July 11, 2011 Read Luke 23 And when they had come to a place called Calvary, there they crucified him...- Luke 23:33

When Prince William and Kate arrived in Canada recently, the city welcomed them with open arms. But nobody hugged them as tightly as a little girl named Diamond. If you missed this story, allow me. Young Diamond Marshall, suffering a rare form of cancer, had one hope in life...to meet a real-life princess. So her parents contacted the Children's Wish Foundation with their impossible request. In early June, they were told that little Diamond would have the special honor of giving the newlyweds a bouquet as a way to say welcome to Calgary. And as the couple exited their plane, Diamond couldn't wait. In her bright pink dress and ignoring protocol, she broke through the crowd and ran right into royal arms.

What that little girl did in Calgary reminded me of Calvary. After all, we've been given an impossible invitation, and just like Diamond, we can't wait. Like hers, our only hope is to run right into His outstretched, royal arms.

Lord, please be with little Diamond today. Give her comfort and miraculous healing. And most of all Lord, thank you that you heal our most desperate need; our need for a Savior we can run to.

-JP

Workout Tip of the Week: Journaling

WRITE THIS WAY

Learning the finer points of effective journaling can make the difference in reaching your fitness goals.

Accountability -- a singular concept that can define  you. It can also determine just how healthy and fit you can become, which is why keeping a detailed fitness journal is a must. And while there are no hard-and-fast rules for journaling, there are a few things that you can and should keep track of in order to maximize your progress.

1 EXERCISES/ACTIVITIES: If you have taken the time to dedicate yourself to an exercise program, it should have some structure. Keep a careful and consistent list of which exercises or activities you are performing on a workout-to-workout basis so that you can have a gauge on what is and is not working for you. (If it's not fun, it's probably not going to work for you.) Remember, people will work at what they like to play at, so try and find activities that you enjoy.

2 VOLUME/INTENSITY: Think sets, reps, time and weight. Dutifully charting each of these variables will not only give you a baseline by which to set future goals but it can also prevent overtraining.

3 FEEL: It's important for you to journal how you feel, both at the start and conclusion of physical activity. How good  (or bad) you feel can point you to other key factors, such as what you've eaten, how you've slept or other emotional stresses that can play into your progress (or lack thereof).

Again, workout journaling can be very subjective. For a look at how some other PrayFit members are building accountability, visit our forums and start your own!