Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
Behind The Scenes
"When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it — quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out." --Matthew 6:2-4
Yesterday, Eric sent me some behind-the-scenes footage from our DVD series; specifically, various things that went on the day we shot the "Prayfit Minutes" portion of the discs. Wow, I had never seen any of it. Great memories. (We've posted a quick 10 seconds from that day for you to see below.) But I spent the better part of yesterday afternoon watching what was going on before and after the cameras rolled. And you know, everything you saw on the DVD was the result of dozens of people doing their finest work. I couldn't tell you their names but countless people across the country have heard our message of health and praise all because of what these pros did off-camera.
In Matthew, we learn the importance of doing things for others without being seen; void of any credit and in the absence of praise. In fact, you and I are never to do good things so that others can see us. “Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding." (Matthew 6:1 The Msg) The passage goes on to say that when we tell others what good we've done, we've lost the blessing in Heaven.
Giving, praying, doing. So much of who we are should happen when nobody sees it. That fires me up. The gospel done in secret. In fact, that's how God works. "When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out." (Matthew 6:2-4)
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: When the offering plate comes around in church, you don't tell everyone what you give. That would not only be absurd, but you'd lose the blessing in Heaven. How can our health be a private offering to the Lord? Are you in the habit of showing off your physical gifts from God for the praise of others? Let's work this week to pray in private, give to the needy in private, do for the Lord just for the Lord, even when it comes to our health. And when we do, He knows it. And that's enough.
"THAT'S A WRAP!": What a great day this was. We are still so honored by the countless people from Lionsgate Entertainment who did such an amazing job on set. And while we won't show you too much of all the footage, we thought we'd show you the minute they told Jimmy we were wrapped. (He gets excited)...
"BUT MOM...IT'S JESUS"
"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." — Matthew 1:23
Out walking with their parents on a recent winter evening, Prayfit VP Eric Velazquez's little Mya and Ella came upon a scene that they could not resist. It’s not often that you run into a nearly-life-size donkey and cow begging for you to hop on their backs, right? Passing on propriety, they sped by their parents, the wise men, jumped right into the large nativity, and made themselves at home. Faces full of delight...click! A moment is captured forever and in the next, cautiously put on Facebook for friends near and far to enjoy.
Their parents questioned the appropriateness -- Mya and Ella questioned their caution.
“But Mom, it’s Jesus!”
Where are we in this picture? In Matthew 8, Jesus says that unless we become like children we will never enter the kingdom of Heaven; a child’s faith -- so pure and trusting -- is necessary for a relationship with Him. As adults, bogged down with day-to-day issues, it’s easy to lose the child-like ease that intimacy with the Father brings. Knowing God's character, I believe it was not only okay for Mya and Ella to make themselves at home with Jesus, He’s waiting for us to join them.
--Catrina Vargas-Cormell
An entrepreneur, Catrina Vargas-Cormell was one of the first members of the PrayFit community. Catrina is now a PrayFit executive committee member and PrayFit Group leader in El Paso, Texas. For more from Catrina, join her group, “Hungry!,” on Facebook or visit her PrayFit workout journal.
SHOP & STAY LEAN Don’t let holiday shopping derail your healthy-living goals
“It’s the heart of the holiday shopping season: Malls are flooded, parking lots are jam-packed, and your inbox is overflowing with e-coupons,” says Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, PrayFit’s resident healthy-eating expert. “Whether you’re hitting up the food court or doing your shopping online, keep these tips in mind.”
Don’t…
…munch on free samples. The calories can add up fast.
…shop hungry. Eat a sensible meal before you head out to the store or sit at the computer.
…swig liquid calories. Large sodas and full-fat peppermint lattes can have as many calories as a meal.
…go overboard on holiday goodies. Just because you can buy a 10-pound bar of chocolate shaped like a Christmas tree doesn’t mean that you should.
Do…
…resist the wafting smells from the pretzel and cookie stands. Save those calories for holiday parties.
…pack power snacks. Granola bars, fresh fruit, peanut butter crackers, and trail mix are good options.
…keep your mouth occupied. If you find yourself mindlessly snacking, chew sugarless gum or sip on a calorie-free drink.
…wash your hands before you eat, especially after a day of shopping.
>> For more healthy holiday tips, visit Dana’s Healthy Eats blog on the Food Network.
Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.
THE CLOSER
October 26, 2010Read: Matthew 24 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” -- Matthew 24:36
Seeing that my baseball season is over, I thought I’d give you another reason why I love America’s pastime: the role of the closer. The closer is someone who specializes in sealing the deal. See, in baseball you play until the game is done. Not the case in other sports. Take basketball for instance. There’s a minute left, you’re up five points and rather than drive to the basket, you run out the clock. In football, you take a knee. Soccer, hockey — you name it. Most major sports have a way to play it safe.
I think we all have the tendency to play it safe on occasion. As Christians, we can get into a mindset of “I’m saved, I can coast, I think I’ll run out the clock today.” But days can turn into weeks and weeks, years. Which reminds me, in baseball, there is no clock. You don’t know how long a life — I mean — a game can last. Thus, the need for a closer. Someone who does his best work at the end.
Recently I read that Billy Graham hopes to preach one more time before the Lord takes him home. Even though he struggles to stand, Billy still wants the ball. Talk about a closer.
Now, granted, we’re no Billy Graham you or I. Nobody’s waiting to hear our last words. Or are they? The fact that we’re reading this sentence means we’re still in the game and the ball is in our hands. So stay warm. We just never know when we’ll be needed to take the hill.
--J.P.
DIABETES: A SCARY SITUATION
No need to look for ghosts and goblins this Halloween. Those in search of a scare need only look at the latest study on diabetes released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Type II diabetes has become one of the greatest health problems facing mankind. An estimated 285 million people have diabetes in the world today. Sadly, because it's a condition that you can live with relatively symptom-free for years, people are failing to see cause for alarm. A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may change that. According to the CDC, as many as 1 in 3 Americans could be diabetic by 2050 unless action is taken.
Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in 2007, and is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults under age 75, kidney failure, and non-accident/injury leg and foot amputations among adults. People with diagnosed diabetes have medical costs that are more than twice that of those without the disease. The total costs of diabetes are an estimated $174 billion annually, including $116 billion in direct medical costs. About 24 million Americans have diabetes, and one-quarter of them do not know they have it.
To read the full report by the CDC click here: Diabetes on the Rise
>> PARTNERS: See who else has endorsed PrayFit and what people are saying by clicking here!