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THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
A Walk That Counts
"Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin." --Job 14:16
Along with some of her co-workers, my wife is watching her step, literally. In a company-wide initiative, she and a group of co-workers have decided to encourage activity and join the Get Active campaign. To help keep track of daily movement, everyone is wearing a pedometer to catch each step of the day, from the first to the last. And they've dispersed log books to help monitor their every move. It's a neat exercise among co-workers and friends. (Hmm, I'm starting to think our nightly walks have taken on a new meaning.)
Well, a friend of hers in the group playfully figured out that if you wave the pedometer in the air a certain way, it thinks you're walking. One wave equals a step. Seems it's easy to fool a pedometer by going through the motions but it's impossible to fool God. He knows the steps we take, doesn't He? Just look at today's verse. In fact, the bible also says that, "The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him." (Psalm 37:23) Indeed, pedometers may count steps, but our goal is to take steps that count for the cause of Christ.
On this week's stroll, plan on counting things; from the blessings, to the stars, to the cost. Yes friends, because of Jesus, we can take a walk that counts.
--Jimmy Peña
5 FLU-FIGHTING FOODS
So it's already going around -- the aches, the sniffles, the coughs. Flu season is settling in across America. Here are five foods that you can take down to increase your odds of making it through unscathed (or only minimally impacted).
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You, He Knitted
"You knit me together in my mother’s womb." --Psalm 139:13
Read: Psalm 139
God spoke, and there was light. He breathed the stars in space and put the moon in place. But you? You, He knitted. Imagine, the God who filled the oceans with water made your eyes to blink. After spraying the cosmos with trillions of galaxies, He gave you goosebumps. (And then you did the same to Him.)
--Jimmy Peña
WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: Build, Burn
Try the following workout to jump-start your week. Build muscle, burn calories...all at your own pace. Everyone has a "best." What's yours? That's what your effort should be everyday. Walk in place with high knees - 1 min. Jog in place - 1 min. Jumping jacks - 1 min. Jog with high knees - 1 min. Rest 30 sec. Push-ups - 30 sec. Straight-arm plank - 30 sec. Standard plank - 30 sec. Push-ups - 30 sec. Rest 30 sec.
Repeat the entire sequence 2-3 times. Perform this workout up to three times per week, allowing 24-48 hours between sessions. For your push-ups, regardless of what type you are doing, count your reps and strive to increase that number from workout to workout.
DVD: Looking for a new program to speed your gains along in 2012? Try the PrayFit 33-Day Total Body Challenge DVD by Lionsgate.
NOW WHAT?
"He has made everything beautiful in its time."— Ecclesiastes 3:11
Now what? Have you ever asked yourself that? If so, you're not alone. It may not comfort you to know that this ham-and-egg writer has asked himself that question many times, but a few others you might recognize probably have too. Who comes to mind? Abraham when he reached the altar with Isaac, Moses when he reached the sea, or Joshua when they finally reached Jericho. The same question they whispered to themselves after being obedient was the same question the enemy shouted when Jesus was on the cross: Now what?
In response, God left Heaven's hall for Bethlehem's stall. He then climbed out of his crib and onto the cross. He became the answer to our biggest question and our direst need. Are you facing a 'now what' moment? Maybe your health is taking a wrong turn or the job you wanted is already filled. Whatever you're dealing with, the next time you look up at the stars, think of Abraham. When you run into a sea of obstacles and walls too tall to climb, remember Moses and Joshua. Just like you, their question just before the miracle was 'now what?'
--Jimmy Peña
MEMORY BOOST: GET THE BLUES
Eat one cup of blueberries, three times a week for better memory. "Blueberries," according to Johnny Bowden, PhD, CNS, author of "The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer," "are the ultimate memory food. They are loaded with compounds that fight both oxidation and inflammation in our brains."
SOWN UP WITH LOVE
September 13, 2011Read: Colossians 1
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." --Colossians 1:17
To imagine God carefully knitting our souls together is, well, tough to imagine. It's easier to picture Him forming mountains than it is to see him fashioning hearts. But nothing in all creation was created with more care. Compared to you, Everest is a mole hill and the Sahara is a single grain of sand. Are the heavens amazing? Absolutely. Does the earth pronounce His splendor? Without a doubt. But only you and I were sown up with one distinguishing trait and something no star above can claim: choice.
And much like an artist puts a signature on his work, God signed us. That's right. In our very cells, God made His mark. But first, remember those goosebumps we talked about yesterday? I think He made them for times like this. This is the actual structure of the protein molecule that binds all of our cells together: Scientists call it laminin, but let's just call it love. --J.P.
Question: Isn't it amazing how we're held together? From Heaven down to earth, it's all about the Cross. What will you do today to protect what protects you?
Laminin source: Louie Giglio's How Great is Our God STRONG SIDE Boost strength instantly by training one limb at a time
While the benefits of using dumbbells are many, there is one that stands out for those looking to get stronger. Research shows that one-limb (unilateral) training allows you to recruit more total muscle fibers, making you approximately 20% stronger on each rep.
For example, if you were able to curl a 50-pound barbell for 10 reps, you could reasonably expect to curl 30-pound dumbbells (or 60 pounds total) for as many reps. As a bonus, if you should fail before that 10th rep, you can use a free hand to spot yourself through a few forced reps.
Unilateral training is also safer, since there is no risk of getting pinned beneath a barbell. Using dumbbells allows you to recruit more total muscle fibers in order to stabilize your body through each rep, which makes for better gains in overall body composition in the long run.
YOU, HE KNITTED
September 12, 2011Read: Psalm 139
“You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” --Psalm 139:13
God spoke, and there was light. He breathed the stars in space and put the moon in place. But you? You, He knitted. Imagine, the God who filled the oceans with water made your eyes to blink. After spraying the cosmos with trillions of galaxies, He gave you goosebumps. (And then you did the same to Him.)
-J.P.
Please join us this week as we look at the miracle of our bodies as His prized creation, and how His temple on earth will outshine the stars.
WORKOUT of the WEEK
Try this workout to jump-start your week. Build muscle, burn calories...all at your own pace. Everyone has a "best." What's yours? That's what your effort should be everyday.
Walk in place with high knees - 1 min. Jog in place - 1 min. Jumping jacks - 1 min. Jog with high knees - 1 min. Rest 30 sec. Push-ups - 30 sec. (modify per your abilities) Straight-arm plank - 30 sec. Standard plank for - 30 sec. Push-ups - 30 sec. (modify per your abilities) Rest 30 sec.
Repeat the entire sequence 2-3 times. Perform this workout up to three times per week, allowing 24-48 hours between sessions. For your push-ups, regardless of what type you are doing, count your reps and strive to increase that number from workout to workout.
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