Sisters in Christ – Faith Fitness and Mommy Stuff

Refresh Summit South

I originally wrote this while I was reading “Do Over” by Jon Acuff. It was in response to the Day 5 assignment. Good to know that three years later that I am consistent about not posting consistently – even drafts.

Motivating Place — Where is the most motivating place you’ve ever visited? Refresh!!!

So technically Refresh isn’t a place, it’s…

I find myself at a loss for words when I attempt to describe Refresh Summit ’14 in fewer than four sentences. I’ve been struggling to blog post about it for almost a year now. Mainly because I keep writing too much. Like an epistle too much. Seriously, I could write a blog series about the two days I spent in a B&B cabin with 39 other women in the mountains of Tennessee. I would describe it as “overnight camp” for women.

I never got to go to away camp and it was everything I imagined summer camp would be like. S’mores and all. Except there were no crazy antics involving paddling to the boys’ side of the lake or weird girl clique issues. Obviously, all of the camp ideas I had was based on the 1980’s movies I watched growing up. Even without all the cheesiness of an 80’s movie, I got all of the things I wanted out of an away camp experience at Refresh.

And a lot that I didn’t know I could get out worshipping God, fellowshipping, exercising, and eating really good food. What I can say succinctly about Refresh is that it’s the most uplifting and motivating experience I’ve had in the last several years.

Where’s the most motivating place you’ve ever visited?

Want to attend Refresh Summit South 2018? Registration is now open!

Out Of Shape?

I attended a Relay For Life fundraising event yesterday, that Jessi, a Revelation Wellness Platoon 16 sister, was holding. She provided breakfast, shared her testimony, and led an awesome Revelation Wellness fitness class. Complete with a hope filled message and a kick butt workout. Well, I can’t speak for the other participants, but she definitely kicked my booty. The class ended at a quarter to eleven, and I was already feeling soreness creep into my muscles by the time we went to lunch.

modify — Modifying as needed. Photo credit – Jilly White Photography

As we were walking up to Jason’s Deli (it was my first time and I loved it) I was about to tell Jessi, “Wow, I really must be out of shape because I’m already feeling it in my quads and booty!”, but the Holy Spirit led me to use a different phrase. In what felt like a split second, He said that using the phrase out of shape insinuates that there’s something wrong with one’s shape, that something is wrong with their form, that they are broken or less than. Whoa. He then instructed me to use the phrase out of practice instead. He said it was true, whereas my go-to phrase was not. Isn’t it crazy amazing how the Spirit’s leading can happen in a brief moment but encapsulate so much teaching?

As I was writing that last paragraph, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the lie vs. truth exercise Jessi led us through during yesterday’s class. During a RevFit class, participants are asked to exchange a lie for a truth. Jessi asked us to think about a negative word or phrase we believe about ourselves and to write it down on an index card. My word was broken, as I have believed for over three years that my body was broken beyond repair and would never be able to move as it did before my twins. She then instructed us to tear up the index card and put on some truth by writing on ourselves (shoulder, arm, hand, etc) what God says about us. In Revelation Wellness we call this war paint. The word God spoke over me was restored.

restored-1 — God calls me RESTORED. Photo credit – Jilly White Photography

Even with RESTORED written down my left forearm, I was quick to speak out of shape over myself. How quickly the enemy of our hearts will come and refute truth that God has declared over us. I am so grateful that the Holy Spirit stepped in to remind me who I am. He provided a way out for me. A way out of the temptation to believe lies, however benign they may seem, that I have believed for years.

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

So the next time you hear someone say that they’re out of shape, or you’re tempted to say it of yourself, please speak truth – out of practice, not out of shape.

psalm-139v14 — Post lunch – Jessi and I showing off our shirts based on Psalm 139:14.

Made to Crave: 21 Day FOCUS

Deeper Surrender

Have you ever found yourself surrendering an area of your life to God, again? That’s where I currently find myself where food is concerned. Specifically sugar and junk food. I’ve gone around this mountain so many times, it’s tiring.

I really thought the last time was just that, the last time. I climbed up the mountain with the Lord as my guide, victoriously put His flag in the peak of the mountain, and put my hands on my hips with my hair blowing in the wind as the Rocky theme music played behind me.

I thought I had won.

Then two years ago I got pregnant with my twin boys. My mindset had to drastically shift from eating clean to eating enough. Three thousand calories per day is not an easy feat. People would find out about my new diet goal and say “Man, I’d love to be able to eat that many calories every day!” I’d look at them, shaking my head. At first I tried to hold on to my clean eating ways. Then the protein cravings kicked in. Big time. I really should have bought stock in Wendy’s. For real. Although the people in the drive-thru didn’t know my name, they definitely knew me. I’d pull up to the windows and be greeted with “Hey! How are you doing? How are the twins doing?” For real.

During the first trimester the Floyd Twins did not like man made sugar so sweets weren’t an issue until the second trimester. And although adding sweets into the mix made it easier to get closer to my daily caloric goal, I usually still fell short.

Fast forward to today. The boys are about to be 15 months old, and I’m still eating like I’m pregnant. Not as many calories, but no where near as clean as I once did. Although on a very real spiritual level I know that I have been delivered from my sugar addiction, the simple truth is that my brain has been rewired. And not for the better.

A Little Help From My Friends

So I’ve decided to circle this mountain again. I’m going to pick up Lysa Terkuerst’s “Made to Crave”, an awesome book that God used in a mighty way to free me from sugar addiction nearly three years ago, along with the book’s 21 day devotional and climb back up the mountain. But this time I’m bringing some friends with me. I’m teaming up with my sister in ministry, Amia, to participate in the annual inneractive FITCLUB Swimsuit Confidence Challenge. The theme of this year’s challenge is “Made to Crave”.

What Is the Challenge?

Spiritual motivation, group accountability, nutritional support, and fitness challenges. We will be getting rid of all the necessary junk we’ve been carrying around {Hebrews 12:1}, the cravings that distract us from what we’re really longing for.

What Will I Do When I Accept This Challenge?

You will not be “going on a diet”. We’ll be offering healthy, doable eating options, not strict eating plans that you’ll quit as soon as you think no one is watching. There’s no freedom in counting calories and macros every day of your life. Besides, if you’ve got a family you’ll want to model health and wholeness for your husband, and kids if you have them.

You will:

Attempt the daily challenges (fitness, spiritual motivation, photo of the day, healthy food swap, stop drop and chug, etc) posted on the challenge page (details given in the weekly email).
Share your journey. Blog about it, Tweet it, post on Facebook, share on Instagram, or pin it on Pinterest. You don’t have to post a before/after photo, but you can if you want to. You can post about your goals (specific and measurable) and post updates.
Be actively involved. inneractive FITCLUB is a community of women who motivate and encourage one another while holding each other accountable to the goals we’ve each set.
Commit to working out at least 3 days a week. The daily fitness challenges can be incorporated however you like. They can be your work out, supplement your already existing fitness regimen, or not done at all.
Choose your scriptural anchor. This is what you will meditate on to get you beyond the stuff that’s been hindering and tripping you up.
Stay focused by interacting via social media:
- Use the hashtag #CravingGod
- Follow fellow participants
- Follow hosts Reina and Amia (find Amia’s info when you sign up for the challenge)
  - Facebook
  - Twitter
  - Instagram
  - Pinterest

How Do I Join the Challenge?

Head on over to inneractive FITCLUB to sign up for the weekly email.

I can’t wait to walk alongside you on our journey up this mountain to health and wholeness!

becoming myself

I don’t remember when I picked up my first copy of Stasi Eldredge’s becoming myself: embracing God’s dream of you. Funny, I remember where I bought it, but not when. Also, I’m pretty certain that I picked it up because I misread the title as God’s dream for you. For the past five years I’ve been torn between wanting to go into full time student ministry working full time as a teacher. Although I have accepted that teaching middle school is boot camp for God’s next assignment for me, I would be lying if I said there weren’t times that I desperately want to speed up the timetable so I can walk into God’s dream for me.

Like so many other books I have bought over the years, becoming myself went untouched. (I have a list of books to finish in 2015) Then last month, as a Family Christian Blogger, I learned of an opportunity to receive both the book and the accompanying eight session DVD. I didn’t even know there was a DVD that went along with the book. I’m not saying that I would have already read the book had I known, but just maybe. It wasn’t until I received the book and DVD did I remember I already owned the book. The memorable book cover had me searching through my library to confirm my suspicion that I had not only seen it before but walked by it several times in my own home.

As a mother of infant twins and a seven year old, I do not have the luxury of pleasure reading like I did before I had kids. What I do have though, is my morning time. It isn’t as sacred as I’d like it to be, as it is often sacrificed in order to get my oldest to school on time. And when I get to have it, reading a book is the last thing I do during that time. I pray, read short devotionals, pray some more, and then read. I say all that in hopes that you won’t judge me when I tell you I’m only about to start reading Chapter 4. Seriously. Although I thought I was cured from caring what others think about me, blogging and reading this book have made me keenly aware of my ever present desire to be accepted by others – especially women.

My friend Amia and I always talk about how you can’t help people if you haven’t walked through whatever it is they’re struggling with. And although you can commiserate with your friend if you’re still in that place, two people in a pit are still in the pit. One of the goals of Catalyst Movement – the dream God gave me for a girl centered ministry – is for girls to love one another as they learn to love themselves. I know that God brought my attention back to this book so I can work through some stuff so I can better lead girls into a life of freedom and wholeness.