Take Another Step

Take Another Step

prayfit.org

I'm gonna wear this song out. Seems I can't enough of the ditty by Steven Curtis Chapman. It's called "Take Another Step." Play, repeat, play, repeat. Thing is, I want to wear this song out; out on my walk, out to my therapy, out to the store. Let's walk and talk.

My eyes had not yet adjusted. After turning out the lights last night, I stood in pitch blackness. You know the feeling. Though your eyes are wide open, you can't see the end of your nose. So I did what you do. I didn't budge. I reasoned that in my condition the last thing I need to do is trip and fall. But Loretta's eyes had already adjusted to the dark. "You're fine, take another step." And there it is. What had to happen for me to move? I needed to have faith that Loretta could see in the dark.

We encourage babies to do it. Patients that surround me at rehab need to hear it. From someone discouraged because they haven't lost a pound, to someone trying to overcome the loss of a loved one, it's the most basic, difficult and necessary action any of us have to do to get through.

Are you in the dark today, unable to budge? Fearful about something? Timid or unsure? The light of your circumstances has gone out and you're standing there blind with your eyes wide open. Friend, He knows how you feel. But He sees in the dark. After all, He is the light. Just close your eyes, hold on to Him and take another step. And another step. And another step. And another step. Before you know it, you're wearing the song out.

--Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: As you step out the door, is putting one foot in front of the other as tough literally as it is theoretically? I hope we can be an encouragement to you to keep going. Praying for you, hoping for you, helping shine His light so you can find your way. If you'd like us to help you pray about something, let us know. We're right here.

I encourage you to go to iTunes and download the CD by Steven Curtis Chapman called, "A Glorious Unfolding." When you get to "Take Another Step" turn it up for me. I need to hear it too.

Dance The Night Away

Tonight I will again have the honor of working security. Loretta will likely be named one of the official cheerleaders and on-call dancing partners. They'll arrive in limos and walk the red carpet; the kids affected by special needs from area high schools will attend "Joy Unleashed," produced and directed by Gina Spivey of Calvary Community Church. A couple of years ago a few dozen kids participated. Tonight, hundreds will. We will again be eyewitnesses to this miracle moment. I may have an update on Monday if that's alright with you. 

Guys, as we end the week, let's remember the less fortunate during our workouts. May every mile we ride, each step we take, every rep we make, and every hold and stretch be a prayer for those that can't.

Lord, my arms work because of You. My legs respond to my thoughts and my mind is uncluttered. Every ounce of my body is a gift from You, and I realize there are those that don't have certain abilities. Prevent me from believing that I somehow earned any of this, but for Your glory let my workout be as reckless and abandoned as those precious kids on the dance floor as they dance the night away.

- Jimmy Peña

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Silent Respect

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 2 Cor. 5:1-2 (NLT)

Like it says in the verse above, someday we'll have eternal bodies. My current aches, pains and restrictions are clear and present reminders of that hope. One day, our knees won't crackle, our bones won't break. No more back problems or stomach aches. No more cancer, heart disease, diabetes or sore throats. One day.

Until then - with you - I will try and take care of my body, trusting God with the results as His gifts and my limits just the same. Doing both takes grace.

Friends, may you and I be a resource of comfort for the hurting and struggling, and a source of inspiration and motivation for those that see today - maybe for the first time - as a day to make bodily stewardship a means of praise.

Father help us deal with our aches and pains with grace. This temporary body carries the soul, so may how we treat it be a small, silent, humble way of showing respect for that honor. Amen.

- Jimmy Peña

I Believe

“I lift my eyes to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made Heaven and earth.
”

— — Psalm 121:1

When Jesus asked the once blind beggar if he believed in the Son of Man, the man asked, "Who is he? That I may believe." Jesus said, "You're seeing Him. It is He that is speaking to you." With his eyes open, the beggar's next words: I believe.

I believe. What a powerful statement. Down through the centuries men and woman have staked their lives and their eternity on those two tiny words. We're going to wrap our hearts around them.

When I first started PrayFit back in 2009, much of what I'd do and say was hard-charged. Each day - like we had taken over enemy territory - I'd drive a stake in the ground with the still-certain truth that faith was the most powerful tool we have to conquer life's obstacles. Our mission was to help the Church body take back their health, and I was going to help lead that charge as long as I could breathe.

The last few years - as some of you realize - the message changed. When I got sick, I learned first-hand that you don't always get what you work for, and things like illness are as much or more of an opportunity to exercise faith as fitness. God taught me that health is a gift of His grace. Like eyesight, it's a gift we can't earn but can most certainly waste.

In Christian artist For King and Country's hit "Shoulders," they answer Psalm 121:

“My help comes from you. You’re right here pulling me through. You carry my weakness, my sickness, my brokenness all on your shoulders. Your shoulders. My help comes from You. You are my rest, my rescue. I don’t have to see to believe you’re lifting me up on your shoulders. Your shoulders." — For King and Country

Friends, I hope the mountain you face today reminds you of both the Psalmist and the blind beggar. They lifted their eyes and believed. May you and I believe that God is right here pulling us through. The weakness, sickness, brokenness as well as the fitness.. All of it. His.

Mountains are no match. Let's close our eyes, take a deep breath, exhale and utter those two precious and powerful words: I believe.

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: This week begins a very difficult and steep season for us at PrayFit. I covet your prayers for me personally today. Does anyone else have a prayer request? If you'd rather not be specific, simply write "unspoken" and we will lift each other up. 

Is Strength Inevitable?

I recently saw a popular post on social media that read, "Strength: An inevitable side-effect of effort." 

OKAY. Sounds good. Short. To the point. Strong. Inspirational. But at the risk of disagreeing with something that was so very popular, even loved, I have to ask...is it true?

Is strength inevitable?
Is growth guaranteed?
Is progress promised?

Shawn Thornton once said that while we represent Jesus on earth, Jesus represents us in Heaven. While we bleed for Him, He pleads for us. Despite our sin, He's our advocate, and He's never lost a case.

John Favel famously wrote, "They that know God will be humble. They that know themselves cannot be proud."

My blog won't reach millions. My post won't win awards for popularity. It won't draw crowds or summon much attention, but then again, I'm not pleading my case. 

Despite what the fitness industry (and in some cases the "faith & fitness" industry) will want us to believe, rewards of this earth are not inevitable; especially those that require our physical effort. That's not to say that strength, growth and progress aren't - at times and under certain conditions - byproducts. But they are - under every circumstance - on loan.

Temporary treasures. Perishable gifts.

The only sure thing about every aspect of our lives is Jesus, and the grace He gives our souls. May our response to that truth be inevitable.

- Jimmy Peña

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THE RACE IS ON: 
For those keeping score, we're nearly at 20 states and 2 countries represented in the PrayFit 5K happening on April 14.

Leading the way:
#1 - California
#2 - Georgia
#3 - Arizona
#4 - Florida
#5 - Tennessee

(Ahem, where is Texas?)

No matter where you live, please register to walk, jog, run or roll with us to help families affected by disability. Go solo or form a team. (And c'mon, Texas. Sheesh.)

A Sacrifice of Praise

If you're reading through the Bible in chronological order with us through the PrayFit app, today we covered the story in Genesis of Abraham and Isaac. And as the old gospel song goes,

"The call to go to mount Moriah came to Abraham
But the offering placed before the Lord was not a lamb
He bound His only son and when the knife was raised
A sacrifice became the price of praise." 

What a story.

When Loretta and I traveled to churches during the early years of PrayFit - before I was sidelined physically - I would often use this story and song as part of a message to congregations; the crux of our message for believers was, of course, to embrace a paradigm shift in the importance of physical health -- to see a healthy heart and lower bodyfat as a means of praise. After all, something so fearfully and wonderfully made deserves attention and upkeep. I've said it before, but God doesn't need our health to get his message around the world. We do.

Well, Loretta and I and the rest of Team PrayFit are about to embark upon a new journey and new endeavors for the sake of our little call and ministry. Some things are so big that unless God is in them, they will surely fail. That's why today's reading and this old Larnelle Harris song are as real and applicable today for us as they were ten years ago. Take these words in for a second...

"When praise demands a sacrifice, I'll worship even then, surrendering the dearest things in life. And if devotion costs me all, He'll find me faithful to the call, when praise demands a sacrifice."

So if I may, I'll ask you the same question I asked congregations years ago. If we embrace the belief that our health is a means of praise -- and if praise demands a sacrifice -- what will it cost you?

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: What does physical stewardship look like to you when you hear that question? Could mean some simple things: less time watching TV, pushing away from the table sooner, less cell phone, avoiding donuts on Sunday, or saying no to sodas. Or, your stewardship call may mean offering yourself in service to the local church, helping out a ministry, lending a hand to a local cause using the health you've worked hard to protect. What are the dearest things in life to you? And will they become a sacrifice of praise?

Me Time. His Terms.

I recently watched Francis Chan discuss a chapter from his book "Crazy Love" and in this video curriculum he talked about - of all topics - an autopsy. Fortunately, he said, he wasn't able to be there in person, but that maybe there's something healthy about seeing a body laying on a table and realizing that it will be us someday. Francis went on to say that "Sometimes we have too high a regard for human bodies and life on earth." 

King Solomon said, "It's better to go to a house of mourning than a house that is feasting, because death is the destiny of every man and the living should take this to heart." (Ecclesiastes 7:2)

Nothing like a house of mourning speech to put a spring in our step this Thursday, but seriously guys, let's set goals. Real, godly goals. What would that look like for us today? Maybe it's as simple as: Get to the gym worshipping. Train worshipping. Leave worshipping. After all, what is it about our workouts that will last 100 years from now? A few that come to mind: 1) Our conversations with God 2) the love we have for others and 3) what we did in service of the Kingdom with the health we were given.

So, smile. Train hard. Invite someone to church. Shake hands. Work. Offer spots. Pray for someone. Dig deep. Give God all the glory and deflect the praise. Fight. Ask someone to pray for you. Spend your "me time" on His terms. Push against the elements, but love more than you lift. That's crazy.

-Jimmy Peña

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PrayFit Virtual 5K Coast-to-Coast

Will you run with me? So far 14 states are represented in our virtual 5K. With California in the lead, Arizona, Tennessee, Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina are all in. Click here to sign up. Everyone gets medals and t-shirts, but you have to secure yours soon to be assured your medal on event day. You can create teams or go solo. Let's do this.

Limits He Cannot Exceed

As some of you know, we're reading through the Bible chronologically this year using the PrayFit app. We've jumped from Genesis to the book of Job, and we've been there a few days. What a book.

"How frail is humanity!
How short is life, how full of trouble!
We blossom like a flower and then wither.
Like a passing shadow, we quickly disappear.
A person’s days are determined;
you have decreed the number of his months
and have set limits he cannot exceed."
(Job 14: 1-2, 5)

A couple of my favorite poems that I know by heart, and as Loretta will attest, I recite often around the house are, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas and "IF" by Rudyard Kipling. I urge you to read and memorize them. I'm sentimental, of course, so they drive me. But I love the complexity, the irony, and the deep tension they expose. Indeed, bodily stewardship is truly an ever-growing tension for me; as if each ticking second of the clock beside me as I type this sentence represents the loosening stitch of the fabric of my physical self. I mean, I know I'm withering. I know I'm wasting away, and yet, I am called to fight. I'm called to steward. I'm called here on earth to nurse my dying shell with a heavenly mind.

When I got sick a few years ago, my grasp of my mortality tightened and my sensitivity to the brittleness of my body heightened. I came face-to-face with a certain truth. That my physical limit wasn't my personal best; like some passing bench press (405lb.) or my squat (550lb.); imposters disguised as my potential. I list them only to help illustrate that those mountain-top moments didn't represent my personal best. No, the most strenuous minute I've ever filled came when I realized I would never attempt to best them.

Frankly, nobody reading this sentence - or anyone who ever lived for that matter - has ever physically traveled beyond their God-given limits. Nobody. Read the verse again if need be. And while that might be a slap in the face to the motivational speaker who claims we can push beyond them, the truth is, we never exceed our limits. We merely - if rarely - find them. And I like to think, like Job realized, that in finding our limits, we meet God. 

- Jimmy Peña

The Burning Question: Guys, I'm fighting. Clawing and reaching. I may not be as able as ever, but I still "rage against the dying of the light." Knowing Heaven is in view and by faith it will make sense of earth, I'm trying to fill the minutes and days with the kind of physical stewardship that allows me to do what God asks. 

I hope I'm helping you do the same.

God Ran Ahead

Preparing for the PrayFit 5K on April 14th, the team is actively going over all the details. In fact, the heavy rain in California this week reminds me of the time Loretta ran the Big Sur Marathon in Central California. Big Sur is arguably one of the most difficult -- and beautiful -- marathons in the country. Known for it's brutal hills as much as its breathtaking views, if there's one race to run each year, this is it. But a month prior to the race, the runners were notified that due to landslides and weather, the course would need to change.

So the day before the race, thousands of runners met to get the new information and to participate in a group Q&A. You could actually feel the apprehension and tension in the air, as thousands of healthy lungs held their breath.

After all, running a marathon is tough enough, but an untested course? That's another thing altogether. But it wasn't until the race director himself took the podium that the atmosphere changed and oxygen was allowed back into the room. With one brief phrase, panic turned to peace and chaos to calm. "I've run the course," he said. "It's tough, it's beautiful, but it's ready for you."

Much like Big Sur, the course of our marathon days is unpredictable. But God ran ahead. He promises we won't run into anything that He doesn't allow. He knows the course. It's tough, it's beautiful. And because of Him, we're ready for it.

- Jimmy Peña

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The PrayFit 5K MEDAL: When the team received the options for the medal you'll receive when you run the PrayFit 5K either here in Los Angeles or from your own hometown, we could  not make up our minds. All of the options were awesome. So, I had an idea. I sent them all to Jordan's mom and asked her if she wouldn't mind asking him which one he liked. Without hesitation, he chose what you see below. It was his call to make. (Hurry and register!)

Forever Road

Queensboro Bridge. Halfway through the 2011 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; which unbeknownst to me was a precursor to a more severe, undetected infirmity. 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 some of life's boroughs together.

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

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RUNNING MAN: Nearly a decade later, I'm no runner. In fact, the day I crossed the finish line in the Big Apple was my little, grand finale. Of course, there was no press conference salute or retirement ceremony to mark the moment, but a frail fighter had met his match; a limit that only a handful of surgeries would justify. My tip of a cap to the ability to run - something to which most don't give a second thought - was my silent bow. And although the gift of being able to absorb the glorious pounding of the pavement I have not, what I still have is a miracle; a wonder; a symphony; an instantaneous explosion of grace.

That's why I'm so excited to be able to officially announce the PrayFit 5K; a local and virtual run to benefit kids affected by disability. The good news is we don't have to be able to run in order to help. I'm asking, pleading and begging for you to join me from wherever you are. Walk it, ride it, lift it, and run it if you can.

And cover your ears, but on April 14th - although I'm not supposed to - I will be running a 5K for Jordan, for Eric and for countless other kids with special needs. They may not understand why we're doing it, but they need a place to play, some safety measures and adequate restroom facilities.

This week as we hit some of life's boroughs together, please consider helping me in this effort. For those that don't live in Los Angeles, I'm looking for 500 people to run this race virtually. Will you be one of them? I hope so. Please tell your best friend, mention it to a neighbor and alert your family that we're doing something at PrayFit for those less fortunate and that you're going to help us cross that bridge. 

Cut To The Chase

PrayFit thru the Bible in a year.
Today's reading from the new app: Gen 12-14; Matt 6

The phrase "cut to the chase" originated in scripts during the silent film era. After dramatic story lines, these mute motion pictures would routinely end in chase sequences on dusty roads. Today, the phrase has come to mean "get to the point." Fittingly, that's exactly what we intend to do.

At PrayFit, we believe that a pursuit of health is simply about enabling us to follow Christ with reckless abandon. Frankly, everything we have should help us chase Him; our money, our time, and yes, our bodies. The fitter we try and keep ourselves, the better able we are to serve; not for health's sake, but for heaven's. Like John Piper says, "I run because it helps me be a better Pastor. I sleep better and I'm more patient with people." Pretty cool.

So, let's get to the point. As it's been said, let's follow so close that we're "covered in His dust." God is Producer and Director. And our storylines of life will become motion pictures of grace...the sooner we cut to the chase.

- Jimmy Peña

My Fitness Goals: So, let's do it. Getting ready for a PrayFit-sponsored trip to Haiti in July, here are a few of my personal fitness goals as promised yesterday:

1.) Dramatically improve my flexibility. The key to my spinal longevity, according to my surgeon, is flexibility. Not core strength, not muscle, not power, but flexibility. And so while I'm working on full-body flexibility, I'm gonna work on being so flexible, I can do a split. (Lofty.)

2.) Although I can't lift heavy weight, I am allowed to manipulate my own bodyweight. Part of my chest, shoulder and triceps routines is the push-up. I am incorporating the decline push-up now, where my feet are elevated above my head. My goal is to be able to perform a full set of hand-stand push-ups (wall-assisted for balance, c'mon, one goal at a time).

3.) Work my way up to hundreds of miles a week and month on the bike down in my cave. I'm slowing building up resilience of my spine and tailbone to withstand the posture.

Your turn. What are your goals? And any weightlifters here specifically? If so, I have something cool for you.

PrayFit 5K MEDAL UNVEILED! 

The PrayFit 5K & 1-Mile Walk-n-Roll
APRIL 14, 2018

Benefitting kids affected by disability, the PrayFit 5K & 1-Mile Walk-N-Roll will be hosted by Calvary Community Church in beautiful Westlake Village, California and is certified by the USA Track & Field Association. The registration comes with finisher medals, t-shirts and age group awards for the 5K. The 5K is chipped timed. Hurry and register.

(Not local? GO VIRTUAL! We need you. All those registered - LOCAL AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY - receive medals and t-shirts.)

Here are some specific needs your walk, run or lift will help meet:
Safety: Currently all of the kids affected by special needs must travel upstairs to get to their specially-equipped room.
Playground: With the new move, the kids will have unimpaired access to the outdoor playground they need and enjoy.
Restroom Facilities: We are in need of upgrading and modifying the restroom facilities in the new special needs location.

Expect Delays

Well, here we are nearing the end of the first week of 2018. We took a different path to begin the new year; choosing to rest, to read, to pray, to wait. In fact, take a look at the scene from Hidalgo I referenced in my latest eBook. What you're about to see is the start of a 3,000 mile race across the Sahara with the crowds chanting. Or in our case, when the ball drops in Times Square. I'll see you at the end of the beginning.

Did you catch what he told his horse? "What I tell you, little brother? It's all for show" just before the race began; an endurance race, no doubt.

Like I said in the eBook, the start of each year is a lot like this clip. Loud, exciting, and a hopeful show. But before you know it, the crowds are out of sight and then begins the real battle, the strategy, the actual race. That's why I knew 5 days without training would do far more good for my soul than it would do harm to my body.

You know, thinking about 2018 goals is pretty exciting (and daunting). My heart skips a beat when I think of some of the big mountains my little legs want to climb. Dreams are awesome, aren't they? It's like saying, "That one, God. Yes! Let's conquer that!" And by His grace, we chase them.

Well, a few years ago as my wife and I began what seemed like our own race across the Sahara (actually, we were just going state-to-state following Christmas break), I saw a sign: DELAYS AHEAD. I didn't give it much thought. A few miles later: EXPECT DELAYS. I looked at my watch. "Hmm. So far so good." So I shrugged, turned up the radio and set my cruise control. But sure enough the next sign read: "EXPECT EXTREME DELAYS SOON, JIMMY." They weren't kidding about the "extreme" or "soon" parts. In fact, I knew it was gonna be bad when I saw cars pulling off the highway by any means possible to find a short cut. Our quick 4-hour trip had quickly become eight.

As we begin to think about, pray for and jot down fitness goals for the upcoming year, we can expect delays. Even though we might hit the new year at full speed, the chances of a few roadblocks are high. But let's not quit or lose heart. Physical stewardship doesn't mean we always get what we work for. It means we always know Who we work for. And that makes all the difference for dark horses like us.

- Jimmy Peña

Application: I have some physical goals that I'm gonna share with you tomorrow. Will you think about sharing yours with me then too?

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ANNOUNCEMENT: 

The PrayFit 5K & 1-Mile Walk-n-Roll
APRIL 14, 2018

Benefitting kids affected by disability, the PrayFit 5K & 1-Mile Walk-N-Roll will be hosted by Calvary Community Church in beautiful Westlake Village, California and is certified by the USA Track & Field Association. The registration comes with finisher medals, t-shirts and age group awards for the 5K. The 5K is chipped timed. Hurry and register.

(Not local? GO VIRTUAL! We need you. All those registered - LOCAL AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY - receive medals and t-shirts.)

Here are some specific needs your walk, run or lift will help meet:
Safety: Currently all of the kids affected by special needs must travel upstairs to get to their specially-equipped room.
Playground: With the new move, the kids will have unimpaired access to the outdoor playground they need and enjoy.
Restroom Facilities: We are in need of upgrading and modifying the restroom facilities in the new special needs location.

Shade

The confetti is all but cleaned up, the streamers are in the trash, and the calendar is brand new. Deep breath...ah, so this is 2018!

But it doesn't take long for things to feel normal again does it? For some reason, the commute this morning is still bumper to bumper, co-workers are still grumpy, and junk food options are available at every corner. Seems last year's ho-hums and habits still cast their shadows.

This week, we're resting our physical pursuits. I haven't been shy about that. Some of you are enjoying the new eBook, others are digging into the upgraded Bible plan on the app, and others are just taking a deep breath before January 8th rolls around. 

The reason we're being so deliberate this first week is because a new year is only new if we make it that way. For you and me, a change in year only matters when it changes in here (this is me pointing to my heart). So starting today, no matter what seems old, let's find a way to make it new. Our morning workouts don't happen unless we've spent time in God's word. That commute? Try seeing it as an extended quiet time with the Lord. Those co-workers? Be the only one in the office unwilling to gossip. And at lunch, be the first to push away from the table as a way to praise the Lord for the gift of health. Slowly but surely, we'll realize the difference is in us. Seems those weren't shadows after all. It was shade.

- Jimmy Peña

Let's Pray:
As we seek shade this week, who else but my friend Scotty Smith to lead us in a first week prayer?

Heavenly Father, whether or not 2018 is going to be a “happy” New Year, remains to be seen. But as in 2017, there won’t be a day this year you’ll fail to send us new mercies and give us sufficient grace. You’ll steadfastly delight in us, and rejoice over us with singing, no matter the happenstance, circumstances, or providences. Because of Jesus’ finished work, your love for us is irrepressible, immeasurable, and inexhaustible. That will be the most predictable and reliable truth in 2018. Hallelujah!

In response to the words you spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, this is our prayer for 2018. May it be a year filled with knowing you better, boasting in you more robustly, and serving you more joyfully. Though our desire for approval and power, riches and relationships, comfort and control will be unrelenting, may intimate fellowship with you seize our hearts, shape our schedules, and consume our days. Our only New Year’s resolution is to believe the gospel more fully and gladly.

May the gospel compel us to love mercy, work for justice and walk humbly with you in 2018. Don’t let us forget that all of history is tied to your commitment to redeem a Bride for Jesus from every nation, tongue and people group. Show us our place in that story.

May we dance and suffer, work and pray, serve and love all to your glory. Reveal more of Jesus to our hearts; bring gospel-renewal to our churches; and advance your kingdom in our cities. May we live each day this year confident of your great love, resting in your sovereign rule, and longing for Jesus’ return. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name.

Your Turn

I say it every year, but I can't help but already notice - from Twitter, to Instagram, to Facebook – the avid exercisers mocking the new faces at the gym (or those they will soon see.) And they all have the same, general theme: "Oh those resolutions. I wonder how long they will last…”

Aren’t we glad God doesn’t say the same about us? “Oh, here’s Jimmy again. Same sin, same confession, I wonder how long this commitment will last.”

Guys, if it helps, think of the new face at the gym, or on the road, or in the studio, like a visitor at a crowded church on Christmas day. Acknowledge them, welcome them and tell them you’ll see them next time. They may not be familiar with the gym's layout, but they'll know where to find grace.

You never know, your words of encouragement might be what saves their life. Remember, it takes courage for them to show up. Now, it’s your turn.

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Let's be the arms that reach around the gym.

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Almost Here: The first week of January - usually filled with promises and promotion - is being replaced with rest and recalibration. Are you joining us? 

Minimalism and Fitness

Confession. I'm becoming more and more of a minimalist. Well, perhaps not a poster representative, but admittedly, I'm someone growing more and more accustomed to enjoying life with less. Now granted, I have plenty of things that I could likely do without, but what's a sentimental fool to do? This is me, looking at old stuff and making the painful yet necessary break.

Speaking of, the week after Christmas is a good week to discover, to uncover, to declutter. It's a good week to clean out drawers, cabinets, make trips to Goodwill, unburden yourself. Clean house, clean man cave, clean slate.

Funny, I follow a group of minimalists on Twitter and over Christmas they tweeted, "Merry." Just, "Merry." No Christmas. Knowing them by now, I realize that they see Christmas as a clear and present opportunity to simply horde more junk. And in some ways, I agree. But their tweet left me feeling a bit...empty. I get the fact that we want to remove commercialization from Christmas and that we can be happy and joyful without "things," but none of that matters without Christ. So, I replied.

They didn't respond. It's likely they didn't see it or didn't care, but either way, it's true. And what a reminder it is for us as fitness-minded believers, right? Jesus didn't have anything and yet was everything. He didn't store up for himself any treasures on earth. (We can apply this to our muscle, our mindset, our goals. More, more, and more of anything can become a distraction or worse; a god.)

Anyway, Scotty Smith once wrote, "Clutter is like zucchini; it just keeps spreading. Once a treasure, now most of these things are just a bother. But Jesus, what concerns me more than my attic and garage are my mind and heart. The older I get, the less storage space there is, and I don't want to finish my journey into eternity with a distracted mind and cluttered heart. So, Lord, help me declutter and recenter on you. I am so glad you love me the same with or without my clutter, but I will love you better without it."

As we approach the New Year - and our brief break from physical training between January 1-7 - what in your life feels like clutter? Maybe you're like me. It's that closet or the trunk of your car. Or maybe it's social media or the basement. Or maybe it is a recalibration of balance for bodily stewardship. Whatever it is, freeing yourself can have an enormous impact physically and spiritually on yourself and perhaps on those around you.

Good riddance. Wherever our treasures are, that's where our hearts will be. Time to make room.

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Anyone feel like being minimal in certain places?

An Inconvenient Faith

When was the last time faith interrupted your life? Can you remember the last time your faith was inconvenient to what the world deemed prevalent?

Today falls in-between; in between Christmas and New Year's Eve when business isn't quite business as usual, school is still out, and we're counting down the days; counting down the days until we put a button on the year and begin newness; a newness I have had the honor of stepping into with you for 9 years.

But unlike the previous years together, this year we're going to do things a little differently. Before we shake 2018 to its foundation, let's be shaken to ours. For the first 7 days of the year, we're devoting ourselves to humble reverence, complete awe, and utter dependence (true for every day of the year, really.) Apart from God, nothing we do physically means anything, so for the first 7 days of January, join us for total rest from all physical training. That means, runners, no running. Lifters, no lifting. Yogis, no...yoga...ing. Well, you get the point.

I hope this isn't shocking, but we'll devour God's Word, begin memorizing entire books, praying, talking and dedicating the year to Him alone. Radical? Not really. Uncommon? Perhaps. But whether it seems too relaxed or too reckless, let's meet right here; here where we have no desire to draw attention or crowds; here where we have no aim to make a name for ourselves. For many, this will be a sacrifice of praise.

We're here to abandon self. We're here to follow Jesus. 

Tozer says that faith is, "more dangerous than it sounds." And at the risk of sounding crazy and losing precious ground on physical goals, dreams and resolutions, let's pray our faith breeds a dangerous dissatisfaction on any satisfaction our physical pursuits provide us. 

May we - even but for a few short days in January - deepen our faith to the point of a sure, undeniable distinction between faith and fitness. 

-Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: I realize that for some, the first week is such an exciting time to tackle new goals (in time I'm going to help you to those ends), but this will take some discipline to wait. For others, like any other week, your life wouldn't be normal if you didn't train. You too will be stretched.

Either way, will you be here on January 1-7 as we begin a new year a little differently? Will you allow your faith to interrupt your plans? As a companion piece, I've assembled this free eBook - "Still. At The Start." -  and it'll be available soon. Hope you enjoy.

Come and Get Your Love

In a recent Christmas prayer, Scotty Smith writes, "Thank you for making room for us in your heart, Jesus. There’s no greater welcome or hospitality than the gospel. Our lives are now hidden in yours, and your life is now growing in ours. Oh, the peace this brings us."

You may be like me, but I often run the risk of letting various elements of the Christmas story become routine. For example, the fact that we made no room for Him can easily become one of those "every-year" events. May that not be the case ever again. But rather, let that detail jolt us into realizing that it was Jesus who was calling us, welcoming us. After all, it's His world, His timing, His terms. The manger, the stable, all of it, His chosen scene. With the face of grace, His little smile put earth at Heaven's doorstep, making His birth a galaxy-halting invitation to come and get your Love.

Hillsong sings a wonderful worship song that many of you are certain to recognize called, "What a Beautiful Name." A line from that song says, "You didn't want Heaven without us, so Jesus You brought Heaven down."

Guys, that particular line is my star in the East; an irresistible siren that draws me nearer to my blessed Lord.

I didn't want Heaven without you, so come and get your Love. 

That's Christmas. 

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Because He invited us into His heart, we can invite Him into ours. And in doing so, we allow Him into our life. We make room for Him in our dreams, our jobs, and yes, our health. We invite Him into our quest for bodily upkeep, disease management, and goal-making. In fact, the first week of January we're taking inventory of our physical life. Anyone joining me? 

Be Born In Us

"When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy."— Matthew 2:10

If you missed Christmas Presence last week, we talked about the shepherds and their efforts to see the newborn King. We agreed that their best was all they had to offer Him - our pacesetters if you will - and they made it.

Can't you just see their cold breath and chests rising as they arrive? But today, let's focus on the one who didn't run. Though she trembled when she was told of the miracle, Mary waited for the promise.

As I write this, a song by Francesca Battistelli called Born In Me is ringing in my ears. The chorus:

I'll hold you in the beginning, you will hold me in the end. Every moment in the middle, make my heart your Bethlehem, be born in me.

Isn't that what we want? For our hearts to be His Bethlehem? Born in us? When you and I walk into work or school or the gym or studio; when we make dinner for the kids or visit a neighbor, we hold Him. We're His home on earth.

Mary offered to God what she was denied at the inn: a vacancy.
The shepherds offered to God the only thing they could: an audience.

As Christmas nears, let the ones who ran to Him, and the one who didn't run from Him, give us courage to do both.

–Jimmy Peña

Prayer Requests: Will you pray for me today? I have an unspoken request. And if you have a prayer request, please list it here or say "unspoken" and I, the team and the rest of the readers will pray for you by name. Grow in grace.

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Available January 1: "Still. At the Start." - a new eBook designed with you in mind to help you rest, rejuvenate, recalibrate and pause the first week of January. Would anyone like to wait with me as we allow the rest of the field to pull away? Will you be the dark horse? 

Christmas Presence

"What do you give to someone who has everything?" That's a common question asked year after year by a countless number of people.  But what do you give someone who is everything? Well, that original question was uttered only once by a small group of eyewitnesses. Maybe the Shepherds asked each other that very thing as "they hurried off "(v. 16).

Wait, did you notice that? Long before Jesus gave the lame the strength to walk, He had shepherds running. After the angel told them the news, I doubt they hung around the fields, or grabbed a bite to catch up on the latest herder's gossip. No, the news of Jesus had these shepherds high-stepping with hearts pumping. Were they unsure of what to give God? Perhaps. But they were ironclad-certain about doing their best just to get there. Showing up out of love, out of excuses and out of breath. What they lacked in presents, they made up with their presence.

–Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: If you've been on PrayFit for a few years, you recognize today's entry. I just can't help but imagine that night, right? The announcement, the reaction, the action. Just to be near Him. What do you give someone who IS everything? You give Him everything, beginning with all you got.

Life Disrupted: As we've done over the years, we're resting, recovering and recalibrating ourselves during the first week of January. Enjoy this short video as I explain.

Advent and Health

We know the story, but we love it. Two thousand years ago, God made an unexpected trip. Because we were unable to get to Him, He came to us. God left Heaven's hall for Bethlehem's stall. He then climbed out of his crib and onto the cross for your sins and mine. Imagine, God with us. Say that out loud and emphasize a few words with me. 

God with us.
God with us.
God with us.

Amazing, isn't it? The distance He traveled for you and me. I love Christmas time. The traditions, old and new. But something about Christmas will never change, and that's the story of our Savior. 

So Jesus, we know the story, but tell us again. Show us the faith in Joseph's eyes. Reveal the awe on a shepherd's face. Convey the courage of Mary. We know the story, but take us back. Remind us that your birth began a rescue mission. We know the story, but please Jesus, we love it. Be born again.

 --Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Now and again over the next few weeks, we'll take a look at Christmas and some of the incredible themes we can apply to our health. What are some of the ways Christmas helps put your health into perspective? I'd love to know. I may even write about it, so please share. Let's have a good week, friends.