The Price Tag of Real Worth

After reading Tozer's excerpt on meekness yesterday, I came to many conclusions, but none more evident than this: I am not meek, and I certainly am not resting in Jesus like God wants me to.

A few key thoughts jump back to me, and maybe they resonated with you too:

• The labor of self-love is a heavy one indeed. 
• As long as you set yourself up as a little god to which you must be loyal there will be those who will delight to offer affront to your idol. 
• The heart's fierce effort to protect itself from every slight, to shield its touchy honor... 
• The meek man cares not at all who is greater than he, for he has long ago decided that the esteem of the world is not worth the effort.
• He rests perfectly content to allow God to place His own values.
• He will be patient to wait for the day when everything will get its own price tag and real worth will come into its own.
• As he walks on in meekness he will be happy to let God defend him. 

Guys, I don't know, but there must be a reason why as I read these sentences and phrases, a strange peace comes over me. There has to be a reason why as I read them, I am - even but for a brief second - given deep release as if I'm actually living this way or that I've been given the keys to freedom; my heart buoyed in a sea that so easily causes me to sink. And I think the reason I feel that way is because Jesus truly does call us to His rest and meekness is the method by which we can.

Social media makes me anxious. It always has. I'm not on it much, but I relate social media to walking into a crowded restaurant and listening to every conversation at every table. Madness, right? And not only that, everyone in the restaurant is doing the same. Or imagine listening to every conversation and song of everyone sharing your daily commute to work. Crazy! And so here I come, like I'm climbing the onramp of the 405 freeway on a tricycle. Be clever, be inspirational, make a difference, grow, reach more people, keep up Jimmy or get run over! Keep up! HONK! HONK! 

Ok, maybe that's pushing it, but it is but one example of the things of life that if we let meekness be our method, we won't care what the world thought. And if God is pleased, it doesn't matter what the world thinks. Same goes with our health, our bodies. All we want is for God to be pleased, amen? I'm gonna get off at the next exit and finish this brief series tomorrow, but is anyone feeling this with me? What is God speaking to you about?

In His rest,
- jimmy

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Meekness is His Method

As we study meekness, let's give ourselves homework. Tomorrow we'll review together this excerpt from Tozer as it pertains to our health and our pursuit of fitness. But find a good corner, a soft lamp, and a few moments to soak this in.

"Let us examine our burden. It is altogether an interior one. It attacks the heart and the mind and reaches the body only from within. First, there is the burden of pride. The labor of self-love is a heavy one indeed. Think for yourself whether much of your sorrow has not arisen from someone speaking slightingly of you. As long as you set yourself up as a little god to which you must be loyal there will be those who will delight to offer affront to your idol. How then can you hope to have inward peace? The heart's fierce effort to protect itself from every slight, to shield its touchy honor from the bad opinion of friend and enemy, will never let the mind have rest. Continue this fight through the years and the burden will become intolerable. Yet the sons of earth are carrying this burden continually, challenging every word spoken against them, cringing under every criticism, smarting under each fancied slight, tossing sleepless if another is preferred before them.

Such a burden as this is not necessary to bear. Jesus calls us to His rest, and meekness is His method. The meek man cares not at all who is greater than he, for he has long ago decided that the esteem of the world is not worth the effort. He develops toward him self a kindly sense of humor and learns to say, "Oh, so you have been overlooked? They have placed someone else before -you? They have whispered that you are pretty small stuff after all? And now you feel hurt because the world is saying about you the very things you have been saying about yourself? Only yesterday you were telling God that you were nothing, a mere worm of the dust. Where is your consistency? Come on, humble yourself, and cease to care what men think."

The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but he has stopped being fooled about himself. He has accepted God's estimate of his own life. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God has declared him to be, but paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is in the sight of God of more importance than angels. In, himself,,, nothing; in God, everything. That is his motto. He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him and he has stopped caring. He rests perfectly content to allow God to place His own values. He will be patient to wait for the day when everything will get its own price tag and real worth will come into its own. Then the righteous shall shine forth in the Kingdom of their Father. He is willing to wait for that day.

In the meantime he will have attained a place of soul rest. As he walks on in meekness he will be happy to let God defend him. The old struggle to defend himself is over. He has found the peace which meekness brings."

Homework: Study this passage, reading it again and again if need be. How does this apply to our pursuits? Can meekness be our method? Our motto?

Muscle. Meekness.

“Blessed are the meek: 
for they shall inherit the earth.”

— Matthew 5:5

Max Lucado once wrote, "A small cathedral outside Bethlehem marks the supposed birthplace of Jesus.  Behind a high altar in the church is a cave, a little cavern lit by silver lamps. You can enter the quiet cave where a star embedded in the floor recognizes the birth of the King. There’s one stipulation, however. You have to stoop. The door is so low you can’t go in standing up. The same is true of the Christ. Blessed are the meek, Jesus explained. You can see the world standing tall, but to witness the Savior, you have to get on your knees. While the theologians were sleeping, and the elite were dreaming, and the successful were snoring, the meek were kneeling. They were kneeling before the One only the meek will see."

And that's what we will do over the next few days. We will imagine the doorway to our gym or our studio has somehow been lowered; shrunk to the point that we - the typically upright and able hard-chargers - have to stoop. Our new posture - before and after every rep, every pose, every hold, and every goal that we set - will serve as a reminder that our health and our opportunities to succeed all come from God.

We have nothing in our hands, no grip, no nerve, no sinew, no muscle, no motivated mind, no desire in our hearts, no fire in our belly, and nothing in the mirror's reflection displaying the byproducts of those intangibles that we did not receive from God.

But may we all be warned. FOR that to happen, and IF that happens, there are consequences. It may mean - on the shallow periphery - less success, less strength, endurance or achievement. It may mean - on the invisible soul - that the weight of the opinions of others weighs less, and it may mean that the accepted and expected competition with yesterday's self is actually less competitive, less fierce, less intense, less obvious. But my prayer for all of us - especially for the pride-filled writer of this sentence - is that the consequence will be a blessing; one given to those that will inherit the earth.

-Jimmy Peña

Melt The Ice

Salt. Our week's theme. Salt. That's us to the world. Countless articles have been written on the subject; the metaphor, the meaning, the explanation of what the Bible means when it says that we are the salt of the earth. But what does it mean for us in the fitness industry? What does salt do?

It preserves.
It seasons.
It cures.

It also melts ice.

One of the single greatest obstacles facing the fitness industry isn’t a lack of Christians supplied with the gospel, it’s in the distribution of it. In some cases, it’s fear. Fear of being a radical. Fear of being the freak. Or rather than seeing the gym, fitness center or ‘box’ as a mission field, we’re competing for attention on a physical level. 

But imagine if one of our “fitness goals” each week was to mention Jesus to just one (1) perfect stranger we encounter (or even to someone we’ve been training with for a long time.) No attention, no glitz, no new “likes,” no new followers, no hearts on Instagram, but just a simple, humble desire to reach those God has brought into our midst for the cause of Christ. 

Frankly, I’m convinced that one of the most devious of the enemy’s ploys has been to convince us that our time in the gym is “me” time. "Yes, block everyone out – especially those that need Jesus – and focus on your SELF. Turn up the music, ignore the have-nots, disregard the lonely. You’re here to take care of the body after all." 

Cold.

Meanwhile, the sound of clanging iron echoes like prison doors, while those sentenced to "life" believe that more size, more beauty, more strength, more attention are the keys to freedom. 

Guys, wanna set some prisoners free? Ask questions this week. Be salt. Melt the ice. Start talking about how God has blessed you. Drop His name: 

“Man, I don’t know where I’d be without God.”
“Bro, are you a Christian? No? Cause you’d make an awesome Christian.”
“Dude, would you like to get a protein shake after we lift so I can tell you about a time that changed my life?” 

Guys, the fact is, the gym is as much of a mission field as the mission field. What if we rocked the world – the fitness world – for Jesus? Worth a try, don't you think?

- jimmy peña

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The One That Came Back

I wonder if I would have come back. Ten lepers - lepers who were outcasts to society, unable to be with family and friends - saw Jesus and from a safe distance exercised faith. Let's read the powerful passage together. 

"It happened that as he made his way toward Jerusalem, he crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Taking a good look at them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus said, “Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?” Then he said to him, “Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you." Luke 17: 11-19

First thing that jumps out of the story to me is the fact that they kept their distance. In that day and age, those suffering with leprosy weren't allowed near clean people, so they stuck to protocol behind an invisible, uncrossable border. Faces pressed against it, hands up, they did the only thing they could; scream. Their plea mirrored their pain. If octaves equaled misery, theirs was a high C. Then after a 'good look at them' Jesus told them to go show the priests. Catch that? They figured they were keeping a safe distance, and yet Jesus got a good look at them. Wow. (I could get a full week of lessons from that one phrase). And then, it happened. On their way to see the priests, new skin. Fingers replaced nubs. Faces filled voids. Thoughts of holding children and kissing wives ran through their minds.

Now, one of them did what I hope I would do. He stopped. Wait a second, he thought.
I cried, He cared.
I moaned, He gave mercy.
I have to go back. 

And here's another great moment for me in this story. He came back shouting his praise. He figured if his suffering called for screaming, his healing called for hollering. But this time, no barrier. No outer marker. No holding pattern. He was clean and he knew it - and getting close to the One that made him that way was his default reaction. Like I said in the beginning, I wonder if I would have gone back.

-Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: I've moaned in pain over the years, and I know many of you have too. Did my praise of His healing mirror my plea for His help? Did yours? Well, we don't know exactly how far the healed man traveled before turning back to thank Jesus, but I do know it's not too late for you and me to do the same. Let's take a second right where we are and thank Jesus for getting a good look at us. Let's go back. If you have a praise you'd like to share with everyone, please share it in the comments section below. If you'd like to keep it private and yet raise your hand, just say "Unspoken" and we'll celebrate with you. 

Someone To Be

You know the scene. You've planned your workout with pristine precision. You've prepped yourself with enough fast-digesting protein and slow-digesting carbs to pull a train across town. But as you try to leave the house, you can't find your keys. Once you do, you realize you have about enough gasoline to get that train 10 feet. Ugh. Ok. Gasoline? Check. So, you made it to the gym, but based on the lack of parking, you figure the entire side of town decided to train this day. Really?

Ok. You're in. But dang. The guy at the front desk is moving at a glacial pace scanning membership cards! Doesn't he know how important my workout is and how precious my time is to do it? Good grief. Finally!! You're in. The promised land. Your little kingdom. Your world. You find your locker, use the restroom. You're ready. Then you make your way to the machine your body has been dying to work upon only to find that lo and behold the person on it seems to have put up a mailbox, a welcome mat and a bird feeder. He is not leaving anytime soon. Argh!!

Sound farfetched? Well, if I'm not describing you, I'm probably describing me from back in my gym days. (Boy, do we miss the meaning?) But for all we know, the delay in finding your keys and the empty gas tank allowed an emergency vehicle a clear path to their destination. The full parking lot wasn't a bunch of newcomers, they were visitors from a local shelter that needed to use the showers and facilities. And the guy working the front desk, he's got special needs. He's worked his way through a special school to earn his high school diploma. The gym owner gave him a chance to work a few hours each day. This is his first week on the register. He gets nervous easily and he doesn't remember how to print the receipt. 

And oh, the guy on the machine? You know, the one that seems to have taken up residence? Well, he's just a guy; someone's son and brother. He's battled addiction and he lost his mother to cancer. He's single, and he's given up hope of ever finding someone to love. He doesn't know how to work this machine, let alone what muscles it works. He's just a sweet guy with a soft heart. He shows up at the gym just to be around people and to take care of his health as best he can. He figures the crowded parking lot means the odds are good that he may meet a friend or two. Someone who may smile his way. Someone to say hello. Someone to show him how to train on this complicated machine.

Someone to be salt.

"How many more sets you got?" you ask.

- Jimmy Peña

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Deep Calling

"You are the salt of the earth...Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven." - Matthew 5:13-16 

Loretta and I recently took a short drive up the coast to visit some friends in Carmel, Ca. If the phrase "God's Country" ever applied, it's there. We always love seeing Carmel, and we've determined that if we ever move cities, Carmel awaits. The only thing better than the view was the couple we were there to visit. If the phrase, "Salt of the Earth" ever applied, it's to them.

Speaking of salt, one afternoon we toured their resort in Carmel and on the grounds they have an actual salt house. It's the neatest thing. They harvest the resort's salt directly from the waters of Monterey Bay. And something I read while I was there made me think of all of you as we return to our devotions. In order to farm the salt, the salt company "heads out about a mile into the deeper, hallowed waters of the Bay where the water is pure and fresh."

Friends, isn't that the goal each day for our lives, work and health? To go deep? It's deep into God's word and deep on our knees in prayer, and deep into our perspective of the body where we find real, lasting meaning. Shallow is easy. Shallow is quick. Shallow is popular. But we're called to a deeper love. Peter wasn't called out of the boat where his feet could touch the bottom, and neither are we. In order to be God's salt of the earth in this industry or any industry, we know where to go; to the gospel. To the gospel where water is pure and fresh.

- Jimmy Peña

BE SALT: Over the last few weeks, we've been knee-deep in A PrayFit Summer, and one aspect of the challenge was the "PrayFit Dare." Daily or weekly, we'd challenge participants to a certain dare; to "BE" something. Be forgiving, Be giving, Be invisible, Be rare. And today's entry makes me want to dare us; to be salt wherever we train. What would it mean today for you and me to be salt to those we're around? I wonder, when we walk into the gym, do we have in mind the awe and wonder of God on our faces and in our words and delivered in our actions so that we season our surroundings? Yeah, be salt. That's the dare of the week.

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For the Glory of His Grace

I will not yield my glory to another. (Isaiah 42:8)

God said that. God doesn't share glory with you. He doesn't share glory with me. God created the Heavens and the earth, along with your neighborhood, and the mountains, and your little gym, and billions of galaxies, each grain of sand on every seashore, the space between the wings of the hummingbird and the brittle bones of the hands typing this poorly constructed sentence for one purpose: for the glory of God's grace. That's it.

Why does He allow the adversity we talked about last week? To display the glory of His grace. Why did He allow us the ability to do Jennifer's at-home workout or to take Dana's water challenge or the "Be inviting" dare? To display the glory of His grace.

John Piper says that, "God created man in his own image. What was the point? The point of an image is to image. Images are erected in public to display the original. Point to the original. Glorify the original. God made humans in his image so that the world would be filled with reflectors of God. Images of God. Billions of statues of God. So that nobody would miss the point of creation. Nobody could miss the point of humanity...namely...God! Knowing, loving and showing God."

I've themed this week, "For the Glory of His Grace." I want every single thing we think, speak, and train for to reveal just that. I asked you on Saturday to write down your goals; to jot down those out-of-the-park aspirations that you'd pursue if God allows you His will and the health to fulfill it. Well, that agenda has only one underlying theme. Those objectives have only one purpose. The sweat they take, and the results they make have one solitary reason, motive and motif for existence: 'the glory of His grace revealed in the saving work of Jesus.'

Your best health has come - or will come - when your body points others to Christ. That may not be your idea of an "ideal" weight. That may not mean your supreme "strength." But the best moment your body will ever experience is when the glory of His grace is on display.

- Jimmy Peña

Going Deeper: As we enter the second half of A PrayFit Summer, our goals begin to take shape. We begin to realize both the temporary nature and the eternal impact our health has 1) upon our lives, 2) those around us and 3) the ultimate purpose of our design.

(This is an excerpt from today's entry inside the PrayFit Summer challenge. "Revealed" on purpose. The image has significant meaning to those in the challenge. Curious what it means to you?)

Cue The Mountain

Hey everyone, I've missed you the last couple of weeks. As many of you know, I've been knee-deep in the PrayFit Summer challenge. What a wonderful time we've had. Almost half-way home and we've all been challenged in so many ways, spiritually and physically. I'll be sure to do a summary post when we're all done.

But yesterday I saw a blurb on social media that made me think of the years we've had together. For nearly 9 years, I've written this devotion each day, excluding weekends. And over the years we've explored the complexity of physical stewardship. What a ride, amen? 

Well, anyway, the post read, "God gave you this mountain to show others it can be moved." At first, I like it. I can buy it. Yeah, I believe it. Kinda. Well, wait a minute. I mean, I understand the meaning behind it. Motivate people to press on and conquer the obstacle ahead. Yes. I'm in. Faith can move mountains, after all.

But then it dawned on me. God chose me to be weak to protect me from me.

Paul Tripp says, "God made you weak to cause you to value the strength that only He can give. They don't expose gaps in theology nor are they indicators of the failure of His promises. They protect us from the self-reliance that tempts us all."

The quote I read on social media begs for back-slapping, unless God indeed is given the honor and glory. So I suppose that's why the apostle Paul said, "So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited...I am content in my weaknesses. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor. 12:7-10)

The mountains we're assigned point to God either way, right? If we move them - or at least for me, when I can't - it shows others that God is God and we're not. Fact is, if faith in God can move mountains - and I can't make a pebble roll - how mighty must He be? I guess my point is, an unmoved mountain is as much an indicator of God's strength as one that's been thrown into the sea.

Yeah, no need for unnecessary attention my way. No cause to pause. I'm just a weary, needy, broken soul still in need of a Savior. Need proof? I can either flex or we can just cue the mountain. 

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Have you ever pushed passed a limit God set for you? Think about it. Our industry basks in convincing us that we can push beyond our limits, but is that true? Can we push past our actual, God-given limits? Or is it more likely that we're pushing passed our perceived limits; limits that He's given us the ability to push beyond? Let me know you thoughts. I have my own. :-)

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The Dry Well

Confession. I was so skinny in high school, I never wore a short-sleeved shirt to class; not one day in 4 years. At least not during regular school hours. And shorts? Probably didn't own a pair. But then came college, old Russell gym, grad school and years of practice. After that, I wore short sleeves and shorts 365 days a year, rain or shine. As long as I was growing, I was showing. I even walked around with a bit of what we called "lat syndrome," as if I was so wide I'd have trouble fitting through the door. I had a sincere belief that I would be bigger and stronger each week, and I trained with that kind of hope. Even as a Christian, I based much of my satisfaction on my ability to pick heavy things up and set them down and to do it multiple times. Sounds kind of corny to describe it that way, but I glorified in my ability to lift stuff.

But hope changes everything.

I recently read a blurb on social media from someone saying that you can trust the iron, because "Iron will never lie to you, iron is your best friend, and you can trust it, because 200 lbs will always be 200 lbs." What a commentary. I chuckle a little, because I could have easily written that 20 years ago. Thing is, it's just not true.

We can't put our trust in a weight we can lift.

Guys, hopefully something you've read this week has been a reminder that we don't base our satisfaction - our hope - in any "thing;" be it the money in our wallets, the cars in the garage, the boat hitched to the trailer (for those of you with boats), or the gifts of diligence in the gym. We can dig and dig and dig and dig, but the well of stuff - even health stuff - is dry. Bone dry. Should we strive to be the best at our calling, absolutely. Work hard? Without a doubt. But the hope on our lips, and in our hearts, and on our minds, can't be found on the scale, or in the mirror, or under the bar, or the bench, or from the PR (or via the selfie you take in its aftermath.) Our highest hope is in the person of Jesus.

Are you training - living - with that kind of hope?

-Jimmy Peña

Greatness of Soul

Over the years, I've tried to make it a point to encourage you to take care of the body that carries the soul. Not that I won't continue to cheer us on in the fight for bodily stewardship, but the more I study and grow and fail, the more certain I am that while the body carries the soul, it's the soul that protects the body; not the other way around.

John Ortberg writes, "The soul knows a glory that the body cannot rob. In some ways, in some cases, the more the body revolts, the more the soul shines through." He goes on to say that the "greatness of soul is available to people who do not have the luxury of being ecstatic about the condition and appearance of their bodes." 

Wow.

That particular quote came on the heels of a story about Patricia. Patricia suffered from the effects of diabetes, a heart attack and two strokes. She went blind and lost both legs...all in her thirties. But before she died, she led a team to build a homeless shelter in Washington, D.C. At her funeral, alongside Secretary of State James Baker, standing in reverent respect were - of course - the homeless. "Somehow my body is mine, but it's not me," she said.

Greatness of soul.

- Jimmy Peña

The Standard

There's a great scene in the classic movie Hoosiers where the aging coach, portrayed by Gene Hackman, leads his young team onto an empty court hours before the state championship. The intimidating arena was something the young team from Hickory had never dreamed of, let alone seen.

As the team's collective jaw dropped at the enormity of the venue, Coach quietly took out a tape measure to determine the distance from the basket down to the floor. With the team huddled around him, Coach revealed that the measurements matched those of their humble court back home, and the kids quickly realized the lesson: No matter how daunting or unexpected the surroundings, the standards of the game remain the same.

As we wake up the dawn after the long weekend, let's measure it. When we evaluate our life and health against God's Word, we're guided -- some toward better habits of physical stewardship and others perhaps toward less self-admiration. Dr. Charles Stanley says, "One of Satan's strategies is to get our minds so occupied with peripheral concerns that we compromise our reliance upon Christ."

You know, as fitness-minded believers we can get so caught up in how we look that we never see the battlefield. And others of us have neglected our health so much that we can't reach it. But grace, the most humble of motivators, changes us. It frees us from us.

What a perfect chance to measure out the day against life's only true standard. When we do, our collective jaw will drop because none of us measures up. None of us. Our eyes are opened. God is too good, too big, and too incredible for us to either sit idle or to be full of ourselves. Let's determine today that we will play the game of life with both absolute reliance and radical humility.

--Jimmy Peña

Just Days Away: The doors are closing on A PrayFit Summer. Hurry and reserve your spot and join the challenge as we train ourselves to be godly. Not only will you join a growing community and be encouraged toward new habits of spiritual and physical diligence, but 100% of the funds goes toward church ministry. Pretty cool. Just $10 to get your login details and all the benefits, and you will also be automatically entered into the iPrayFit membership just for signing-up! (opt-out at anytime.) Hope you join us.

The Scars and Stripes

Driving along Malibu Canyon recently, I came across a tall, old tree in the front yard of a beautiful home. Next to the tree stood an equally tall flag pole. Now, most days I probably wouldn't have noticed, but as I went by I realized the flag was tangled around some branches, evidence of some recent high winds.

Now, you may be just like me, but something stirs inside when I see the stars and stripes helpless like that. I don't know, but our symbol of freedom shouldn't be stuck to a tree. It was wrapped so tight in fact, I literally said to myself, "Oh, someone has to climb up there."

With amazing pity for my crimes and yours, our Freedom willingly crawled up that old rugged cross. We were helpless, so Someone had to climb up there. And Jesus, with His scars and stripes, embraced it.

- Jimmy Peña

Significant To The Kingdom

On a recent flight home, I took my usual aisle seat. Here's the thing, I have to get the aisle. With as much water as I have to drink, not to mention the need to stretch my back and these hips -- unfortunately -- I'm that annoying guy on a plane. You know, the one who walks the length of the aircraft the entire time? Yeah, that's me. But at this point, I'm in my seat, buckling up and here she comes.

With the help of her daughter and a couple of flight attendants, the elderly women needed lots of time getting to her seat. The scene literally brought tears to my eyes but she finally got situated and everyone proceeded to their respective posts. I was leaning, chin in my hand looking at her, when she glanced my way.  I smiled as she widened her eyes and gave me a "Whew, I made it" look. I could tell she had a good sense of humor. Sweet thing. I don't know why, but I reached over and touched her sweater and nodded as if to say, "You did good." I liked her right away.

Well, midway through the flight, after a few hours of glances and grins, she had to use the lavatory. I watched the interaction with her daughter. I listened to the prep work, the planning, what to hold on to, what not to do, where to put her feet, how far away it was. Folks, I was in the presence of a fighter, strategizing at 30,000 feet.

But I close the week with this quick story because as we taxied to our gate and we began to exit, I felt a pat on my forearm. "You're such a nice person," she said. (Gulp, lump in throat, c'mon Peña, hold it together.) We exchanged "God bless you's" and I went on my way. Guys, I can't tell you what that pat on the arm did for me. Trust me, it's never too late to make an impact on someone. Your health is significant to the Kingdom; through your impact on others, your specific calling, your ability to serve and more. It took work for this silver-haired saint to raise her arm and reach mine. But while it was shaky and frail, it landed. And the impact on me was eternal. No matter your age or ability, your health is significant to the Kingdom.

-Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Who made an impact on you this week? Physically, spiritually? Care to share someone you may or may not know that lifted you this week? Please share.

Benchwarmer

"So Sarah laughed to herself." --Genesis 18:12

Yesterday during a PrayFit meet-and-greet at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, I was asked how I encourage the older population. It was a great question. I tend to do a lot of applauding of the older generation, thanking them for their example, their courage and for paving the way for the rest of us. Part of my answer reminded me of this memory.

Benchwarmer. Not something that sat well with me. But during my sophomore year in high school, I endured it for the first time in my life. See, I was a baseball player, and a good one. But basketball? I probably should've hung up the Air Jordans as a freshmen. Sitting at the end of the bench during a blowout game, I hoped my friends and family would assume I was injured; maybe I twisted an ankle during warm-ups or something. But with a little over a minute on the clock, the unthinkable happened. Coach called my name.

"Reluctant" would be putting it mildly. I literally peeled myself off the chair. I removed my warm-ups from my cold body and joined the otherwise sweaty and necessary group of kids on the court. What's the use, I thought. Well, the clock ran out, we shook hands, and I put my warm-ups on as slowly as I had removed it.

Well, leaving the locker room that night to face the awkward "good game" from loved ones, Coach stopped me. He said something that I'd carry the rest of my life. He said, "I wanted to see your reaction when I called for you late in the game. Jimmy, it's never too late to make an impact."

Maybe you're wondering what kind of influence you can have. Perhaps you think it's way too late in the game for God to use you. That family member? Too far gone. That group of friends? Too set in their ways. No way God is calling me from the bench at my age, with my past. 

Folks, God has a way of doing the unexpected. And if He noticed Sarah laughing at the news of her baby on the way, rest assured He sees our reaction. So, take a minute to consider what the Spirit is whispering to your heart. If it's too lofty, too lowly, too late...God just may be looking for our reaction to His call. Carve this into your heart...If God calls for you, it's never too late to make an impact.

--Jimmy Peña

Worthy of a Frame

Where do you keep your pictures? I’m not talking about the fun, random, cell phone snaps or the countless Instagram pics. I’m talking about the special ones –- those worthy of a frame. That’s where we need to start…the mantle of your heart.

You know, we’ve all heard the statement that if God had a mantle, your picture would be on it. And while I love knowing that, I wonder what you and I would actually look like? At first, that thought might sound a bit weird, awkward or even irrelevant. I suppose it would be if we were talking about the body, but God sees our hearts. And like we’ve said many times, life is not about the body, and our bodies-- these frames -- will most certainly not last Heaven.

But if anyone knows our bodies, what they’re capable of, and most importantly, the purpose they have on earth, it’s Him. So I guess you could say, we’re just pictures of grace; souls He saw worthy...of a frame.

--Jimmy Peña

QUESTION: God loves our souls so much he framed them with bodies. How does knowing that change the way you view the importance of health, the care you give your body and the heavenly purpose it represents? 

Going Deeper: This question is one we'll be tackling together in A PrayFit Summer. It's not too late to sign up. You'll receive so many benefits and it will benefit so many. It's just $10 for a month-long look at 1 Timothy 4:8. We will strike the imbalance this verse demands. For some, it may mean greater attention to the body, for others it very well may mean less. Let's do this together.

In The Meantime

It's well-documented that 20 years ago when Yankees ownership asked then professional scout Dick Groch if he thought Derek Jeter would be going to Michigan after high school, he famously replied, "The only place this kid is going is Cooperstown." Few predictions have ever proved more true. We've merely had two decades to see what Derek Jeter would do in the meantime.

You know, blessed with having a master's degree in clinical exercise physiology, I can tell you why muscle reacts the way it does. After 8 books and nearly 2 decades of published articles, I can detail why our cells become oxygen-efficient through cardiorespiratory training. In my sleep, I can meticulously diagram the energy systems. I can discuss the finer points of the overload principle and how the body reacts to less, more or the same stimulus from one day to the next. The chemical reaction of fiber damage? Yes. Agility, flexibility, endurance, atrophy? Yep, those too. Like I said, I can explain a lot about this body, but my feeble self can't explain why God gives grace to the soul inside.

All I know is that if you were scouting me the day I accepted Jesus as my Savior, the only place you'd be certain I'd be destined for is Heaven. What I would do in the meantime - college, grad school, marriage, a publishing career, PrayFit.com, PrayFit.org, PrayFit Ministries and a lot of stumbles, strikeouts, falls and falters - surely wouldn't deserve it or prove it, but unlike Cooperstown, Heaven isn't dependent on votes.

Yeah guys, ever since I was a kid, I've always been passionate about things in my life. I'm all in. Sentimental. And my favorite athlete of all-time is taking his final bow as his number is retired. He just climbed out of the dugout one last time to wave to the crowd and to those of us watching at home. And I promise you that I was standing in the middle of my living room, holding my wife with one hand and tipping my cap to baseball's Captain with the other. It's not pretty in the house of PrayFit. After all, between the day of Mr. Groch's prediction of Jeter's destination to the moment of his ultimate induction into baseball's promised land, I watched what he did in the meantime.

 Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Guys, is anyone a thinker like me? Somebody please say 'yes.' Do you ever hold sand in your hand and think of Abraham and the stars and the length of eternity? Do you ever let neat things like baseball and legends and halls of fame remind you of Jesus and grace and love and faith? Because of the Cross of Calvary, we're assured Heaven.

 Oh Lord, what would you have us do in the meantime?

Glory Thieves

In his message entitled, "The Myth of Greener Grass," Pastor Shawn Thornton, while beginning a new series on the book of Ruth said, "It is better to be in a hard place with God than in a happy place without Him." Pastor went on to say that, "God's greatest goal for our lives isn't our happiness, but our holiness." Wow. A hard place and holiness.

Well, sparing you a smooth transition, where does the body come into play then? Hard places, happiness, holiness, health?

As the team is knee-deep in writing and constructing the June challenge for you, I find myself asking that question of myself. What is it all about? When doctors removed my 4th disk from my spine, did I rejoice in my salvation more than I mourned my loss of function? And when they said I wouldn't need to wear a colostomy bag, did I celebrate Heaven or did my joy come from the fact that I could still lead a normal life on earth? Tough questions, and perhaps they're a bit unfair. Yanking them from the context of my circumstance to help me write this entry seems too easy. After all, Lord knows either you or someone you love has gone through much worse than I have. 

But the truth of the matter is that everything health related is meant to shape us into living and loving like Jesus. Ultimately, every workout is designed to direct our attention to the Giver of that ability and eventually to the service of Him and others with its byproducts. And therein lies the dilemma and the exposure of our brokenness. We don't do that do we? We are glory thieves.

For us, it's all about our satisfaction, our status, our goals, our dreams. Give me comfort, a little recognition, some financial security and whatever physical goal I'm aiming for, and I'm right as rain. It's under those Instagram-worthy conditions that Philippians 4:13 seems to roll right off tongue.

But the older I get and the more mistakes I make, God is showing me that my tiny will isn't His. My little kingdom won't come, and His ultimate goal for my life isn't to make my body work.

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Only grace can rescue us from ourselves; we glory thieves. That's partly what "A PrayFit Summer" is all about; the daily siege to forfeit our precious control and sabotage our touchy honor. It's not going to be easy. The physical components - the walking, the jogging, the lifting, the eating - will all bring about their benefits for sure. But that's really not the challenge. Hurry and sign-up to reserve your spot.

Discipline Determines Destiny

I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should." 
--1 Corinthians 9:27 

Many of you have heard me share this experience, but I think it's perfect for this Monday as we prepare for "A PrayFit Summer." I once had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Charles Stanley with In Touch Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia. I've met a few celebrities in my career, but none of them ever made me nervous. Friends, my hands were sweating and my legs were shaking when I had the honor of speaking with him.

Well, anyway, he delivered a message entitled, "Discipline Determines Destiny." Of course, he made it clear that he wasn't talking about eternal destiny, but that he wanted to discuss our earthly effectiveness; how we handle our money, our time, our relationships and ohhhh yes, while I was at the edge of my seat, he said it..."how we handle our health."

None of the other topics received much of a reaction (perhaps because they were expected), but when he asked the question, "Who wants to live a long, healthy life?", there was a noticeable murmur. When it became quiet, Dr. Stanley simply asked his congregation how they expected to live abundantly when they're facing avoidable and preventable road blocks of health. Hearing it from me is one thing, but when Dr. Charles Stanley says it, it's another thing altogether.

As he preached, I scribbled. He used words and phrases like,

The value we place on our health will be evident in our diligence... Fulfilling, achieving, orderly, less stressful... Aimless and lethargic versus Godly and confident... Feeling good about yourself... Nothing to do with age... He still has the best in mind for you... Positive impact on others...health can be a way to witness... Build better health and a better faith...

Folks, go ahead and quiet the murmur in your mind and settle your thoughts on this one: Your health is important to God. Any personal justification you've otherwise convinced yourself with, is false. The call to action this week is a call of discipline. And it doesn't matter what you decide to do.  Just decide and work within your means. Walk the block or the dog. Do some push-ups or lift some weights. Walk away from the dessert menu and step up to the plate of clean eating. Discipline determines destiny, and if you're reading this, yours is still unwritten.

--Jimmy Peña

FINDING SHADE: In preparation for the PrayFit Summer Challenge which begins on June 5th, we are going into the wilderness to pray, write and prepare to serve you. I covet your prayers for my little team. Thank you to all of you that have signed up for the challenge. Your $10 entry fee goes to ministries like special needs and global missions, and I hope you have a blast with us over the course of the challenge. If you haven't signed-up, there's still time.

Dress Like A Man

Dress like a man.

Now, stick with me, because this isn't God telling good, old Job how great his manhood is. Actually, this is God telling Job how great his manhood isn't. God is putting Job in his place. Pastor Paul Tripp says that when God tells Job to dress like a man, he's demanding that he put his best "person pants" on, because He is going to ask him a couple of questions.

See, God is drawing a line of distinction between creature and Creator. God says, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding. Who determined the measurements? You surely know." (Job 38:4)

Does your fitness or general health as a dependent, created being help produce awe, wonder and worship inside you? Or does it produce a desire for you to be worshipped; for others to be in awe of your story and in wonder of your achievements? If so, then we have a lot in common.

But God was doing for Job what we need to happen for us. Here's the picture God was painting: I'm God, you're not. Get dressed. Lift some weights. Get pumped. Feel the fullness of your manhood! Ready? Good. Because in all your "human" ability, you can't answer Me.

Awe, wonder, worship. That's what all this health stuff is about; to enable us to look up while being face down. The fitness industry - and even the "faith & fitness" industry - wants you to think it's about you; how you're enough. But in truth guys, it's when we realize that God is God, and we're not, that we actually get it; that our greatest achievements in life (especially our perception of physical strength) are a distraction if we allow them to be, especially when we buy the lie that we deserve anything. The line of distinction between the created (us) and the Creator (God) will never be crossed.

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: God never commanded me to put on size. You would have thought He did considering the decades I spent trying to. But no, He commanded me to put on things like gentleness, kindness and humility. But I will never put those things on if I don't have a clear understanding of my place before God. (Is this reaching anyone?)