Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
Built To Be Broken
"And by his wounds we are healed." --Isaiah 53:5
Read: Isaiah 53
For my daughter's fourth birthday recently, we allowed her and her younger sister to stay up an hour past bedtime so we could all snuggle up to a good movie and some popcorn. Our selection? At Jesus' Side, an animated story that centers around a pack of outcast animals in Jerusalem during the last week of Jesus' life. The birthday girl, Mya, sat cuddled up to me.
During the scene where Jesus is carrying his cross to Calvary, my wife turns to look at us and her eyes welled up with tears. Mya was crying. She was heartbroken at the way Jesus was being treated. When He finally gave up His soul on the cross, Mya buried her face in my chest and wept. I fought the lump in my throat as I held her tight and wiped her tears. It was only when the canine protagonist came to Jesus' empty tomb that her sadness was replaced once more with her signature smile.
The joy of the resurrection, as it turns out, isn't age-dependent. Even a four-year-old can appreciate the beauty of Christ's victory over death. Our bodies, we tell her, are designed for fun things like jumping in puddles and riding bikes. His, on the other hand, was built for one purpose: to be broken, so that one day, we can bury our faces in His chest and He can wipe away all our tears, for good.
--Eric Velazquez
REPORT: WEIGHT LOSS CAN BE CONTAGIOUS
What's your main fitness goal? If it's to lose a few pounds or inches, it's time to surround yourself with an all-star cast of teammates.
Researchers from The Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University found that team members in a weight loss competition not only achieved similar weight loss outcomes, but participants who said their teammates played a large role in their weight loss actually lost the most weight. The study found that subjects who lost 5% of their bodyweight or more tended to be on the same teams.
The PrayFit 33-Day Total Body Challenge (Lionsgate) is being used nationwide by churches and small groups looking to get in shape. Participants meet regularly or perform workouts on their own and log progress on our forums or compare results in other ways.
>> To start your own 33-day challenge with friends or family, click here. >> To share your results with others who are already taking the PrayFit 33-Day Total Body Challenge, click here. >> For the full story on the weight loss study from Science Daily, click here.
FOREVER ROAD
November 14, 2011 Read: James 1
"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." --James 1:12
Queensboro Bridge. Halfway through the New York City Marathon is both where this entry was written, and where my race actually began. Nearly two months of ultrasound and countless hours of therapy weren't enough to convalesce my troubled hamstring. And with 12 miles -- or roughly 24,000 steps left to go -- the grand, lofty notion of taking just one more was in question. So I wrote this entry.
In as much time as it took a thousand runners to pass me by, I wrapped my leg in a makeshift tourniquet using stored gauze, and as many white flags as I could find in my heart. If there's one thing this most novice of runners quickly realized on that bridge, was that the next step was as necessary as the eventual stride that would be needed to cross the finish line. So this week, we'll run the Boroughs together. If you recall, in the days before the race I asked God to open the eyes of my heart, and I promised you I'd write down what He showed me. Well, He kept His promise, and I wasn't about to break mine.
Friends, life is simply a bridge. Work, school, money, health...all mere mile markers that remind us that we're in a race. And while we don't compete against one another, I think sometimes the most daunting of life's fights occurs when we're surrounded by fellow runners. Fellow runners who are - by nature - each hamstrung by something, and fighting to turn another corner down Forever Road. Let's remember that each step is worth it if we know Who awaits us in the end. --Jimmy Peña
WORKOUT: RUNNER'S RESOURCES
Some may think that running is simply a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. To others, no performance tip is insignificant. In either case, running is an activity that can be improved upon, provided that you have the proper coaching. Build a stronger stride, better endurance, a leaner physique and a runner's heart by bookmarking some of these trusted resources on the web. Enjoy your runs this week and remember to post your distances to your workout journal on the PrayFit forums.
MarathonRookie.com: Tips for novices looking to enter half- or full-distance marathons
Jeff Galloway.com: Practical training tips from one of the industry's top coaches
Mapmyrun.com: Track your distance runs with this easy-to-use mapping tool
Josh Cox: Christian ultramarathon runner, TV personality, author and believer
TRAFFIC
October 28, 2011Read: Ecclesiastes 7
"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride." --Ecclesiastes 7:8
I could hear it in his voice. Dejected, defeated, exhausted, PrayFit founder Jimmy Pena was in his third hour of a commute that should take 45 minutes. Those familiar with Southern California freeways can relate to the emotional roller coaster of emerging from a sea of brake lights with renewed hope, only to pull to a screeching halt a quarter mile ahead. Accidents, curious passersby, construction -- all things beyond his control. Tonight, Jimmy was, as ever, at the mercy of the pace provided.
Life can be the same way. Just when we think that we are ready to meander into the fast lane, we are pinned in by other obstacles and forced to stay put until the traffic eases. In these moments, we may want to lay on the horn or maneuver for the next closest exit but invariably, the best play is to exercise patience and wait it out.
Are you stuck in one of life's jams, physically or spiritually? In need of Godspeed? Stay in your lane and let Him guide you through. Someday the rearview will reveal that there really was no better place on earth, than on the road that led to Heaven.
And oh, for the record, Jimmy made it home just fine. It was much later than he may have wanted but he arrived safely to a smiling wife and a silent embrace that seemed to absorb all of the frustration of the road behind him. Someday, we'll all be so blessed.
--E.V.
PRAYFIT WEEK IN REVIEW
Faith
>> WE'RE PAGE-TURNERS: If you love the Author, the end will be better than expected
>> THE ONE WHO CALLS: Believe it or not, you're in the same class pharoahs and kings
>> THE MOMENT AT HAND: Let's clear our throats and make the most of our opportunities today
>> NO OTHER WORD FOR GRACE: It may be worth novels but a single word will do
Fitness
>> WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: Use mechanical advantage to enhance your productivity
>> TEST THE MACHINE: Make practice out of setting the bar high and hurdling it the next day
>> SMARTER SOUP: Liven up this comfort food with a few easy tips
>> MUSCLE FOOD: Add eggs to your breakfast to get stronger