Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
An Audience of One
I didn't come out and say it, but we had a theme this week. Did you catch it? In "Side Show" we reminded ourselves that despite our daily attempts at attention, we're not the star of the show. In "4'33" we took four minutes and thirty-three seconds to absorb the truth that God alone is worthy of our silence - our quite time. And in "Can't Be Silent" we sat in the first chair and simply exhaled joy. If you had to give this week a motto in one word, what would it be? Here's mine - and it may not be too obvious - freedom. When I think of freedom, I go back to the 6th grade. It was the last day of school, and the last day of school just had that specialness to it, right? Teachers didn't make you work, cupcakes were the norm, and you just couldn't believe that you had 3 months away from it all. Summer! Well, the next year meant a different school, so the tradition for the 6th grade class was shaving cream fights in the yard. As ill-prepared as I was, it didn't take me long to join the festivities, because once you were a victim, you had ammo. But the best part of that day? Driving home with my Mom, who didn't seem to care that I had shaving cream in my hair. Awww yeah, I was home free.
Friends, when we relent and give up control of the stage, or realize our place in the grand scheme of His perfectly orchestrated creation, we're free. Free from the recital of endless comparisons. Free from competing for the ever-shrinking piece of the spotlight. And free from clamoring over a mic to try and make our voices heard in the social status quo. Yes sir, school's out. When the Master Conductor is your only audience as well as your identity, yeah, you're free. Home free.
Say, who here feels like a shaving cream fight? Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Anyone feeling lighter right about now? Hope so. And if so, please share your thoughts with me and others. (And oh, if you had a motto in one word for the week, let's hear it.)
Can't Be Silent
“‘I tell you,’” he replied, “‘if they keep quiet, the rocks will cry out.’” –Luke 19:40
The song of creation. Can you hear it? You and I are God’s special guests in a masterpiece performed in His honor that He conducts. Not only that, He’s given us “first chair.” In orchestra speak, first chair is reserved for the one who is both most capable and responsible, regardless of the instrument they play. You and I are active participants in a grand arrangement entitled, 'Creation.'
When the Pharisees demanded Jesus to quiet the praise of His disciples, He assured them that if the disciples hush, they would literally hear rock music. But the idea of God’s people being quiet is probably as sad a commentary as I’ve ever read…like a father who comes home to a silent family oblivious to his presence, or a mom who has never heard her children say, "I love you." Friends, the God of wonder, who has a beyond-conceivable love and unbelievable future for us is worthy to be praised with everything we have — our minds, our money, our time, and yes, our bodies.
The song of creation. Are you playing it? It’s your life. Your cue! You can’t be silent. He gave you the music. You are the music. Just read the notes and watch the Master. You’re in the first chair. Be amazed…and play.
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: So many emails and comments from yesterday's entry "4'33" that I had to follow up with "Can't Be Silent." And how appropriate amen? Spending quite time with the Lord just gives us strength and power to conquer the world in our own special way. How will you "play" for the Master today?
4'33''
We were finally there. The 10th Anniversary Gala of The Walt Disney Concert Hall had been circled on our calendar for months. Loretta and I did nothing short of soak up every moment. We walked the red carpet, stood in the lobby, ate hors d'oeuvres, and to strangers who were equally as excited as we were, I gave a few cordial "How do you do's?" Within minutes, we'd witness the L.A Philharmonic Orchestra with honored, world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and of course, conducted by the great Gustavo Dudamel. Before we knew it, bells tolled and lights dimmed. We took our seats. (I'm typing with a whisper.)
After the first chair took his honored place, Yo-Yo Ma and Dudamel emerged side by side to thunderous applause. The program was set to be a musical allegory of the difficult tale of the hall's construction. Concerning the first piece, Dudamel urged us to take in "every corner and every sound of this beautiful space." No doubt we would. I held Loretta's hand. I could feel her anticipation through it. Like a distinguished gentleman, Dudamel turned and faced the music. One subtle gesture and every instrument was raised to the ready. With the stillness of a statue, Yo-Yo Ma held the bow against the strings, with his eyes fixed intently on his conductor -- as did every other member of the orchestra -- waiting for the cue. A cue that never came.
After about 30 seconds, I began to feel uncomfortable. What was Dudamel waiting for? There must be a technical difficultly. I remembered reading that the elaborate sailboat-style big screens were hoisted specifically for the evening, so maybe the video wasn't working? I just knew something was wrong. Trying not to be obvious, my eyes scanned the shadowed crowd. Surely I wasn't alone. After three minutes of complete silence with the musicians at-the-ready, I confirmed that Dudamel was the most professional, the most calm, the most composed man I had ever witnessed during a crisis.
But after four minutes and thirty-three seconds, the crisis ended when Dudamel turned around. Without hesitation, the hall erupted; a standing ovation filled with bravos and cheers. He took the hand of Yo-Yo Ma and they stood and applauded one another, the orchestra, the crowd and the hall itself. My head was spinning. What did I just witness? The next day, the L.A. Times described the moment like this: "Dudamel began where no American orchestra has, before it, dared to go — with John Cage's "4'33"," the so-called silent piece." I came to realize that the point of the piece was to take in the surroundings, the sound of silence, and to honor the hall's creator.
When we finally took our seats, Dudamel said that because we have honored the designer and taken in his blessed work, we will now experience what it can do.
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Before I left the hall that night, I was thinking of all of you. I couldn't wait to compare that silent piece with our daily, silent peace. Each day, we're so eager to start the music, aren't we? Like we read in yesterday's entry -- to do our own song and dance. We check the phone, our e-mail, the news, traffic and sports. We hit the floor, the road, the gym. We know what instrument we play and we don't wait to play it. But doesn't our Lord -- the Designer and Creator -- deserve our undivided attention? Like Yo-Yo Ma sat watching the master, wouldn't we be wise to do the same before we play? Trust me when I tell you, that when the music finally began in the hall, it was octaves above amazing. Friends, our lives are clearer, stronger, more powerful when we spend those few precious, silent moments with Him; waiting, listening, and watching for His cue. Only then do we really, truly play.
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Side Show
"He must increase, but I must decrease." --John 3:30
"The kid's got skills," I said to myself as I sat at a traffic light. Waiting my turn, I looked to my right to see this kid on the corner. He was dancing with one of those big cardboard ads, flipping and turning it with ease. Effortlessly, he'd toss it up and catch without even looking. He had all the drivers mesmerized. He probably flipped it a dozen times while I sat there and never once did he drop it.
Well, the light changed, and I went on my way. "The kid's got skills", I said again with a half smile as I drove off, but then it hit me. I have no idea what he was advertising. Talented? Absolutely. Dedicated? Unquestionable. But for the life of me, I couldn't tell you what he stood (there) for. All I know is that whatever he was asked to promote took a back seat to his show.
I couldn't help but think that we're sometimes like that kid on the corner. We've been called to share the truth of Jesus, but we often do our own song and dance, amusing or confusing those around us. Lord, help us remember that you're the star of the show, and we'd be wise to drop the act.
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: How can our health (or our approach to health) confuse those around us? What can we do daily to make sure that our actions or inaction speaks servant, Godly, stewardship to those who may be watching? There may be a theme developing for the week. Not sure yet. What say you?
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There Goes The Heart
When I opened up the week with our theme of "heart" I wasn't quite ready to experience writer's block. And not the kind that sometimes arrives when a writer is trying to be creative, ohhh no, but the kind that arrives when there is too much to harness and gather. To try and capture the concept of heart as either a state of mind, or a goal, or as that intangible God-given fortitude -- in conjunction with all of the Biblical examples and modern saints from which to choose -- well, it's like forcing the ocean through a funnel.
What does it mean to have heart? It means so many things. This week we felt a few drops of that ocean when we learned how big of a heart Secretariat had when he ran. Only a heart like his could allow him to run each quarter mile faster than the one before it. Then we talked about those who have heart but have lost the tools, only to learn how God can actually make those same tools sharper for His glory and purpose. And of course yesterday we looked at the sweet woman who mustered enough courage to get up and get through the crowd to touch her Lord. Big hearts, broken hearts, and battered ones. Aren't we glad that's where God spends His time?
Guys, we can have "heart" for all sorts of things and for so many reasons, but the most important thing is for us to have a heart for God. Charles Stanley once asked, "How do you know you have a heart for God?" He gave 5 answers: 1. The priority of life is that we have a relationship with Jesus 2. We place our trust in God when going through trials and difficulties 3. We have a strong, passionate desire to obey God. 4. We demonstrate a spirit of humility. The person for a heart for God is humble. 5. We demonstrate a spirit of service.
I want a heart for God, amen? May our passion and desire for the things that this body can accomplish on earth pale in comparison - and be subject - to our pursuit of God's heart; a relationship, trust, obedience, humility and service. Well, there's your ocean. And there goes the heart. Everything else is just a drop in the bucket. Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Can we lift your heart in prayer? Please let us know or simply say "unspoken" and we promise to lift you up by name.
Training Update: Pretty neat stuff guys. I'm phasing into some bodyweight moves, including squats (assisted) but I cant quite explain how good it feels to be performing the motion. Below I've listed the skinny on the bodyweight squat. 
BodyWeight Squat
Target: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings Set Up: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, a slight bend in your knees and your toes turned out slightly.
Action: Keeping your head neutral, abs tight and torso erect, bend at the knees and hips to slowly lower your body as if you were going to sit down in a chair. Pause when your legs reach a 90-degree angle, then forcefully drive through the heels, extending at your hips and knees until you arrive at the standing position.
Helpful Hint: This will prove helpful, but focus on pressing through the floor with your feet, as opposed to simply raising your upper body up and down. At the top, give your glutes and legs a good isometric squeeze for a second or two before sitting back into the next repetition. You notice I'm using my arms and hands to assist me as needed.
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A Heart That Reached
“Storms make us take unprecedented journeys.”
She did what a suffering Job couldn't. Jacob, David -- them, too. Just run through the Bible and find as many people as possible who hurt physically, and one woman did exactly what each of them would have done in an instant.
Having suffered for years with an issue that condemned her as an unwanted and unclean outcast, doctors couldn't heal her and family disowned her. She was out of money, out of her mind, out of choices, so she got up out of despair. She mustered strength of heart and elbowed her way through the crowd. She said those most precious and powerful words of hope, "If I can just touch the hem of his garment."
Max Lucado once commented that a healthy woman never would have appreciated the power of merely touching the hem of his garment. I agree. Only the deeply hurting make that kind of journey, utter those kinds of words or take that kind of risk.
Many preachers and writers have examined the story of Peter walking on water, but the scene is worth examining. As you know, the storm was more than they could handle, but when Jesus came strolling on the water, Peter got out of the boat. You remember. Fearing for his life, he called out to Jesus and Jesus said, “Come.”
Next thing we know he did a Peter Pan into the storm and did the impossible. He figured he would rather be with the Water Walker than on a sinking boat. Now, I’m not the first person, nor will I be the last, to point out that Peter would likely not have gotten out of the boat without the storm. Some scholars say Peter would have marveled at what he saw. Nobody would argue that Peter would have been in awe. Maybe he and the others would have applauded? Who knows? But he would not have chosen . Remember our quote above? Storms make us take unprecedented journeys.
Even taken an unprecedented journey?
Now, the Bible says many people were pressing against Jesus when He asked, "Who touched me?" (Mark 5:30)
Maybe you can relate. Are you hurting physically? Perhaps you've been dealing with pain unknown to most, but like the woman in our story, something has privately clouded your life. Or maybe you're apparently healthy and able, and yet you've willfully and knowingly neglected your body as a fearfully woven gift.
Whoever you are and whatever your needs, make no mistake...Jesus knows your hurt and your heart. He There's no pain or scar He won't understand, so bring it all. And remember, while many people actually touched Jesus on the road that day, only one truly reached.
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Some heart. A heart for Jesus got that woman up and through the crowd that day long ago. And for us, it's when whatever we're going through, tempted by, and challenged with can't compare with our desire to be near Jesus, that's when we're healed. Are you reaching with all your heart?
PRAYFIT-HAT-WHITE-13
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Hearts On Fire
Read: Matthew 26 "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." --Matthew 26:41
In my second favorite movie of all-time (Rocky II), Rocky walks to his trainer's apartment in the middle of the night to ask for his locker back; he wants to fight again. Dismissive, Mickey delivers one of the most painful and sad lines I've ever heard: "You got the heart, but you ain't got the tools no more." (Read: The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.) As an athlete, that phrase carries serious meaning. I know what it's like to be physically limited from doing what my heart is dying to do. But as a Christian, that line is more than a blow to the body.
As believers, our souls have work to do. In our passage, when Jesus said to His disciples to stay awake, He literally meant "physically." How many reading this page would agree that you'd would be so much more productive at work, alive with your spouse, able to keep up with the kids or even active in church, if you enjoyed better health? If so, maybe you need your locker back.
My sweet Preacher Bro. Henry Powell used to say, "Do what you can. Do all that you can. And do it now." Friends, whether it's to make room for quiet times with the Lord each day or to make better choices for your health, just remember that if the spirit is willing, there's a fighter in you. If you've got the heart, you still got the tools. Your soul just needs a fighting chance.
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: If you want to see the scene in Rocky that I'm talking about, here's the link. (Listen for the verse.) And you know, part of my fight began when I lost some of my physical tools. And I think many of you can relate. But God equips us if He calls us to something. What is God calling you to do? And do you already have enough health to fulfill it? If so, let's get in the ring. WATCH | "You've got the heart but..."
Water Workout, with a side of bands please: So as promised, I'm gonna be sharing some of my training and tactics that I'm using to get back into fighting shape. Well, I spend a few days each week in the water. 
Although I'm not allowed to twist at the waist, I can swim freestyle (carefully) by taking few breaths and trying to keep my body as straight as possible. I do other strokes that come easy to me, but I also take a resistance band into the pool. Why resistance bands? If you have a sec, I'll talk bands with you.
First, the energy in a band separates it from so many other training tools at your disposal. Take free weights, for instance. Like barbells and dumbbells, resistance bands allow for a free range of motion, change of speed and varying intensity. But unlike a free weight, the resistance band doesn’t depend on gravity to provide its benefit. With a barbell or dumbbell, you need to work within or near the vertical plane — but with bands, there is no such limitation. You get all-important resistance at every angle. That’s one reason bands are so effective at functional moves, i.e., the ones that mimic day-to-day activities.
Unlike free weights (which for me at this stage of my rehab are so light) bands also provide constant tension. Consider a chest press, biceps curl or lateral raise with dumbbells — no matter how hard you try to maintain perfect form, by the sheer laws of physics, the target muscles relax at some point along the way (the top of a press or curl, the bottom of a lateral raise).
That’s not the case with bands. From start to finish, the bands are stimulating the target muscle, because of that elastic potential built into the instrument.
Perhaps the greatest benefit to bands? They provide something called “linear variable resistance.” As the range of motion of the exercise increases, the resistance provided by the elastic equipment increases as well. In other words, as the bands get more taut, they put more tension on the working muscle. This means the muscle is getting the most resistance at its strongest point in the range of motion, and therefore activating the most muscle fibers possible. No other piece of equipment in the gym gets the most difficult when you’re at your strongest. And here ends the lesson on bands. More than you cared to know, right? Well, for those still reading, thanks. Next week, core stuff.
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A new shipment of marathon and half-marathon caps arrived yesterday! It's inventory time and I snapped this shot (notice the blur) during a count. Neat to see the history in product form. And this is just a handful of choices.
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The Week Of Heart
“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” –1 Samuel 16: 7 Secretariat was fast.
As one of the top three thoroughbreds of all time, Secretariat was in a class by himself. In fact, no other horse has ever run 1 1/2 miles faster than Secretariat. Of the greatest sports performances of all time, Secretariat’s run at the Belmont Stakes is ranked second only to Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game by ESPN. Secretariat ran each quarter mile faster the one before it; unheard of before or since.
Like I said, Secretariat was quick.
And while Secretariat was the only horse to dawn the covers of Newsweek, Time and Sports Illustrated, his exuberance when he ran was justified only by what doctors found when he finally couldn’t; he was all heart. After suffering an incurable hoof condition, the autopsy of Secretariat revealed his heart weighed an astounding 22 pounds, the largest ever recorded for a racehorse.
I wanted to share the story of Secretariat on the heels of this weekend's Triple Crown attempt at The Belmont simply to begin a week of inward glances. Are we running the race harder than yesterday? Are we committing ourselves to spiritual and physical health with heart? If so or if not, either way, it's a new week and…we’re off!!
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: A week of "heart" is our focus over the next 5 days. Everybody in? Ready for a ticker inspection? What is your definition of "heart"? And what Biblical character(s) had it? Who comes to mind? I'm smiling as I type these questions because I'm so excited about our topic. Have a great day everyone. Give it everything. Praying for you guys.
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Time Of Your Life
Life. It's been our theme this week. And while I had a gazillion topics I could have covered, I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. This week David reminded us to mix it up and get into the fight of our lives. We talked about personal victories (very personal) and we celebrated getting over hurdles and hurts. Spurgeon then reminded us that sermons have to get to Jesus, and our workouts are worship when they follow suit. And yesterday, of course, was a tough reminder that there are those among us less fortunate. Life. Minute-to-minute, year-to-year opportunities to enjoy being in grace shape. Funny, the longer I've been an expert in training and fitness, the less I find myself writing about training and fitness. Because while I promise to share my routines and workout strategies as I return to fighting status, I never want us -- and mostly myself -- to miss the meaning of it all. Oh, I could use other things to motivate and inspire a healthy lifestyle, but grace is just too thorough.
When you kneel to tie your shoes on a run, it's there reminding you of the immeasurable distance He went to meet your direst need. It's there, in the weight room amidst the plates, reminding you that compared to all your sin on the bar, grace has no RM. Friends, I tell ya, there's nothing more motivating physically than considering what God has done for us spiritually. If you have Jesus in your heart, you're in grace shape. And to enjoy it, God gave you the time of your life.
--Jimmy Peña
FEEDBACK NEEDED!!: I have a favor to ask. We are building the PrayFit App (celebration please) and we'd love feedback. What would you like to see in our app. We're taking input and suggestions. We want the site to be easy for you to read, navigate and be blessed by, so we want the app to only enhance that. Talk to me. What are some of the ways a PrayFit App could serve you best? In fact, later today we have a conference call with developers and I'd love to share with them your desires. After all, this is for you.
BRING PRAYFIT TO YOUR CHURCH
Jimmy Peña's message of health as a means of praise is being well-received by congregations around the country. His storytelling approach to how a healthy body can strengthen the body of Christ and inspire abundant living is a message you don't want to miss. For speaking appearances, ministry assistance, media inquiries, write us at [email protected]. Share this information with pastors, elders and influencers with the knowledge that there is never a speaking fee for churches!
For Those Who Can't, Stand
"...Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." --Mark 10:49 Hope you don't mind, but in keeping with our "LIVE LIFE" theme this week, I thought I'd pull a short paragraph from the book. And just wait till you see some of the comments we've received from it.
"I sat behind a man in church on Sunday, paralyzed from the neck down. It was interesting to me that when the choir director asked the congregation to stand and sing, you could feel the reluctance and see the slow-moving crowd rise to their feet. I thought to myself, I wonder how fast this sweet man would stand if he could. The next song we sang was 'Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy name.' You know what? This man's voice was the loudest one around me. Plainly said, when we were asked to stand, he already was. Folks, life is not about the body, so if you have health and ability, use it as a means of praise. And believer, if you're called to stand and sing -- and you can stand up and sing -- stand up and sing."
Here are just a few of the responses I've received:
Renee Foster: "We have a young boy in our church who has been wheelchair bound his whole life and yet, when we sing he raises his one hand by just bending it at the wrist from his wheelchair armrest. It's all he can do so he does it. Imagine what an example that is for us."
Tricia Weaver Cross: "Thank you so much...I have a 13 yr old daughter that is wheelchair bound with a brain injury. I know that if she could stand and sing she would, with hands raised in praise. One day...one day!"
Isabelle Kafarela: "My father is paralyzed. What he wouldn't give to have the use of his legs! We thank GOD every day for my father's spirit as he lives with pain daily! Lord, please give my father Niko Kafarela strength in spirit to live Your Purpose daily!"
Bud Krueger: "The next time I stand, guess who will be there in front of me...Jesus, God, Holy Ghost. Amen"
No words, right? Well, I have a few for us. "Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy name." And for those who can't, stand.
--Jimmy Peña
Your Turn: Will you train, walk, run or lift for those less fortunate today? In a week where I'm celebrating a portion of MY new life - physically - I'd love to hear YOUR thoughts. Whether about the entry, the comments, or your own testimony. Please let us know. And I have to share this image that was sent to me yesterday with the caption, "Little Miss Happy Happy Joy Joy (Tay) getting her chemo."...I received it while I was posting this entry. Her mom requested an extra small PrayFit shirt. We had no idea. Guys, I have no words.
Until It Gets To Jesus
Charles Spurgeon once said, "It's not a sermon until it gets to Jesus." Go ahead and read that sentence again, and this time let it marinade a minute before you move on. Sweet, right? If you've noticed another theme this week, it's not an accident. Monday we said it was time to live, and yesterday we looked at those moments of triumph that help us live again. Life. Isn't that our prayer today and everyday? That our lives would get to Jesus? Lives so moved by grace that they become sermons? Our approach toward, perspective about, and outlook upon our health is one of those messages. Our attempt at a healthy lifestyle is simply a way to give back to God the life He gave us. Neat right? He gave us life. We live it out. He gave it all. We give it all back. Although, I wonder if I'm giving back as much as He gave. (The cursor on the keyboard is literally flashing on the screen as I contemplate my own question.) Do I? Am I?
With the clock ticking, our lives are ALL we have to give back. Am I emptying the tank? And I don't mean simply in sweat, but in the right way, with the right heart, for the right reasons, and for the right people? Sweat is easy. Sermons are tough. And it's not a sermon until it gets to Jesus. Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Our lives, including our health, are all we have to give back to God. What area of your life needs to be emphasized or de-emphasized in order for your health to be a sermon? Dang, that's a tough question. There goes my cursor again. (And hey guys, thanks for all of your comments yesterday about my personal triumph over my private pain. I appreciate everyone.)
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Here I am training again. If the world needs proof that grace happens, here I come. And although my recovery isn't the Gospel, I want my story to be a sermon. Today's message, "Joy." Can you see it on my face?
Goodbye "R2"
A couple of my buddies who do not read PrayFit won't get the benefit of knowing what I'm about to tell you, they'll just have to witness it first-hand. However, I had a small victory yesterday. And because we get personal at PrayFit, I somehow find myself at peace in sharing. Many of you have confided in me and in the community for prayer and praise, so it's my turn. Here I go. There's no turning back. I'm an open book.............................. Ok, so I don't mean to stall, but some of you know that a few years ago - between the two spine surgeries - I had the unfortunate experience of having a severe colon issue; a hereditary circumstance that required reconstruction and a lifetime left for me to deal with. (If I had my druthers, I would take a spine surgery each month in lieu of it.) Long story short, for the last 3 years, our home has been equipped with what my buddies affectionately named "R2D2." Go ahead and chuckle, it's fine. The guys have been able to get to the bottom of every joke possible.
Well - risking ridicule - yesterday I said goodbye to R2. I'd like to think I said farewell with no sympathy, but that wouldn't be completely true. Sentimental me is grateful for the life it has allowed me to continue. Shucks, leave it to me to tear up as I type, but why do I share such a personal triumph? Simple. To hopefully relate to some of you that are going through your own private hell. Someone reading this sentence endures something unspeakable each day, and if so, trust me when I say that I understand. If yesterday's entry "Time To Live" meant nothing to the majority, it meant something to someone, perhaps only to me.
But friends, we have no idea what people are going through, the battles they fight, the pain they endure. But when we - by the grace of God - overcome obstacles, hurdles and hurts, we're able to live again. Can anyone relate? Anyone want to join me in singing praises today? Jimmy Peña
Time To Live
"So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine." 1 Samuel 17:50 "He struck down the Philistine." You know, I've thought a lot lately about the young David and the day he floored the giant. Not sure why, but in my mind I find myself with a sling in one hand, while rolling a stone between my thumb and index finger in the other. I want to pick a fight.
With God's Word and His wisdom echoing down the corridors of my brain, tamed courage paces back and forth within my self-imposed and carefully designed cages. Friends...it seems my health, my faith, my income, stewardship, prayer life, my thought life and my witnessing to others all deserve and require a glance down at my stone and sling. What am I waiting on? What are you?
I think it's time to say, "Goodbye, comfort zones" and "So long, easy." In fact, in the time that it's taken me to write today's entry, I've realized that I don't have to pick a fight. The fight is waiting for me. It's raging. I gotta get in it. Do you?
What battles will you face this week? Will your pride be bruised? Will vanity get the better of you? Will your self-control actually lose it? Does your health need more attention? Less attention? Do you need to talk to that neighbor? Call that friend? Thankfully, whether we succeed or not, God's mercy is new each day and Jesus is in our hearts, so who do we have to fear? Let's engage. Let's get in it. It's time to mix it up. I have my stone and sling. Got yours? If the world needs proof that grace changes people, here we come.
--Jimmy Peña
Question: What health battles are you fighting? Are you dealing with an illness? Perhaps you're battling a food dependence or you've been neglecting your fitness routine? Let us know in the comment section, because we want to help you with your most powerful weapon: prayer. We promise to lift you up.
Song In Your Heart: As I was finishing-up today's entry, a song by the group 33Miles came on, "Live." Just spoke to me as I was trying to speak to you. Hope you enjoy the lyrics.
Who told you that you were all alone? Who told you that this is all there is? What's holding you so you can't take hold of hope? You're stuck so deep that you can't move. Don't you want to live? Live! Cause you are made for so much more than this. Live! Knowing that God loves you He's been with you all along He wants you to know the truth so you can live You're worth enough that He died for you His heart burns with love and desire for you Don't be afraid to receive Don't be afraid to believe That you can. He knows what your pain feels like Rest through His arms all night So don't you give up now Let Him show you how to live. Oh yeah, don't you want to live? Live.
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT
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He Set Limits
If focusing on how the body reacts to life has taught me anything this week (and over the years), it's that God gets us. He gets why we worry. Why else would He constantly encourage us to have faith? He gets why we suffer. Why else would He urge us not to lean on our own understanding? And yes, He also gets the body. As He formed us, He set limits. Let me say that again. As He formed us, HE SET LIMITS. As He encased our soul with flesh, He numbered our days on purpose. See, most sculptors never hope to reunite with their design, but God does. We're all He thinks about! Artists may pour heart and soul into their work, but our heart and soul is His work, and He wants us back. His biggest desire for our lives is that we meet the source of our lives. And if Jesus is in our hearts, He gets us.
–-Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: What entry this week spoke to you? Was it about redemption? Atrophy? Our weak but glorious bodies? Let me know. Love to hear your thoughts. What is it about our temporary, frail flesh that motivated you this week? Do we work for healthy habits and greater abundance? Yes. But has anyone been comforted about the body's limited ability this week? Can you tell I want to hear from you? Much love to you all. Be blessed, enjoy the weekend, serve each other.
THE MESSAGE, DELIVERED
Jimmy Peña's message of health as a means of praise is being well-received by congregations around the country. His storytelling approach to how a healthy body can strengthen the body of Christ and inspire abundant living is a message you don't want to miss. For speaking appearances, ministry assistance, media inquiries, write us at [email protected]. Share this information with pastors, elders and influencers with the knowledge that there is never a speaking fee for churches!
FAMILY CIRCLE: Social networks are like our extended digital family and we'd like to invite you to invite others! So "like," "join," "tweet" and "watch" PrayFit through our various channels. Click the links below to get plugged in with the rest of the PrayFit community in 2014! Facebook Twitter Instagram
Weak, Fragile, Glorious
"He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control." --Philippians 3:21 Neat week. Tuesday we talked soreness and redemption, and yesterday the atrophy of our frail flesh was a fresh reminder of resilient grace. Eternal souls - but first - a human fate. It's been some week, amen?
And to continue the body's heavenly perspective, I want you to imagine that before your very first day of school, or prior to getting your driver's license, and even before you began the family with which you spend your days...came your body. Not only did God inspire your soul's dream, but He gave you the body necessary to pursue the job. Since God will always equip us with what we need to accomplish His will, we know our bodies were His choice. Can you imagine the moment? It was as if God said:
"Sweet soul, here is your body. I've carefully woven it together. It has what it takes for you to pursue me and tell others about me. And precious body, this is your soul. Of all the matter in the universe, this is what matters most. Carry it where it needs to go. Protect it. Honor it. Now, I want you two to be good to each other. Be friends, not enemies."
Do me a favor and take a quick glance at your arm or hands. Think for a second that God himself has touched that skin. He was first. In fact, talk to your body. It's okay, go ahead. Maybe you need to thank it. Perhaps you need to assure it. Or like me the last few years, maybe during your dark hour, you need to apologize. Could be for something you've knowingly done or for something out of your control -- an ailment, an accident maybe, or even a disease. And much like any friend going through a tough time, just tell it you're so very sorry. After all, it was God who knitted it and then breathed life into it. Miraculously, He gave your heart a knowledge that there is something more to this life than life. And like it says in our verse, in order to pursue Him and then share Him, He gave you a weak and fragile body. Oh, it may not last this earth, but you can rest assured it was indeed a match made in Heaven. Glorious.
--Jimmy Peña
CONFESSION: If some of today's devotion sounds familiar, I pulled it from my latest book, The PrayFit Diet. I just had to. It was one of those pages in the book that really spoke to our theme this week of seeing Heaven from earth. Hope it spoke to you or to someone you love. You'd bless me if you shared it.
HAVE YOU TRIED "THE PRAYFIT DIET?"
Steeped in grace, fueled by faith, written with you in mind.
Jimmy Peña, one of the nation’s most sought-after fitness experts, has been trusted by the most prominent names in the entertainment industry, including Tyler Perry, Mario Lopez, and LL Cool J, to help them look and feel their best. His highest calling, however, is transforming the bodies and souls of people all over the country through his powerful combination of faith and fitness called PrayFit.
In The PrayFit Diet, Peña offers an easy, effective program-including shopping lists, daily menus, and simple, delicious recipes. A healthy body, he explains, is not about restriction of either calories or food groups. Instead, it’s all about eating in equilibrium -- a perfect 33% macronutrient balance of carbs, protein, and fat every day, which will allow you to make dramatic changes to your health and your waistline. The balanced approach of The PrayFit Diet is not only inspired by biblical principles, but it’s also supported by today’s cutting-edge science, and Peña gives you a plan to shed weight and the motivation to keep it off for a lifetime.
In The PrayFit Diet, Peña shows us how faith is the most powerful tool we have to conquer all of life’s obstacles, and that includes our health. More importantly, God wants you to be at your best, physically and spiritually. By combining perfectly proportioned meals with biblically based motivation, The PrayFit Diet will give you all the tools you need to live a life that will both inspire you and honor the Lord.
The Comfort of Atrophy
Atrophy: The gradual decline in muscle; to waste away. I first learned of the word back in college while sitting around the lunch table with my fellow lifting buddies. A novice weightlifter, I was growing like a weed. I remember thinking - wait no - I remember knowing that the work and food I was putting to use in one week would be seen the next. It was just a natural mindset, and as it turns out, it was the only way to train, to think, to grow. I did nothing short of declare war with my humanity. Four years later, 18-inch arms and squatting small homes were testaments to that truth. But then...
Not sure when it began exactly, but over the years and through the heartache of illness I began to lose what I worked so hard for; a thought that would have crushed my younger self. If you train, you feel me. You know what I'm talking about. But like I promised you yesterday, the body has some amazing ways of pointing us to eternity. Atrophy is one of them. And what a comfort atrophy has become. Indeed, if atrophy had its own verse, it just may be 1 Timothy 4:8, "For physical training is of some value, but training in godliness has value now and in the life to come." Yes sir, if there's a bodily trait that should remind us to be thankful for grace, it's atrophy, especially if you consider the amount of work it takes to gain muscle and how quickly it disappears if left untrained for whatever reason.
Thankfully - unlike our frail flesh - grace requires no work on our part, no diligence, no steadfast effort. Does it induce those things in our lives? Yes, but are they necessary to sustain it? No. And as I navigate my health and push hard against the naturally occurring decline, I'm simultaneously reminded of, and comforted by God's age-defiant, atrophy resistant, eternally resilient grace. Dear friends, the longer I serve Him (and the smaller I get) the sweeter He grows. Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Friends, we're vapors. We're quickly fading flowers. But isn't it something that the last muscle to go, the heart - where grace makes its home - also goes through atrophy? And when it can no longer sustain us or maintain us, it stops contracting. But grace will have only just begun. Have you declared war against your humanity? We're with you. That's why we're here to help you with the tools of training and food to help you navigate the battle. But here's a question: Pride wants to convince you otherwise, but who here is encouraged by atrophy?
COMMENTS SECTION: Although I don't always get to reply individually, I read and am thankful for each and every comment. When you take the time, it means the world to me, and I appreciate all of you.
ATTENTION PASTORS: You lead, they'll follow. Church leaders across the country have worked with us to help them develop curriculum and small groups geared toward physical stewardship. If you're looking for a book that you can be sure eschews vanity while celebrating grace, then look no further. We were blessed to receive this endorsement from one of our nation's most celebrated pastors.
Practically everyone I know wants to lose weight and get more fit—myself included. This battle is as much spiritual as it is physical, and most exercise and diet specialists miss this, but not Jimmy Peña and his PrayFit Diet plan. Getting fit God’s way ensures you have the proper perspective on how and who God made you to be. When you have this foundation firmly in place, you will not be motivated to get fit to prove you are a somebody, but to express the somebody you are in Christ.
--Randy Frazee, author of Making Room for Life, The Heart of the Story and senior pastor at Oak Hills Church
>> To order your copy of The PrayFit Diet, click here!
FAMILY CIRCLE: Social networks are like our extended digital family and we'd like to invite you to invite others! So "like," "join," "tweet" and "watch" PrayFit through our various channels. Click the links below to get plugged in with the rest of the PrayFit community in 2014! Facebook Twitter Instagram
Feels Like Redemption
Exercise is not good for you. Yes, you read that right. Strictly speaking, it's downright harmful. Take running, for instance. It's traumatic, and the breakdown puts the body at an extremely vulnerable state. But what? It's only how the body comes back from a beating that proves its worth. Speaking of tough exercises, try and name one Biblical character that didn't run into problems. Do you notice that each person that comes to mind was likely restored to become a more effective God follower? The Bible says, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not disappoint." (Rom. 5:3-5)
Healing, repair, growth, strength: descendants of diligence and progenies of prudence. The next time you're sore from a workout or when your soul hurts from tribulation, whisper to yourself, "Feels like redemption".
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Stay with me this week as we examine some principles of health that help point us right back to eternity. Who else finds it neat the way God weaves spiritual truths within our bodies and health? Or better yet, who reading this has ever felt "redemption"...?
SUMMER TANKS!
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Special Work
Earlier this week I asked that you keep a verse close to you, do you remember what it was? If you missed it, we took it from Jeremiah, "Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work." (v.1:5) And it's been fun looking at all the great ways He did just that. From our uniqueness, our sameness, our choice, our Guest. Well, welcome to Friday. Depending on when you get to this sentence, I will likely be on my way or perhaps already in the studio working alongside a production team on a project of mine. I won't be on camera, so it won't matter what clothes I have on or the fact that I'm probably wearing a ball cap. No, my work today is simply to use my voice. Get inside the sound booth, step up to the mic and deliver the lines that God delivered to my heart. They're not looking at me, but they're listening. So speak up, Peña.
Romans 11:36 says, "Everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by His power and everything is for His glory." What better way to end this week's theme than with this verse. Put simply, it all comes from Him, and it's all for Him. All good things are possible through Him, and all good things are for Him. We're set apart, not to be seen, but for Him to be known. Our special work is to deliver the line of our lives.
Thank you Lord for making us who You wanted us to be. May we remember that we live to exhibit you. Let everything we do and say put you on display. Jimmy Peña
BLESSINGS FOR MEMORIAL DAY: With it being a long weekend, the next PrayFit Daily will be on Tuesday, May 27th. Be safe and healthy, serve each other.
The Guest List
Some of you have heard me tell this story, but during a week of naming traits, remembering blessings and jotting down unique lists, I think it works. About five years ago, I had the privilege of spending a week on the set of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. When it aired, I remembered the feeling I had when that family first answered the knock at the door, then came back a week later to a brand new house. Talk about gut-wrenching! Someone they never expected came into their world and freely gave them something they couldn't afford on their own. He saw where they lived and said you don't have to live here anymore. As I stood and watched the process, I couldn't help but think of Jesus. Just like we did for that family, He knocks gently, anxiously awaiting our answer. But rather than calling for a wrecking ball, He does the unthinkable: He moves in. Instead of a hammer, He carries a suitcase. He gives us something we could never afford on our own -- Himself -- saying we don't have to live here anymore, alone.
–-Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: In a week spent celebrating and listing the gifts He's given us, I know full well that my greatest trait is my dependence on Him being home. Indeed, my life's highest meaning is my heart's manifest. End of story. As I type, I think it's neat to think that my guest list is yours. Have you enjoyed this week's theme? Has a look at your personal blessings and gifts helped shape your week physically or spiritually? Talk to me.
He gives us something we could never afford on our own -- Himself -- saying we don't have to live here anymore, alone.
HAVE YOU TRIED "THE PRAYFIT DIET?"
What It Is: It's a biblical recalibration of your relationship with nutrition, complete with a waistline-friendly plan for eating healthier forever. If you haven't tried it yet...here's a bit more info that might sway you!
Jimmy Peña, one of the nation’s most sought-after fitness experts, has been trusted by the most prominent names in the entertainment industry, including Tyler Perry, Mario Lopez, and LL Cool J, to help them look and feel their best. His highest calling, however, is transforming the bodies and souls of people all over the country through his powerful combination of faith and fitness called PrayFit.
In The PrayFit Diet, Peña offers an easy, effective program-including shopping lists, daily menus, and simple, delicious recipes. A healthy body, he explains, is not about restriction of either calories or food groups. Instead, it’s all about eating in equilibrium -- a perfect 33% macronutrient balance of carbs, protein, and fat every day, which will allow you to make dramatic changes to your health and your waistline. The balanced approach of The PrayFit Diet is not only inspired by biblical principles, but it’s also supported by today’s cutting-edge science, and Peña gives you a plan to shed weight and the motivation to keep it off for a lifetime.
In The PrayFit Diet, Peña shows us how faith is the most powerful tool we have to conquer all of life’s obstacles, and that includes our health. More importantly, God wants you to be at your best, physically and spiritually. By combining perfectly proportioned meals with biblically based motivation, The PrayFit Diet will give you all the tools you need to live a life that will both inspire you and honor the Lord.
Care in the Corners
The Bible says, "We all have different gifts each of which came because of the grace God gave us." (Romans 12:6) I can just see Michelangelo painting his chapel when I read that verse. It's well-docuented that if you were to ask Michelangelo about his gifts, he would tell you that he could taste the stone cutter's tools in the milk of his wet nurse. He knew what he was born to do. The last couple of days, we've looked at our unique, God-given gifts. Some of you even took the time to think about your specific lists. And despite our vast differences -- as if it were a mystery the other foot would fall -- we do have one amazing similarity. You can see it in every mirror. It rings in every ear. Do you know what it is? Between the singers among us, the writers, brick layers and those with the gift of hospitality, sales, law or manufacturing is a divine thread of commonality. The one trait all of us have is: choice. And I must say, choice becomes us all.
When Michelangelo was asked why he took so much time on painting the corners of the Sistine Chapel even though nobody would see them, he famously answered, "God will." Choice.
"Why does the earth spin? For Him. Why do you have talents and abilities? For Him. Everything and everyone exists to reveal His glory. Including you." -Max Lucado
It's no Sistine Chapel, and it won't summon sightseeing tours a hundred years from now, but when it comes to this little website, I take each word extremely seriously. Loretta will attest that not one word gets to you until it really gets to me. It's what I was born to do. And make no mistake, when it comes to the stewardship of the gift of health - our little corner of God's chapel on earth - we have a choice.
--Jimmy Peña
For Discussion: Can you think of one of your gifts that you cherish with Michelangelo-like care? Even if nobody sees? If so, don't doubt for a second that it doesn't fill God's pride jar to watch you care for it in humility. After all, He made it especially for you to enjoy. And it's His delight that matters.
THE MESSAGE, DELIVERED
Jimmy Peña's message of health as a means of praise is being well-received by congregations around the country. His storytelling approach to how a healthy body can strengthen the body of Christ and inspire abundant living is a message you don't want to miss. For speaking appearances, ministry assistance, media inquiries, write us at [email protected]. Share this information with pastors, elders and influencers with the knowledge that there is never a speaking fee for churches!