Trust My Guts

"There is no one who understands. No one seeks after God." --Romans 3:11

Read: Romans 3

I've been updating my bio and resume. Ever had to do that? It's not easy, especially the older you get. I ponder, Where to start? and What to highlight? As I sigh, the blinking cursor on my screen seems to be in perfect cadence with the sound of a thunderous, slow drum. Bong! Bong! Bong! I do my best to summarize my work. I try my hardest to sum up the years. But my first draft misses the mark as badly as I missed the trash can with it.

We are not our resume, are we? I kinda want to just write, I'm saved by grace, I married up, wrote some books. And oh, trust me when I tell you I have heart. Recently, our friend Allison Earnst sent me a plaque that simply says, "God Give Me Guts." And He did. He does. He will. That's what I'd like to tell prospective opportunities. Trust my guts. My strengths are best illustrated by my weaknesses, not awards. Call me sentimental -- granted I type this in tears -- but having spent the last five-plus years making sure nothing we say at PrayFit ever sounds boastful, selling myself along with the specialness of PrayFit just seems off for me.

Friends, getting through trials doesn't reveal our strength. (No, the trials do a pretty good job of that.) Getting through trials reveals God's grace and produces our character. That's why for my latest job description I'd be more comfortable simply writing I got up. Indeed, God allowed me to get up to keep fighting the good fight. But as I rise and wipe the dust off my back, I can't pat.

Well, enough of that, I guess. I finished it. Hopefully the page reads like I wrote it. But friends, it's not that I don't give myself a little credit for the good stuff, it's that I can't give myself any. The good in me and you? God. All the rest? Me and you.

–Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Yesterday we talked about goals. We loved the responses and the swing-for-the-fence objectives. And much like my lofty aspirations, achieving yours or accomplishing each perfectly doesn't determine the worth of each. It's in the heart behind them and the goal before them. Like Theodore Roosevelt once said, "The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena. Who strive valiantly. Who know the great enthusiasms. The great devotions. And who spend themselves for a worthy cause. Who, if they succeed, know the triumph of high achievement. And who -- if they fail -- fail while daring greatly. So that their place will never be, with those cold and timid souls, who knew neither victory or defeat." I suspect there are no cold and timid souls reading this page today, amen? God gets the credit.

BRINGING PRAYFIT'S MESSAGE TO YOUR CHURCH OR COMMUNITY

Health as a means of praise. This fundamental message, which is sorely overlooked in this growing industry, is one that is affecting congregations and communities across the country. And yours could be next. Write us today at [email protected] to find out how you can bring PrayFit founder Jimmy Peña to your next event or Sunday service. Click (and share) the video below for a preview of this powerful, transformative message!

I'm His Resume

"By this all men will know that you're my disciples, that you have love for one another." --John 13:35

Read: John 13

Yesterday I worked on a resume. Some of you may know, but trying to put a life of work on a sheet of paper is no easy task. The objective, the history, the qualifications, all to make sure your best foot is forward and in view. Here I am! This is what I've done! But as I was working on it, I knew it didn't even come close to capturing his worth. See, it wasn't my resume, it was my Dad's.

And while his job history in the Navy and then in private business is impressive, I'm his resume. My brother is his resume. My mom, his wife of almost 50 years is his resume. I wish I could call prospective employers and tell them that we are who we are today because of who he is and what he's done. What a conviction to try and convince someone to give your sweet Dad a chance.

You know, our lives say a lot to the world about our Father. I know you feel the same, but I want nothing more than to be a living resume for my Jesus. You and I may be the only Jesus someone ever sees; the only believers someone will ever come into contact with. They may be famous, popular or simply a next door neighbor, searching for the truth. The truth is, Jesus died and rose again so that you and I may have an abundant life and eternity with Him. Because of that, I want the way I talk, think, act and live to be such a strong testimony to those around me that they have no other choice than to take a good, long look at this Jesus we call the Savior. And when they see us, hear us, and watch us, may they pause long enough to give Him a chance.

--Jimmy Peña

TRAINING TIP: Compound Moves

The three most popular, widely-used lifts in the gym are the bench press, deadlift and squat. Referred to as “The Big Three,” these moves fall into a category of exercises called compound, or multi-joint, lifts. These exercises require movement at more than one joint, which means that more total muscles have to get involved to complete each rep. And the more muscle you work, the more muscle and strength you stand to gain. As a bonus, the more muscle you recruit on a given exercise, the more calories you burn. Finally, any measure of muscle gain will improve your metabolism since muscle is calorie-eating tissue.

>> Learn how compound moves can be your ticket to a healthier body.