Six Keys To A Healthier You: #4- Exercise!

Okay. It's way past January 1st. A whole week has gone by and I am still needing to get my butt in gear and refocus my life. It has been a whirlwind the past couple of months, with trying to sell our house and all the fun get togethers of the holidays. We were very thankful to receive an early gift, as our house sold just a few days before Christmas! Praise God! His timing is always perfect! As I mentioned in December, the holidays are a time of celebration and treats. But the past few weeks I have had insomnia by night, exhaustion by day and I know that my body is trying to tell me to get back on track, chuck all the junk that found it's way into my cupboards, and get proper rest and exercise.

Personally, I am not one who craves physical activity! I'll be honest. If I have some free time I'd much rather curl up on the sofa with a cup of tea and a good book and don't bug me till tomorrow. I am thin by my genetics and therefore don't get much sympathy from the other curvy women in my life! What I wouldn't give for a few more curves! I'm probably the only woman in America that actually welcomes monthly bloating! But thin does not translate to healthy. The media has so warped the thinking of women and men everywhere. For me, I do it only because I know that I have been entrusted with this one body and it is my responsibility to care for it.

New Years resolutions are not for me! I can't take the guilt! But if I could encourage anyone out there, I'd say just do something that makes you happy. We don't need to be extreme...just make some small changes to make exercise a part of our daily lifestyle...bottom line...get movin'.

At least 3 times a week we should be participating in some form of exercise for at least 30 consecutive minutes. And our daily goal should be to raise our heartbeats and break a sweat. Organized exercise is not for me personally. I'd much rather play basketball with my kids for a half hour or go for a walk or hike. If you need to have alone time, go to a gym. For me I like to find something I can do right at home otherwise I won't make the effort to do it. In the winter I rely on yoga, pilates, a stair stepper and small weights. Rochester is the second cloudiest city in the U.S. and therefore many people here suffer from the winter blues. As long as it's not icy out, we need to get outside and get some fresh air every day. To breathe deeply is so important and a great stress reliever. We especially need some sunshine on our skin for at least 10 minutes a day. If this isn't possible take a vitamin D supplement during the winter.

What does the Word say? 1 Timothy 4:8 "...for bodily discipline(exercise) is only of a little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." That's one of those scriptures I wish I could overlook! God didn't say bodily exercise was of NO profit for us. He said godliness holds promise for this life and the next. Therefore, bodily exercise only holds promise for this life.

God knows the inner workings of our bodies. Exercise keeps every body part healthy. First of all just the act of raising our heart beat gives our heart muscle a good workout. It also is bringing increased amounts of oxygen to every cell, muscle and tissue. Exercise most definitely aids our proper digestion and elimination of waste. It also stimulates brain function. Many diseases that affect our minds are linked to a sedentary lifestyle.

So find something that you can fit into your lifestyle and tell yourself your goal this new year is to take better care of yourself. We take care of everyone else, everyday, this is one time where it is encouraged to be selfish and do something that is just for us. It will eventually make us feel happier (all those great endorphins being released!) relieve the stress our lives throw at us, and make us live longer and healthier. And in that way, it IS a gift to those we love the most. Because we all know, when Mama's happy, everyone is happy! Thanks for sitting and taking the time to read this post, now get off that tush and get movin' :)

Six Keys To A Healthier You: #3 Worship & Praise

Psalm 34 "I will bless the Lord at all times; His PRAISE shall CONTINUALLY be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear it and rejoice. O, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together."

Praise can set the tone for the entire house. I'm the first to admit that I AM NOT a morning person. I'm not grumpy in the morning, but I definitely prefer my sleep as I am a night-owl! I am slow going and hate to be rushed to get ready. But by the time I'm in the shower, songs of praise are always on my lips (much to my family's chagrin!).

Having continual praise in our hearts is one part of keeping ourselves healthy. I truly believe Christians today are not seeing the power of God working in their lives as much as they'd like, because they are lacking in praise. Oh, we are people of faith and we've got all our confessions of His word, but we are still feeling down and depressed about the situations in our lives that we want to see changed but haven't yet.

As the wife of a worship pastor, music and praise is a huge part of our home. Our kids love to hang out and "jam" with daddy as he rehearses, with much amperage, several days a week. But praise is more than just singing songs. It's having an attitude of praise in our hearts. When it's the end of a long, tiring day and there is still dinner to be prepared(not my favorite part of my day) I put on my ipod and belt it out to the Lord. Singing songs that exalt Him make my frustrations melt away and center my faith to know that He cares about every part of my little life.

Hebrews 13:15 "Through Him then, let us CONTINUALLY offer up a SACRIFICE of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips that give thanks to His name."

It is a sacrifice because we must do it even when we least feel like it. The things the Lord encourages us to do in His word are not for His benefit, but for ours. Does God have an ego-centered attitude? No. He knows if we will PRAISE Him continually we are giving Him something to work with and then He can move on our behalf. In praise, we are magnifying Him and not our circumstances.

If you are believing God for something, start by praising Him for all that He has already done for you. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Therefore what He did once, He can do again. Search the scriptures to see how He has blessed His children and know that He has no favorites. What He has done for one, He will do for you. The word says, without faith (hearing and accepting what you've heard as truth) it is impossible to please God. And praise will keep that "switch of faith" turned on. Be blessed today as you unleash the power of praise in your life!

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Six Keys To A Healthier You: #2 Time In The Word

There is so much negativity coming at us, all day, every day. The Internet makes negative news available 24/7 and you can't check your email without the latest headlines running across the screen. Not that I don't like to keep informed, but to be honest, it can be depressing. We need to be vigilant in keeping a guard over our thought life, which will enable our spirits to remain strong. Part of keeping healthy is spending time in God's word to renew our minds. Not simply reading, but meditation. Meditating on the word simply means to mutter or to chew on. Taking that word and spending time throughout the day to think upon it. Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written therein; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." Who doesn't want to be successful? In this day and age of busyness, can we realistically meditate DAY and NIGHT? I think if we utilize all the new technology to our advantage, it can really help us to keep the word forefront in our minds. When working online, click a new tab and you can be listening to an encouraging message on the You Tube while you work. Use your i pod to keep scripture filled songs, that lift you up, playing while you are cleaning or cooking. Listen to teaching tapes or cds while driving. Keep post-its around the house to remind you of the word you are endeavoring to get down into your heart. It's amazing how you react to the negative situations an average day can bring, when you're filled up and overflowing with the word of God. It will keep you stress free and healthier in your body. :)

Six Keys To A Healthier You: #1 Prayer

One aspect of healthy living is spending time in prayer. If you are feeling ill and dealing with symptoms in your body, increase your prayer time. We are a complex being. We are mainly a spirit being, we have a soul (mind, will & emotions) and we live in a body. Therefore, when our bodies are creating havoc, we need to rely more on our spirits. When Jesus was tired what did He do? He'd go away to a quiet place and commune with God. It might seem impossible to sneak away in your house to a quiet place, especially if you have young ones. But all the more reason to recharge your spiritual batteries and train your little ones how important it is to spend time with the Lord. When I'm having a busy day and I'm needing some extra love from my Father, I'll often go into my bedroom and lie down on my bed and just think on Him. Sometimes I'll be praying in the Spirit and I'll hear footsteps. It's not long before my kids realize Mama left the room and come looking for me. Sometimes they'll come in and lay quietly next to me. Other times they'll quietly go back to what they were playing with. Later, my oldest will say, "I saw you were spending time with the Lord, so I didn't want to bother you." And now they like to have their own quiet time too. Ephesians 6:18 says "With all kinds of prayer and petition, pray at ALL times in the Spirit..." That may seem an impossible task to pray at ALL times, but I think it means to be in a ATTITUDE of constant communication. He wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives. By praying in the Spirit, we will be renewed and strengthened in our inner man. Our bodies must come into subjection to our inner man, our spirit. Always remember that Jesus already took all sickness onto His body when He suffered on the cross for us. We just need to receive our healing by faith. Spending more time in prayer will keep that switch of faith turned on. Be blessed today as you endeavor to spend more time communicating with God. :)