Sharing the struggle with a faith community

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How does your faith ( whatever sort) help your struggle for health and fitness, improve your motivation, underlie your effective living and loving. provoke questioning of life and events, help you set goals, be accountable,inspire??

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  • k8eekins
    k8eekins Posts: 2,264 Member
    edited April 2018
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    Plenty. Keeps me lighthearted and at ease enough mentally to go at my workouts harrd. Additionally, I'd not been to Church proper for some years, for I couldn't stand the political dominant sermons from the (Episcopal) pulpit where I was, for I'm Anglican, where I'd kept my spiritual health at maintenance through Judaic observances for a time, periodically attending Church for Christmas, Easter and observed holy days of the year at the local Catholic Parish(es), depending on my availability. Fast forward, I've only recently been a regular attendee, only this time - with a Praise & Worship-toned Biblically-based Methodist "Mega-Church." Suits me for the organised group events correlate with some of my hobbyist interests (outdoor activities).

    Fortunately, my sister discovered a trail we now run which leads to a summit with a grove, where we can simply do our prayers in silence. Our Gethsemane - our Prayer Garden.

    I'd committed 2018 as the year to let go and let G_d; To unload, cast down all detractors and what ifs, breaking out of the binds we oftentimes don't even realise we've noosed around ourselves.

    https://youtu.be/aFxOGd4P4JA
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    edited April 2018
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    I have asked our Pastors to build a gym on church campus with free weights and CyBex equipment, so that working out can be done in a danger free environment. We live in a little town that has experienced a boom in population. Our lead Pastor was just mentioning that he and his fellow Pastor wife need to sync workouts, so she isn't in the parking lot of the Gym on her own at night. The other Pastors doubt he will be against such a novel idea.

    The gym we go to allows us to enter 24 hours with pin code access. Convenient, yes. Safe, no. You're working out alone. Entering and leaving the establishment alone. Huge Shopping Mall Complex. Sometimes it feels safer braving the wild creatures for a run, than hitting the gym. ☺️


    We're in a series study of "Stopping the self from emotionally burdening ourselves, trapped by the fear of comparison." This has solidified my zeal to proceed, letting go of the entrapments of mass media touted and societal norms for my continuing fitness journey to be the me I was destined and designed to be - achieving my implanted blueprint, not a photocopy/photoscan.

    I wake up daily with joy, praise and thanksgiving, declaring that I refuse to be a zombie in a paralytic state over my fitness ... My health ... My life ... My choices ... My legacy ... My right to be me.

    https://youtu.be/fmpshXiCVis
    ETA:. Add music
  • k8eekins
    k8eekins Posts: 2,264 Member
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    ... 15 days to go until your pending surgery ... Thought of you during our Worship service today, which expanded on the subject of revelationary thinking, with the ability to see the path to optimal outcome.
  • k8eekins
    k8eekins Posts: 2,264 Member
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    Reading through sharings of pain, loss and the weariness which comes with the extols of life's difficulties ... Then seeing the headline news features whilst contributing to preparing tonight's dinner ... The sharings from our darling of a Pastor resonated:
    • Handle it. "Whatever the crisis, however the situation presents itself - Handle it. Apply discretion and wisdom. Do not fly off the handle. Call on what can restrain you."
    • Listen to understand.
    • Engage calmly and directly with (the person) or the problem.
    • Get support from confidants.
    • Trust fully.
    • Receive your Gift. Take your Gift.

    https://youtu.be/ce6PT-3sQGg

    If not for a sense of Community (including myfitnesspal for my physical well-being and the daily humour bytes), I'd not have managed. When we deny ourselves what is freeing and what living is, however we each define it, we are susceptible to being lost in the maze or abyss of complications, confusion and restraints.
  • k8eekins
    k8eekins Posts: 2,264 Member
    edited June 2018
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    https://youtu.be/Rr8-n3vYcd4

    Thinking of you Sarah - sending you our positive wishes, with the hopes your surgery went well ... Just wanted you to know that we're praying for your speedy recovery.

    https://youtu.be/kHaQDS1_uvA
  • k8eekins
    k8eekins Posts: 2,264 Member
    edited June 2018
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    Thinking of a friend and his family tonight ... Immediately brought to mind what I'd heard from one of our Pastors this last Sunday:
    • Be thankful no matter what the circumstances, no matter the situation, no matter the unknown
    • Shift your perspective, to shift your life towards positivity
    • Don't allow the varying pursuasions of your problems to incarcerate your Praise
    • Faith. Responsibility. Trust. Endurance.

    https://youtu.be/gGUo0-A_Gz8
  • sarahtrust
    sarahtrust Posts: 85 Member
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    I picked up the "Daniel Plan" book at a garage sale. It has some good guidance about how Faith, Focus, Friends and Food all work together toward a healthy lifestyle. I've never really asked God to help me lose weight. It seemed kind of trivial given all my other problems. But I realize since reading that book that there is nothing too small for God. I have to acknowledge that I really can't do this on my own. I need God's help because honestly it feels like this is not a mountain I can climb by myself.

    Thanks I got the book from the library, very inspiring! I have had major. op. so have been off MFP since June Please friend me Sarah Trust
  • sarahtrust
    sarahtrust Posts: 85 Member
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    thanks for your comment
  • jdubois5351
    jdubois5351 Posts: 460 Member
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    I have faith in myself, my friends and my family. I don't believe in a higher power of any kind.
  • Candyspun
    Candyspun Posts: 370 Member
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    I don't think jdubois said anything worthy of flagging?
  • sarahtrust
    sarahtrust Posts: 85 Member
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    Jkowals123 wrote: »
    I pray to God and ask for help in following my food plan and try to take it one day at a time. Talk with God when I go running or walking.
    Thanks for this - very practical help, avoids worrying and uses time wisely, plus turns over cares to GOd as suggested in NT

  • sarahtrust
    sarahtrust Posts: 85 Member
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    Candyspun wrote: »
    I don't think jdubois said anything worthy of flagging?
    What will you do when the chips are down? The arm of flesh does fail -i flagged because I REFLECTED ON WHAT SHE SAID. WITHOUT FAITH MY SURGERY EXPERIENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE, but I appreciate her responding without judgement.
  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 653 Member
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    sarahtrust wrote: »
    Candyspun wrote: »
    I don't think jdubois said anything worthy of flagging?
    What will you do when the chips are down? The arm of flesh does fail -i flagged because I REFLECTED ON WHAT SHE SAID. WITHOUT FAITH MY SURGERY EXPERIENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE, but I appreciate her responding without judgement.

    Flagging is for an infraction of the rules, not because you thought about what she said and now you decided to judge her. And how judgmental are you?? It's not for you to say what she will do when the chips are down. Some people manage just fine.

    Quick story...I injured myself and was told I would be paralyzed for the rest of my life at the age of 25. At the age of 30 I got cancer and the possibility of death was very real. I faced BOTH problems without faith and I'm both walking and alive (obviously). Both those events made me a stronger person. So don't judge those without faith. It's not your business.
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