Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
Naming Grace
"But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." --Romans 5:20
Yesterday we asked our followers on Facebook and Twitter this question: What word best describes grace? The answers flooded in: Acceptance. Love. Gift. Undeserved. Peaceful. Unmerited Favor. Continuous. Free. Beautiful. Unconditional. Neverending. And many other wonderful responses.
Such a neat exercise, naming Grace. My preacher, Brother Henry Powell, used to say that when you accept Jesus, you're in the palm of His hand and when God looks at you, He sees you through the blood of His son and nothing -- NOTHING -- can remove you from His hand. I can still hear my preacher saying it. And friends, the fact that God doesn't see your sin and mine? That's grace. It truly is acceptance, love, a gift, undeserved, peaceful, unmerited favor, continuous, free, unconditional and never-ending. And let me offer my own: saving -- and of course -- amazing.
Oh, that reminds me. One Twitter response I got from @larishaJ made me smile in agreement when she replied with: #secondchance. Yes indeed @larishaJ -- our "only" chance, really. Grace is our only chance.
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Speaking of a neat exercise, how does grace shape the way you view your health and fitness? Does it empower you to be a better steward? Knowing God sees your heart, maybe it humbles you? Perhaps you're too focused on the outer man or woman, or maybe not enough. We'd love to read your thoughts and comments.
TRAINING ROOM TIP: Recover with R.I.C.E. When it comes to managing injuries such as twisted ankles and sore shoulders, there's a lot of misinformation out there. Should you heat it? Massage it maybe? The answer is simple and it boils down to four letters: R-I-C-E. Click the link below to get in touch with your inner athletic trainer and manage your nagging injuries better.
THE DAILY, DELIVERED
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SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/cSd8tp
I'll Say, "No"
"Though he slay me, yet will I trust him." --Job 13:15
My wife is the runner in the family, so I typically don't read her magazine, but the cover blurb on her Runner's World caught my eye: "The Most Inspiring Runner You've Never Met." And I can tell you that if he's not, he's close. Hit by a car at the age of six, Bret Dunlap spent weeks in a coma. His first word when he woke up? "No." Seems he knew he had more life in him. And while he doesn't remember saying it, the 39 years after the accident simply prove that he meant it.
And while I won't give anything away, there was something his mom said to him that stuck with me. She said, "God never said anything about fair. He said you got a chance." This she said to a boy who suffered brain damage, paralysis, a colostomy, and who's face freezes, and who's mind forgets what he learns; just to name a few of his afflictions. But this she also said to boy who would teach himself several languages, give 12 gallons of blood over the years as a volunteer, play the piano left handed, hold the same job for over 18 years and eventually, run. Oh my friends, he may finish last, but he runs his race; one floppy foot over another. The rest of the story is miraculous, and sad, and gut-wrenching, and funny, and unbelievable and well, convicting.
Have you ever wallowed? Ever thought, "Why me?" or stomped your feet and said, "Not fair!" I know I have. I know I do. But it's stories like that of Bret that help give me perspective. And hope. And courage. And it's stories like that of Bret that always seem to remind me of grace and what Jesus did for me on the cross. Like our verse reminds us today, God's grace really is all I need and want, so whatever else I have in life is a gift. And when the enemy tries to convince me otherwise, when he tries to blind me to blessings, when he tries to discourage my personal calling, when he reminds me that my body is failing, I won't let it steal my joy. I'll just steal a line from Bret and say "No." What about you? What is your answer today?
--Jimmy Peña
Question: What are you doing to show the Lord and everyone around you how grateful you are for the gifts you been given? Is your life a statement that says, "Faith" or a question that wonders, "Why"?
It’s not just a tagline: Milk does do a body good. So do cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese. A new study showed that women who followed a regular exercise program on high-protein, high-dairy diets lost more total fat –- and more from their abdomen –- than those on adequate-protein, medium-dairy and adequate-protein, low-dairy diets.
>> For more detail on the study, click here.
Jimmy Peña's message of "Life is not about the body, but health is a means of praise" is being well-received by congregations around the country. His story-telling approach to how a healthy body can strengthen the body of Christ and inspire abundant living is a message you don't want to miss.
Bring Jimmy to your church this year! Contact us here: [email protected]
FOREVER ROAD
November 14, 2011 Read: James 1
"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." --James 1:12
Queensboro Bridge. Halfway through the New York City Marathon is both where this entry was written, and where my race actually began. Nearly two months of ultrasound and countless hours of therapy weren't enough to convalesce my troubled hamstring. And with 12 miles -- or roughly 24,000 steps left to go -- the grand, lofty notion of taking just one more was in question. So I wrote this entry.
In as much time as it took a thousand runners to pass me by, I wrapped my leg in a makeshift tourniquet using stored gauze, and as many white flags as I could find in my heart. If there's one thing this most novice of runners quickly realized on that bridge, was that the next step was as necessary as the eventual stride that would be needed to cross the finish line. So this week, we'll run the Boroughs together. If you recall, in the days before the race I asked God to open the eyes of my heart, and I promised you I'd write down what He showed me. Well, He kept His promise, and I wasn't about to break mine.
Friends, life is simply a bridge. Work, school, money, health...all mere mile markers that remind us that we're in a race. And while we don't compete against one another, I think sometimes the most daunting of life's fights occurs when we're surrounded by fellow runners. Fellow runners who are - by nature - each hamstrung by something, and fighting to turn another corner down Forever Road. Let's remember that each step is worth it if we know Who awaits us in the end. --Jimmy Peña
WORKOUT: RUNNER'S RESOURCES
Some may think that running is simply a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. To others, no performance tip is insignificant. In either case, running is an activity that can be improved upon, provided that you have the proper coaching. Build a stronger stride, better endurance, a leaner physique and a runner's heart by bookmarking some of these trusted resources on the web. Enjoy your runs this week and remember to post your distances to your workout journal on the PrayFit forums.
MarathonRookie.com: Tips for novices looking to enter half- or full-distance marathons
Jeff Galloway.com: Practical training tips from one of the industry's top coaches
Mapmyrun.com: Track your distance runs with this easy-to-use mapping tool
Josh Cox: Christian ultramarathon runner, TV personality, author and believer
IT'S OKAY TO LET GO
October 14, 2011Read: Exodus 4
"The Lord said, 'Throw it on the ground." --Exodus 4:3
Moses was reluctant to part with his staff, but when he finally laid it down in obedience, it became the rod of God. Abraham was asked to lay down his own son upon the altar, and Peter was asked to lay down his nets after catching nothing all night. I'm sensing a theme.
You know, we talk a lot about picking up the weights or picking up the pace in our pursuit of a fitter lifestyle, but God is honored most by what we're willing to lay down. And if we're obedient in the most difficult times, He'll bless us beyond belief. What are you holding that's keeping you from living a more abundant life either spiritually or physically? Whatever it might be, just know that Moses, Abraham and Peter know first hand that it's okay to let go.
--J.P.
RECOVER FASTER WITH R.I.C.E. Learn the basics of injury management to get back to your exercise program sooner
When you roll an ankle playing basketball or feel a pull in your hamstring during a sprint, do you wrestle over what approach to take? Is it heat? Or does ice work best? Should you just wrap it up tight and call it a day? If you can remember the term "RICE," you'll never go wrong with treating acute, soft-tissue injuries like strains and sprains. RICE is an acronym that stands for "rest, ice, compression and elevation," a fundamental injury treatment technique used in training rooms everywhere.
R - REST Forget about making tomorrow's pick-up game. Your body needs time to heal and complete rest is the only way to ensure that the injured soft tissue remains immobile until the pain has subsided and the majority of function has returned.
I - ICE We love to hate the cold stuff. Applying an ice pack to the area, usually for 20 minutes of each hour as soon as possible after the injury, helps to alleviate pain and swelling to the area. Care should be taken not to over-ice, as the extended restriction of blood flow can limit the delivery of nutrients and the elimination of waste from the injured area.
C - COMPRESSION Keeping a good elastic bandage on hand is a good idea if you're active, as this simple implement can help to further reduce inflammation. Wrap the affected area firmly, but not so much so that it is overly restrictive and never sleep with it on -- doing either can unnecessarily or dangerously interrupt important blood flow.
E - ELEVATION Gravity is your friend. If possible, keep the affected limb above the heart in order to reduce swelling and to improve the removal of waste products from the point of injury.
What about heat? From the above, you have probably deduced that most of these steps are designed to limit swelling and blood flow to the injury. Since direct heat increases circulation to the point of application, applying heat before swelling subsides (usually 48-72 hours) can be counterproductive, even if it offers some temporary comfort. To these steps, you can also add a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) such as ibuprofen which will further aid in pain management and the reduction of swelling.
CARRY ME HOME
May 6, 2011 Read: Isaiah 46
"Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." --Isaiah 46:4
On a softball team, each player has her role to play. And in the highly competitive world of collegiate athletics, even more specialization occurs. In 2008, Western Oregon University right fielder Sara Tucholsky, a pesky contact hitter by trade, strode to the plate with two runners on base in a game against conference rival Central Washington.
Just looking to play her role -- perhaps to draw a walk, or poke a run-scoring single into the shallows of the outfield -- Sara was just as surprised as the rest of the 300 spectators in attendance when she drove the ball over the left-center field wall. The three-run home run was the first of her waning softball career and, in her excitement, she missed first base. As she turned to run back to first, she felt a distinctive pop -- she had ruptured a major ligament in her right knee . Collapsing and crawling back to first base, Sara was met by her coach. The umpire informed them that no one could complete the home run trot but Sara, or else the home run would be ruled a single, negating this watershed moment for the ailing senior. If anyone from her team touched her, she would be called out.
Then, in a stunning act of sportsmanship, Central Washington's Mallory Holtman -- a senior on her club and owner of nearly every major offensive record in her school's history -- offered to carry Sara around the bases. Scratching his head at why the opponent would want to, in essence, give the team a run that they were about to lose, the umpire informed her that there was no rule against it. Mallory and teammate Liz Wallace then lifted Sara up and carried her around the bases, gingerly touching her foot to each base along the way.
Sara was in tears, in pain and out of options but in her wounded state, she was shown the way home by those willing to carry the burden, even at great cost to them. This simple act of sportsmanship beautifully illustrates the fact that when we feel too broken to carry on -- when we feel like we don't know the way or when the pain is too heavy to bear on our own -- we also have someone to pick us up and lead us home.
For ESPN's take on this inspirational story, click here.
--E.V.
ENGAGE, SHARE, SHOP
>> ENGAGE: One thing that PrayFit prides itself upon is fellowship. Bringing like-minded readers together to share struggles and successes, tips and tricks is fundamental to what we do here! Here are a few of the current topics going on our forums...
What's Your Testimony | 7 posts
Questions for the Trainer | 22 posts
>> SHARE: Help us get others on board with this whole "faith and fitness" thing. Use the "Recommend," "Tweet," "E-Mail" and "Share" buttons at the top of each day's entry to get your social network in the know about PrayFit. Also, you can "like" us, "follow" us or "watch" us by clicking the Facebook, Twitter and YouTube icons at the bottom of each page.
>> SHOP: As we head into Mother's Day weekend, you can select a gift for mom that will keep on giving long after those flowers wilt. Visit our online store to pick up official PrayFit shirts, hats or wristbands or send her a copy of our print project, "PrayFit: Your Guide to a Healthy Body and a Stronger Faith in 28 Days." The book includes meal plans and easy-to-follow workout programs that can help keep mom fit and healthy.
LOOKING UP
March 11, 2011Read: 1 Peter 3
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." --1 Peter 3:15
Last night Prayfit VP Eric Velazquez called me to share his excitement of seeing the International Space Station (ISS) flying across the horizon. Before I could say anything, he rattled off the staggering facts that the ISS is about the size of a football field and orbits the earth at over 17,000 mph. (These facts, he repeated over and over.)
When he finally took a breath, he said something that caught my attention. He explained that as he was looking up, a curious neighbor approached him and inquired. Standing there assured, Eric explained what he was anxiously awaiting, so the neighbor stayed. After a few quiet, awkward minutes, sure enough, the ISS appeared, torching the sky for almost four jaw-dropping minutes. For the neighbor, worth the wait. For Eric, worth the risk.
Pretty awesome. Eric did exactly what you and I should be doing. Not only was he looking in the right direction, he convinced others to join him. Though the sky was clear and without proof, Eric knew what he was waiting for and he didn't want anyone to miss it.
Neither should we.
--J.P.
Application: 1. Are you and I looking up enough for others to be curious? 2. It can be awkward at times, but what are some ways to witness to strangers? 3. Can our fitness be a witness? How?
STRETCH QUIZ ANSWERS
Thank you everyone for participating in our quiz on stretching yesterday.
Stretching is a delicate issue, literally and figuratively, and should only be done at certain times, under specific circumstances and for the right reasons. So as to which one of the reasons listed was not true...
1. Stretching doesn't necessarily prevent injury.
True: Research confirms that just as many people injure themselves who stretch as those who don't.
2. Stretching actually makes you weaker before a workout.
True: Stretching target muscles prior to a workout relaxes the natural tension within the muscle, preventing it from being as powerful as it could be had it not been pre-stretched.
3. Stretching is for range of motion purposes only.
True: This one is tricky. While there may be benefits of stretching like reduced soreness following rigorous activity, the research-based, ultimate purpose of stretching (functional or for performance) is for range of motion. It makes no sense nor does it provide any benefit to stretch even a sufficiently warm muscle if the ROM is achievable without it. You may see people stretching prior to a jog on the treadmill, but that is not only needless, it could induce unwanted damage. Most people have the range of motion necessary to jog.
4. Stretching a cold muscle could actually cause injury.
True: Think of your muscles like a sponge. The more fluid a sponge has, the easier it is to move. Twist a dry sponge and what happens? Same goes for your muscles.
5. Stretching is best done after a workout, when your muscles are warm and full of fluid.
True: After a workout, the target muscles are full of fluid (water, blood, nutrients, byproducts). It's that fluid that allows for safe and effective stretching for reasons previously mentioned.
So what should you do pre-workout? Get warm. Take a few minutes to do a general warm-up, such as a brisk walk on the treadmill, and follow that with some dynamic exercise such as walking knee hugs, jumping jacks, butt kickers and shadowboxing. If you're weight training, do a few light sets of your first exercise as a specific warm-up before going heavier. General, dynamic, specific. It sounds like a lot, but it will only add minutes to your workout and it can boost performance while decreasing risk of injury.
So...the winners are: Alyssa, Phil, Peggy, Bill and Maria. To Alyssa, Phil, Peggy and Bill, we'd be honored if you let us send you a complementary Prayfit bracelet. For Maria, you were first, so we hope you enjoy your brand new Prayfit Baseball Cap! E-mail your mailing address to [email protected].
GIVING UP THE TITLE
March 10, 2011Read: 2 Samuel 22
"I will sing praises to your name." --2 Samuel 22:50
When the Forbes richest person list was revealed yesterday, there were few surprises, save for the absence of billionaire Bill Gates at No. 1. It is rumored that Bill Gates would have had the top spot had he not given so much to charity. Most can't fathom such a sacrifice, but because he gave so much to others, he relinquished a title many would kill for.
Try to imagine. Jesus went from heaven to human. Our minds can't begin to comprehend the exchange. If we can somehow use Bill Gates as a cheap example, while he gave to the needy, he didn't become needy. Billionaire to beggar? Baron to bum? Not exactly. After all, giving to the poor didn't mean living with the poor. But when Jesus came to earth, He did more than join us -- He took our place. We can't fathom such a sacrifice, but for you and I to have any hope, the cross needed the Savior. And that's a title only He could die for.
--J.P.
IT'S A STRETCH
Did you know stretching before a workout isn't a great idea?
Which one of the following reasons for avoiding a pre-workout stretch is not true? The one with the first correct answer gets a complimentary PrayFit baseball cap!
1. Stretching doesn't necessarily prevent injury. 2. Stretching actually makes you weaker before a workout. 3. Stretching is for range of motion purposes only. 4. Stretching a cold muscle could actually cause injury. 5. Stretching is best done after a workout, when your muscles are warm and full of fluid.