BORN IN US

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy."— Matthew 2:10

If you missed "Christmas Presence" last week, we talked about the shepherds and their efforts to see the newborn King. We agreed that their best was all they had to offer Him; our pacesetters if you will, and they made it. Can't you just see their cold breath and chests rising as they arrive? But today, let's focus on the one who didn't run. Though she trembled, Mary waited for the promise.

As I write this, a song by Francesca Battistelli called Born In Me is ringing in my ears. The chorus:

I'll hold you in the beginning, you will hold me in the end. Every moment in the middle, make my heart your Bethlehem, be born in me.

Isn't that what we want? For our hearts to be His Bethlehem? Born in us? When you and I walk into work or school, when we make dinner for the kids or visit a neighbor, we hold Him. We're His home on earth. Mary offered to God what she was denied at the inn; a vacancy. The shepherds offered to God the only thing they could; an audience.

As Christmas nears, let the ones who ran to Him, and the one who didn't run from Him, give us courage to do both.

–Jimmy Peña

PRAYFIT IN THE NEWS

>> PRAYFIT ON ITUNES: Yes, you can find PrayFit's 33-Day Total Body Challenge DVD on Amazon but did you know that you can also download it on iTunes? Now, you can sweat with PrayFit founder Jimmy Pena anywhere you can take your iPad.

>> ASSIST NEWS: Prayfit 33-Day Total Body Challenge Debuts in Time for New Year‘s Resolutions by Janey DeMeo

>> CHRISTIAN POST: Jimmy Pena Talks 'PrayFit,' Healthy Holiday Tips

>> CROSSROAD MAG: PrayFit Stepping into Living Rooms This Winter

RIPENED FRUIT

October 7, 2011Read: Galatians 5

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” --Galatians 5:22

There aren’t many things that make me as happy and content as perfectly ripened fresh fruit.  I love to walk into the market and smell the fresh peaches as I pass, see the bananas yellow to perfection. Perfectly ripened fruit doesn’t just “happen." It is a process that takes time, patience, and growth.  There are many factors that come into play when I ultimately choose the perfect Gala apple to put in my basket and take home.

I often wonder if God sees us as His ripened fruit. Sometimes we end up the best of the bunch and other times we are a more banged-up version of ourselves.  But, the awesome part is that even when we have bumps and bruises, He still picks us. To Him, we're keepers.  We don’t have to be perfectly ripened. We're in His basket and He proudly takes us home.

--Allison King Earnst

PrayFit's newest executive team member is a fitness expert, motivator, competitor and mother of three. She's been featured in numerous magazines including FitParent, Natural Muscle and Oxygen magazine. She has shared her fitness story on Good Morning America, Extra TV and Lifetime's "The Balancing Act."

PRAYFIT: WEEK IN REVIEW

Faith

>> NO HILL FOR A CLIMBER: Exhausted, He still climbed mountains to pray. When was the last time you were out of breath for Him?

>> SWING AWAY: Today's sunrise is the only sign you need to step up and swing away

>> AGREEMENT ISN'T ENOUGH: When you answer the call, it's the body that gets the soul where it needs to go

>> MISFITS SELDOM DO: Don't fit in with a world that disregards health as a means of praise?

Fitness

>> MASTERING THE PUSH-UP: Practicing variations of this fundamental move can improve your gains

>> THE DAIRY DEBATE: Is dairy beneficial or detrimental to your overall health?

>> NUTRITION Q&A: Should you be taking artificial sweeteners?

>> WORKOUT: Four moves for great abs

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