A Word On Courage

Courage, a word often used but seldom lived. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines courage as:
 
"Bravery; intrepidity; that quality of mind which enables men to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear or depression of spirits; valor; boldness; resolution. It is a constituent part of fortitude; but fortitude implies patience to bear continued suffering."

In the 1st chapter of the book of Joshua God tells Joshua to be strong and of good Courage 4 different times (Joshua1:6, 7, 9, 18) , and two of those times he uses the phrase, only be strong and have courage (Joshua 1:7, 18). 

We all have purposes in life and though to you, yours may not seem as important as Joshua's, to God no one of us or our purpose is anymore important than the other. But one thing remains true, whatever God has called you to do, he has put within you the gift and ability to do it, but you must have Faith in God and the COURAGE to step out on that Faith and do it.

Moving Forward: My Fitness/Workout Dilema, I think I've figured it out....

Okay so I need to lose some weight, and if you know me personally this is no surprise to you, you might have even said it to me at one point or another. I am by no means obese, but I am overweight and that is neither healthy or a good witness to the abundant life Christ died for me to have.

That being said, I was doing a good job for a while. I was eating less and working out more, and I lost about 15lbs, then I plateaued and now I have gained a few back. I know a part of the issue is my eating habits, sometimes I eat too late and most times I eat too much.  I love food. I love to cook.  These are two facts I have had to face, but they do not make my weight loss impossible, because I have learned that with Christ I can do all things including eat better.

My main problem has been working out.  I go to the gym for a while and then I stop, and then I start again, and then I start again.  I have yet to really get a good consistent routine going. But I realize why now. Whenever I am on that darn treadmill, all i can think about is getting off.  From the moment I program the workout and take that first mechanical step all I want to do is be gone.  Why you may ask? Well if you know me well you know its not because I am lazy and desire inactivity, I am a go go person.  I am always moving, and my energy level is crazy high. The treadmill problem is that I am a forward motivated person and their is no real forward movement on a treadmill. I cant stand walking and going nowhere, looking at the same things in front of me for 30 minutes to an hour while simulating movement.  It is unbearable to me.

So yesterday for the first time in a long time i did my exercise walking outdoors, and it was great!!! I was able to set a goal for where I wanted to walk to,and I couldn't quit because once i got there I had no choice but to walk back.  It was such a refreshing experience to me, and a great workout at the same time. I told my wife yesterday that I would no longer be attempting the gym workouts, as long as weather permits I will be outdoors making forward progress in my fitness effort.

God is so good, and his timing is so perfect. Yesterday at church a prophetic word came forth that said "God is flashing the green light in front of us to say go forward." That simple word has infected and effected me in so many ways already.

• I am going forward in the things of God.
• I am going forward in my pursuit of God's next level in my life and for my family.
• I am going forward in my pursuit for fitness.

Where is your obedience?

So before I get into it let me say this is a very personal and open blog post....Bare with me.

Lately things have been a little busy in my life, between work, and family, and of course the all important TV (LOL). I noticed over the last few months my time in the word and prayer and even church attendance was seriously slacking. If I am completely honest I was giving much more time to everything else except the things of God. I have still been praying and reading the word but with much less frequency and much less desire. I noticed that not only was I not spending the time but that I wasn't really pressed to do so. Now don't get me wrong, I Love the Lord and and I am still striving to live a life that is pleasing to him but I have not felt that same desire to spend time with him in the word and prayer.

So last night I said to God that I was going to do better in this area. So I woke up this morning and had devotion and prayed and felt that I was good to go. But then as I was driving to work and just talking to God and I said to him Father what is happening with my desire to spend time in your word and in prayer, I used to feel like I couldn't wait to be there and soak it all up and now I don't feel it. Then I said Father give me that desire back so I can get back into the swing of things.

As soon as I finished with this plea to God to give me back the desire or the hunger and thirst he replied as plain as day in my spirit and what he said shook me to the core. I said give me the desire back and He said; Where is your obedience? WOw!!!! Where is your obedience? What a convicting question to me. It didn't take a great revelation from heaven from or any further study for me to understand what He was saying to, and I guess it would go for all of us :

When all the feelings are gone and there is no desire there don't forget that Obedience to the Father is always the way to go.