Feb, Week 4 Day 3&4: Choose the Promiseland

Sorry I have not been posting daily this week, but mommy duties have required more of my time.

As we close out this month, how are you choosing? Are you choosing God daily? Are you choosing to make your health a priority? Are you choosing to make your house a refuge (not a storage unit)?

I pray you begin to desire God more everyday. I pray you realize the benefits if better health and desire to take care of yourself. I pray you desire less stuff and make your home a place of refuge for you and your family. And I also pray that you desire God's promiseland more than creating your own promiseland.

You have to choose whether you want to follow God to the promiseland or if you will continue to sit in the desert and try to create your own. Now, you are probably saying, why would I do that? My answer is I do not know, but you might be.

Life tends to wear us down and make us miserable. But our first response is not to fall in God's arms. It is to grumble and complain. And we want to be happy so we start trying to make ourself happy. Some of you buy more stuff and think if I just had this or bought my kids this, we will be happy. Others choose to dive more into work and spending all time and energy trying to feel good by being successful. And then there are those whose dreams were crushed, so we push our kids in sports at an early age so they will be the next big star (which is to make us feel better not them.) And then some of us just give up and decide to stop and camp in our tent and be miserable.

I do not know about you, but I do not want to settle for being in the desert. I am tired of trying to make my own Promiseland. God has promised me so much more. We can choose to build our own Promiseland or we can choose to know and follow God to the Promiseland.

Each of our journeys may be different amounts of time. Our deserts will be different. But each of us need to choose to follow God, choose to be in good health for the journey and be willing to choose to get rid of some junk if God asks.

So will you choose the journey to the real Promiseland or will you choose to settle for the desert?

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 4 Action Plan
Choose to find an exercise buddy to hold you accountable and tell you to get off your butt.
Memorize "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come" Prov.31:25


Week 4 Day 1&2
Choose to thank God for His promises.
Choose to read Exodus 16. Are you like those who did not obey and tried to do it their way instead of being obedient?
Choose to do try one of your new exercises.
Choose to wipe down the bathrooms.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb. Week 4 Day 1&2

Wow, it is already the last week of February. Spring is just around the corner (which is hard to believe when many of us are seeing snow again!). But the last week also means having an exercise schedule worked out for you.

If you are still having difficulty with your schedule and routine, do not worry. Remember, you want to make it fun and easy. And do not forget, you can do a workout while doing something else.

Here are a few examples:

1. Go up and down on your tiptoes while cooking dinner to workout your calves.
2. Do lunges while you walk across the living room.
3. Do bicep curls with the laundry basket while you carry it through the house.
4. Vacuum.
5. Do a squat against the wall while you wait for your preschooler to go potty.
6. Sit on an exercise ball at your desk or while you watch TV to work your abs.
7. Park far way from the entrance and walk briskly.

These are just a few examples. If you really stop and think you will find many ways to add to your exercise routine. Please make sure you get in cardio even if it is by cleaning the house or chasing your child around the park or outside. Just choose to get up and move.

Please avoid:

1. Sitting on the bench at the park while you watch your kids run around.
2. Sitting on the couch for two hours to watch TV instead of exercising while watching TV.
3. Use being tired as an excuse.
4. Sitting in the car while your child practices, go walk around.
5. Sitting while playing the Wii.
6. Doing nothing.

I want you to have a plan before the end of this week. Please do not hesitate to ask for help. Let's choose to get in better health and better shape.

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 4 Action Plan
Choose to find an exercise buddy to hold you accountable and tell you to get off your butt.
Memorize "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come" Prov.31:25


Week 4 Day 1&2
Choose to thank God for allowing you to be able to get out and exercise.
Choose to read Prov. 31:10-31. Can you laugh at days to come? Do you have your Physical Strength but also find strength in the Lord?
Choose to do a chore workout.
Choose to clean up the kitchen and do a Family 15.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb. Week 3 Day 5: Choose to say thank you today

Thank You by 33 miles

What if in morning when I wake up
Even before I fill my coffee cup
I said thank You
Thank You

What if I look at the day and the hours ahead
And before I move forward I bowed my head
And said thank You
Oh I said thank You

What if I looked at my life in a different way
Took a little more time to stop and pray
I know it would change all the moments in between
So here I go

Thank You for everything
Thank You for loving me
It don't even matter what tomorrow brings
Well I will sing my

Thank You for sun and rain
For what You give and take away
For all Your goodness I will always say
Thank You
Oh I'll say thank You
What if I lost everything that I had
I could smile and somehow still be glad
And say thank You
Thank you

'Cause life is joy, life is pain
But the prayer on my heart will never change
I say thank You
Oh I'll say thank You

To listen click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYdfH71lHAE

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 3 Action Plan
Choose to love yourself and others enough to get into better health.
Memorize
"6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. " Hebrews 11:6


Week 3 Day 4
Choose to say thank you .
Choose to read your verse Hebrews 11:6. Thank him for the rewards of following Him.

Choose to play at a park, outside, go for walk with friends or family.
Choose to put up all laundry so you may enjoy your weekend.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb. Week 3 Day 4: Choose to Persevere

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. "

2 Peter 1:3-11

As I said yesterday, choose not to give up. You are on a journey. You are choosing to change your life and live for Christ. You are choosing to grow closer to Christ, be in better health and getting your life back together. It will not happen over night. It is a daily process. Just keep making wise choices. The blessings and benefits are coming. Do not lose faith! Don't be like the Israelites and give up. It will make the journey longer.

I really would like to pray for you specifically. Please share with me so I may.

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 3 Action Plan
Choose to love yourself and others enough to get into better health.
Memorize
"6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. " Hebrews 11:6


Week 3 Day 4
Choose to trust in a powerful God and tell Him you do.
Choose to read scripture above.
Choose to try just jogging outside or in the house.
Choose to pick up your room.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb.Week 3 Day 3: Choose Not To Quit

A generation of immediate gratification, that is who we have become. A hunger for immediate rewards consumes us at times. When it doesn't, we stop and walk away. And when it comes to our weight and health, we want the pounds to drop immediately. And we quit way too soon if we do not see the results.

I do not mean to be so blunt, but it is time to stop acting like a child and demanding it your way. Years of poor eating or not exercising cannot be changed in a week. You will have to be patient to get the result you want. Stop the tantrum of I did all the work, but did not lose the weight I wanted so I quit. You need to choose a lifestyle change and choose to be patient while it changes your body and health.

Nothing is more frustrating than working out and giving up your chocolate for a couple of pounds. But that is just one week. Week after week those couple of pounds add up. Eventually you will put on those pants and they will be too big. Choosing to stick it out will have great rewards. You may just have to wait. (Side note: losing a small amount of weight on a consistent basis, will actually help you keep it off.)

Please do not give up, choose to make a lifestyle change that leads to better health and stick with it. The awesome rewards are coming, just be patient and wait.

And before we close, the same goes with your walk with God. You may have started being with Hm everyday, but do not feel the change you want. Maybe you feel things should be going easier or you should feel closer to God. Remember, God answers His way. Open your eyes to fully see how He is working in your life. Or maybe you want God to do a certain thing in your life, but He wants to do something else. God is working. Don't give up on change in your life. God's timing is perfect. Keep seeking Him and growing closer to Him. He has plans for you, I do not think you want to miss out.


February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 3 Action Plan
Choose to love yourself and others enough to get into better health.
Memorize
"6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. " Hebrews 11:6


Week 3 Day 3
Choose to give God your frustrations and ask for the courage not to quit.
Choose to read Psalm 69:13-18 as a prayer.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2069:13-18&version=NIV
Choose to try an outdoor exercise.
Choose to do wipe down the bathrooms.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb. Week 3 Day 2: Choose Faith Over Reality

We have looked at several choices over these past months. Some of them make you realize you need to make better choices. Other choices you do not even attempt because you feel like there is no hope. Well you are wrong. You are choosing to believe a lie.

"When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you are slamming the door in the face of God.” Charles L. Allen ...

No matter where you are in your life, whether it is a complete mess or just a little mess. No matter where you are in your health or weight. No matter where you are in your relationship with God. The situation is not hopeless.

We choose to believe in God, but we believe in reality more than we believe God. You read this blog and think the theory is good, but your life or health is too far out of whack. Nothing is impossible with God. His will and timing may be different from ours. He may ask you to sacrifice certain things to get there. But nothing is impossible.

Now will you choose to believe God and what He is able to do? Or will you continue to do a reality check and not believe?

Stop just reading this blog and thinking about what life could be like. Instead, truly believe what God can do. Be obedient in what He asks of you so He can.


February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 3 Action Plan
Choose to love yourself and others enough to get into better health.
Memorize
"6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. " Hebrews 11:6

Week 3 Day 2
Choose to believe God.
Choose to read Hebrews 11.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11&version=NIV
Choose to try another type of exercise.
Choose to do a Family 15.
Choose to go to bed on time.

Feb. Week 3 Day 1

This morning I will be attending a funeral of sweet, loving woman of God. She was one of the first to welcome my son and I into the Pipes family. I always felt accepted and loved by Jerry. She was a simple woman who loved her family, church and God. I would be surprised if she had any enemies. And even though she will missed by many, we get to celebrate her life and her being in the presence of the Lord now.

Today, pause and think about your love ones, your neighbors, your friends. Are you sharing Christ with them? Are you loving them with the love of God? Are you impacting their life? Or are you waiting to tell them about Christ? Do you think you have plenty of time to share the love of Christ with them? Are you too busy with your life to care about their eternal future and their own relationship with Christ?

There are a lot of bad choices we will make in life. Most of them have consequences. But choosing not share Christ with those He puts in our lives has eternal consequences for that person. So do not put it off another day. Choose today to share Christ and His love. There is a lost and dying world around us that needs Christ. Choose to share the the awesome news of a loving, forgiving God with them.

February Action Plan
Choose an exercise routine and program that fits your schedule.

Week 3 Action Plan
Choose to love yourself and others enough to get into better health.

Week 3 Day 1
Choose to thank God for giving His Son for you.
Choose to Psalm 23
Choose to try a new exercise today.
Choose to clean up the kitchen.
Choose to go to bed on time.