Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
It Was A Gift
I've never shared this story before, but Christmas seems to be the perfect time for it. A few years ago, traveling with a friend and client, I was working, writing the first PrayFit book, doing my thing. Well, one busy day he called me over and asked me to take a walk with him. I wasn't sure what he needed, so as always I simply said, "Yes sir." When we turned the corner, he stopped, put his arm around me, pointed and said, "It's yours. Enjoy."
Sitting on a lawn was this beautiful truck. I couldn't believe it. I can still remember the feeling, the moment, my jaw-dropping reaction, and the look on his face when the jolt of recognition hit mine. The most undeserved and unexpected gift. What's more, it was paid in full and being shipped home for me. By the time my work on the road was done, it was waiting for me at my front door. And now that you know the story, I have one question. How much do you think I want to take care of that truck, inside and out? Truth is, to this day I don't climb up in it without thinking of it as a gift from him.
Isn't that how we should think about our bodies? The vehicles, if you will, that God gave us to get our dear souls from one stretch of this life to the next, as gifts? My genuine care and concern for my truck is simply a reflection of respect for the giver. It won't always be new. Like our bodies, it'll have wear and tear, and the miles will someday show (as they already do.) But even though it loses value each day, that truck is no less valuable to me than the day I got it. Why? Because of the one who gave it to me. It's funny, my wife will attest that while I get compliments for it all the time, I never miss a chance to smile and say, "Thank you. It was a gift." I don't tell them who it was from of course, but it just brings me joy to give him the praise, even in his absence.
Please be encouraged, dear friends. Someone asks you about training and food, show them how. Someone wonders why you don't boast or show-off, remind them where your strength comes from. And if there's ever a doubt as to the importance of honoring God with a body designed to ultimately fail, take it as a compliment, because you know why. It was gift.
–Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Neat huh? I'm sure you could see different themes of the story; from grace and our sin debt being paid in full; the free, undeserved gift of salvation; even the thought of us someday being shipped home. (Yeah, I know. Too easy.) Amazing, but if we get this way when we give each other gifts, imagine how much the Lord enjoys watching us realize it's all from Him. Thanks for letting me share a great memory. I hope it becomes a good one for you too.
"If there's ever a doubt as to the importance of honoring God with a body designed to ultimately fail, take it as a compliment, because you know why. It was gift." –Jimmy Peña
BE A PART OF THE 2014 PRAYFIT TOUR
2014 is booking up! We are so excited that more and more churches are welcoming our unchanging message; one of stewardship, of faith, of humility, of endurance. The team is actively booking April and May events! Reach out to us at [email protected] for more details. As always, for churches and other non-profit events there is never a speaking fee. Talk to your pastors and leaders. Reach out to us and let's see health as a means of praise, together.
Little Is Much
I was in maybe the first or second grade, and Mom had given me a dollar to go shopping for Daddy at our school's make-shift Christmas store. I remember walking the narrow aisles, squeezing the life out of that dollar like it was something really precious. And I suppose it was, because it represented my chance to give something to Dad. And then...I saw it.
I knew it right away. I had no idea if I had enough to cover the cost, but it didn't matter. Even back then I was sentimental, and that little ceramic...whatever-it-was...was cool, and it had a message written on it. So with one tiny hand gripping the gift and the other my dollar, I handed both to the lady at the counter.
I'm smiling as I type, because aren't we glad God sees the heart? I didn't know what I was giving him, but Dad knew where it was coming from. In fact, that dollar's gift is still in his office, along with his other precious memories being kept behind glass. Folks, our life is a chance to give all we have, and I like to think it warms God's heart when we do. Of course, on our own, we don't have what it takes, but God does. There's an old gospel hymn that says, "Little is much if God is in it." And when it comes to our days, He can take our little and make it much. I say we squeeze the life out of our little lives, as if it's a chance to give something back to Dad.
--Jimmy Peña
P.S.What was the present? Well, I didn't know it then, but apparently it was an office paperweight of all things. One that had a message for customers: "Thank You For Not Smoking." Hey, what did I know? I was like five years old! I was just thanking my Pop, and I meant it. And it meant a lot to him.
For Discussion: What little gift do you want to hand the Lord? Looking back, even that dollar was a gift. I didn't earn it and I certainly didn't have it on my own. But I turned my gift into one. Is God waiting for you to hand something over? These days Loretta and I are leaning on God's grace and wisdom, needing Him to make much out of something little. But just like when I was a kid, we have to let go and give Him all we have. What about you?
RECIPE: Blueberry Sauce
It's tasty and loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. So what do we put blueberry sauce on top of in our home? It has been a tasty topping on our blueberry banana pancakes, as well as gracing the tops of our grilled pork tenderloins. Does that sound like its going from one extreme to another? It does, and it works beautifully on both.
You Know The Story, Part II
"So he got up and went to his father." --Luke 15:20
We had a rule growing up. If my brother and I got in trouble for doing something wrong, we weren't allowed to keep pouting about it. No sir. Once it was done, and my brother got what he deserved, it was over. Finished. Like it never happened. Well okay, we suffered consequences, yes, but it wasn't held over our heads. In fact, if I was pouting about it later on, you guessed it, I got in trouble for pouting. You know what that taught me? Trust. I trusted my parents. I knew what to expect. Periodically reprimanded, constantly loved.
Although he came back with memories of deeds as stinky as his pig-slopped clothes, yesterday's prodigal couldn't stray beyond his father's love. Before he knew it, a robe replaced his rags, a ring dressed his hand and a feast filled his belly. And while you and I may not have mud on our shoes, there's not a person reading this sentence who doesn't need that kind of grace from a grace-giving God.
You know, many of us have treated our bodies -- our inherited health -- much like the prodigal treated his promised pay. We've over spent and wasted it. But something tells me the prodigal son took better care of the things he was given after he got home. And so can we. For some, there's a family waiting for you, too; waiting for you to start eating better, to stop smoking, to start exercising. They're waiting to celebrate you. Who's coming home, been home, staying home? You're the life of their party. It doesn't begin without you.
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Knowing that God sees our hearts, not our waistline, should invigorate and empower us to be better stewards of health. We're constantly loved. Doesn't that fire you up to live your entire life to its fullest? Let's see a few "YES" comments. We ask again: Who's coming home, been home, staying home?
NUTRITION TIP: Eat in Balance for Sustained Health
With all the fad diets out there that promise to help you lose weight for good, the best one may have been under your nose this whole time. Scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that the body responded best to a diet that was split equally among the three macronutrients — carbs, protein and fat.
Me and My Drum...
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, working as unto the Lord, not for men." --Colossians 3:23
Read: Colossians 3 Turns out PrayFit has a theme song -- a song that sums up PrayFit perfectly. My wife and friends might guess it's a Rocky montage or the Gladiator theme song but alas, no. I have one better. The Little Drummer Boy. (Pa rum pum pum pum)...
"Come they told me, a newborn King to see. Our finest gifts we bring, to set before the King. Little baby, I am a poor boy too. I have no gift to bring, that's fit to give a King. Shall I play for you on my drum? Then He nodded... I played my drum for Him. I played my best for Him. Then He smiled at me. Me and my drum."
You and I are poor. Like the little boy, we have nothing to bring that's fit to give the King. But He's delighted when we come to Him. And it's music to His ears when we play our life to its fullest. And that's the basis of PrayFit. Giving our best effort to let health be a means of praise. I want to bring a smile to His face, don't you? The very idea of doing so brings one to mine; to me and my drum. Pa rum pum pum...pum.
--Jimmy Peña
Question: What is your offering today? P.S. This entry was written while listening to "Little Drummer Boy" by The Vocal Majority on The Twelve Days of Christmas album; just in case you're inspired. I highly recommend it with closed eyes.
PRAYFIT POLL: Over the next few weeks, we want to conduct a series of polls to help our team serve you better. If you wouldn't mind, taking a second today or anytime you see this poll to give us your feedback. We'd be in your debt. Please leave your responses to this informal survey in the comments section below.
1. Are you able to enjoy the Prayfit Daily each weekday? Would it be more convenient if the devotion(s), tips and recipes came to you only once per week, or once per month? 2. What sort of information do you find most useful? The devotions? Workouts? Fitness tips? 3. What would you like to see more of in our health-related items? More workouts? More recipes? More stats and research? 4. Is there anything specific about our website that you would want us to improve upon in 2013?
WORKOUT OF THE MONTH: As you work to keep winter weight gain at bay -- the average is about 0.8 pounds per holiday season -- we suggest the PrayFit: 33-Day Body Toning System. This highly-challenging workout can be done at home with some dumbbells and a workout mat and is guaranteed to provide a powerful stimulus for change. Whether you're looking to lose a few inches around the waist or simply shape-up specific bodyparts, this is the DVD for you. Click here to read more or to purchase one for yourself or a friend! (NOTE: As a reminder, once we reach 25 reviews on Amazon, we're offering one random reviewer a gift from the new PrayFit online store!)
In its first week of release, it has been in the Top 25 of Amazon's hot new releases in fitness & exercise. A quick click of the play button below will give you a glimpse at what this workout has to offer. The best part? It's just 33 minutes a day, honoring the One who gave us 33 years.
Of Gifts and Gratitude
"If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." --John 15:6
Read: 1 Corinthians 12
Anyone who is blessed enough to be around children for any length of time knows that you often end up with the strangest collection of gifts. My girls are no different. Much to the dismay of our community groundskeeper, Mya and Ella are intent upon picking every flower that they see, always with a single plan in mind -- to brighten someone else's day with a makeshift, yet heartfelt bouquet.
This gesture, which holds great meaning to the girls, is quickly lost on us grown-ups. We accept the flowers with a showy smile and a nod, only to set them down in the moments to follow. We carry on with our business, leaving petals to wilt and whither from neglect. It is only when Mya and Ella return to inquire about the condition of their floral good tidings that we are suddenly forced to ponder the true value of their gift. Put plainly, the flowers matter to them because they probably carefully selected each one with me and Wendy in mind, and no explanation can soothe the heartbreak of our apparent ingratitude.
Our bodies are exquisite and unparalleled works of art. Formed from the dirt in His own garden, each for a unique purpose. And like flowers handed to you by a child, they were given to us with an expectation of continued care. How we express gratitude for our bodies doesn't just matter to us. It matters, perhaps more than we'll ever know, to the One who gifted them in the first place.
--Eric Velazquez
SPRINT TIP: INTERVALS
American ultramarathoner Josh Cox recently dropped some truth on the PrayFit Nation: "Long slow distance makes long slow runners. If you want to run fast you need to run fast." Cox recommended that intervals should be part of your program each week if your goal is to build speed. But intervals also help you burn fat faster and workouts are shorter to boot. For the next few weeks, try this simple interval scheme to start getting leaner -- and faster.
Week 1: After a two-minute jog to warm-up, sprint at top speed for 10 seconds, then walk for 50 seconds. Repeat this until you have completed 10 sprints. Perform this workout on two, non-consecutive days.
Week 2: After a two-minute jog to warm-up, sprint at top speed for 11 seconds, then walk for 49 seconds. Repeat this until you have completed 11 sprints. Perform this workout on two, non-consecutive days.
Week 3: After a two-minute jog to warm-up, sprint at top speed for 12 seconds, then walk for 48 seconds. Repeat this until you have completed 12 sprints. Perform this workout on two, non-consecutive days.
Week 4: After a two-minute jog to warm-up, sprint at top speed for 13 seconds, then walk for 47 seconds. Repeat this until you have completed 13 sprints. Perform this workout on two, non-consecutive days.
Week 5: After a two-minute jog to warm-up, sprint at top speed for 14 seconds, then walk for 46 seconds. Repeat this until you have completed 14 sprints. Perform this workout on two, non-consecutive days.
You're essentially working in one-minute increments, adding one second to your sprint and eliminating a second from your recovery time each week. By challenging your body with greater intensity each week, you are paving the way for better improvement in body composition as well as sprint efficiency.
RUNNERS FORUM Walk, jog or sprint your way into the growing discussion on the forums Are you a runner? You have a 5K coming up? Maybe you're just interested in running and don't know where to begin? Whatever the case, it's time to surround yourself with a community of like-minded individuals. This thread on the PrayFit forums is dedicated to those who prefer to get fit by running. So dive into the discussion to encourage one another, to share experiences or to pick up some tips.
Me and My Drum
Turns out PrayFit has a theme song -- a song that sums up PrayFit perfectly. My wife and friends might guess it's a Rocky montage or the Gladiator theme song but alas, no. I have one better. The Little Drummer Boy. (Pa rum pum pum pum) That's right. Yesterday with my iTunes on shuffle, it played. Christmas in March? Why not? I hope you won't mind either.
"Come they told me, a newborn King to see. Our finest gifts we bring, to set before the King. Little baby, I am a poor boy too. I have no gift to bring, that's fit to give a King. Shall I play for you on my drum? Then He nodded... I played my drum for Him. I played my best for Him. Then He smiled at me. Me and my drum."
It might be odd talking Christmas gifts in March, but health isn't seasonal and neither is the news of His birth. What's more, You and I are poor. Like the little boy, we have nothing to bring that's fit to give the King. But He's delighted when we come to Him. And it's music to His ears when we play our life to its fullest. And that's the basis of PrayFit. Giving our best effort to let health be a means of praise. I want to bring a smile to His face, don't you? The very idea of doing so brings one to mine; to me and my drum. Pa rum pum pum...pum.
--Jimmy Peña
STAY LEAN WITH PROTEIN
Carbs taste good. No…they taste great. But it’s the main course on your plate –- that chicken breast, fish cutlet or steak –- that may be doing your body composition the most good. As you work out your family’s menu for the week, make sure that you choose a quality, lean protein as the foundation of each meal. Research published in the journal Physiology & Behavior showed that subjects who consumed a diet rich in protein burned significantly more fat than a control group. What’s more is that they did so without regard to total caloric intake.
Minimum recommended daily allowances for children range between 16-28 grams of protein per day. Healthy male adults should aim for 45-63 grams per day, while females should strive for 46-50 grams. Pregnant? You may need 60 grams per day for your growing baby. Protein requirements vary, of course –- if you workout regularly or at higher intensities, you may need more protein to help rebuild muscle and keep your lean body mass in healthy ranges.
(Sources: Physiology & Behavior, FamilyEducation.com)
26 Grams of protein in a 3-ounce serving of sirloin steak
7 Grams of protein in a 1-ounce serving of peanuts (Source: FamilyEducation.com)
CHRISTMAS PRESENCE
"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger."&mdas; Luke 2:16
"What do you give to someone who has everything?" That's a common question asked year after year by a countless number of people. But what do you give someone who is everything? Well, that original question was uttered only once by a small group of eyewitnesses. Maybe the Shepherds asked each other that very thing as "they hurried off "(v. 16).
Wait, did you notice that? Long before Jesus gave the lame the strength to walk, He had shepherds running. After the angel told them the news, I doubt they hung around the fields, or grabbed a bite to catch up on the latest herder's gossip. No, the news of Jesus had these shepherds high-stepping with hearts pumping. Were they unsure of what to give God? Perhaps. But they were ironclad-certain about doing their best just to get there. Showing up out of love, out of excuses and out of breath. What they lacked in presents, they made up with their presence.
–Jimmy Peña
ACTION! Yesterday, we reminded each other that "go" is still an action verb. Here are six more that will continue to help us build the PrayFit Nation
>> WATCH: To start PrayFit's new at-home DVD, click here. (Click here for the trailer)
>> JOIN: To hop in our now 7,000-strong community on Facebook, click here.
>> READ: To order PrayFit: Your Guide to a Healthy Body and a Stronger Faith in 28 Days, click here.
>> WEAR: To set yourself or a friend up with some cool PrayFit gear, click here.
>> TWEET: To follow us on Twitter, click here.
>> PRAY: To pray with other members of the PrayFit community, click here.
Please also be sure to use our social networking features — Recommend, Tweet, Share and E-Mail — at the top of each page if you see something you like or want to share with others.
KEEPING HOUSE
"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back."— Mark 13:35
My wife Wendy and I live in a house of toddlers which means that at any given moment, our little home can look like hurricane-force winds blew through, tossing about everything that isn't nailed down. Toys are scattered, clothes are strewn over the furniture and...is that string cheese ground into our rug? We try, sometimes to no avail, to keep up with our cyclical mess.
However, once I get word that my mother-in-law is coming to visit, a new side of me emerges -- an unrelenting, super-cleaning alter ego that is intent on spot-shining the house into model-home glory. You see, not only did she and my father-in-law help us buy this place, but Ethelmarie keeps a pretty tidy house. And while she may not be bothered by the mountainous pile of juice cups in my sink, I still don't want her to see them. So my inner Mr. Clean -- the one that speedily washes fingerprints from windows and mops floors -- really only comes out when I know she's stopping by. And while her visits are usually announced, we love that she will occasionally just pop in. As a result, Wendy and I are now doing our best to keep the house Ethel-ready at all times, managing the maelstrom in small, daily increments (as much as Mya and Ella will allow, that is.)
We all have houses to keep -- both brick-and-mortar and flesh-and-blood -- that can benefit from daily attention. And you never really know when company's coming.
Lord, we are so grateful for the bodies that house our souls and do not take lightly that we were made in your image. Please help us find the daily motivation to be faithful stewards of the physical gifts we've been given. Amen.
--Eric Velazquez
>> Commit: Log on. Today, join other PrayFit readers at our online community by going to www.prayfit.com/forum. Here, you can create a free-form workout journal that you can update on a daily basis. Journals are routinely featured on PrayFit’s home page and shared with our various social networks. As the research would indicate, those keeping journals at PrayFit.com report having an easier time of sticking to a workout routine because they know that others are reading up on their progress. The authors of a recent study cited recommended the following types of websites for the best results:
--Sites that encourage accountability by asking users to consistently record weight, exercise, and calories consumed
--Sites that include tailored or personalized information
--Sites with interactive features that allow users to communicate with each other and with nutrition and exercise experts
--Sites with accurate health information
527 million >> Dollars made by Nutrisystem.com in 2010
23.8 >> Percentage of dieters that used a weight loss website in 2010
Source: Market Data Enterprises
VERIFIED ACCOUNT
June 16, 2011Read Luke 24 "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" --Luke 24:5
We can proudly say that PrayFit has a steadily growing Twitter account. Not sure if you've been on there, but for the more popular people on Twitter, a blue checkmark is placed beside their name to signify a "Verified Account" -- a sort of seal of approval that tells the world that all the others are fakes and phonies; mere look-alikes. The seal says you can trust who's behind it.
Well, today as I was updating "what's happening now," I saw people sharing all sorts of wisdom. I read a compelling quote from Ghandi, Confucius said not to chase two rabbits, and if I was born this month, my horoscope says I'm in for a big surprise. Awesome. But with all the different opinions, mantras and beliefs, who can we trust? Well, at PrayFit, we simply look to the empty tomb. The seal of approval? A rolled away stone -- a verified account that tells the world you can trust who's not behind it.
--J.P.
CALORIES IN, CALORIES OUT
While I'm on the subject of online debates, I saw a long stream of comments talking about the notion that losing weight (or not gaining weight) can't be as simple as taking in less calories than you utilize. Well, folks, it's true. The simple science of our bodies says that if you use more calories than you take in, you won't gain weight and you may in fact lose weight. But here's the catch: the quality of calories is key when it comes to how you look, perform and function. To be, act and appear your best, you must choose quality protein, complex carbs and healthy fats. Sure, if you take in a total of 2000 calories in a day, and those 2000 calories are empty calories, if you utilize 2001, you won't gain a pound. But you won't be your best either.
Questions or comments? Share it in the comments section below or post in our forums.
A LOVE NOTE
February 15, 2011Read: John 13
"A new command I give you: Love one another." -- John 13:34
If you looked for me yesterday, you needed only to check the Hallmark store. Like many a husband, I waited to the last moment to find the one thing that matters most to my wife: a card.
Sure, I could come home with chocolate, flowers and diamonds, but if I were to forget the card, I might as well have forgotten her name. See, jewelry reaches her hand, but words find her heart. And her reaction says it all.
God gave, and He could have stopped at the world, but didn't. He put His love in writing. And to Him...our reaction says it all.
--J.P.
KNOW SQUAT
This week's workout -- Legs in 10 -- revolves around various versions of the squat. That's because this multi-joint move, which includes action at your hips, knees and ankles, is central to nearly every activity that we perform on a daily basis both in the gym and out. Done properly, the squat uses a tremendous amount of muscle, meaning that strength gains -- and fat loss -- are sure to follow. Familiarize yourself with the basics of the bodyweight squat to start changing your body from the legs up.
Bodyweight Squat | Focus: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, lower back | (VIDEO)
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, a light bend in your knees and your toes turned out slightly. Keeping your head neutral, abs tight and torso erect, bend at the knees and hips to slowly lower your body as if you were going to sit down in a chair. Pause when your legs reach a 90-degree angle, then forcefully drive through your heels, extending at your hips and knees until you arrive at the standing position.
CHRISTMAS PRESENCE
December 23, 2010Read: Luke 2
"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger." --Luke 2:16
"What do you give to someone who has everything?" That's a common question asked year after year by a countless number of people. But what do you give someone who is everything? Well, that original question was uttered only once by a small group of eyewitnesses. Maybe the Shepherds asked each other that very thing as "they hurried off "(v. 16).
Wait, did you notice that? Long before Jesus gave the lame the strength to walk, He had shepherds running. After the angel told them the news, I doubt they hung around the fields, or grabbed a bite to catch up on the latest herder's gossip. No, the news of Jesus had these shepherds high-stepping with hearts pumping. Were they unsure of what to give God? Perhaps. But they were ironclad-certain about doing their best just to get there. What they lacked in presents, they made up with their presence. Showing up out of love, out of excuses and out of breath; sounds like what you give someone who is everything.
--J.P.
From the Prayfit family to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas. May God bless you and keep you safe. We'll be back online Tuesday, December 28th.
In Jesus' name, we pray and train. Amen.