NO OTHER WORD FOR GRACE

October 27, 2011Read: Romans 6

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our lord." --Romans 6:23

Before high-tech ventilation systems, coal miners used to send a caged canary down into the mine to help detect dangerous and lethal fumes. As long as the canary kept singing, the coast was clear. Silence however meant danger and the nearest way out.

We don't have canaries leading us each day, but we do have the Holy Spirit. We hear His warning and sense his guidance. It's when we disregard Him that we end up in the dark, in deep trouble or in dire need of an exit.

But thankfully, God never lets go of us. Our fall will never exceed His grasp. Like Mom used to sing, "There's no other word for grace, but amazing."

Lord, we love you. Thank you for your daily, amazing grace. And thank you for your Spirit that leads us and guides us. Where would we be without you? Amen.

--J.P.

P.S Lord, be with my mom right now. Please heal her; protect her. Whisper to her that I love her. Amen. And if you want us and others to pray specifically for your mom, just let us know in the comments below. Just say, "My Mom" and we will.

EGGS FOR MUSCLE How did the incredible egg earn its nickname?

Many of you may think that eggs are just a simple breakfast food — something that’s been on your plate every morning since you can remember. But it is so much more, particularly if you’re looking to gain muscle, says Jim Stoppani, PhD, co-author of “PrayFit: Your Guide to a Healthy Body and a Stronger Faith in 28 Days”(Regal Books). Researchers found that subjects who ate three whole eggs per day gained twice as much muscle in 12 weeks as those who only had one egg per day.

EGG FACTS: One whole egg contains 72 calories, 6 grams of protein, 0 grams of carbohydrate and 5 grams of fat. But don’t worry — about 80% of that fat is monounsaturated and saturated fat, which actually aids in the muscle-building process.

Source: www.jimstoppani.com

GOAL TENDING

December 28, 2010Read: 1 John 4

"You dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." --1 John 4:4

Only days away from the dawn of a new year, and it's time to begin focusing on that list. The list. The list of resolutions that we're going to ask you to draw up. It's time to jot down the year's swing-for-the-fence agenda.

Each year, my wife and I write down our five personal goals and objectives for the year. It's arguably one of my favorite traditions. We witness them, sign them, and post them on the fridge -- visible, daily reminders of when the line was drawn in the sand.

Well, as we were driving home yesterday from Arizona, I was daydreaming about the next year -- things I want to accomplish, goals I want to chase. And at that very moment, we drove by a golf practice range. I remember thinking that I'm a much better golfer at a driving range than I am on an actual course. Why? Probably because I'm swinging without fear of failure. No adjacent fairways to avoid. Just wind up and try and kill it off the tee.

That's how I want to view this new year. This new year is a brand new course, a new challenge. God is my most valuable resource and with Him as my caddy, helping me make the right choices, I can't go wrong. He knows where the hazards are, how deep the sand is, when to lay up and when to pull out the driver. All I have to do is keep my eye on the ball.

What about you? What will you swing for next year? Have you made your list? Well, if you haven't or even if you have, spend some time these last few days thinking and praying about what you're going to tackle this year, because we're gonna ask you about them. And when fear and doubt creep in to discourage your list, just remember today's theme verse, see the ball and crush it.

--J.P.

FAITH AND FITNESS GOALS

We all have our sights set on particular objectives. From the faith side of things, some of us might want to study the book of Romans, chapter and verse. Maybe we are hoping to be faithful to daily prayers with our spouse or kids. And from a fitness standpoint, we might want to hit the gym at least three times a week, improve flexibility or run a marathon! Whatever your goals, we want you to begin praying about them, and before next Monday, we want you to have narrowed them down to a list you plan to attack. But this year, you'll have a community of believers to help hold you accountable, encouraging you and seeing you succeed both physically and spiritually. Your homework is as simple as it is critical: think and pray about what the Lord is placing on your heart for the upcoming year. And we'll see you tomorrow.

>> GET ACCOUNTABLE: Eager to signpost your goals for 2011? Drop them in the comments section below, or post them at the PrayFit Facebook page.

DAD HANDS

August 13, 2010Read: John 20

"So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord!' But he said to them, 'Unless I see the marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.'" --John 20:25

The older I get, the more my hands are looking like my dad's. I'll be typing or writing something, and I'll pause to look at my hands and immediately think of his. But unlike my clumsy paws, Dad can actually put his to work. He can fix everything or put anything together. Weld it, untie it, prime it, paint it, dig it...you name it, if we put it in his hands, he's able.

It's funny...despite that knowledge, I've often handed something to Dad for help, and immediately began to tell him how do it or what I think should be done next. To which Dad simply says, "James, am I doing this, or are you?" Gulp!

I think we have the tendency to do the same with the Lord. We pray for His guidance, ask for His help, and we "give it to Him," yet we never really let go of worry, doubt or control. (A show of hands of those who can relate...)

But we need to remember that the very same hands that reached for a sinking Peter on the water, assured a doubting Thomas in the upper room and rubbed mud into the eyes of the blind, are the very same hands that still reach for us today. They assure us in hospital rooms and lead us through the dark times. He can hold us like a newborn baby in one hand, while holding off Satan's army with the other. He wants us to bring Him our knots each day. It's what He does. After all, He's got Dad hands, and He is able.

--J.P.

PRAYFIT NUTRITION: PROTEIN RECOMMENDATIONS Make sure you're getting enough each day to reach your goals

So how did everyone do yesterday with their goal of having protein at every meal, even snacks? Easy? Not so much? Well, that was sort of a can't-miss, broad strokes recommendation. Today, we'll discuss exactly how much you should be getting on a daily basis.

Although the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is less than half a gram per pound of bodyweight per day, research shows that athletes need roughly double that amount, or about 1 gram per pound of bodyweight per day. Put another way, a 150-pound athlete should get roughly 150 grams of protein in a day. If you were getting about 20 grams of protein six times per day, that puts you at 140 grams -- pretty close. This amount may seem high, but if you're a hard-training individual, flooding your muscles with this much protein is critical for rebuilding muscle and recovering for your next session.

Beginners can benefit from a slightly higher uptake -- about 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day.

Protein choices should come mainly from animal sources such as chicken, turkey, lean beef, fish, eggs and dairy. These are the most complete sources, meaning they provide your body with every essential amino acid -- those your body cannot manufacture on its own.

Complete protein: A complete protein is composed of 20 different amino acids. Some are more critical than others. At the top of the list are the BCAAs (branched chain amino acids), that include leucine, isoleucine and valine. Arginine is crucial for helping production of nitric oxide (NO),which dilates blood vessels, taking more nutrients to muscles during workouts. Glutamine is also high on the list because it keeps muscle protein synthesis high and breakdown low and helps to boost your immune system.

>> WAIT...WHAT? Got another question about protein or nutrition in general? Head to the fitness forum and ask the trainer!