Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
Falling for Grace
Not sure about you, but we sure have enjoyed spending a few days focusing on a single verse. (Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3) I know Paul's use of an athlete has a special place in many of your hearts, but do you know the rest of the verse? That's right, there's more. I, for one, would have been fine had Paul stopped right there. "I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should." Simply incredible. But Paul went a step further.
Speaking of steps, ever witnessed a false start at a track meet? Seeing as we've talked about runners lately, false starts are tough to watch. On some of sport's grandest stages, many of track and field's top athletes stumble right out of the blocks or worse, they jump the gun -- disqualification from a race you've trained your entire life for is arguably one of the roughest moments to witness.
If anyone in the bible could attest to rough beginnings and false starts, it was Paul. One of Christianity's most zealous enemies, Paul approved of the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58). The man whose hands we've traced under the light of the lamp was once merciless. But a face-to-face with the Author of mercy Himself changed all that. Following his conversion, Paul carried out his mission in the face of mental and physical hardship the likes of which we have never imagined. His tireless preaching and unparalleled endurance has inspired countless missionaries for 2000 years, not to mention the person typing this sentence and those reading it now.
But despite his false start, Paul would finish our favorite verse by saying, "So that after I have preached to others I myself will not be disqualified." Why did he discipline himself like an athlete and train himself to do the right thing? Simple. In order to be seen running the same race in the same way he urged others to run. False starts, stumbles, tumbles are no match for the grace of God, but they're tough to witness and tough on our witness. Truly, Paul pleaded for physical and spiritual discipline not in order to earn grace, but because of the gift of it. He finished strong. Oh for grace, may we all.
--Jimmy Peña
DID YOU KNOW?
Sodium, because of its connection to blood pressure, has been given a bad rap and people have started to think twice about salting their food. According to renowned exercise physiologist, Dr. Jim Stoppani, the Institute of Medicine states that people should be cautious in consuming more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. This warning is especially true for those individuals who are salt sensitive or have a history of heart disease. However, a review published in the American Journal of Medicine found that people who consumed less than the IOM’s recommended 2,300 mg of sodium per day actually had a 37% increased risk of dying of cardiovascular disease than those who ingested more. Hmm, please pass the salt.
For many of you, the PrayFit Daily is your entry point to our ministry. But how many of you have really taken the time to explore the rest of what our site has to offer? Take a minute and hit up these key links and be sure to bookmark your favorites!
FITNESS: Here, you'll find all you need to start putting your body in motion for whatever it is called to do. From workouts to exercise demos, we provide you a wide variety of ways to start reshaping your body and boosting your health. NUTRITION: Recipes. Research. Dietary tips. It's no wonder that this is one of the most popular pages on our site. To start eating in balance, click here.
LISTEN: For those looking for more nutrition for their souls, PrayFit offers a selection of audio devotionals, read by founder Jimmy Peña. Click, listen, share. RESOURCES: Our book and DVDs form the backbone of our ministry. All of these products offer readers life-changing guidance on honoring the bodies that carry their souls. You can check them out here, or browse the rest of our branded gear.
Daddy, Daddy
"He fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.'" --Matthew 26:39
Read: Matthew 26
Ella's scream has a way of piercing ears but this morning, it broke my heart. In the arms of her swim instructor, who was imparting what my wife and I know are vital and potentially life-saving skills, a hysterical Ella reached out to me. "Daddy, daddy!" she cried, over and over. All I wanted to do was to take her hand, to let her know it would be okay, to reassure her that I would never let any harm come to her. Instead, I walked out.
I swallowed the lump of parental guilt in my throat when I remembered how important this lesson would be. She would have to suffer so that she could be taught. Turning away, in this case, was how I could best protect her.
God could have saved His son. He could have taken the cup (v. 39) as Jesus begged Him to do. With his only son "overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," God could have easily interceded on his behalf. Instead, against every Paternal instinct and with His heart breaking, He did nothing.
When her 15 minutes were up, she sat smiling in Wendy's lap, feasting on a lollipop, the reward for her brief aquatic ordeal. At the pool, I turned away so that Ella could learn. In the garden, God turned away so that we could live.
--Eric Velazquez
PRAYFIT TEAMS WITH HEAVENUP.COM PrayFit joins MercyMe, Phillips Craig & Dean and many more Christian artists and authors in HeavenUp.com, a new faith-based social networking site. HeavenUp, which is being called a "virtual fellowship" will also feature devotionals from the PrayFit team.
>> For the full story, click here.
>> Start your own account and friend PrayFit by registering here!
COMMUNITY Visit these hot topics on the PrayFit forums to offer encouragement, experience and insight
Started today! by Kangel
RUNNERS by admin
Belly fat won't budge by ChrisLawrence
Any servicemen or servicewomen on here? by admin
My Untitled Workout Journal by string
John's Challenge 33/33 by JohnBMc
>> Not yet registered for our forums? Click here to get started!
OPEN HOUSE
August, 11, 2011Read: Isaiah 1
"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow." --Isaiah 1:18
Walking Josey around the neighborhood this last weekend, I came across an open house sign. The arrow pointed us up the street, so...up we went. Interestingly, the closer we got to the house, the nicer things seemed. The manicured lawn looked like the greens of The Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta. Smiling neighbors waved at the milkman. Kids played hopscotch. Josey chased cartoon animals across the street while Mr. Bluebird rested upon my shoulder. After all, it was an open house. And everything seems perfect at an open house.
Okay, maybe the cartoon animals were a little much, but as I stood watching the people going in and out, I could relate to the owner who had clearly taken great pains in preparing the house to make a good first impression. Before we let anyone in our lives, we hide the dirt. We sweep regrets under the rug, polish the pain and spit-shine the shame. We don't want anyone to see the proof under the roof.
Isn't it comforting to know that we don't need to clean ourselves up before we let Jesus in? We can stop scrubbing failures from the floor and just open the door. Besides, the asking price for our heart's home is way too high for anyone but Him, and He paid it in full.
--J.P.
FUEL AND FAT
Like most Americans, you probably paid somewhere near $4.00 a gallon at the pump this week. But before you go and blame Middle East unrest, market instability or rapid inflation, you might want to consider the following statistic.
According to Entrepreneur Magazine, nearly one billion gallons of additional fuel per year can be attributed to the average weight gain between 1960 and 2002 of people living in the United States. This represents nearly three times the total amount of fuel consumed by all passenger vehicles each day based on current driving habits, or approximately 0.7% of the total amount of fuel consumed by passenger vehicles annually. Moreover, it is estimated that over 39 million gallons of fuel are consumed annually for every one pound increase in average passenger weight.
In other words, the heavier we get, the harder our cars, trucks, trains and planes have to work to transport us from A to B.
EXTREME MAKEOVER: HEART EDITION
June 1, 2011Read: 2 Corinthians 5
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come." --2 Corinthians 5:17
Last year, I had the privilege of spending a week on the set of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. When it aired, I remembered the feeling I had when that family first answered the knock at the door, then came back a week later to a brand new house. Talk about gut-wrenching! Someone they never expected (Tyler Perry) came into their world and freely gave them something they couldn't afford on their own. He saw where they lived and said you don't have to live here anymore.
As I stood and watched the process, I couldn't help but think of Jesus. Just like we did for that family, He knocks gently, anxiously awaiting our answer. But rather than calling for a wrecking ball, He does the unthinkable: He moves in. Instead of a hammer, He carries a suitcase. He gives us something we could never afford on our own--Himself--saying we don't have to live here anymore, alone.
--J.P.
COMMUNITY KEEPS WEIGHT OFF
If you're looking for a way to get or stay slim, you're in the right place
A new study is confirming what we've said all along -- that by sharing time with other fit-minded people, you can actually have more success in your quest to reach or stay at your goal weight.
The more people used an interactive weight management website such as PrayFit, the more weight loss they maintained, according to the study. The research showed that consistent website users who logged on and recorded their weight at least once a month for two-and-a-half years maintained the most weight loss.
You can build in extra accountability by keeping a public workout journal, such as those located at our forums.
LEAVE 2010 BEHIND
December 30, 2010Read: Philippians 4 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, let your requests be made known to God." --Philippians 4:6
Earlier this year, my wife and I were planning a business trip. One thing on our list? A new suitcase. One that could hold my clothes, my computer...the kitchen sink. I needed the Rolls Royce of luggage. And guess what? I finally found it. We walked into a store and boom...there it was. With an overhead light shining down upon it, I could almost hear angelic music in my ears. I embraced it like a long, lost friend.
We left the store with confidence, and rather than take it back to the truck, I decided to simply pull it along with us. Besides, we had plenty of other stores to conquer, and I didn't mind everyone seeing my new baggage. They probably thought, "This guy's serious about his packing!" They'd be right.
Well, it didn't take me long to regret that decision. As we went from one store to the next, it became quite clear that maneuvering the USS Suitcase between people, aisles, dogs, strollers, cars and every other object was not a wise choice. Too far to turn back and plenty of stops yet to make, my shopping experience would have been so much better had I left my baggage behind.
You know, as we approach 2011, let's leave 2010 where it belongs: in 2010. Regrets? Disappointments? Do-overs? Let's leave them in the rearview. We have new mercies to live upon and fresh starts to finish. Our physical and spiritual health will be that much more enjoyable (and attainable) if we're not dragging last year into the next.
--J.P.
ACCOUNTABILITY STARTS HERE Start attacking your faith and fitness goals in the company of the PrayFit online community
We've spent the last few days gathering thoughts and goals, and now it's time to write them down in your PrayFit journal. You can tweak and tune as Monday approaches, but get organized now so you can hit the ground running next week. Fitness goals and faith objectives are all fair game in our forums. A great leader once taught me to "inspect what you expect," and keeping a journal allows us to do just that for ourselves. Each week you can inspect your work as you expect results. If you're not seeing the results you want, you can modify your methods for continuous change. It's all about progress and effort.
>> NEW TO THE FORUMS? If you aren't already registered for the PrayFit forums, click here.
>>ALREADY REGISTERED? If you're already registered but have not yet started a journal, you can create yours by visiting the Workout Journals section of our forums and clicking "New Topic" in the top left corner.
DOES GOD CALL US TO BE FIT?
October 6, 2010 Does God call us to be fit? Does He care if we're unhealthy? If the heart is right, does the body matter? We want to know what you think. Weigh in on the discussion here.
And while you're at the forums, visit these other hot topics:
PRAYER REQUESTS: Pray with and for other PrayFit members here.
NO SMOKING?: What does the bible say about smoking?
POLL: Where do you workout? Share with others in our informal survey.
WORKOUT JOURNALS: Find out what other PrayFit readers do to keep fit, or start your own online journal.
CHILD OBESITY: Join the discussion on this growing epidemic.