Souls Aboard

"The strong spirit of a man sustains him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear?" --Proverbs 18:14

Read: Proverbs 18 "How many souls on board?" the voices over the radio would ask. For business this weekend, I boarded a few different vessels to get where I was going. I'm likely on one as you read this sentence. And as each craft approached its destination, that question would come up. Being privy to the communication between the captain and ground crew, I found myself anticipating both the question and the answer. (Too easy, right? I know, but I couldn't resist.)

Because while I know what it meant, they could have simply asked for a head count or even the number of seats that were filled. Call me sentimental, but their words made it clear that we were on a vessel full of vessels; souls aboard. Your body has one. Mine too. Say it out loud. It makes a difference when you say it from a literal sense: There's a soul on board.

As we begin a new week, tackling school lunches, deadlines, meetings and conference calls, let's whisper it often and with conviction. We're more soul than body, so whether yours is battling an infirmity you didn't see coming or you're trying to make up for years of neglect, let it be known. We protect our eyes from things we don't need to see, cover our ears, close our mouths, and humbly do our best to care for the body as we get where we need to go. Why?

--Jimmy Peña

Question: Knowing you're more soul than body, how does that change your thinking in terms of your health? Does it motivate you to care for it as long as it lasts? Does it help you walk into rooms with clarity of purpose? How does concentrating on your soul affect your body?

10-MINUTE WORKOUT: Triceps The triceps. This muscle group, critical for every upper body pushing movement, represents some two-thrids of the mass in your upper arm. Men who want bigger arms sometimes mistakenly overtrain their biceps but it's the out-of-sight, out-of-mind triceps that need the attention. For women, the back of the arm can be a "trouble" area -- a place where more bodyfat is stored and muscle tone can be tougher to hold on to. This short workout will help both genders provide this area with a mini-makeover worth its weight in tanktops.

>> Click here for the comprehensive routine.

A Runner's World

"Run in such a way as to get the prize." --1 Corinthians 9:24

Read: 1 Corinthians 9

Smarter people than me have said that life is about the journey, not the destination. I thought about it this weekend while my wife and I planned her next marathon (and my next vacation). See, we base a few of our trips each year on the races she enters. As she surveys the course with all its twists and turns, I consider the finish line. After all, when she crosses the finish, we both see our goals.

Paul said it best: "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (v. 25)" If anyone knew the perspective we should have about these bodies, Paul did. Vessels, tools, mere instruments. Vehicles that help us run the human race with Heaven's grace.

So let's set records in the Lamb's book; share Christ with every breath in this runner's world. I say we throw our heads back and high step it, trusting the finish line to help us make sense out of these twists and turns. After all, whoever said life was about the journey was still on it. I think when we reach the destination, we'll all beg to differ.

--Jimmy Peña

WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: RUN

This week, it's up to the runners. We want you to provide us with your latest fleet-footed, gazelle-like extravaganza. Whether you're an avid runner or recently bought your first pair of asics, we want to hear from you. We'll post one of your workouts next week here on PrayFit. Tell us if you ran indoors or out. Your pace, the incline, the duration and number of intervals and, most importantly, how your run impacted your life. Share your runner's world with us.

ACTION! We're building the PrayFit Nation, one fitter soul at a time and here's how you can help

>> WATCH: To start PrayFit's new at-home DVD workout, click here. (Click here for the trailer)

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