Workout

It's so important to exercise.  Sometimes it is beyond hard to get up and do it, however, the rewards for working out is a healthier body.

I try to change up my workouts a bit. Mon, Wed, Fri are workout with weights days at the gym.  I do 10-15 min cardio to warm out followed by weights.  Tues and Thurs, I work out with dvd cardio workouts.  Weekends are usually busy so I don't generally workout on the weekends. I'm  always looking for different weight training workouts.  My body doesn't get too used to one workout and my health benefits. The dvds are ones I've collected including Zumba, Hip Hop Abs, T25, and 2 weight loss yoga dvds, one by Bob Greene and the other by Jillian Michaels. What kind of workouts do you do?  

God bless 🌺🌺

What Do You Like To Do For Exercise

What do you like to do for exercise?  I hear so many folks say "I only walk."  Any  exercise you do is better than no exercise, and in reality, walking is one of the best exercises you can do.  It offers great cardio benefits while putting little stress on your joints.  Some of my friends like to hike outdoors.  Arizona is a grwat place for outdoor activities.  I have other friends who bike for exercise in the great Arizona outdoors.  I'm personally not an outdoors person.  I exercise using dvds for cardio and yoga.  I also weightlift at the gym for strength training.  I try to do cardio followed by yoga 2-3 days per week.  I also weightlift 2-3 days per week.  I am not a morning person, but have learned to get up and workout at 5am. If I try to go after work, I usually flake out due to exhaustion.  I have learned to wake up and workout, which I've found actually helps me feel better during my day.  I'm far more alert with the extra boost of oxygen to my brain from working out.

I'd love to hear what you like to do for exercise 😊

Dealing with Struggles

Lately life has been quite a struggle for my family and me.  Lots of major family issues happening, combined with the stresses of work and finances, could spell disaster.  When I was much younger, I would have reacted with depression, anxiety, and poor ways of dealing with stress.  My biggest stress go-to was always food.  I am an emotional eater.  I eat when I'm happy, sad, angry, bored, lonley, and pretty much any emotion you can think of.  I have had to learn a better way to handle stress, but it is something I will always struggle with.  Like an alcoholic, drug addict, or a smoker, food is my addiction.  However, unlike other addictions, we can't stop eating.  It is hard, but one can cease drinking alcohol, smoking, or using drugs. One can't just stop eating and still live.  I have had to learn to workout, pray, read, and engage in other productive activities, rather than turn to food.  If all else fails, we have healthy choices food in our house rather than unhealthy.  Therefore, if I do slip and turn to food the damage isn't as bad.  

We all have struggles, hard times, challenges we must overcome in life, some are more difficult than others.  One thing we all have in common is the need for encouragement and support in the goid times and in the bad.  I try my best to be there in person, in text, by phone, through email, and in social media to offer encouragement, prayer, and hugs.  This is one of my favorite ways to be productive, helping others. 

What do you sturggle with?  How do you overcome it? How do you help others in their struggles?

Seek Him First

Do you worry?  Do you have anxiety?

Do you stress about finances, family, friends, work, school, and/or your health?  

YHWH (God) has an answer for you. 

"Don't worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to God by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. Then God's shalom, passing all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy." Philipians 4:6-8

Our Father in Heaven loves and cares for you!  He will carry you in hard times.  We only need to seek His will, and He will guide us. 

"But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Don't wor y about tomorrow -- tomorrow will worry about itself! Today has enough tsuris already" Matthew 6:33-34

Recently, my church had a series called "Ask the Author."  It was focused on relationships and singleness as God calls us, not as the world calls us. Here is a link to the most recent teaching. 

http://pccwired.org/weekend/2015/03/29/a-gift/

The Pastor taught as the Bible does to seek God's will first whether in a relationship or single.  He wants to guide our paths.  He wants what is best for us!

"For I know what plans I have in mind for you,' says ADONAI,'plans for well-being, not for bad things; so that you can have hope and a future. When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly; and I will let you find me,' says ADONAI." Jeremiah 29:11-14

Have a blessed day seeking God first and taking comfort in knowing Adonai wants best for you always!!

Serving

We are called to serve YHWH (God) through his son, Yeshua (Jesus).  

 "If someone is serving me, let him follow me; wherever I am, my servant will be there too. My Father will honor anyone who serves me" John 12:26

How can we best serve Him? We can serve one another, using the gifts He has given us. 

"Now there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit gives them.  Also, there are different ways of serving, but it is the same Lord being served.6 And there are different modes of working, but it is the same God working them all in everyone" 

1 Corinth 12:4-6

If we seek to serve each other as unto the Lord, we are serving as He taught us.

"Remember that whoever does good work, whether he be a slave or a free man, will be rewarded by the Lord" Ephesians 6:8

Do you love fun?

Think of fun ways to serve. Serve by gathering others and sparking them toserve. Host a party to raise money for the poor, make hygiene packs for the homeless, or school packs for kids.

Do you like a challenge? Think of challenges to help others. Challenge friends or family to raise money for a charitable cause.

Challenge others to collect food or clothes for a local homeless shelter.  

Do you like facts and figures? Volunteer to assist in raising money for a charity, perhaps offer to assist with their financial management. Research organizations that represent charitable needs you agree with and discover ways you can use your gifts to best help them.

Do you come to life when you are giving to others? Seek volunteer opportunities with a charity you believe in. Offer to aid a family in need by babysitting, cooking, or pulling weeds.  

"Whatever work you do, put yourself into it, as those who are serving not merely other people, but the Lord. Remember that as your reward, you will receive the inheritance from the Lord. You are slaving for the Lord, for the Messiah" Colossians 3:23-24

How do you serve the Lord and others?

Being Humble

YHWH (God) calls us to be humble many times throughout his word. 

2 Chron 7:14 "then, if my people, who bear my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their evil ways, I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land"

What does it mean to be humble?  Dictionaryreference.com says"not proud, not arrogant;  modest." Merriam-Webster states, "not proud or haughty; not arrogant or assertive." But is this really what God is saying.  Let's ask Him. 

We know He listens and encourages the humble. 

Psalm 10:17 "Adonai, you have heard what the humble want; you encourage them and listen to them"

We also know wisdom comes with humility, but pride goes with disgrace. 

Proverbs 11:2-3 "First comes pride, then disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the duplicity of the treacherous destroys them"

Yeshua (Jesus) says himself, we must be humble like a child. 

Matthew 18:4 "So the greatest in the Kingdom is who ever makes himself as humble as this child."

This is humility according to YHWH.  Integrity, Belief, Serving others- this is being humble. Yeshua (Jesus), himself, demonstrated this as he humbled himself for us, even to the cross

Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" 

We are therefore instructed to always be humble-not once in awhile, but ALWAYS. 

Ephesians 4:2 "Always be humble, gentle and patient, bearing with one another in love,"

A martial arts instructor once told me, "you need to be humble enough to learn from the youngest to the oldest."  Wisdom is available at all ages. We simply must learn to love and care for others, truly humble.

How do you define humility? 

True Success

I was challenged recently to think about how I define success.  Is success an increase in financial gain?  Is it a new or better job?  Is it a degree?  Is it the latest or best available?  What is your definition?

Is success your achievement?

Or.....

Is success perhaps more than you? What if true success really isn't about you, or me in my case?  Could success possibly be more about others?  If we are able to help someone else achieve their dreams, improve their finances, pay off debt, go to school, fulfill a lifelong wish- this is the measure of true success!  When we reach beyond ourselves to help a poor family gain a home, a financially strapped family pay off debt, a struggling friend gain financial independence- this is the success beyond all measure.  Success of caring for our fellow human beings.  

Blessings💜💜💜