Rescue. Shelter.

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." --2 Corinthians 5:21

Read: 2 Corinthians 5

In case you missed this story, former New Jersey Governor Richard Codey went undercover last week as a homeless man. He was cold, hungry and plagued with hip problems in the middle of the night. Governor Codey noted that he thought the best way to relate to the homeless was to become homeless himself. In the end, he was rejected by 22 shelters. Imagine...a former governor leaving his mansion to spend a night among the paupers.

Isn't it easy to think of Jesus right about now? Sure it is. Although, Jesus didn't just stay the night did He? He could have, but He didn't. No, He spent a lifetime here. And because He did, we can relate to Him in so many ways. Are you ignored at work? He understands. Rejected by neighbors? So was He. Hurting physically? Jesus knows your pain. But Jesus did more than dress up like us. Note the verse: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us..." See, He does more than relate. He rescues.

Divine irony. He became homeless...so we could follow Him home.

--Jimmy Peña

EXERCISE IN FOCUS: UPRIGHT ROW

One of the key exercises in yesterday's workout of the week was the dumbbell upright row. This multi-joint movement effectively targets your middle deltoid head but it also engages your trapezius, rear delts and albeit to a much lesser degree your forearms and biceps. Because so many muscle groups are involved in this movement, you are able to use significantly more weight than you would be on isolation moves in the routine such as lateral raises. For an exercise demonstration and a deeper analysis of the physiology, click here.

>> COFFEE DRINKERS REJOICE: People give you grief for your insistence on a tall cup of java before you can chat in the morning? Tell them you're enhancing your DNA with each sip. Get the full story on coffee's new benefits by clicking here.

He Gets Us

"For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust." --Psalm 103:14

Read: Psalm 103

If focusing on creation and how we were wonderfully made has taught me anything, it's that God gets us. He gets why we worry. Why else would He constantly encourage us to have faith? He gets why we suffer. Why else would He urge us not to lean on our own understanding? And yes, He also gets the body.

As He formed us, He set limits. As He encased our soul with flesh, He numbered our days on purpose. See, most sculptors never hope to reunite with their design, but God does. We're all He thinks about! Artists may pour heart and soul into their work, but our heart and soul is His work, and He wants us back. His biggest desire for our lives is that we meet the source of our lives. And if Jesus is in our hearts, He gets us.

--Jimmy Peña

PRAYFIT: WEEK IN REVIEW Revisiting a week's worth of faith-building and healthy living

Faith

BE HEALTHY, QUIETLY: No need to brag...let's let the byproducts of our obedience do the talking

A TRAINING PRAYER: A prayer to take into your next training session...and the one after that

BE STILL AND RUN: Today, kneel, bow your head and run

STILL TIME TO DANCE: It's never too late to start moving more

Fitness

WORKOUT: An at-home workout for bolder shoulders in 10 minutes flat NUTRITION: How soy can help you recover faster, boost health

COOKING TIP: Learning how to make a healthier banana bread

FAT-BURNING TIP: How training hungry can burn more fat

HE GETS US

September 15, 2011Read: Psalm 103

"For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust." --Psalm 103:14

If focusing on creation and how we were wonderfully made has taught me anything this week, it's that God gets us. He gets why we worry. Why else would He constantly encourage us to have faith? He gets why we suffer. Why else would He urge us not to lean on our own understanding? And yes, He also gets the body.

As He formed us, He set limits. As He encased our soul with flesh, He numbered our days on purpose. See, most sculptors never hope to reunite with their design, but God does. We're all He thinks about! Artists may pour heart and soul into their work, but our heart and soul is His work. (And He wants us back). His biggest desire for our lives is that we meet the source of our lives. And if Jesus is in our hearts, He gets us.

--J.P.

INTERVALS: METABOLISM BOOSTER

We'll say it again: high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the best method of cardio for maximizing fat and weight loss. Interspersing max- or near-max efforts with less intense bouts of recovery simply challenges your body in a way that traditional, steady-state training does not.

A new study published in the American Journal of Physiology sheds some light on another way that HIIT burns more body fat.

"Researchers reported that six weeks of HIIT increased the amount of special proteins in muscle that are responsible for carrying fat into the mitochondria (where fat is burned away for fuel) by up to 50 percent," says Jim Stoppani, PhD, co-author of "PrayFit: Your Guide to a Healthy Body and a Stronger Faith in 28 Days." "Having more of these proteins in muscle means that more fat can be burned up for fuel during workouts and when resting."

Try these PrayFit-crafted HIIT workouts to start building a stronger, more efficient body. And remember -- intensity is relative. Just give your best effort during the intervals. Everyone has a best -- this type of workout has you seek it repeatedly. And while most think "running" when it comes to cardio, you can perform your favorite aerobic activity in its place. Speedwalking, heavy bag work, jump rope or cycling are all perfectly acceptable substitutes for any HIIT running program you encounter. Simply apply the same training protocols to get greater benefits.

TREADMILL HIIT

HIIT PARADE

GUARDIAN OF YOUR HEALTH

August 4, 2011Read: Philippians 4

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." --Philippians 4:7

We are capable defenders. We put locks on our doors at home and security systems in our cars. We spam proof our e-mails and put passwords on our phones. We stand at the gates of the most important elements in life.

But when it comes to health, we're much less protective. Although we're armed with knowledge, that guard is fast asleep outside our door. We've offered diabetes, heart disease, and obesity the keys to their favorite rooms as they check in, and we validate with shortened lives and lost limbs.

But folks, we are capable defenders. When God said to honor our bodies, we became guardians of health. Our eternity is His responsibility; we can't earn it. Fortunately for us, He put us in charge of something that requires our effort.

--J.P.

DID YOU KNOW? >> For the first time in history, the overweight outnumber the malnourished. (Source: "Sugar Nation" by Jeff O'Connell)

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