Be in the Present

The dishes were piled up in the sink, along with the bills that needed to be paid and all I could do was sigh out loud.  My daughter continued to fight going down for her afternoon nap and I hadn't eaten lunch that day.  There was a dirty diaper out I had forgotten to throw away and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.   This was after all, what I had wanted for a long time.  This wasn't the way I had wanted it to happen, but the result was all the same.

I was smack-dab in the middle of my 5 week Living & Active Challenge when my everyday routine, my comfort, was shaken.  When I started with the first week of this challenge I shared with you in a video that Satan comes after those that are obedient to God and His plan, and friends I was no exception.

I had been laid off work due to the government shutdown.  My husband and I weren't sure how long I’d be out of work, or if I’d be able to come back at all the way everyone was speculating about things.  So this full-time working mama went straight to staying at home with her baby girl, and I wasn't so sure I was doing so well at my new job.

Uncertainty filled my eyes in the form of tears as I became overwhelmed at my new role and how much my life had suddenly changed in a moment’s notice.  But friends, as these feelings of doubt washed over me, I felt the Lord’s presence and heard Him say these precious words to my soul:

Be in the present.

 

So often our society focuses on the next thing.  We schedule out dates in our planners 2 years in advance.  We barrel through one task to get to the next one.   Our phones are always nearby so that we don’t miss a single thing that’s happened on Facebook or Twitter.   We continually focus on what needs to be done, rather than what’s been done.

In that moment standing over my kitchen sink full of dishes, the Lord reminded me of the precious time He had given me and it wasn't to be taken for granted.

Sometimes we’re meant to be in the present.

 

Sometimes we’re meant to just stop, rest, and enjoy the moment.  Because y’all, we’re missing it.  The leaves are starting to change color where I live which signals fall is here.  They will soon fall to the ground, be swept up into a pile and then discarded for the next season to arrive.

Don’t discard this moment in your life.  You won’t get it back.  Some of you reading this may not like where you’re at in your life at the present moment and that’s okay.  Something is to be said for the present you are in now.  God is working in your life right now.  Friend, He is there working even if you don’t see Him.   When we focus too much on the future, we miss out on what the Lord is doing in our lives in the present.

How is God working in your life right now?  What is He revealing to you in the present?

 

That day I decided to lay with my daughter for her nap.  I held her in my arms and laid my head against hers and watched her sleep peacefully.  I spent time taking her in; her facial features, how little her hands were, how she smiled in her sleep.  Because the fact is-

This moment is just a season of time.

One day her hands won’t be that little anymore.  One day she will grow up before my eyes and friends, I don’t want to miss a moment of this sweet present.

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that the Lord has plans for our future, but He also has plans for us in the present.  He wants us to soak up these moments in our lives; trials or triumphs, hardships or difficulties, dirty dishes or a spotless house and find Him there in the midst of it.

These seasons in our lives come and go so quickly.  They are but moments in time.

I had every intention of writing through my 5 week challenge and sharing that journey with you.  But I felt God calling me to be in the present and just enjoy my time with daughter, so that’s what I did.   I am happy to share with you that I did complete my 5 week challenge and did return back to work.  I look back on that short precious time and I’m so thankful I took time to be in the present.

Friends, don’t miss what God is doing in the present. 

Is God calling you to be in the present?

Do you have trouble staying the present?

How is God working in your life in the present moment?

 

 

 

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The Next Street Sign

My legs were shaking.  My heart pounded out of my chest.  I was out of breath.

 

I had done it.

 

 

I had reached the street sign, feeling accomplished and surprisingly revived.   I had just finished my longest run to date.  After a workout at the gym near our office, my friend and coworker challenged me to run back to the office with her.

 

“I’ll do it, sure,” I said without hesitation.  Before this challenge I would have never committed to do something like this, but God is continually showing me how strong I can actually be.

 

Okay Lord, please help me finish this run.  I know I can do it through you Lord, but I need your help.  Just help me finish. 

 

 

Not only would God provide me with the physical strength to complete my run, but He provided me with someone who pushed me and encouraged me with each passing block.

 

 

Just make it to this bush.

 

Just make it the next sign.

 

This is where it gets hard, just push through and it’ll pass.

 

You’re doing it.

 

 

She didn’t know it, but with each encouraging word my feet hit the pavement with more motivation than the last step.  I was going to finish.

 

See, God does this for us all the time.  It may not be running, it may be other life circumstances, but He provides just what my friend provided me.

 

 

I know you’re in pain, don’t give up.

 

I know you feel defeated in your marriage, just bring it to me and push through.

 

I’ve got something better planned, just trust me.

 

I know times are tough financially, but I will provide.

 

With each of life’s unexpected and sometimes expected circumstances, God is running with us, helping us make it the street sign.

 

This week’s verse for the “Living and Active” challenge is from Matthew 6:34

 

 

We must choose to focus on today.  We must find the blessings and victories in today.  I could choose to get really down on myself at the distance I ran, knowing it is probably short to anyone else’s expectations, but it’s not about the distance.

 

 

It’s about making it to the next street sign.

 

 

I can’t worry about tomorrow and what will come.  I can only focus on what God wants me to see in today.  Each morning I pray, “Lord help me to see you in all that I do today.”   Sometimes God will reveal himself in big ways to you, and other times it comes in the small things.

 

Whatever is going on in your life today that you may not understand, or if you’re unsure about what tomorrow holds for you, for your marriage, for your finances, your health, whatever it is…

 

 

Stay with me.  Stay with God.  Run to the next street sign with me.

 

 

I’ll meet you there, precious friend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Week 1-Check In

Well, week 1 of my "Living and Active Challenge" is complete! Wahoo!!

I was able to complete my exercise requirements and memorize my verse for the week. It's been so helpful to be accountable for something and to know that I'm not only getting physically healthier, but my spiritual health is improving as well. I'm starting to see some things God is revealing to me through this challenge so far, and one thing He specifically showed me during my run on Friday:

I doubt myself way too much.

I wrap up week 1 and talk more about the challenge in this short video blog:

[youtube=http://youtu.be/b8pUgbO1G5w]

Doubt is holding me back, but I'm working to change that. The Lord is really showing me that through Him I can do anything. He gives me the strength to do anything.

Is there something holding you back today?

If you're part of the 5 week challenge, or you're doing a challenge of your own...keep it up! The race has just started, but we're closer to the finish line than when we first began!

Week 1 Memory Verse:

What does this verse mean to you? How can you apply it this week?

Here's to week 2!!

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Week 1-Accepting the Challenge

They say that the hardest part of starting a race is well, starting it.  The hardest part of beginning any challenge is actually saying yes and committing to it.  That couldn't be more true for me.

I remember the exact moment I finally gave this over to the Lord.  He had been working on me for weeks and weeks, and I had wrestled back and forth with Him for the majority of that time.  I am so glad that God is always patient with His children, because I sure was not making it easy on either of us.

I just didn't think God would convict me so strongly over my health choices.  But He did.

I remember finally surrendering to Him and one night while I was getting ready for bed,  I  literally cried out Lord, if this something you want me to do, something you truly want me to change, I need you to literally get in my face with it.  Show me through scripture, through songs, through others examples.  Show me this is what you're calling me to do at this moment in my life.

Cause see, I'm a visual learner.  I wanted God to just put it right in front of me.  I was already challenging myself in other ways to be radically obedient to God, but I never put two and two together when it came to my health.  God lined up scriptures for me.  My devotionals spoke directly to choosing to be obedient.  Songs like Mandisa's Overcomer became my daily encouragement.  God was requesting something from me and He was making it clear what it was.

Trust me.  

I truly felt God speaking to me to trust Him with the challenge He had set before me.  I needed to hand it over to Him and trust that He will take care of me during this process.  He was asking me to trust that through Him I can do all things and by His grace, I cannot fail at this.

I also felt Him nudging me to make my challenge public.  My dear friend on the other side of the screen right now, it is not easy for me to let you in on this journey, but I want to.  I want us to challenge each other, in whatever way we need to to grow.  Are you in with me?  I'd love for you to join me in this 5 week challenge, or create your own.

And friends, please pray for me throughout this challenge.  Pray for me to have the perseverance to complete it!

Here is my week 1 memory verse:

"Though one may be overpowered; 

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Ecclesiastes 4:12 

What speaks to you about this verse?

I'll be back in a few days with a video blog about how week 1 went!

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Are You In?

You may (or may not) have noticed that I've been silent for a few weeks.  It's not that I haven't wanted to share things with you.  No, it's not even that I haven't had the time to write, I have.  It's because I've been waiting and I just felt the need to wait...in silence.

There's been so many times I've wanted to hop on here and share words with you, share with you the journey the Lord is asking me to begin with Him, but each time I've sat down to share these words with you, something has stopped me.  Be it the Lord, fear, hesitation, whatever it may have been, I just couldn't get it out.  But today, that's all changing.

Over a year ago, I wrote a post called The Stop Sign and many of you so graciously identified with my struggle and the desire to change it.  After that post I was determined to make a change in my life; for my health, for my future children, my family, my own approval, etc.  Well that time came and went and no change was made in my health.  I continued to eat the things I so dearly loved, craved even.  Any fitness or exercise routine I tried to establish fell at the waste side, or I should say my waist-line.  And all the while I went through each day desiring for that miraculous change in my body to take place, but not truly wanting to put the effort in to achieve that change.

I kept waiting for my rock bottom to occur.  You know, the one thing that would make me say "enough!" and I would never look back to the person I once was.  I so desperately wanted this moment to happen because I needed something, ANYTHING to shake me up and call me to change.

The problem with waiting on my rock bottom is that my expectations for what was my "bottom" just kept getting lower.   I thought when I went up a size in clothes it would do it, but no.  When I saw the highest number I've seen for myself on the scale, nope. The list could go on and on.

Because when the bottoms came, so did the excuses for those bottoms.  

See, this excuses thing for me has been going on for while now.  If excuses and I were dating, we'd be getting close to getting engaged now.  We are very familiar to each other.  I find comfort in excuses.

There's no way I can do it.  

I hate exercising.

I have so much weight to lose.

I'll fail.  

Ouch.  That last one stings me more than all the other excuses combined.  You see that last one, for me, has been my crutch.  I've rested on that fear of failing, because we all know, if you don't try...you can't fail.

Out of the many times and I mean MANY times I've tried to lose weight and get healthy, I've left one essential piece out of the puzzle.   I've completely left out the One who created my body in the first place, God.  Recently, I have felt like the Lord was telling me to step out in faith and take this journey WITH Him this time.  I have felt the Lord pushing me to step out and trust that He wants me to go through this process of change not just for health, but to grow stronger in my relationship with Him.  So while He's been speaking to me through devotionals, Bible Study, songs, and through examples of others, I've been silent...waiting for Him to tell me now is the time to jump in WITH ME.

It is with great excitement, trust, and for me, a major step out in faith moment that I tell you about the 5 week challenge that I will begin next week, called the Living and Active Challenge.   Click on the blog button below to find out more about the Living and Active 5 Week Challenge through Peak 313 Fitness! 

Each week I'll be writing and sharing with you throughout my 5 week journey to become not only healthier in body but spirit.  I trust that the Lord is going to reveal so many things about Himself to me and the reason behind Him placing this challenge in front of me.  I'll be posting about my trials and struggles through the process, as well as the victories and blessings that it brings.

I told my Acteens girls on Wednesday night that each time they saw me I wanted them to ask me how my challenge was going.  I want them to hold me accountable not only for the fitness challenge but for my memory verses and time in the word.  This isn't something I want to be silent about anymore.  We each have things that hold us back from fulfilling God's ultimate purpose for our lives and I believe this to be one of mine.  I spend too much time searching for the approval of others, not caring for my body as He designed it, and not including God in this battle I've had since childhood.

What's holding you back from a life full of God's blessing and purpose? 

What will your challenge look like?  For you, it may not be health related, it may be something else entirely and that's okay, but will you choose to take this journey with me?  Will you create your own challenge?

If you're in this 5 week challenge with me, leave a comment and say "I'm in!"  You can also write what challenge you're choosing for the next 5 weeks and we can pray over one another throughout the journey, but you don't have to.  I may fail at this and only complete 2 weeks, or I might go all the way, I don't know.  But I've got to learn to let God show me how my fear of failure can no longer be my crutch.  Now is the time to begin a new journey with Him and where this challenge and journey will take me, we will see.

So tell me...are you in?

To sign up for the 5 week challenge through Peak 313 fitness, simply head to www.peak313.com.

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