If...Then

In a 2015 article, writer Erin Brindley of The Village Church delivers some serious wisdom. She writes:

1. "If God fashioned man out of the dust of the ground to be a bodily being (Gen. 2:7) and declared this culmination of creation very good (Gen. 1:31), then our bodies can’t be inconsequential." 

2. "If God created us as material beings made in His image and gave us the mandate to cultivate the earth and fill it with His image (Gen. 1:26-28), then our bodies must have purpose." 

3. "If Christ came in the flesh (John 1:14) and in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily (Col. 2:9), then the body bears eternal significance." 

4. "If all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, have been created by Christ and for Christ (Col. 1:16), then what we do to our bodies either supports or betrays our worship of Christ." 

Let's put a pin in that, shall we? Those who know me understand that at PrayFit we live within a tension; a tension that we walk like a tightrope when it comes to the complexity of bodily stewardship; trying never to put too much emphasis on the body that we lose sight of what's most important, but never de-emphasizing the truth that we are made in God's image. And in order for us to follow Him and tell others about Him, He gave us arms, legs, skin, eyelids, lips and receding hairlines. Well, that last one He reserved for the really cool kids.

Friends, I am convinced that if we're not careful, "seeing health (or illness) through the Gospel's lens" can become no more than a catchphrase. We have to mine God's Word for the indisputable truths nestled throughout. From Genesis to John, we have irrefutable evidence of the precious origin and the eternal significance of these temporary jars of clay. 

Like I've said before, honoring God with our bodies means something different for each of us. For some, it may mean a more dedicated approach to exercise, better food choices, more rest. For others, it may mean a pumping of the brakes and renewed sense of perspective and purpose.

Stewardship is never showy, but it's not lazy. Stewardship doesn't start in the gym and end in a flex, but rather it begins and ends in a heart where God is pleased.

Physical stewardship happens when our approach to the body proclaims God's image is cherished and His will is pursued in the process.  

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: If...then. Feel the tension? Anybody with me on the tightrope? Love to know your thoughts.

Take Notice

“Foot washers never allow the pace of life to distract them from the purposes of God.”

— Shawn Thornton

Remember my best pal Ms. Josey Wales? If not, she was my chocolate lab. She made her way into many a PrayFit devotion before she passed away last year. We were tight.

Well, the latest message "Foot Washers" at Calvary Community Church reminded me of my girl and one particular moment we shared.

Josey and I were people watchers. Sitting outside Trader Joe's one night, we were waiting for Mama to finish shopping. We eyed all sorts of people. Some of them even noticed Josey's grey beard and eye brows. We took it all in. But then we watched a sweet older couple arrive. He slowly got out of the driver's side only to reappear with a wheelchair and proceeded to help her out of the passenger side. After getting her situated in front of the store, moving slowly himself, he went back to close all the car doors and she simply sat there in the entry way, alone. Like the scene wasn't tough enough, what happened next really got me.

As if she were sitting in the middle of a busy subway station, most were completely oblivious to her as they passed by on both sides. Some rushing along their way, others had their faces in their cell phones. But who would blame them? Probably just anxious to get home to their families and begin their night. We've all been there. But then a woman with her young son walked out, and here began the lesson.

As she and her boy walked by, the mother immediately noticed the elderly woman sitting there. Letting her son push the cart, the woman would look back with nearly every step. By the time she got to the parking lot, it was just too much for her to handle and she sent her son back to check on the elderly woman. Sweet boy, too. With super thick eyeglasses, he walked up to her and after a quick, bashful glance toward his shoes the little gentleman asked, "Are you alright? I mean, um, do you need any help?" I couldn't quite hear her reply, but the little boy just nodded, smiled and ran to catch up with his mama. (Bravo, mama.)

Now, you'll forgive the long entry, but I don't know who was blessed most.
Maybe the woman in the wheelchair; someone cared to ask. Maybe it was the older husband; that little boy checking on his girl was just fine with him. Maybe it was the mom; her mother may have special needs, too. Or perhaps it was the little boy; learning to notice others as well as develop courage to reach out. I'm not sure. For all I know, it could've been the sentimental fool sitting on a bench with his dog.

--Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Are we noticing others enough to help them? Are we so consumed with our agendas, our phones, our workouts, and our busyness that we miss opportunities to be an influence on others for the Kingdom? The gym or the studio may be the place for us to look up, see people and wash some feet.

October Nutrition: The wonderful Jennifer Fielden has out-done herself again in the iPrayFit membership; both from a fitness standpoint as well as in the kitchen. She designed an amazing 2-day meal plan for you to enjoy. You can also download all the recipe cards. Here are just a couple of examples. Enjoy! Click here to enjoy them all!

A Life Worked Out

“Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.”

— — PHILIPPIANS 2:12-18 (THE MSG)

Dr. Charles Stanley said a few years ago, "There's no name that carries more quality, none more Heavenly, or has the power and the energy than the name of Jesus." He went on to say that those who claim Jesus as Savior must also claim Him as Lord of their lives; as the Boss. Because, "Jesus" he continued,  "has the right to call every single play in our lives." Wow. I can't have Him as Savior of my soul and not the Lord in charge of my life.

In Philippians 2:12, Paul says, "...work out your salvation with fear and trembling." He wasn't talking about working their way to Heaven through works, but he was talking about living a life worthy of the calling after salvation. In other words, Jesus is Savior, make sure He's Lord. Work it out. What a powerful passage (the message Bible has a wonderful interpretation, part of which I included above, and I challenge you to read it.)

 So, I've been taking my training up a notch trying to get ready for another trip to the Holy Land this November, and this weekend I did all sorts of new things. Some light weight, extended time on the bike (with my old belt on of course) and even some back work, believe it or not. And I show this pic not only because I have a new back, and I'm working it out (yes, with fear and trembling), but it requires of me a different lifestyle. The kind of weight that I lift or the modified way I get around these days sends a message to those around me. Something is different. There's a reason why I do the things I do.

The message? By grace we have Heaven, and our message to those around us on earth needs to be that we're looking forward to it. That we're working it out. Are we forgiving, loving, showing grace, helping, serving, being stewards? What did Paul say? "Be energetic in your life of salvation." Indeed the Christian life is a life worked out.

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Isn't grace good? We can't budge it. It crashes down on us and puts our little faith to work with whatever we have. Who's working life out today?

Prayer Request: And if I may ask, I'd love your prayers. I'm having some old health issues showing some signs (some of you know what I'm referring to) and I'm also having some sleep issues. So, if you think of me, say a prayer please.

NEW LOOK: Does anyone notice some slight changes to the site? Hopefully things are a little easier to see and we have some really cool things to come. In fact, check it out, Jennifer Fielden is serving up some amazing 2 and 3-Day meal plans at iPrayFit each month and we're delivering recipe cards and shopping lists along with it all. So blessed. (Please let me know what you think of the site.)

Give It Away

Continuing our discussion from Monday, take whatever health you have and give it away. Sacrifice it. Be generous. Wait, what? What exactly does that mean? How can we bottle that up? Being generous with our time is measurable. Being generous with our money is calculable. Being generous with our resources is tangible. But short of donating a kidney, what in the world does it mean to be generous with our health? How can stewardship of our bodies be a pathway to generosity? Is it not enough to lose a few pounds, build some muscle, increase endurance, lower blood pressure? Isn't that what brings glory to His grace? Actually, no.

Matt Chandler doesn't mince words here when he says, "I don't care how much you're in the gym, how chiseled your abs are, how much you can bench press, what you can squat...do you really think God is impressed with that? Nobody stands in front of Everest and is impressed with their physical form. You say, "I crossfit." You can cross all you want bro, but do you think that the God that spoke the earth into being and put it as a tiny piece of His creation is impressed with your physical body that he calls it a sacrifice holy and pleasing to me? Please."

I tell ya, the more mistakes I make and the longer I try and help others renew their perspective of the body, the more I'm convinced that God wants my heart renewed by his grace and for my body (RE: my life as woven together as members I call limbs) to simply obey his commands and love others.

Like those much wiser than me, I believe we were made to worship. But I have fooled many people over the course of my life into supposing that when I train "I'm worshipping." I've even written poems about it and published chart-topping books with chapters with said theme.  And while I do know there have been times where that's been true, where my heart and mind have been in His presence as I perform a certain stretch or when I'm on the bike in tune to His will, I also know I'm full of nonsense in so many ways. And nobody knows it more than the God of the universe that I mock when I secretly, privately and oftentimes publicly glory in my own physical accomplishments. 

Truth is, God doesn't need my lift or my grit. He doesn't need my squat, my flexibility, my PR, my competitive heart. He doesn't need me. He doesn't need me strong, fast, thick, or thin. He doesn't need me lighter, quicker, more intense or less.

He doesn't even need me around.

And yet somehow in his immeasurable grace and mercy He just wants me and loves me. He wants a relationship with me. He died on the cross and made the sacrifice for all my sins, so I don't have to work my way to Heaven, but I simply need to accept Him by grace through faith.

Which leads me a long way to the point of this entry. The most generous thing we can do with our health is offer it up as a living sacrifice because of the sacrifice He became for us. And our living sacrifice has NOTHING to do with our performance in some gym, how well we plan our meals, or in the byproducts of our diligence. But our living sacrifice has everything to do with hearts being changed by the grace of God and in the spiritual change that occurs with and through our bodies as a result.

- Jimmy Peña

A Generous Health

Our tag line, or motto if you will, used to be "Life is not about the body, but our health is a means of praise." You may remember that from the old site. It's a little clunky. Somewhat wordy. But despite its lack of rhythm and meter, it's still true. Still holds. Meaning that any health we have (defined as anywhere between first and last heartbeat) is our chance at worship; our one shot at giving glory to His grace.

But the older I get and the longer I spend in the fitness industry, and especially as PrayFit becomes more involved within the local church, I am growing ever convinced of the complexity of physical stewardship. And perhaps as if I'm looking into a whirlpool of my own history, and writing, and shortcomings, and illnesses, and breakdowns and breakthroughs, and sin, and forgiveness and grace, I imagine myself reaching into the mixture of devotions and extracting that old phrase "means of praise" out of the millions of other words and axioms we've used over the years.

Placing it aside, there it is. Means of praise. Drying it off, so to speak, I take a good look at it. With my chin in my hands, I ask it, "What value do you have in my life and in the life of my readers, old and new? After all this time, what do you really mean?"

Pastor Curtis Johnson blew my hair back last week during a meeting when he said, "Stewardship is a pathway to generosity." Now, of course, he wasn't referring to our physical stewardship, but what a powerful statement. See it again: Stewardship is a pathway to generosity. Examining it from a purely financial sense, it's clear that the management of God's money, His gift to us, is a step to having the opportunity of being generous with our money. In other words, caring for something that's not our own is stewardship, yes, but it doesn't mean we're being generous with it. And I'm finally to the end of the beginning of this long-winded entry.

You and I have been put in charge of something that God made and gave us to take care of temporarily that's not our own, these bodies. Of course, that's not anything new or rare to see on this page.  It's not exactly the spotted owl. Because of its familiarity, we glaze over that sentence as if we've just been given the specials menu at our favorite restaurant. But I know in my own life, if the simplest form of bodily stewardship is more than mindful management but in fact incomplete unless generosity is the result, I've missed it.

This week we may spend a few days on the subject if that's alright; generous health. For some it may mean tough self-examination. When was the last time you prayed for God to help you care less about the gym and more for the people inside it? When was the last time the byproducts of effort resulted in exactly what you intended but were left unused in truly meaningful ways? When is an achieved goal the beginning? When was the last time you saw bodily stewardship and the generosity it requires as a private matter? Finally, and maybe I should have started with this, what does it mean to you to be generous with health? Love to know your thoughts this week. We may just find out that our health is truly our means of praise.
 

- jimmy peña

Special Note: This new series and today's entry were planned prior to the events in Vegas and the entire team sends out prayers and thoughts to everyone involved and affected by this horrible tragedy.

A Couple of Coins

Maybe you're hitting some high-intensity intervals today. Maybe you're a "strongman;" chalk flying. You might prefer a good brisk walk, a steady jog, or a long run. Perhaps you hit the pool, the bike, the hike. The studio could be calling your name; a good stretch and a deep breath are on the day's menu. Your gym may be a rehab center, a crowded box or an empty garage. Here's the deal. God sees it all the same. When done for His glory, it all matters. We can silence the boast and train - because all we're giving is all we got; a couple of coins.

- Jimmy Peña

PrayFit Poll:
Hey guys, do us a favor please and give us your number in the comments section. A few questions happening. We're doing some work on both this site and the iPrayFit membership. Thanks everyone.
I'm a:
1. Lifter
2. Lifter + runner
3. Runner
4. I do crossfit
5. Swimmer
6. Walker
7. Cyclist
8. Combo of above/other (list in comments)

I prefer:
1. Daily devotionals
2. Weekly devotionals
3. The occasional topical series that span the week

I train:
1. At home
2. At the gym

Peace Offering

Peace. Lift two fingers in the air and you have its symbol. Wave a white flag in the air and you make a plea. Summits are held for it. Deals are made in its name. We want financial peace, peace of mind, peace and quiet. But what about physical peace?

When I was the fitness director at Muscle & Fitness Magazine, peace had a price. Peace required blood, sweat and tears. Peace came with a pump. Peace ran with my homies, pain and progress. 

Years later, peace was stubborn. Peace only came when the pain went away. Peace came when the surgery took, when the medicine worked, when the suffering ceased. 

This week's theme is about being at peace with everyone, if at all possible when it depends on us (Rom 12:18). And the body, our health - no matter the state - is a means by which we do that. How we handle our gifts and abilities could produce a truce. Where we go in times of sickness is a chance at a treaty. Isn't that the real point? It really isn't about being at peace with my body - God-forbid I minimize the topic down to the preservation of self-acceptance or being comfortable in my own skin - but it's about me being at peace with every body.

Truth is, to be absent of the body is to be present with the Lord. Chew on that. The divine irony for the fitness-minded - as we battle gravity and decide who gets the glory when the byproducts are revealed - is that when we finally lose the skin we're in, we'll realize it.

The goal then, the impossible dream I suppose, is to engage with others wherever we train with them in mind. To live and love like Jesus in the fitness industry I'm convinced in many ways is to steward the body but be absent of it.

- Jimmy Peña

Peace is the Word

"..and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." --Ephesians 6:15 

We've all been fitted for shoes at one time or another, and if you're flat-footed like me, you know immediately whether a shoe is gonna work or not. As kids, it was important for them to measure our feet with that little foot-measuring thing, remember? But it wasn't until your mom or dad found your big toe and you walked around a little that you and everyone else had a peace about them. A peace? Well...walk with me.

Consider the athlete. Most major sports -- from baseball, basketball to football -- have shoes that fit the game. It's simple, right? The athlete needs to be sure-footed for the surface. Sure-footed. At peace. Think of a golfer swinging a club on slick wet grass or a sprinter getting into the blocks. There's a peace in knowing you're firmly planted.

Consider Paul. When he described the full armor of God, he didn't forget the feet. In Biblical times, Roman sandals had thick spikes on the soles to ensure that the warrior was grounded, anchored, and less likely to slip. It's no wonder Paul urged for our feet to be "fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."

Imagine. Athletes wear the shoe that best meets the needs of their sport. Ancient warriors dressed for battle. It's neat to consider God fitting His children - His athletes and warriors - to be sure-footed. And for every believer, one shoe fits. The gospel of peace. (Peace from head to big toe.)

- Jimmy Peña

PrayFit Hoodies Are In! Soft and sporty, our lightweight red t-shirt zip hoodie is the perfect choice for in between weather, changing seasons or heading to the gym.

A Peace of the Gym

At Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village, we've begun a 6-week teaching series called ENGAGE: Living and Loving Like Jesus in Your Everyday Relationships. It's a church-wide initiative that will touch as many hearts as possible. The message from the pulpit is driving the same curriculum being taught to the younger children, to the high school kids, young adults and even to those affected by special needs. Even the thousands of small group attendees in the local area are using it as a guide over the next 6 weeks. 

The interpretation is pretty simple and impossible and daunting and motivating and humbling. See, because our relationships often reflect the brokenness of the world around us, living and loving like Jesus is extremely challenging for many reasons. But here's the peace, here's the grace, here's the truth, here's the promise, here's the hope. According to Pastor Shawn: Jesus always engaged with people in ways that added value to their lives and ultimately shaped culture for good.

So what about us, the health-hunters, the fitness-minded, the seekers, the hard-gainers, and the illness-fighters. How does the way Jesus interacted with others influence the way we go about the business of bodily stewardship? Can the Christian be the most peace-full, peace-filled, peace-giving person in the gym? Should we be the peace of the gym? 

If it's alright with you, I think I'll let PrayFit have some themes over the next few weeks. This week's focus: peacemakers.

Perhaps it'll change the way we approach the gym, the studio, the guy on the treadmill, the lady behind the counter taking membership cards, the custodian cleaning up the restroom, the family member that wants us to stay home instead of heading out for our run. And maybe it'll change the way we see the person looking back at us in this morning's mirror. 

Happy Monday, everyone. More than progress, let's make peace.

- Jimmy Peña

To Do:
Warm-up: Think about someone you need to make peace with (could be any of those I mentioned above, maybe someone else) and then just pray for them.

Exercise: Memorize this verse: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." - Romans 12:18

Sounds. Crazy.

In his book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan writes, "Why would God create more than 350,000,000,000 galaxies (and this is a conservative estimate) that generations of people never saw or even knew existed? Do you think maybe it was to make us say, "Wow, God is unfathomably big"? Or perhaps God wanted our response to be, "Who do I think I am?"

Today when you walk into the gym and approach your first exercise, do me a favor and pause for a moment. Close your eyes and listen. Treadmills are to your right; feet pounding at varying paces. From the cable crossover area, weight stacks clang with regularity. Beyond them, someone is squatting in the power rack. You can faintly tell that someone behind them is offering encouragement.

For others, the sounds you hear are different. Your physical therapy clinic is shy a squat rack, but heavy on therapy bands. Rather than a seated row, there's plenty of leather-covered beds where therapists re-train people to stand, to walk, and even less. The truth tugs at your heart with your eyes closed.

From cycle studios, to gritty gyms, to delicate rehab centers, the sound is unmistakeable. coming in many forms and with a pitch that each ear detects differently. Regardless of the surroundings, each clang, boing, swish, boom, huff and puff make up a song titled, "We Are Not God." 

Certain things in my life recently have me asking, "Who do I think I am?" Can anyone relate? Paul Tripp writes, "The more you understand the magnitude of God's grace, the more accurate your view of the depth of your unrighteousness; and the more you understand the depth of your unrighteousness, the more you will appreciate the magnitude of God's gift of grace." Here's a question. How does your battle for physical stewardship help remind you of who you are not? 

- jimmy peña

This Month in iPrayFit: All sorts of delicious goodness from The PrayFit Kitchen this month. Are you a member? Please take a look and see what all PrayFit's resident dietitian, Jennifer Fielden, has served up for you. In fact, she's designed an original, whole-food, energy-boosting, all-natural 3-day plan for you. And she does it each month! 

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New In Store: 

One of the most widely shared posts in PrayFit history is now available as a poster! The PrayFit Prayer, seen here, reminds us of our ultimate motivations for health. This durable, tear-resistant poster has a smooth matte, non-glare finish and is designed with a 1" white border to give it a clean look whether it is framed or pinned to a wall.

Poster Size: 20"x24"

Finally, The Chorus

Finally, The Chorus.

prayfit.org

Finally, the chorus. As a noun, the definition of chorus means, "A piece of music, especially one forming part of a larger work." And as a verb it means, "To say the same thing at the same time." Yes, finally, the chorus. As I've found my corner of the house each night to punch this keyboard, I've turned this song on. And each day that I've gotten out of bed to start the day, it's been my theme. So finally, Friday, the chorus.

Friday is typically a recap or summary of the week, and it's been a good one, amen? Neat to circle the wagons around a theme. The prodigal son and his turn for home - coupled with a father's grace - is enough to fill a week like this, and it's enough to fill the weak like me.

Carry on my wayward son
For there'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

The chorus. My life and health - YOUR life and health - beautiful music that forms part of a larger work; the song of creation. And guess what? We're saying it at the same time. The definition of me and you is the life we live for Jesus. Faith is the key, love is the rhythm, and grace is the bridge. And if we're listening, Jesus our Savior and Conductor is giving us our only note: "me, me, me,...Me."

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Much love guys. Have a good weekend. Thank you for your constant prayers and faithful reading. Power, off.

Wayward Son - Part II

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare and here I am starving to death!'" --Luke 15:17

If you read my latest book, you know where I'm going, because you know the story. A silhouette appears on the horizon. Too far away to distinguish, but a father who's been waiting for his son to come home can't help but wonder. Squinting, he raises his hand over his eyes to block the sun's glare. As the distant figure gets closer, the father begins to walk in that direction; slowly at first, trying to match the pace of his visitor. Until he realizes this is...this is no visitor. It's him. It's his boy. His long, lost son was home. And with compassion and forgiveness, he ran to him, embraced him, kissed him, clothed him and fed him. Grace happened.

You know the story. The prodigal son is nothing new to you. The son takes his inheritance and high-tails it his way to the highway. You know the story. And in one way or another maybe you've lived it. Perhaps you're living it now. Maybe not with an inheritance, but perhaps with your inherited health. Long hours, long days, obligations, deadlines, family matters, friends that matter, must-see TV and your must-read social media find you on foreign soil; a place you were never designed to be. Maybe it's time to go home.

--Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: How could I not revisit the prodigal son during our "Wayward Son" review? Grace happened. Who can we be praying for today? 

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For More On That Story: Didn't get a chance to read Jimmy's latest book? Published by Simon & Schuster, The PrayFit Diet is equal parts grace and truth when it comes to health. Along with his personal story of fitness, illness and contentment comes the most balanced meal plan ever published, along with shopping lists, meal plans and recipes. Get your signed copy by clicking here.

Wayward Son

Our theme for the week comes from an unlikely song; Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas. Do you know it? Look up the word 'wayward' in the dictionary and synonyms like willful, stubborn, headstrong, disobedient, undisciplined, unruly, wild, unmanageable, difficult, rebellious, defiant and impossible make the list. Any wayward sons and daughters reading this today? Well, a wayward son is writing it.

I tell you, few lyrics of any song carry as good of a picture of grace - even as it relates to our temporary health - as this one. And over the next few days I'm going to try to navigate us through them. Hopefully, whatever you're facing, something you read this week will help your sweet spirit and strong soul carry on.

"Carry on my wayward son... 
There'll be peace when you are done...
Lay your weary head to rest...
Don't you cry no more."

- Jimmy Peña

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New at iPrayFit:
All new content in the iPrayFit membership, including fresh at-home workouts, a 3-day meal plan and a special Smith Machine-ONLY workout. Click here to download and enjoy it all. Thank you for your ongoing support.
 

Clear Eyes

In his recent "Grace-Full" prayer, my dear friend Scotty Smith writes, "Heavenly Father, nothing is more daily and revealing than our words--the conversations we carry on in our minds, and the communications we share with our lips. We don't want to contradict our love for you by a graceless use of our words. We want our hearts to be SO full of your loving-kindness today, it'll be difficult to waste our words on self-deprecation or self-exaltation."

Wow. 'It'll be difficult to waste our words on self-deprecation or self-exaltation.' 

Man, guys, are our hearts so blasted by the gospel that we despair to either think too low or too high of ourselves? Are we finding it as difficult to be anxious about our illness as we do to boast about our fitness? I hope so. The goal of PrayFit is to help us all see both our sickness and our ability through the same gospel; to realize that either state is a chance to reveal the glory of His grace. After all, our healthiest moment may come on our sickest day.

John Piper once asked, "Is the glory of God the brightest treasure on the horizon of your future?" What a perfect question for us. Whether you're a fitness-minded believer trying to either gain perspective or lose inches, this is the question we need to ask ourselves.

If the answer is yes, it throttles us, does it not? It controls the desire, tempers the enthusiasm, or it ignites a passion to honor God with better choices of food and fitness.

The glory of God - like an unexpected reflection of the sun -divinely blinds us. We shut our eyes, turn our heads and wait for our vision to adjust. PrayFit - God-willing - provides that period of time of necessary adjustment.

Blink, blink, blink, blink. Ok, bursts gone, shadows removed. Clear eyes again. May the light of His glory and grace make it difficult for us to see ourselves as anything more or less than what we are.

- Jimmy Peña

 Going Deeper: Is the glory of His grace the highest motivator for your soul? Is it the reason you're being as modest as you are motivated? 

Train To Win

There he is. He's been up all night. If you've been with us the last couple of days, you know what he's writing and to whom. He's almost to the end of one of his letters. The rhythmic regularity of the occasional drop of water echoes off the cold walls of the prison, and the light of the lamp is now competing with the small ray coming from a window near the ceiling. Staring at the new patch of light on the floor, he finishes this sentence. "...training it to do what it should."

Paul knew that athletes live, eat and sleep their sport. He understood the rigors, the devotion, the sacrifices, and the quest to be the one to win. If you're a competitive runner, he could've easily been describing you. That up-at-dawn discipline inside you? The dedication toward winning your next race? Paul got it.

But unlike the runner who trains for a race, we train during one. We train daily and compete daily, don't we? So with that in mind, notice carefully his choice of words. "Training" (a process) "it" (the body) "to do" (to act, proceed) "what it should" (the right thing). Paul wants us to train our eyes to notice the lonely, our ears to hear the helpless, and to deny the flesh. We're to run to Christ, run away from sin, run to those in need, and to do it all the time.

And he knew that in order for us to do that, we have to live, eat and sleep the Word of God. You know, like Christian athletes. The kind that -- like Paul -- train to win.

--Jimmy Peña

For Discussion:  Yesterday I asked for your definition of a Christian athlete. Amazing responses. Someone wrote me, "Someone who trains like a lion and lives like a lamb." Wow. Incredible. Tomorrow we'll finish our study, but as you may have realized, Paul isn't talking about a concern for how the body looks, but he's claiming the kind of spiritual discipline in his life that athletes have in their sport. Are we training our lives?

Like An Athlete

Where were we? Oh, yes. Under the light of the lamp; mid-letter. As we look over his shoulder, we find Paul telling his readers about the need for self-discipline. Not in order to earn salvation, but for the eternal rewards of reflecting the Lord in life. "I discipline my body like an athlete..."

In the book of Hebrews, the author writes, "For they (earthly fathers) disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness."

Paul knew that God wants us to live holy lives, and because we fall and fail, we need to be disciplined like children. And here, what we find Paul proclaiming -- and eventually carving into our hearts -- is a preemptive strike upon his own. As the sports-minded or health-conscious person may appreciate, Paul uses the analogy of an athlete who perseveres through training. He allowed the athlete's life of sacrifice to describe how he lives the sacrificial life of a Christ-follower.

At first glance, it's an incredible parallel drawn by the most influential man the world has ever known this side of Christ. But even more amazing when you consider that the man who wrote these words would be given 39 lashes five times, beaten with rods five times, pelted with stones, shipwrecked three times, and who would go without sleep, food and clothing; all because of his heart for churches, people and the message of Jesus.

In sports or fitness, it's tough for an athlete to go without food or sleep, but this most amazing man of God didn't seek to 1) look like, or 2) win medals or even 3) get adored like an athlete. No, the man we find under the lamp trained his LIFE like one. And when he finishes this sentence, we'll find out why.

--Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: In one sentence, what is your definition of a Christian athlete?

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PrayFit RISE Los Angeles: Speaking of Christian athletes, Jimmy Page will be speaking at RISE in October. Jimmy serves as a Vice President of Field Ministry and the National Director of the Health & Fitness ministry for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Jimmy has coauthored four books, WisdomWalks, WisdomWalks SPORTS, PrayFit, and One Word That Will Change Your Life. Jimmy is a frequent speaker at schools, churches, camps, and retreats and a trainer for corporate, sports, and nonprofit organizations, challenging people to maximize their life and make a difference. He has a contagious enthusiasm and passion for life. As a lifelong athlete, Jimmy enjoys coaching, cycling, and triathlons. Jimmy and Ivelisse were college sweethearts, and they reside in Maryland with their four children: Jimmy, Jacob, John, and Gracie. You don't want to miss him.

The Light of the Lamp

Every once in a while we'll begin on Monday by talking about a principle -- such as courage or hope -- embracing it all week, infusing it into each day's message of health. Welcome to such a week. But rather than circle our wagons around a singular truth or Godly characteristic, a verse will be our central theme. And while there are no ordinary verses, this is no ordinary verse. I'm even guessing some of you know it by heart. But whatever you do, don't miss a day. We're going back.

We're going back to sit with Paul in prison cells and dark corners. We'll watch as he painfully and poetically places each word of this sentence in its place. Of the many treasures he crafted, this was worth its weight in gold. If he were writing sheet music, this was a high C. If this were his closing argument, consider this his exclamation point; a point he made to help meet the needs of the people in Corinth, and a point that meets ours.

So as we begin a week full of every kind of obligation -- obligations we've scribbled on our to-do lists -- let's meet each day right here. Let's share the light of the lamp as he dips his pen. In order to do that, we have to get close. Let's gather around him. No time to be shy, squeeze in. There's room, so don't hesitate. He's about to write his first words.

"I discipline...

--Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Paul wrote Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon from a prison cell. The actual cell is pictured here. Many that have traveled to Rome have taken this picture. I actually can't describe my thoughts. It was God's will that what Paul wrote in this room would reach our hearts. Unfathomable. Let's honor Paul's work and read his letters. It may mean less TV, a shorter workout or turning off social media. But God speaks to us through His Word.

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Of Discipline: Our resident dietitian, Jennifer Fielden, is preparing and praying over so many new meal plans and recipes for you in the iPrayFit membership. Enjoy. We're here to serve you.
 

Out of Place

Max Lucado once told a story about a musician playing in a D.C metro station. After a day of playing - and accepting donations - the young man made about thirty bucks. Only one person out of thousands that passed by recognized him as renowned violinist Joshua Bell.

Max writes, "You can't fault the instrument. The Stradivarius-built treasure was worth 3.5 million dollars. You can't fault the music. Bell successfully played a piece by Johann Sebastian Bach that Bell called one of the greatest achievements of any man in history. But scarcely anyone noticed. No one expected majesty in such a context."

Wow.

Yesterday at church I sat and listened to the executive director of a ministry that serves Iran. Incredible what God is doing in growing His church in the most seemingly unsuspected places. 

Got me thinking about noticing others in the gym, seeing the fitness center and its dwellers as a captive audience; to simply notice; to be ready to serve God when it's time; to see majesty in our context.

When Jesus sent the disciples to all nations to preach the Gospel, He didn't put conditions on it. "Go and make disciples - just not at their place of business, or at school, or in the government, and by no means disturb their workouts." No, on the contrary. It's in the most unlikely of places - and even in the busiest of places with the busiest people - that we're called to see Him in them. "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it for me."

I say the next time we get to the gym, we keep our eyes open for the one with the violin.

-Jimmy Peña

For Discussion:  Do you have someone in mind that you could serve as someone in need? Who do you know or see at the gym each day that may be ignored by everyone (for any number of reasons)? Is God calling you to stop and listen?

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FAST FOOD: Attention iPrayFit Members! All new recipes, meal plans, strategies and tips are loaded inside iPrayFit for August by our new resident dietitian Jennifer Fielden, so please be sure to check it all out! You will be blessed, educated and inspired. Watch her cook and then Click here!

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DON'T MISS IT! PrayFit RISE is fast-approaching. If you're in the area or if you're out-of-state, we invite you to join us for PrayFit RISE Los Angeles 2017. Benefitting kids affecting by special needs and global missions, PrayFit Rise 2017 is an experience that celebrates Jesus, His love, our growth in grace and service to the community while seeing health through the Gospel’s lens. 

PrayFit RISE will allow everyone of all ages to celebrate grace while learning to live a healthier, humble, modest, service-driven, grace-filled life.

Pastors, world-renowned Christian speakers, dietitians, fitness experts, and more will be on-hand to make PrayFit Rise 2017 an unbelievable experience for everyone.

Click here to register

Wheels Up

Tomorrow will be a special day. I'll apply my sunscreen, pack a few snacks, put on my sandals and adjust my cap. Tomorrow is beach day, but not just any beach day. 

The special needs ministry at Calvary Community Church with Gina Spivey (you've heard me mention it before) is Luke 14 in the flesh. From weekly ministries, monthly buddy breaks for parents, to high school proms and retreats, to yes, beach days.

But, let me back up; yesterday afternoon to be exact. Loretta was going through her checklist. Toothbrush? Check. Extra socks? Check. Passport? Check. Tool belt? Cheee...what? That's right. Tool belt. Indeed, deep breath, Letta was packed and ready for Africa. On mission, as her leadership says, she's off to build wheelchairs to give "the gift of mobility and hope of the gospel to those affected by disability worldwide. In certain parts of the country, disabled people are the marginalized, overlooked and forgotten. People with limited mobility are tragically often excluded from life in their communities because they have no way of moving around. Receiving a wheelchair allows them to attend school and church, therefore becoming part of their communities and villages, changing their lives forever."

Which reminds me, tomorrow at beach day, wheelchairs will travel across the sand from the street to the shoreline. Volunteers will lay planks of plywood down and push each chair along, picking up the wood and running it to the front of the line; think of applying asphalt down as the car approaches and then running ahead of the car to repeat the process. Well, people of all ages- some at the beach for the first time and some at the beach in a long time - will be making sandcastles, riding boogie boards, running away from the waves up the sand, breathing in ocean air. Can you hear a seagull as you read this sentence?

A few miles from my home in L.A. lies the longest indoor wheelchair ramp in the world; a ramp that supports the wheelchair of the second longest surviving quadriplegic ever. A diving accident in 1967 left Joni Eareckson, then 17, a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. She eventually founded Joni and Friends in 1979 to provide Christ-centered programs to special-needs families and churches.

Guess what? Sunday night, I'll be watching and listening to her speak LIVE at Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village as she hosts the re-release of the movie "Joni." Some of you may remember her life's story when Billy Graham put it on his shoulders for the world to see. If you're in the area, come join me. In fact, Joni is celebrating her 50th year in her chair. And yes, she's celebrating. Not since Charles Spurgeon have I ever read or heard any words on the purpose and meaning of suffering like the ones penned and spoken by her. 

So, looking at my watch, and based on the time she took off, you're likely reading this as Letta is landing. Reminds me, before she left she was busy ironing her t-shirts and pants. I told her that her clothes are going to wrinkle in flight, so don't worry about that. She stopped, set the iron down and said, "According to our mission directors, to these people, getting a wheelchair is the biggest day of their lives and many of them will wear their best clothes for the occasion. I want to respect that as best I can." She continued to iron in tears; much like the ones that stream down my face as I type this sentence.

And now here we are at the end of a week where many of us - including the pride-soaked author of this blog - gave little thought to how easy it is to get around, get to the gym, walk to the store, grab a coffee. We need grace to remind us to thank God for the gift of mobility. Hopefully you will do so right now.

Oh, by the way, Loretta is heading to Africa on behalf of...you guessed it...Joni. Joni has delivered over 100,000 wheelchairs and Bibles to needy, disabled persons in developing nations through volunteers. All Letta wants to do is please the Lord, help build wheelchairs and honor Joni. (You're doing it, babe.)

Ya'll pray for my wife, for those dear people who will receive wheelchairs in Africa and for the special needs families on the beach this weekend. Wheels up.

- Jimmy Peña

Undone

Why did we ever leave Egypt?

— Numbers 11:20

Did you catch our verse above? The Israelites actually missed prison. Not long after the Israelites met freedom, they actually longed for captivity. Behind bars they had no choices. As inmates, they had no responsibility. Even though they were trapped, they were warm, cozy, and full. Their prayer for freedom was a dangerous one. But nothing a generation in the desert couldn't answer.

What about us? When was the last time you and I prayed dangerously? About finances, a relationship...our health? See, once they were set free, the Israelites faced the need for obedience and responsibility; so do we. Folks, our bodies are merely tools, not finished products. Better "fitness" simply means better equipped. It's tough to visit the poor from the couch, and it's impossible to see the hurting in our own mirror. But we're warm, cozy, and full (even if of ourselves). (Note: this should speak to both the fit and the not-so-fit.)

If God allows us the opportunity for better health the rest of the year, what will we do with it? Will we sit? Focus on ourselves? Will we allow a generation to wander before we see health as a means of praise? If so, why did we ever leave Egypt?

- jimmy peña

UPDATE:
Speaking of dangerous prayers, last week Team PrayFit gathered. Last week Team PrayFit came undone. From around the country, members of the small PrayFit family circled the wagons to pray and plan. In one respect, being undone means being made free. Unchained. Restored. Made right. And in that regard, we are. But being undone also means being unfinished. Yeah. In one word, undone, you have the make-up of a small band of brothers and sisters who choose Christ and count everything outside of bringing glory to God's grace as loss. Fitness and food are "meaningless vanity" unless God is glorified through them.

I am still spinning from the things we said, planned, agreed upon, unanimously denied, rose above, realized, and targeted. Helping the church with humble, bodily stewardship while simultaneously making Jesus famous in the fitness industry is complex. It's dangerous. But we're praying those kinds of prayers.

PrayFit RISE:
Here we come, guys. PrayFit RISE is fast-approaching. If you're in the area or if you're out-of-state, we invite you to join us for PrayFit RISE Los Angeles 2017. Benefitting kids affecting by special needs and global missions, PrayFit Rise 2017 is an experience that celebrates Jesus, His love, our growth in grace and service to the community while seeing health through the Gospel’s lens. 

Promoting PrayFit Rise is Exercise Physiologist and New York Times bestselling author Jimmy Peña - founder of PrayFit Ministries. PrayFit RISE will allow everyone of all ages to celebrate grace while learning to live a healthier, humble, modest, service-driven, grace-filled life.

Spanning Los Angeles and surrounding areas, invitations will touch as many as possible and marketed as a celebration of Jesus, His love and grace, faith, fitness, food and more! 

Preachers, world-renowned Christian speakers, dietitians, fitness experts, and more will be on-hand to make PrayFit Rise 2017 an unbelievable experience for everyone.

Click here to register