goals becomes key. Knowing what exercises to do, how many times per week to train, how to bust sugar cravings, and how to eat healthy as part of your lifestyle without feeling like your dieting are all important in achieving weight loss and managing weight. How do you determine what is effective versus not?

I heard about this young man who went on a crash diet and loss an incredible amount of weight in a very short period of time. As is often the case, family and friends were astonished by his remarkable weight loss. He looked great everyone thought, but within a year, he gained all the weight and more right back.

Crash diets are a quick way to lose muscle mass, water and glycogen stores, not excess body fat. They create imbalances and deficiencies within the body that are unhealthy. For effective weigh loss and control, a sensible approach must be taken and loss should be gradual.

Over the years, many people have asked me what supplements to take for weight loss. My response to them to date is the same: “there are no magic pills” though some supplementations are helpful in weight loss when integrated into a regimen of regular exercise and proper nutrition. The problem is that some individual look for a quick fix that will afford them the ability to lose weight without disciplining the body. Supplementation, as reported by Chicago Tribune, can foster exposure to some serious health risks. Most supplements lack regulatory control and the labels refer to research done on animals not humans. They are typically manufactured with a concentration of ingredients that differ from product to product.

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It’s Christmas! Not Grinchmas!

It is great to be on vacation, especially during Christmas time. I have been eagerly anticipating this day for weeks, even months. I went into the office yesterday with a brighter than normal smile. Quite frankly, I was simply glowing, because come what may, vacation time was just around the corner. Colleagues called and emailed me from all over the world with requests for support. People in the local office did the same and even popped in with the infamous, “I just have one quick question” line. Three impromptu meetings were called by other management team members to make sure as many details as possible had been covered in preparation of my absence. Despite all of this hustle and bustle, I was still gleaming with anticipation at the end of the day. One manager came by and said he wanted to try to make me feel bad for leaving them with so much responsibility. He is the same guy I blogged about last week who was worried over all the holiday tempting foods he received. I smiled and kindly told him Merry Christmas as I ushered him out of my cubicle. “No ‘grinchmas’” mentalities allowed was my thought.

Following such an eventful day, I realized I had not really planned much for my vacation pass spending time with family and friends. How I would spend my vacation was most important to me because of Christ. How would I honor the King of Kings during Christmas? After all, isn’t that what Christmas is about?

My six year old son said to me just the other day, “Mommy, we must never forget that Christmas is about giving.” I thought about the three wise men and how at the sight of baby Jesus they fell down and worshipped him. How they honored Him with such extraordinary gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. What an example to follow in celebration of the life of my Lord. I decided to focus on honoring Him in these ways:

Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! (Psalms 66:1 NKJV)

<Let my mouth be filled with Your praise And with Your glory all the day. (Psalms 71:8 NKJV)

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works (Psalms 145:5 NIV)

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. (Psalms 95:2 NKJV)

Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase. (Proverbs 3:9 NKJV)

Holiday Temptations

This is the time of year when many vendors send employees Christmas gifts. On Monday, one of my colleagues went from office to office with a tray of brownies. He offered them to anyone who wanted to partake. Then Tuesday, he made rounds with a cannister filled with assorted flavors of popcorn. He tried persuading one guy to just take all of the popcorn home. By Wednesday, he had a huge tray of chocolate truffles. He seemed overwhelmed and was eager to get rid of them. I heard him say with a degree of frustration in his voice, “If I don’t get rid of this stuff, I’ll be so big. I can’t fit through the door!” As one employee took a truffle from the tray, he shrugged his shoulders and said, “Well, it is the holiday season.” By Thursday, all of the foods that remained were spread out on his desk. If someone stopped in to see him he would offer the foods again.

The holidays can be a stressful time for some people when food temptations are a constant. Making smart nutritious choices can be challenging because many holiday foods tend to be calorie dense and fattening. Here are some tips to help avoid stress and not sabotage yourself with feelings of guilt about eating celebratory foods:

1. Change your plate size. Smaller plates mean smaller portions and less calories.
2. Drink water before eating. A glass of water before eating will help fill you up.
3. Consciously eat when you are hungry ONLY and stop when you are full.
4. Seek on going support to stay motivated. Read more at: http://liveliving.wordpress.com/special-offer/
5. Burn calories and stay firm by exercising during the holidays. Read more at: http://liveliving.wordpress.com/2008/11/26/how-to-avoid-the-butterball-butt-this-holiday-season/

Cottonwood Drive

We lived on Cottonwood drive, the 3rd house down on the right. It was a three bedroom home that was fitting for a couple with three kids. Our next door neighbor, Mrs. Rosaline, had a daughter about my age. I thought Mrs. Rosaline was cool because she drove a Cutlass. Our other neighbor was a much older gentleman who always wore overalls and plaid shirts. My parents referred to him as the nosey neighbor. I would watch from my bedroom window as he would tend to his garden. Sometimes he would see me and smile or wave. He often gave my dad vegetables from his garden for us.

Our home on Cottonwood drive was where I enjoyed listening to the records my father would play of the Gap Band, Earth, Wind and Fire and Kool and the Gang. My sister would sing and spin around and around until she got dizzy as the records played. It was the house where my brother would climb out of the crib in the middle of the night, but no one could figure out when or how he got out. It was a home where many memories were definitely formed.

My little brother was a year old. I remember hearing his loud cries though I cannot remember exactly where he was in the house. My sister was four; she stood hiding behind me, clinging to my shirt tail and also crying. He was dragging mother by her hair up the hallway. He told her she was getting out, and she yelled out to me to call my grandparents. My father threatened me, “You better not pick up that phone!” I was scared and confused, but I had to choose who to obey. She was hurt and needed help. I ran for the phone and quickly dialed my grandparents. As I started speaking to my grandmother, my father grabbed the phone from me and told her everything was fine, but she knew better.

The walls of the home had body impressions in them from my mother being violently shoved into them. I would stand looking at the impressions when no one was around. I longed for better days. I wondered if things would have been different had my parents not had children, changed their way of thinking about each other, or tried loving each other more than it seemed they did. These were all probably natural thoughts for a child under the circumstances.

As an adult, when I think of the past, I realize that peace and reconciliation must be our goal. Conflict may be unavoidable, but there are elemental factors that facilitate good conflict resolution:

1. Begin to forgive and not hold on to bitterness and resentment.
2. Develop good communication skills that include sincerely listening to the other person’s point of view.
3. Focus only on the issues and not the person
4. Be confident, positive and uplifting.
5. Be honest and open not defensive.
6. Learn to be tactful, show kindness and honor.
7. Trust God because he is sovereign.

“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” Romans 14:18 (NKJV)

Under His Wings

It was 1980, when kids played outside more often than not and the streetlights coming on was the indicator that they should go home. It was a time when I would lie in the grass of my grandmother’s huge backyard of fescue grass, gleaming up at the stars in the sky as darkness began to set in. I could always count on one of my parents calling me in once the street lights were on. Well, except on one occasion.

I could feel the pounding of my heart in my throat; absolute fear raced through me. He wouldn’t let me go. I didn’t understand what was happening, but I knew it was wrong. I knew I was in danger. The streetlights came on, but no one called or came looking for me. I told him “no,” but it was as if I had not uttered a word. He told me how pretty I was and how good I smelled. I had only come out to play with my friend as usual, but instead I was pursued by someone whose desire was to take my innocence.

I decided then, at a young age, to trust no one, to be guarded and carry shame. Inside I was a mess; so hurt I couldn’t verbalize the pain. I couldn’t even pray. I couldn’t find the words to tell the one who loved me more than anyone else how much I hurt. I found strength in bodybuilding, ironically. It allowed me to escape and to be tough in some way. When the weight came upon me, I believed I could move it without a doubt and I did. Finally through stress (weight bearing) there was joy. I could be transformed, shaped, sculpted and seemingly made new. But was I really?

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 NKJV

Bodybuilding had been a great escape for me in a way. But God rescued me. A friend taught me how to worship the Lord. When I couldn’t articulate prayers, I would spend time in my closet for hours in worship. She had given me CDs and the words to every song. Somehow the songs communicated everything I couldn’t say and God heard. With time the breakthrough came and I could finally talk to the Lord. I could finally laugh and cry with Him. I could rest under His wings.

At 35 years old, I am amazed by God’s love, grace, and mercy for me. I still enjoy weight training but my mindset about it is different. Resistant training does not define my strength. It does not rescue me from hurt and shame of the past. Jesus paid the price for that.

As you prepare to celebrate Christmas this year, I pray my story speaks to your heart, giving hope to those who are in need and belief in Christ’s ability to destroy every yoke and heal.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1 NLT

5 Reasons Why ePersonal Training Is Ideal for a Downturn Economy

I have met so many people who want to lose weight but haven’t been successful. Some expressed the frustration of trying every diet plan they could think of. Some tried supplements to curb the appetite and later discovered it was only a temporary solution with no permanent advantages. And others couldn’t understand why even though they did not eat much, they continued carrying excess weight. One of my former coworkers told me she just couldn’t exercise because the muscle recovery phase hurt too much. Another co-worker told me she couldn’t fathom exercising because with her compact body frame any muscular development would surely give her a masculine appearance. The other day, I met a gentleman in the grocery store who said to me, “I want to lose weight, but with my schedule I do not know if I have the time. My son has been trying to get me to at least try to exercise and the reality is I know he is right, so I have to do something.”

A sense of compassion resonates in my heart for the many individuals longing for a solution that will offer them the opportunity to be successful in achieving health goals. LiveLiving’s ePersonal training programs offer resources that can yield success in managing weight loss and proper nutrition during a difficult economic time. Here’s why:

Ideal For Tight Budgets
Many people are looking for ways to cut back. People are worried about the economy. For some, gym fees or a personal trainer may be considered luxuries these days. But with increased anxiety comes more health problems if unhealthy emotions remain pent up. Therefore, the importance of exercise could not be emphasized enough. LiveLiving ePersonal training allows you to cut your gym fees in half or pay only a fraction for a personal trainer. You will communicate with your personal trainer via email and phone.

Not Much Time
So you don’t have much time. As a result, you have opted for a sedentary lifestyle. Do you know that a sedentary lifestyle puts you in a high risk category for cardiovascular diseases or cancer? If you are living a sedentary life now, you will be amazed of the health benefits you will gain from exercising ten minutes at least four times a day.

Do It At Your Convenience
You will have the flexibility to work out when it is convenient for you.

Your Health Is Your Wealth.
Now is the time to invest in your health. Even with health insurance, it is costly to get sick. Medical expenses can also wipe out all of your savings and couple such a loss with a downturn economy. Not a pretty picture. There is no better investment to participate in more than one’s own health. Investing in an online personal trainer is one way to save for the future.

Accountability Is The Key.
You will have someone to help you be accountable and to encourage you in achieving your health goal.

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Tackling The Fear Factors

Unstable economy. Political changes. Loss of job. Loss of home. Lack of direction. How do we live a life without anxiety during an unstable time? How can we embrace change rather than fear change? How do we face the future confidently and without fear? The answers begin with our thought process:

Begin to Monitor Your Thinking
Fear is not a characteristic of God. Begin to capture those thoughts that are based on fear. Arrest them. Have a no nonsense attitude towards them. Do not water or grow them by feeding them constant attention. We give them constant attention like watering a plant when we replay them in our heads.

Replace thoughts of Fear with Thoughts of Life
Personally, I love going outside and looking at the sky and the stars sparkling like diamonds. Its grandeur reminds me of the greatness of the Creator. That if He could create such a masterpiece, then He could also provide for me what I need even if He has to create something out of nothing. Find a quote or a scripture of life to ponder on throughout the day. I used to keep index cards in my car, on my desk or on the refrigerator with scriptures written on them. These words reminded me what I should think about.

Plan on Being Successful
Budget. Cut back. Don’t allow life to just happen to you. You make life happen. Invest in your health. Don’t wait to get sick before you begin to get serious about exercising and eating healthy. Even with insurance, the price is still too costly to bear.

Your Reference Point
I recently watched an episode of The Biggest Loser. One of the challenging events required the contestants to jump into a pool from a certain height. One of the contestants became paralyzed by fear and could not jump. Finally one of her team mates jumped into the water to provide a reference point for her. Because she knew him and knew she could trust him, she released herself and jumped. God provided the reference point for the world on the cross with the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ. It was his greatest act of love. It is this reference point we must go back to. Because He loves us, He will help us. Because He loves us, we can trust our future to Him. Because He loves us, He will financially provide for us. Because He loves us, we can give ourselves permission to feel happy or take that leap of faith by trusting God.

Be Thankful
Make thanksgiving a way of life. Bathe your thoughts with gratitude. Follow through with action. Then you will be thankful that you do not have time to worry about the future because you are too busy living in the now– celebrating life.

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A Journey of Faith

It was the last boarding call for my flight out of O’Hare Airport. Completely distracted by my determination to buy a comfy pillow to rest my head during travel, I almost missed my connecting flight. I felt silly running through the airport with my carry on luggage swinging by my side. I could not believe I did not hear the earlier boarding announcements. As I boarded the flight, the staff smiled, but it was a humbling walk to my seat as all the other passengers were waiting and seemingly wondering what took me so long. I sat in my seat thankful that I made it with my overpriced Brookstone pillow. I now had all the desirables for the rest of my 20 hour flight: laptop, i-Pod and books to read.

Two Asian women were seated to the right of me. The one closest to me was a young woman who appeared to be in her thirties, and the other woman, I later learned, was nearly 75 years old. I found them both very intriguing. The young woman scrolled through pictures of her beautiful family on her laptop. She spoke very little English so our communication was limited, but it was obvious she was a proud wife and mother. Seated tailor style during at least half of the total flight time was the 75 year old woman. I was so impressed with her ability to sit in such a position in confining space that I tried it for myself. I figured if she could do it, so could I. Though I was not compelled to remain in that position as long as she did, I was able to do it with ease. She smiled when she saw I was seated in the same way.

Following the flight, I had a two and half hour ride to Dongguan in Guangdong Province, South China. I travelled alone and knew no one except my colleagues from France and Mexico whom I would meet the next day. The drive to Dongguan was a marked moment in time for me. Coming from America, I was the only English speaking passenger among seven others. Since every word spoken to me was in Cantonese during the ride, I was convinced the Holy Spirit helped me to discern what was being communicated.

As we prepared to cross the border out of Hong Kong, passports and visas were handed over to an official. Everyone’s credentials were verified and this seemed to take much longer than I desired. At one point, there was a heated verbal exchange between a gentleman in the van and the official. Then some of the other gentlemen started yelling. Seated between two of them, I quietly prayed and remained at peace convinced that I had no reason to be concerned.

The darkness of the night had fallen, and I was still in transit to the hotel. We pulled up to a street curb where three men stood waiting and other vans were parked. The door to my right swung open and the driver said something while motioning for me to get out. I saw my luggage being transferred to another van so I followed and got in that van. The new driver spoke to me in Cantonese as well, and I was clueless about what he was trying to communicate. Instinctively I handed him a piece of paper with the name and address of the hotel I was to stay. It was exactly the information he needed. After many stops for other passenger pick ups and drop offs, I finally arrived at the hotel. I thanked God.

In my time of reflection, I thought about how our walk of faith in life is much like my experience in traveling to Dongguan. We must walk by faith and not by sight. We must trust the Holy Spirit as our consultant and guide. Though we may not understand everything during the process of the journey, we can trust the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Just as I had to be alert and watchful, we, too, must possess the same state of mind. God speaks to us throughout the day, giving us directions if we are looking for the signs. Develop the habit of reading the Bible daily as the first step on this road of faith.