21 Days To Clarity, Day 2: Read the Bible

Click here for The Introduction

Click here for Day One




I told you this would be basic. I don’t mean to insult (or bore) any of you with the obvious, but I, for one, could use some reminding every now and again about the basics. Reading the Bible is one of those spiritual disciplines that is always at the top of my list of priorities, but is usually the first to go when I’m short on time. Why is that?

Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word. (Psalm 119:37)

Maybe it’s because in the U.S. we live in a culture saturated with Christian things: Christian music, Christian coffee houses, Christian books, Christian blogs, Christian schools, Christian calendars, Christian bumper stickers, Christian picture frames, Christian fast food. Living out our busy lives in the midst of our Christian culture can lull us into a false sense of intimacy with God and the Sacred Scriptures. I’m not saying having a Bible verse scrolled across your coffee mug is a bad thing. I’m just saying, on busy days I find myself resorting to whatever scriptures I happen to bump into along the way in order to feed my hungry spirit. I would never feed my physical body that way. Why would I treat my spirit-man with such neglect?

I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word. (Psalm 119:16)

When someone tells me she has a difficult time hearing God’s voice, either in general or about a specific situation, the first thing I ask her is, “Are you spending time in the Word?” I often ask myself the exact same question. And inevitably I find that the people who spend the most time reading and studying the Holy Bible are the ones who hear God’s voice most clearly.

Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts. (Psalm 119:98-100)


And even if they do not hear Him on every single matter, the ones immersing themselves in the Truth are the ones with the most peace and the most trust concerning the silence.

Your statutes are my delight;
they are my counselors. (Psalm 119:24)

I realize God can and does speak to individuals through dreams, visions and audible voices. Individuals who have neither knowledge of nor access to the written Word. Over the years, I’ve heard many missionaries report this sort of thing when reaching a remote area or people group. But if you are reading this blog (i.e. have access to the internet, and therefore access to the Bible in every known translation at the click of a mouse) then that ain’t you. And it ain’t me.


Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I believe in your commands. (Psalm 119:66)

We are the privileged generation of believers who have unlimited and unrestricted access to the Word of God. I have no excuse for letting days and days go by without so much as picking it up and cracking it open, much less studying it, meditating upon it, and writing it on my heart.


Give me understanding, and I will keep your law
and obey it with all my heart. (Psalm 119:34)

So today will you turn over a new leaf with me? Today can we decide that if we want to hear God’s voice, then we must make the Word of God the top priority of our spiritual lives? Not to add another thing to our to-do list. Not to give the Enemy one more thing for which to condemn us if we fail to follow through. But instead, to get us intimately acquainted with the One whose voice we seek!

Because if you ever wondered what God’s voice sounds like, I can tell you with 100% assurance that it sounds exactly like His Word.


Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long. (Psalm 119:97)

Fitness Friday: Exercise, Where Do I Start?

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The following is a real letter from an actual reader.

Dear Fitness Friday Girl,

I am not fit. I am not athletic. I am not strong. My body has never been my friend in this regard. I'm not exactly clumsy, but I'm not really coordinated either. I have rhythm since I'm musically talented, but I can't dance.

I've just never enjoyed physical activity. Even as a child it was not easy for me. Since I've been slender all my life I never had to worry about my weight. However, I'm now approaching 40 and things are changing. I have noticed a small gain, mostly around my middle. Let's just say I couldn't fit into my wedding dress anymore. Ugh. (Though I have birthed three children -- that's gotta count for something.)

FFG, the truth is, I haven't got the foggiest idea where to begin regarding exercise. Exercise looms like a fire-breathing dragon, like Mt. Everest in my path, and I am paralyzed with fear. My body is weak, my muscles are tight and sore, and my joints are swollen and painful because I have rheumatoid arthritis. I know I need to strengthen my body, not just to lose weight, but for my well-being and the health of my bones and muscles. I know that. But as I said, I haven't the foggiest idea how to start.

What would you advise a poor, pathetic soul such as me to do? Yoga? Walking? Wii Fit? (No running, please. Knees can't do it.) Weights? Could be a problem if my hands are very stiff. Some days are better than others.

Am I beyond hope now that I'm almost 40? Is it too late now to begin physical fitness after a life of sedentary-ness?

I know a fitness goddess like yourself is probably disgusted with a sloth like me, but have pity. If FFG wishes to answer me publicly, that's okay. Your kindness and expertise are appreciated.

Humbly,
Unfit Girl

Dear Unfit Girl,

Have no fear. Fitness Friday Girl is here!



I am not disgusted with you. In fact, I love you for using the word “sedentary-ness.” That’s so FFG. And while I may claim to be a super hero, I’m no fitness goddess. I’m just a 40-something girl who happens to enjoy exercise, reads up on the latest fitness news and has access to Google (which always makes me look smarter than I really am). Not only will I answer your question, but I’ve called in my Partner in Wellness: Sarah from All Pain, No Gain.


Together with Debbie from Heart Choices, we've been fighting fat and slashing "sedentary-ness" each and every Fitness Friday for months now. Surely, between the two of us, you will find all the motivation and estrogen you need to get started--tight and revealing superhero costumes notwithstanding.

First off, let me just say, I completely understand why fitness has not been a priority to you. Being thin probably gave you the illusion that you didn’t need to exercise since you didn’t need to lose weight. Add to that, your rheumatoid arthritis, and the thought of “hurting for no reason” didn’t actually appeal to you. Who would blame you?

Well, there are many reasons to get fit aside from losing weight, as you already stated in your letter:

It will strengthen your muscles and your bones.

It will reduce your risk of just about every kind of cancer.

It will increase your life span.

It will improve your cardiovascular system and your mood.

It will give you more energy and help you sleep better.

And those are just the things I thought of right off the top of my head. I bet there are hundreds of benefits I haven’t even listed. (note to self: Google “benefits of exercise” later.)

Secondly, it is NEVER too late to start getting fit. I’m sure there is a lot of research out there about the benefits starting exercise at any age—and maybe we can talk about that on a future post (note: Google that, too)—but you are far from “beyond hope.” You are younger than I am. And I’m like REALLY young.

Now, before you begin any type of regular exercise, I think it would be very wise to see your doctor. Mainly, because of the rheumatoid arthritis. I would recommend that for anyone with any kind of chronic health condition. Once your doctor clears you to start exercising, you should ideally be doing a combination of cardiovascular or aerobic exercises, strength training and stretching. Here are some ideas for you:


Cardiovascular:

1. Walking, either outside or on a treadmill. This is my cardiovascular exercise of choice. I love being outside. It’s easy on my joints and I can increase or decrease intensity and length of the workout depending on how I feel. For you, I would recommend starting to walk for about 15 minutes, 3 times per week. If you feel good, increase it to 20 minutes and then 30 minutes. Continue to increase length and frequency as you continue to get more fit. You can walk as often as you like. The more the better.

2. Elliptical. If walking doesn’t excite you, an elliptical is a nice alternative. It is also very easy on the joints and can be programmed to increase intensity and length of workout. I’d start easy. Maybe 10 minutes or so at the beginning, 3 times per week.

3. Swimming. If you have access to a pool, swimming is probably the easiest on your joints of all aerobic exercises.

4. Biking. Indoors or outdoors, biking is low impact and lots of fun.

Strength Training:

1. Yoga or Pilates. As you mentioned, this is a great way to get strong which also increases your flexibility. These techniques use your own body weight as resistance, so you needn’t ever pick up a weight. (I think using the word "needn't" also makes me look smarter than I am.)

2. Light free weights. All basic strength training moves can be performed with no weights or light weights. I’d recommend joining a gym and scheduling some appointments with a personal trainer. A good trainer will listen to your story, help you set some goals and then walk you through the gym and show you how to properly perform each and every exercise. If working out in public doesn’t appeal to you, purchase a basic strength training DVD and a few sets of light weights: 1 pound, 2 pounds and 5 pounds. Browse through strength training DVD’s on Amazon and see which ones pique your interest—there are so many! All good fitness DVD’s have lots of instructional information on them to guide you through the proper form. That’s how I learned to lift weights 20 years ago!


Stretching:

1. Again, yoga and Pilates will benefit you greatly here.

2. A physical therapist can show you a whole range of stretching exercises specific to your problem areas. The nice thing about physical therapy is that, unlike a personal trainer, PT is often covered by your insurance. I have chronic back issues, and I still use the stretches my PT showed me 10 years ago.


Some exercises you will want to avoid—at least at first:

1. Running, especially on hard pavement

2. Ply metrics or jump-training (very high impact!)

3. Heavy weight-lifting

I’ve said this before, but the very best exercises are the ones you like—because those are the ones you will actually do. Experiment with a few things and see what feels good and what doesn’t; what is fun to you and what feels miserable. Realize, of course, that taking baby steps is the key. Start out slowly and progress as you get stronger. This will help you avoid injuries and give you a ton of self-confidence.

Then maybe you can become a super hero yourself. Whoa...look at that muscle tone!




Now be sure to head over to All-Pain, No Gain , where Sarah is giving her own answers to this same letter!

21 Days To Clarity, Day One: Ask

Click here for The Introduction

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him." I John 5:14-15

One of the best pieces of advice I received as a new Christian was this:

When you open up your Bible to read it, ask God to make its meaning clear to you.

I chose to take this advice a step further. I not only asked God to clarify the meaning of the Word, but I also asked Him to help me to fall completely in love with it—fall in love with HIM.

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22

As a teenage girl armed with a big ‘ole King James Version—a version with an over abundance of “thee’s, thou’s, hath’s and verily’s”—that advice literally changed my life. From day one, every single time I cracked open my Bible, I first breathed a prayer asking God for clarity and passion. And God answered my prayer.

“I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” John 16:23b

Over the years, I’ve continued that prayer with greater intensity and greater faith. And in the last ten years, the prayer has taken such deep root in my heart that it has become the very focus of my ministry. No, I don’t always understand everything I read in the Bible. And no, I don’t always know exactly what He is saying to me at every moment of every day. But it gets clearer and clearer all the time. And it all began as a simple desire that I expressed to God in the form of a simple prayer.

You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:14

So today, as we begin our 21-day search for clarity together, I can think of no better advice to give:

Ask God for it.

“Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights." Isaiah 7:11

Ask Him to help you understand His word. Ask Him to help you discern His voice over the other voices in your head. Ask Him to help you recognize when He is using someone else to speak into your life.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

No fancy formula here. Just be sincere. And be yourself.

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:19

I’m praying for you like never before that the next 21 days rock your world. See you tomorrow for more clarity.

Click here for Day Two

21 Days to Clarity: Introduction

Just in case you didn’t catch the name or the purpose of this blog, I believe with all my heart God still speaks to His people today. I also believe God wants us to know what He’s saying: namely, His plan, His purpose and His will for our lives. I believe He does not find it amusing in the least that most of us don’t hear Him very often, or at all. In fact, I believe He created each of us with the ability to hear His voice with crystal clarity, and one aspect of His perfect will for our lives is to learn to discern His voice with that crystal clarity. Furthermore, I believe (this is starting to sound like the Apostle’s Creed), the problem with the lack of hearing rests solely with the hearer (me and you) and not at all with the Speaker (God).


I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob's descendants, 'Seek me in vain.' I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right. (Isaiah 45:19)

And that, in a nutshell, is what drives me to do what I do on this blog week-in and week-out.


I don’t know what you believe about hearing God’s voice. Depending on your religious background, this concept can sound impossible, improbable, fanatical, heretical or normal. Depending on your experience, it may seem intriguing, boring, frightening, frustrating or exciting.

But just for kicks, I’d like for you to try to lay aside any preconceived notions you may have about God speaking and just try to approach it from a fresh perspective. At least for the next 21 days. Because today begins a new series I’m calling 21 Days to Clarity.




Each day, for the next 21 days, we will look at one simple concept that, if applied, will bring us closer to hearing God’s voice. No frills. No hype. Just simple and basic truth.

I know you must have a million questions about the series, so I’ve included a list of Frequently Asked Questions. But since there have been no questions whatsoever thus far, I’ll call it the Most Likely To Be Asked Questions.

MLTBAQ’s

1.Are you implying that there is a formula or checklist I can follow to hear God’s voice?

Answer: Not at all. Hearing God is rooted in developing a deeper relationship with God. Like any relationship, this looks a little different from person to person, because we are all unique. However, the Bible gives some principles and guidelines that lead us into deeper relationship with God, and thus, help us hear Him more clearly. I will be discussing these principles and guidelines.

2. Why 21 Days?

Answer: I have no earthly idea. I’d like to say there is some spiritual significance, but 31 sounded too long and 10 sounded too short. I totally pulled that number out of the air. I hope I can come up with 21 actual topics that fall into this series. If not, I may be changing the title.


3.Will you be posting every day during this series?

Answer: No. These are not literal days, but “blog days.” I will still post 2 or 3 times per week, as I always do. Maybe more…maybe less. But not every single day.

4.Will you still run Fitness Friday during this series?

Answer: Yes. A week without Fitness Friday is like a week without sunshine.

5. How can I make sure I don’t miss a day?

Answer: You can subscribe to God Speaks Today and the posts will be sent directly to your inbox through e-mail. If you have a blog with Blogger, you can “follow me” and updates will be sent directly to your Google Reader. You can also put a sticky note on your computer screen reminding you to check the blog for updates. Or you can set the alarm to go off on your cell phone. Or you can ask a friend to call and remind you to check the website.

6. Speaking of friends, can I invite my friends to join this series ?

Answer: Yes. Please do. I love your friends. They are so nice.

7. How do I leave a comment?

Answer: Simply click on the word “comments” below. If you aren’t a blogger or don’t have a Google account, you can click on “anonymous” and follow the prompts. Just remember to leave your name so I know who you are. If you’d like a personal response, be sure to leave a way for me to contact you. And I love questions. If you leave one, I will promise to answer it either in the comments or in a future post.

That’s all for now. I’ll see you tomorrow when we’ll get started with Day One. Not literally tomorrow. That would be “Blog Tomorrow.”

Click here for Day One: Ask

Fitness Friday: A Letter from My Metabolism

Dear Sandy,

I hate you. From henceforth, I shall cease burning calories and, instead, store everything you eat as fat.

Sincerely,
Your Metabolism


I received the preceding letter last week. It first came as a voice in my head. But after further inquiry, my metabolism confirmed the voice in writing, plain as day. I suspected something had gone awry between me and my metabolism when my jeans started getting tight. At first, I blamed my dryer. Turns out the dryer was completely innocent.

I have to admit, I'm partly in shock and partly in denial over the whole fat-storing thing. But reality hit me square in the face last week when I stepped on the scale and saw that I had reached an all-time high. Other than being pregnant or just giving birth, I have never weighed that much. I'd like to think I just stepped on the scale funny. But no matter how I positioned myself, (leaning forward, leaning backward, jumping up and down, handstand, throwing the scale against the wall) it still read the same. For three days straight. I suspected it was broken, until I found out that it was working just fine for my husband, who's at an all-time LOW. What EVER. (Do you think it's possible I'm gaining HIS weight?)

I mean, I eat well. I exercise. I get proper rest and eat lots of organic stuff. What's up?

Lots of things, actually. And no, I'm not pregnant. Let's take a look:

1. In August, I went on a 40-day fast (completely for spiritual reasons), during which time I refrained from eating meat, dairy, sugar and grains. I did eat fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts. And I ate quite a bit, actually. I thought that would be enough to sustain my metabolism, but my metabolism thought otherwise. I have gained ten pounds in less than two months, just since coming off that fast. YIKES!!

2. Also during that fast, I continued to work out, but I did not do heavy weight-lifting. Big mistake. The loss of muscle mass greatly reduced the efficiency of my metabolism. The combination of adding all those foods back into my diet and the loss of muscle was a recipe for massive fat storage.

3. As much as I'd like to think otherwise, I'm getting older. I'm 41 years old. I can't even say that with a straight face. I feel 27. Today, I actually almost told someone I was 37. Not because I wanted to lie, but because I forget sometimes how old I am. I also forget why I walk into certain rooms of my house, and then I stand there staring into space until I remember why I'm there. Further evidence that I am, in fact, getting old. Anyway, with age comes a slower metabolism. One of my friends on Facebook recently said that when she was in her 20's, if she would have eaten and worked out like she does now, she would have been skinny as a rail. Ditto that! I can't believe how hard I have to work to maintain my weight the older I get. Though, I have to admit, slinging a heavy back pack over my shoulder and walking miles and miles around a college campus everyday is nothing to sneeze at. Which is exactly what I did in my 20's.

Speaking of sneezing, did you hear about that poor 12-year-old girl who can't stop sneezing? She sneezes up to 16 times per MINUTE! All day long!! Read about it here, but come right back. I still need to talk to you.

4. I hit a fitness plateau. I got bored with my work out routine and simply fell into a system that was comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, that my body adjusted to it and stopped burning calories efficiently. Bummer.

5. I've stopped pushing myself hard. I've cut myself a lot of slack lately with my work outs. I just do it to get it done and move on to the next thing. There are no goals. No challenges. And thus, no change.

6. I've let myself indulge more than usual. Eating foods I could not eat during my fast, not because I'm hungry but just because I can. And don't even get me started on Halloween candy or the night I was in charge of the cookie table at the Open House for my children's school. What a nightmare. In a delicious and indulgent sort of way.

Bottom line is this: even Fitness Friday Girl is not exempt from fitness plateaus and unwanted pounds. If there's one thing that keeps me humble is that God did not make me genetically skinny AND I really, really love to eat. Honestly, there are dozens of things that keep me humble. But I'm only fessing up to those right now.

On the other hand, I refuse to give in to these ten pounds or any other ten pounds that try to creep up on my body. Since last week, when the dreaded number showed up on my scale, I have turned over a new leaf (which is really just the same old leaf I've turned over time and time again--but hasn't been turned over for quite some time.)

I've gotten serious about my work outs. I've pushed myself so hard that I've had to take Tylenol for muscle soreness twice in the last three days. I've started keeping a food journal again. And I signed up today for a full year with a personal trainer. Yes ma'am, I did.

The good news is, the trainer took me through an advanced work out and said I had excellent form. She showed me some really cool things to do with an exercise ball--which I never use at home. She kicked my butt today. I was whipped after only about 25 minutes with her. The bad news is my body fat percentage is 27!!! What in the WORLD?? Last time I had it taken (7 years ago) it was 18!!!!!!! And to think I was blaming my dryer for my tight jeans.

I have a lot of work to do, readers, but I'm confident I'll get there. Next week, I'll share with you some of the goals I'm setting for myself and how I plan to reach them, specifically with the trainer now helping me.

Now I need to go and give my dryer a hug. On my way there, I'm going to throw my scale against the wall, just for kicks. That is, if I don't forget why I walked into that room in the first place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Doylene is setting some fitness goals too! To read her story, click here.
Dani Joy is talking all about her new fitness accountability group. To learn more, click here.
Debbie just needs a big cyber hug today. To give her one, click here.
Sarah is recovering from surgery. To hear about how she's keeping her metabolism humming, click here.

Flip Flops in the Snow

"He changes times and seasons...He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning." Daniel 2:21


Sneaking out of bed at 5:35 am, I tiptoe out of my room, so as not to wake the sleeping child lying next to me. I think it’s Elliana, though it’s very dark, so I don’t know for sure. She’s our regular nightly visitor, who also happens to be our lightest sleeper. The slightest creek in the floor, and it’s "good morning world". Can’t risk that. Not today.

Long days filled with carpool lines, laundry baskets and meal preparation mesh with kissing boo-boo’s, quizzing math facts and refereeing sibling battles. Not much time for writing…again. Or ever, it seems. My only opportunities come late at night or early in the morning. And most of the time, I’m too exhausted for either.

I wake up my computer and settle in with a hot cup of coffee and a foggy brain so I can get Monday’s blog post up on Tuesday. It'll be a short one. Better than nothing.

Quick, Sandy. Write! Create something witty , yet profound, before the day begins. No pressure.

Glancing at the clock I see I only have twenty minutes left before I must begin packing lunches and waking the children. How can this be? Didn’t I just sit down?

And so it goes with my life. Today. Week in and week out. At least for this season.

The constant fight for writing time—for me time—frustrates and fatigues this momma. Sometimes I wonder what God is up to: giving me this desire, this drive, this dream to write and create and impact my world. Yet forgetting—it seems—to also give me the opportunity to do so.

I think of the seasons. I think of the last few weeks, where literally before my eyes, the green leaves morphed to brilliant reds and yellows and then fell to the ground. How the temperatures swung from 80’s to 40’s. How sunset changed from 9-ish to 6-ish.

I think how the upcoming winter means no open windows. No swimming pools. No late evenings catching fire flies. No early mornings drinking coffee on the deck. No trips to the zoo. No picnics in the park. No flip-flops. No tank tops.

And if I choose to dwell on those things, I can become downright discouraged. If I choose to rehearse in my mind all the activities I cannot do in this season, I will miss the beauty unique to winter.

I will miss hot chocolate by the fireplace. And the pale glow of Christmas lights. And pumpkin-pie scented candles. And snuggling in bed under warm blankets. And marveling at the way the snow outlines every single branch on the trees. And cute scarves. And my favorite boots.




Sure, I could choose to forge ahead with my summer plans in the dead of winter. I could insist upon wearing my flip flops in the snow. But that would be foolish. That would be dangerous. That doesn’t mean I can’t love flip flops (and Lord knows, I do). And it doesn’t mean I can’t look forward to wearing flip flops when the season changes. But for now…

So, Lord, as my brief early morning writing time comes to a rapid close, please help me see the beauty of this season of life. Help me recognize the unique things that only come while small children are under my care. Help me embrace sticky kisses and little finger prints and footy-pajamas. Help me appreciate spontaneous hugs and silly songs and crayon creations.


Help me understand that there will be no grand announcement stating, “Mommy, this is the last night I will sleep in your bed or ask you to push me on the swing or need you to quiz me on my spelling words.” But as sure as the seasons change, there will be a last time.


Please, Jesus, give me wisdom to seize the opportunities unique to today. Help me remember that for a short time, I have occasion to eternally impact three lives. Today, a timely conversation about life with my ten-year-old is so much more fruitful than a mediocre blog post. Today, nuggets of truth deposited into the heart of my son are better than articles submitted for publication.

Lord, I don't want to be foolish or do anything dangerous. So, today I come to you, asking you please to show me how to dress my life appropriately for this season.

Fitness Friday: Working Out When You Have Small Children

P90X is totally messing with my psyche. All the workouts are a minimum of one hour. All of them require me to work out in my basement in front of the TV. And the program requires me to work out six days a week. Translation: If I work out for less than an hour, do anything away from the television, or *gasp!* skip a day, I feel a twinge of guilt...an inkling of “this isn’t good enough.”

Maybe it’s because I don’t like to quit anything. Or maybe it’s because my husband’s body is transforming into that of a Greek god, and mine is not.

Or maybe it's because one of my favorite exercise mantras has always been “Something is better than nothing.” For the last 12 ½ years, I’ve been trying (and succeeding) to stay fit with babies and small children in tow. As a mom, some days I just do what I can, and I move on. For that reason, I’m finding that perhaps P90X isn’t the program for me. Or maybe it’s just not for me right now. (insert twinge of failure here…ouch!)

But that doesn’t mean I can’t work out. And it doesn't mean you can't work out, either. I’m convinced that we will make time for things that are important to us. If physical fitness is high on your priority list, you will do it. Period.

It's not a good idea to wait until your children are older or out of the room before you break out your gym shoes. For me, it's important for my kids to see me working out and to join me when it’s practical to do so. This isn't just for my well-being. I’m hoping some day they will be physically fit, too!

So, fully understanding the challenges associated with having small children, I give you a short list of things that have worked for me over the last 12 ½ years:

1.From the time your children are born, you can put your little ones in a stroller or a pouch and head outside for a long walk. I used both, depending on the kid. When Noah, Rebekah and Elijah were babies, I lived in Florida where I could walk year round. I also lived in a huge neighborhood with miles and miles of walking trails. We walked every single day, and it was wonderful. For two years after we moved to Kentucky, Rebekah attended school across the street from a beautiful park. Also wonderful. But some of you don’t live in a warm climate or near good parks. And that, my friend, is why God created THE MALL. Sure, you may have to dodge the elderly mall-walkers so you don’t run them over with your stoller, but all that darting and swerving will increase your upper body strength. As my children multiplied, I purchased a double stroller (doubly hard to push, too!) Now, the older kids ride bikes while I push Elliana in the stroller. But, please don’t try that one in the mall. You may kill the elderly mall-walkers.

2.Baby/preschool years are very challenging. But one of the many benefits of this unique and short season is not having to contend with a school schedule. When Elijah was a baby and Rebekah was a toddler/preschooler, I was a crazy woman and got up at 5:30 am to go to the gym. It was difficult and exhilarating all rolled into one. I would drag my body out of bed and roll into my work out clothes. Standing blurry-eyed over my coffee maker, I would slowly wake up. Then, I would drive away from my house in the dark with my giant mug of coffee in hand. I would exercise in a nearly empty gym and return home at 7:30 am, just in time for Jon to leave for work. I knew if I accomplished nothing else that day—and that was usually the case—at least I had worked out. I was in excellent shape back then, I must say. Now that the kids are in school, I can’t do that any longer. Unless I want to get up at 4:30 am and return by 6:30 am. I’m crazy, but I’m not that crazy. Maybe evening works better for you. The point here is to find a time to go to the gym while someone at home is watching your children. And preferably not in the middle of the night.

3.Work out DVD’s are a young mother’s answer to fitness prayers. (Fitness prayers?) Trust me on this one, if you want to keep your children entertained, pop in a work out DVD and do it with them in the room. The music. The people dancing. The grunting and panting. It’s truly amusing! It’s especially funny for them when you start to sweat and you can’t answer their incessant questions. I admit, this option takes a little more planning. For me, I need to fetch a drink and a snack for my little one and set up some favorite toys. But if you are a mom, you’re used to this. Sometimes I need to stop to tend to a need…no biggie… that is the beauty of the “pause” button.

3.Home gym equipment poses some inherent dangers, but like every other hazardous thing in your home, you simply teach your child appropriate boundaries. We had a Nordic Track since we got married, so our kids got used to staying off the exercise equipment. Now we have an elliptical, a universal weight machine and several sets of free weights. It takes a little training, but children will learn to stay away from the treadmill while you are on it. Use your scary mommy voice when they get too close. That always works for me.

4.Using gym childcare is not an option I’ve used yet… but I’m about to. I just joined a gym for the first time in over five years and I plan to use the childcare at least twice a week. I’ll let you know how it goes. Many facilities offer free care while you work out. And if you envelop your child in bubble wrap and bathe them in hand sanitizer, they might not catch any diseases while they are there.

5.I am all about the nap time. I go to extraordinary lengths to protect this sacred ritual in my home. All of my kids napped or had one to two hours of daily quiet time alone, in their rooms, through kindergarten. Why? Mainly because in a 15-hour day, it is most likely the only kid-free break I get. And if my children want a functional Mommy, they know better than to ask me to pull an all-day shift, day after day after day after day after day. I understand this hour or two is PRECIOUS. It’s hard to know what to save that time for...your shower, your devotions, you blogging time, your phone calls…YOUR OWN nap. Or your work out. I personally use nap time as a last resort. When my oldest daughter was taking two naps a day, I often used the first one for my prayer time and the second one for my work out, and that was nice. But it was very short-lived. Just know, it’s an option, and one I recommend if that works well for you.


What challenges do you have with finding time to work out? Let’s discuss and see if we help each other think outside of the box.

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For more great fitness tips, be sure to visit Debbie at Heart Choices . She's talking about discipline! You go, Debbie!

Sarah at All Pain No Gain is switching gears to maintenance mode after surgery. Check out her pics of her cut physique! Impressive.