“Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase” (Daniel 12:4).

Running “to and fro”? That sure sounds like today, doesn’t it? Once-upon-a-time the customary reply to the question, “How are you doing?” was “Fine, thank you. And you?” Today the answer is, “Busy!”

Is that you? Do you sometimes feel burdened keeping up with the schedules of everyone in your household? Are you finding it difficult to make daily quiet time with the Lord a priority? Is it a challenge to find time to relax – let alone squeeze fitness into your day?

There are ways to incorporate health and fitness for spirit, soul and body into your day – and actually have more time and energy to do all you’re called to do.

“Happily Productive”

I’ve given up saying I’m busy. Instead I like to say I’m “happily productive.” It always makes me laugh, and I notice I get a lot more accomplished and feel less stressed! I also have trained myself to say, “You know, we may have a lot on our plate, but we always seem to have enough time to do all the Lord has called us to do. I like to remind God as His Word says, ‘My times are in Your hand’ (Psalm 31:15).

Hectic schedules seldom leave time for two very important parts of a well-balanced life: our relationship with God and keeping our body strong and healthy. Since our schedules may not suddenly allow us to have extra time, we must discover ways to make the best use of the time we do have. One way is a blending of the spiritual and physical for “Total Fitness.”

God is interested in our priorities. He wants us to put Him first. Yet before I made time with the Lord a daily priority, I wondered why I never seemed to have enough time. Without realizing it, the rest of my life was suffering because I didn’t have my priorities in the right order.

We’re to give God first place and seek Him first (“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you,” Matthew 6:33). When I began investing time in my relationship with the Lord first, I found the peace and wisdom to handle whatever came my way the rest of the day.

Faith AND Fitness!

Why not combine the two – faith and fitness? The Lord delights to be a part of everything we do – even exercise! One woman I know respectfully calls Him her “Personal Trainer.” Suddenly physical activity is no longer drudgery, but an extension of our worship time with Him. In His presence, the joy of the Lord lifts and strengthens us spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Building physical strength at the same time becomes an added bonus. Instead of dreading the workout, the brisk walk or whatever our fitness routine entails, we will look forward to being in His presence again.

Here are 5 quick ideas to make the most out of a short amount of time:

1. Cut workouts in half and squeeze in a 10- or 20-minute session instead of your normal workout. These mini-workouts can still produce lasting results and keep you from putting off working out until tomorrow, the day after, or next week. Make use of the time you DO have.

- Many have told me our Gimme Ten Workout DVD has helped ensure they get at least SOME exercise in their day – and they’re memorizing Scripture at the same time!

2. Get up a little earlier. Either ask the Lord to awaken you earlier, or set the alarm clock 30 minutes earlier to pray and get a workout in before your day starts. In time, you’ll adjust to the earlier wake up call.

- When I was a new Christian, I remember hearing the Lord speak to my heart and tell me, “Read, study and pray for 20 minutes-a-day.” I thought, “I can do that!” It was a great place for me to start.

Bible teacher Joyce Meyer has said it’s important for her to invest the first 2 hours of her day with the Lord for the ministry work she is called to do. Everyone has their own schedule. Find one that works for you.

3. Lunch break: Divide your lunch hour in half and devote 30 minutes to exercise before you eat. This serves to curb your appetite and boost your metabolism, making it easier to cut calories.

- At your desk, try some of the QuickFit Exercises we have at PraiseMoves.com .

4. Nap time: If you have children at home, squeeze in a 10- or 15-minute workout while they’re napping. Find ways to repeat throughout the day to add up to 20 or 30 minutes.

5. Commercial break: Instead of “vegging out” in front of the TV, use the 3-5 minutes during the commercials to get some exercise in. I keep my exercise mat close-by as well as my rebounder.

- A Rebounder (mini-trampoline) is a great investment. I keep mine in the living room and bounce-bounce-bounce my way through some of my favorite TV shows.

- Better yet, speak aloud your Bible-based confessions for the day while working out, walking, running on the treadmill…you get the idea! Combine faith and fitness in every way you can.

Changing Your “Want To”

It all depends on your “want to.” Make a decision to add at least 20 minutes of exercise into your day (40-60 minutes is even better!). Commit your decision to the Lord and ask Him to help you. I guarantee, you’ll suddenly find you are able to have a few minutes here and there you can devote to become a “Fit Witness for Christ!”

For more valuable faith and fitness tips (and to add your own, too), visit http://FitnessForHisWitness.com .

And now I’d like to invite you to get my free “21-Day Christian Fitness Program” and “Fit Favorites Devotional.” They are my gifts to you when you subscribe to our free FitNews with the latest in fitness for spirit, soul and body! To get yours, go to http://praisemoves.com.

© Laurette Willis 2010

As important as it is to “Let go and let God,” we have our part to play, too. Healthful, nutritious foods are seldom our first choice if we’ve battled with overeating. The flesh often craves foods that are loaded with fats and sugars, but if we load-up on healthier choices first, our body will fuel-up with good nutrition and our taste for highly processed food diminishes.

It is recommended we eat 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables every day to nourish our bodies, prevent disease and control our weight. For most Americans, that means another helping of french fries and tomato ketchup, but not for those of us seeking godly fitness!

While the USDA estimates Americans are eating 20% more vegetables now than 35 years ago (good!), the increase is mostly in potatoes—half of that amount in French fries (bad!). It’s no wonder the obesity rate has climbed so dramatically over the years.

What is one serving of raw vegetables?

1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
½ cup chopped raw vegetables
Another way of looking at a serving size is what you can fit into your hand.
If you are not eating any raw vegetables at all, start with one cup. If you are already eating a cup or two, add another cup (it’s really a lot less than you think).

Cruciferous (Cross-Bearing) Veggies?

For Latin lovers, the root of the word “cruciferous” comes from the word crux for cross. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale contain many nutrients, such as glucosinolates, which seem to lower cancer risk. These vegetables have leaves or petals which form the shape of a cross. Cruciferous literally means “cross bearer.”

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, laboratory studies have demonstrated that eating cruciferous vegetables helps control an intricate system of bodily enzymes which protect us against cancer. What’s even more exciting is that elements of these “cross-bearing” vegetables have been shown to stop the growth of cancer cells, including tumors of the breast, endometrium, lung, colon, liver, colon and cervix.

The One-Bowl Fix

A great way to get a couple of servings of raw veggies in easily is to include them in a big salad. Since dinner is the meal most families can eat together, have 1-2 cups of a simply prepared salad at each person’s place setting. Don’t go for the cellophane-wrapped iceberg lettuce either. According to the March 2004 Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the most popular fruits and vegetables (corn, potatoes, iceberg lettuce, apples and bananas) are not necessarily the most nutritious. Typically, the darker the color of the vegetable, the higher the nutrient content will be. So, going for color is a good rule of thumb (green thumb!).

Go for COLOR!

GREEN: Leafy greens (spinach, lettuces, collard, mustard and turnip greens), asparagus, green peppers, broccoli, green beans, peas, green cabbage, Brussels sprouts, okra (not fried!), zucchini, green onions, cilantro, parsley, cucumber, celery, sprouts.

YELLOW/ORANGE: carrots, corn, pumpkin, yellow peppers, sweet potato, butternut squash, summer squash, spaghetti squash (our favorite!).

RED: tomatoes, red cabbage, red peppers, red onions, beets.

WHITE: cauliflower, onions, garlic, mushrooms, parsnips, shallots, turnips.

BLUE/PURPLE: Eggplant

Think Zucchini is “Stupid”?

Be willing to try new things. Never tried a raw spinach and veggie salad? Think you might hate it? I once had a prejudice against zucchini (Italian squash). As a child I deemed it a “stupid” vegetable. I tried to feed my portion to our Shetland sheepdog Lady, but she wouldn’t eat it either. “But when I grew up, I put away childish things,” as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NLT). While zucchini still won’t make me do back flips in the produce aisle, I’ve learned that lightly steamed zucchini and other veggies with cheese and herbs tastes great (and good for me, too!).

Adapted from BASIC Steps to Godly Fitness book and Bible Study, by Laurette Willis (Harvest House Publishers)

Christian Fitness Expert Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves Fitness Ministry (http://praisemoves.com). See “PraiseMoves Kids” TV Show every Thursday @ 3:30 p.m. EST on TBN’s Smile of a Child Network and LIVE @ http://smileofachildtv.org. © 2010

Are you a breakfast eater? It’s important to eat a nutritious breakfast every morning if you want to lose weight, maintain a healthy weight and maintain a good energy level throughout the day.

A study was conducted by Vanderbilt University in 1992 with overweight people who routinely skipped breakfast. When they began eating breakfast they became big losers—losing an average of 17 pounds in 12 weeks. They were less hungry at other meals, and eating breakfast fired up their metabolism to burn more fat the rest of the day.1

Break fast = breakfast. That’s actually what “breakfast” means. We’re to break (or end) the fast (abstinence from food) we’ve been on since our last meal the night before.

I like to see it as a command. Break your fast! Nutritionists and dieticians recommend eating your first meal of the day no later than one hour after awakening. If you’re not hungry in the morning, the reason may be due to eating late the night before and going to bed with undigested food on the stomach. I often woke up groggy and “hung-over” after a late night binge. The last thing I wanted to look at was food. Only around 10:00 a.m. would something like a donut or sugary muffin sound appealing. It starts a vicious cycle. If you hate eating breakfast like I did, realize that your blood chemistry may be out of balance first thing in the morning. Breakfast is just what your body needs to stabilize blood sugar and a queasy stomach.

One thing most overweight people have in common is that they seldom eat breakfast. You start the day at a loss by not eating breakfast—a loss of energy, brain power, and memory as well as a five percent drop in metabolism. Not eating breakfast also provides a built-in trigger designed to cause overeating later in the day.

Busy Woman’s Quick Tip: Easy, Quick Energy Breakfasts

How can we put together something delicious and nutritious for the whole family on a tight schedule, tight budget – or both? It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 for quick energy!

1. Simple carbohydrate (juice, fresh or dried fruit) = Fast start energy
2. Complex carbohydrate (cereal, bread, or whole grains) = Sustained energy
3. Protein (eggs, meat, dairy, nuts, seeds, or soy) = Muscle-building energy

Examples:

(1) ½ banana + (2) ? cup whole grain cereal + (3) ½ cup skim milk

(1) Orange juice + (2) slice whole grain toast + (3) 2 scrambled eggs

(1) All-fruit jam + (2) wheat muffin + (3) 1 T almond or peanut butter

If your meal doesn’t have fat, you may add a small pat of butter, a few almonds or consider your EFA supplement as fat for the meal. Get the idea? Now you try it. Think of what you have available in the kitchen right now. Write down two easy combinations you could have for breakfast tomorrow morning that both you and the rest of the family would enjoy. Remember, “It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 for quick energy!” Try it and see how you feel!

(1) ________________ + (2) ________________ + (3) _______________

(1) ________________ + (2) ________________ + (3) _______________

Adapted from The Busy Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness by Laurette Willis (Harvest House Publishers)

Christian Fitness Expert and Harvest House Publishers author Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves, offering fitness programs, DVDs, books and training for those interested in a Christian alternative to yoga, and fitness for spirit, soul and body at http://praisemoves.com . See “PraiseMoves Kids” TV Show every Thursday @ 3:30 p.m. EST on TBN’s Smile of a Child Network and LIVE @ http://smileofachildtv.org. © 2010

That’s up to you. If you want to be what I call a “fit witness” for Christ, have a healthy body (“the temple of the Holy Spirit,” according to 1 Corinthians 6:19), full of energy and strength to do all the Lord is calling you to do, it is certainly advisable.

You may already know some of the problems associated with not exercising:

• weight gain

• decrease in flexibility, strength and balance

• increased blood pressure and cholesterol levels

• aches, pains and other medical issues

But is there GOOD news—especially for those over 30?

There is! Even if you’ve not been consistent in years, beginning some regular exercise now can help in a number of ways:

• reduce the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis
• relieve stress, anxiety and depression
• achieve and maintain a healthy weight and fitness level
• strengthen bones and joints
• strengthen the immune system
• increase energy levels
• decrease risks for various diseases (including diabetes, colon cancer, plus high blood pressure, stroke and degenerative diseases associated with age)

Some encouraging news for those of us over 30 years old is that more mature women appear to gain the most benefits from exercise. After the age of 30, the body responds quite well to the overall “tune-up” exercising brings.

Where Do I Begin?

If exercising has been a challenge for you, why not plant some seeds toward developing the fruit of patience, faithfulness and self-control in this area?

Here’s an idea:

1. PLAN: Tomorrow—or today—plan to take a brisk walk for 20 minutes. Or do a quick workout (there are several quick exercises and workouts with accompanying scriptures online which you can do at home or the office at my website www.PraiseMoves.com ).

2. TIME: Choose a time you will get some activity in.

3. ASK: Speak to the Lord and ask Him to help you keep your commitment to honor Him by taking good care of your body (the “temple of the Holy Spirit”) by doing some physical activity for 20 minutes.

4. DECIDE: Make the decision now that when the time comes to fit the activity in, you will NOT yield to any excuses, but yield to the Lord.

5. YIELD: When the time comes, dedicate the time to the Lord, and go for that walk, Christian Fitness workout, or whatever you’ve purposed to do.

6. PRAISE: Praise the Lord for His faithfulness to you as you have just begun a new habit. Go through the steps again for the next day, and the day after that.

With time and practice, the fruit of faithfulness, patience and self-control will become more fully developed and you’ll find yourself actually looking forward to moving your body and praising the Lord!

Adapted from The Busy Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness by Laurette Willis (Harvest House Publishers)

Christian Fitness Expert and Harvest House Publishers author Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves, offering fitness programs, DVDs, books and training for those interested in a Christian alternative to yoga, and fitness for spirit, soul and body at http://praisemoves.com . See “PraiseMoves Kids” TV Show every Thursday @ 3:30 p.m. EST on TBN’s Smile of a Child Network and LIVE @ http://smileofachildtv.org. © 2010

“My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” Proverbs 4: 20-22

In this passage we discover that God’s words “are life to those that find them and health to all their flesh.” The word for health in Hebrew is marpê’ which literally means “medicine.” You can consider speaking the Word over your life as taking daily doses of God’s medicine! The Word of God is medicine from which you can never overdose. It is the method by which our faith grows (“Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17). If you’ve ever wished you had more faith, you can stop wishing and start listening and speaking. We tend to believe more what we say than what others say, so speaking the promises of the Bible aloud over our lives is a definite faith builder. Listening to scriptures read to soothing music is also helpful.

Since God’s words are “life to those who find them and health to all their flesh,” the more you dwell on God’s words and thoughts the healthier and stronger you’ll become spiritually, emotionally and physically. These are not “magic formulas” or “vain repetition.” You are agreeing with what God says about you instead of what the enemy is saying about you. With whom do you choose to agree? Which thoughts will you choose to entertain—and serve?

Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Speaking aloud God’s promises in the Bible in faith will supercharge your prayer life in wonderful ways, too. Don’t think you’re a good pray-er? Meditate on and speak the Word of God aloud in faith and you’ll find that your prayers for yourself and others are more powerful because they’ll be tied to the Word of God. Instead of offering up begging and pleading prayers, pray prayers filled with the promises of God—they’re full of faith! Faith pleases God, and “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

We take a greater responsibility for our words when we take seriously what Jesus said in Mark 11:24 that whoever “believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”

Whenever I catch myself worrying or dwelling on negative thoughts, Scripture reminds me to “(cast) down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).

Like a big child, I will often reach up and act as if I could grab the thought with my hand and throw it to the ground, stepping on it! “Gotcha!” I say. “I cast down that vain imagination. I refuse to entertain those thoughts.”

Next step? I choose to fill my mind with God’s thoughts (His Word in the Bible) instead of negative thoughts. We do not have to be a slave to negative thoughts. I choose to say one or several scriptures aloud, or scriptural affirmations (that’s a verse from the Bible said in the first person so you can take it personally).

While we walk in the flesh, we are not to do battle in the flesh.[1] That’s why positive affirmations that are not based on the Word of God have only limited effectiveness. Scriptural affirmations work because you’re using what Ephesians 6:17 calls the “sword of the Spirit.” Sure, it’s nice to say “Every day in every way I’m getting better and better.” As a New Ager before I became a Christian, I used to parrot that phrase over and over again. If saying it did anything for me I never knew it.

However, it’s much more effective to speak with boldness the Word of God by affirming, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I am strong in the Lord and the power of His might. I’m more than a conqueror through Him who loves me!”[2]

As an experiment, I invite you to say these scriptural affirmations aloud right now and watch what happens! Speak them aloud, boldly declaring what your heavenly Father says about you:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I am strong in the Lord and the power of His might. I’m more than a conqueror through Him who loves me!”

There! It’s impossible to dwell on negative thoughts with those God-inspired, faith-filled words coming out of your mouth. Isn’t that just “name-it-and-claim-it”? Well, if I can name it in God’s Word and prove it’s something He wants me to have, I claim it! I certainly don’t believe in trying to claim things the Lord has not promised me, but I’m also not going to push away those things He wants for my family, my church family and friends, my country and me.

There’s a God-given check on the inside of you which ensures you will not fall prey to such nonsense. In 1 John 3:20, 21, he writes, “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” If you tried believing God for something that wasn’t yours (someone else’s money, mate, house, ministry, etc.), your heart would condemn you because you would be coveting, which is a sin. You would suffer spiritual heart failure! You couldn’t have any real faith for such a thing because your heart would not be in agreement; you would have no confidence toward God.

We can choose to pray in line with the Word of God, think His thoughts (meditate on the Word) and boldly declare that no matter what the circumstances may say to the contrary, what God says is truth and the truth will stand.

“While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” 2 Corinthians 4:18.

[1] 2 Corinthians 10:3 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.”

[2] Based on Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 6:10; and Romans 8:37

From The Busy Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness by Laurette Willis (Harvest House Publishers)

Christian Fitness Expert Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves Fitness Ministry, offering DVDs and training for those interested in a Christian alternative to yoga, at http://praisemoves.com. To follow Laurette on Twitter visit http://twitter.com/Fit4Christ and on FaceBook: http://facebook.com/praisemoves. For the new “Power PraiseMoves” DVD trailer, the free “Fit Favorites Devotional” and PraiseMoves FitNews, visit http://praisemoves.com.

See “PraiseMoves Kids” TV Show every Thursday @ 3:30 p.m. EST on TBN’s Smile of a Child Network and LIVE @ http://smileofachildtv.org

© Laurette Willis 2010

Jesus, being a devout Jew, did not eat pork. In fact He used pigs as receptacles for the demons within the Gadarene demoniac (Luke 8:22-39). The man was set free when Jesus evicted the demons from him and sent them into a herd of swine. The pigs were destroyed when they plunged off a cliff into the lake and drowned.

God didn’t arbitrarily forbid the Jews from eating certain foods. God doesn’t operate under the law of “whim.” Every meat deemed unclean by God is unfit for human consumption. In 1953 science caught up with that truth when Dr. David Macht of Johns Hopkins University published a study on the toxicity of animals listed as clean and unclean in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. He ran tests to determine their toxic effects on a controlled growth culture in his laboratory (“An Experimental Pharmacological Appreciation of Leviticus XI and Deuteronomy XIV,” Bulletin of Historical Medicine, Johns Hopkins University).

Not surprisingly, every animal God calls toxic science finds toxic, too. Unclean animals include: swine, horse, rabbit, squirrel, dog, cat, bear, opossum, groundhog and rat. The clean animals (cloven-hoofed and chew the cud) include cattle, goats, sheep, oxen and deer. Interestingly, the blood of all animals is more toxic than the flesh. God commands us not to eat the blood of animals (Leviticus 19:26).

Many of the animals God calls unclean eat flesh or have parasites that would sicken or kill humans. Pigs, bears and vultures eat decaying flesh. Wolves, lions and other predators often prey on the weakest, sickliest animals in a herd.

Clean birds include poultry (chicken, turkey, geese), ducks, pigeons and quail. Many supermarkets now carry chicken raised without antibiotics or hormones such as the MBA Brand Smart Chicken®. We certainly don’t need to be ingesting synthetic estrogen (a hormone typically given to chickens). Pre-menopausal, peri-menopausal and menopausal women need to be especially aware that hormonal imbalances may be linked to synthetic estrogen and estrogen-producing foods.

Instead of pork, how about turkey franks or kosher beef hot dogs once in a while? There are many good soy products available now from soy sausages and burgers to taco “meat” and chili. A stir fry with fresh vegetables, crumbled soy burger, slivered almonds and water chestnuts is a quick and easy dinner your family will love. If you’re concerned about estrogen-producing foods, try fermented soy products such as tempeh instead of regular soy.

Archeological Evidence of Benefits of Eating Clean

There is archeological evidence that the ancient Israelites were healthier than their Egyptian counterparts. In 1991 Jane Cahill published an article in the Biblical Archeological Review based on examinations she made of the remains of toilets in ancient Jewish, Roman and Egyptian households. Jane must have a wry sense of humor, because the article is entitled, “It Had to Happen, Scientist Examines Ancient Bathrooms of Romans 568 B.C.”

The Egyptian toilet remains showed evidence of eggs from tapeworms, Trichinella, Schistosoma and wire worms (all found in pork). The remains of the Jewish toilets showed no parasites or infectious elements, only pollen from the vegetables, herbs and fruits they had eaten. In short: Eat clean, eat lean and always eat green (lots of veggies!).

Note: Laurette’s new TV show for children just launched on TBN’s Smile of a Child network – also available LIVE on the internet! “PraiseMoves Kids” is the first faith and fitness show for children. Enjoy PraiseMoves and working out to the Word, HipHop2 Scripture, fun with Daksi the talking turtle, nutrition and more Thursdays at 3:30 EST/2:30 CST/12:30 PST at http://smileofachildtv.org.

***

Christian Fitness Expert Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves Fitness Ministry, offering DVDs and training for those interested in a Christian alternative to yoga, at http://praisemoves.com. To follow Laurette on Twitter visit http://twitter.com/Fit4Christ and on FaceBook: http://facebook.com/praisemoves. For the new “Power PraiseMoves” DVD trailer, the free “Fit Favorites Devotional” and PraiseMoves FitNews, visit http://praisemoves.com.

See “PraiseMoves Kids” TV Show every Thursday @ 3:30 p.m. EST on TBN’s Smile of a Child Network and LIVE @ http://smileofachildtv.org

© Laurette Willis 2010

We all know how important exercise is to our child’s growth and physical development. Lack of exercise is partly responsible for the growing childhood obesity epidemic in our culture.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the U.S., the percentage of overweight children aged 6-11 years has almost doubled since the early 1980′s. The percentage of overweight adolescents has risen by nearly 300 percent!

The trend seems to be affecting pre-school children, too. From 1994 to 2001, overweight among children aged 2-5 years, increased by 42 percent.

Considering that overweight children often become overweight or obese adults who model poor dietary and exercise habits to their children, the cycle continues until someone decides to break the destructive cycle.

What’s the Answer?

Get moving!

In addition to eating more healthful unprocessed foods from a wide variety of sources, exercise is vital to growing bodies. Toddlers require 30 minutes of structured physical activity every day, and an additional 60 minutes of playtime is also recommended.

Since we all want to be good role models for our children, making fitness a part of our daily routine will benefit them – and us at the same time! You can break the overweight cycle and start a new fitness tradition in your family.

Activities with Infants and Young Children

Spring will be here before we know it! Go outdoors and enjoy being active in the backyard, local neighborhood or park. This gives little ones the opportunity to interact with their environment, too.

Stroll-Along: Stroller exercise classes and groups are growing in popularity. A search on the internet will help you find a group near you. While it may seem that Mom is getting more of a workout than baby, it’s also a great way for you to interact with other mothers in your area. StrollerFit has classes at YMCAs and other locations across the U.S. (see http://strollerfit.com).

Of course you don’t need a group to stroll along! You can also take your baby out in a baby sling or carrier and take a brisk walk around the neighborhood.

I Can Dig It! Playgrounds with sandboxes enable baby to play outdoors in the sand with his own toys and you don’t have to worry about him falling on the hard ground. Bring a bucket and shovel and help build the castle of your dreams!

Mommy and Me Exercise Classes: Check to see if there are exercise groups in your area that encourage mother/child participation. More areas are offering PraiseMoves classes (“The Christian Alternative to Yoga”) for adults and children. If there are no Certified PraiseMoves Instructors in your area yet, work out to a DVD with your child or start a group in your area. Contact PraiseMoves for information (http://praisemoves.com).

If You Plant It, It Will Grow! Don’t have a garden? Perhaps the local school has an area in need of some flowers. Does your neighborhood have a community garden? Toddlers will enjoy watching the plants grow, and you’ll get a good workout, too.

Catch, Jump, Bark and Dance! Indoor fun can be as simple as rolling a ball back and forth or playing “catch” or “kick the ball.” Depending on your child’s age, a mini-basketball came is fun, as is jumping rope to simple rhymes. Make believe you are different animals. Say the name of the animal, and then both of you move and sound as if you were that animal. Wanna dance? Turn up the music – and shake it loose (dancing is GREAT exercise and lots of fun, too)!

Incorporate Scripture: Faith and fitness are a great combination! Playtime is an ideal opportunity to include simple memory verses such as, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). A Bible promise book is a good resource.

While playing “catch,” say part of a Bible verse. Have your child complete the verse.

Act out the historical accounts of Noah, Jonah, Daniel, David and Goliath, the parting of the Red Sea, and the parables of Jesus.

While doing sit-ups, toe-touches and push-ups, recite Bible promises to keep “pumped up!”

Lastly, have fun! You have the opportunity to show your child that it feels good to move our bodies – the bodies God gave us to care for and enjoy. You can break the cycle of childhood obesity in your generation and see your grandchildren and great-grandchildren become fit witnesses for Christ!

Note: Laurette’s new TV show for children just launched on TBN’s Smile of a Child network – also available LIVE on the internet! “PraiseMoves Kids” is the first faith and fitness show for children. Enjoy PraiseMoves and working out to the Word, HipHop2 Scripture, fun with Daksi the talking turtle, nutrition and more Thursdays at 3:30 EST/2:30 CST/12:30 PST at http://smileofachildtv.org.

Christian Fitness Expert and author Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves, offering fitness programs, DVDs, books and training for those interested in a Christian alternative to yoga, and fitness for spirit, soul and body at http://praisemoves.com. To follow Laurette on Twitter visit http://twitter.com/Fit4Christ and on FaceBook: http://facebook.com/praisemoves. See the new “Power PraiseMoves” DVD trailer; get the free “Fit Favorites Devotional” and PraiseMoves FitNews http://praisemoves.com.

© Laurette Willis 2010

“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens…” (Isaiah 58:6)

The reasons we choose to fast and the reasons the Lord calls us to fast may be two entirely different things. You may choose to fast in order to hear the Lord more clearly, for direction in your life, to help a loved one, or to see a “mountain” moved out of your way. Many of us have also fasted to lose a few pounds (even though the weight usually comes back after the fast).

The Lord can see what is holding you back more clearly than you can. Fasting is the one of the ways the Lord has devised to remove the burdens of sin from us. Yes, Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the cross. We must admit, however, that even though our sin nature has been put to death, we still have a tendency to sin (or sin habit). Fasting helps to destroy that yoke of bondage.

Many have found fasting to be a vital part of overcoming food addictions (sugar, caffeine, and overeating); destroying mental strongholds (negative patterns of thought); defeating the lusts of the flesh; and receiving clear direction from God when unsure what path to take.

Fasting doesn’t “win points” with God or enable Him to hear you better. Fasting does quiet your flesh and mind to help you hear from God more clearly. If your carnal nature has been in control, fasting will enable your spirit (the real you) to gain the upper hand.

The Bonds of Wickedness

Bondages are not formed overnight. Over a process of time, habits linked to weaknesses in our human nature can become bondages and addictions (which may be one reason Ephesians 4:27 says “nor give place to the devil” – don’t give him a foothold to take advantage of you).

The good news is that bondages can be broken. Strongholds of the enemy can be torn down and new fortresses built on righteousness (our right standing with God through our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ) can be erected.

How to Fast – Different Choices

Plan ahead when you will fast. If fasting is new for you, begin by fasting one meal or one day. Devote the time you would ordinarily spend eating your meal to prayer and communion with the Lord. Many like to have a prayer project or particular reason why they’re fasting. During meal times instead of eating, devote that time to praise, prayer and reading the Bible. Keep your journal nearby, and write down your prayers and any revelation you receive.

For those new to fasting, I recommend a fruit and vegetable juice fast instead of a water-only fast. You can get a good, reasonably priced juicer from your local health food or department store. If you must use store-bought juices at first, get organic juices whenever possible. Fruit juices should be diluted with water due to their high fruit sugar content.

Drink at least two quarts (64 oz.) of pure, clean water every day in addition to the fruit and vegetable juices. Water helps remove toxins from your system.

What is a Daniel Fast?

In Daniel 10:3, the prophet Daniel describes a fast he went on for 21 days. He wrote, “I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth… till three weeks were fulfilled.”

What is “pleasant food”? This usually includes food containing sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and for many it also includes bread, caffeine, soda pop and highly processed foods.

The Daniel Fast also includes abstaining from meat and alcoholic beverages.

When you fast, it is as if you are saying, as Job did, “I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). Communing with the Lord becomes more important to you than any candy bar. Seeking His face and hearing His voice are of greater value than the “pleasant food” your physical body craves.

God sees your heart, and He will reward you!

And now I’d like to invite you to learn about our PraiseFast weight loss program, get the free “Fit Favorites Devotional” and PraiseMoves FitNews. To get yours, go to http://praisemoves.com.

© Laurette Willis 2010 Christian Fitness Expert and author Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves, offering fitness programs, DVDs, books and training for those interested in a Christian alternative to yoga, and fitness for spirit, soul and body at http://praisemoves.com. To follow Laurette on Twitter visit http://twitter.com/Fit4Christ and on FaceBook: http://facebook.com/praisemoves

“Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” Isaiah 43:18–19.

The beginning of the year. A new year and a new start. Perhaps you’ve talked yourself into believing this month will be like last month, or this year will be like last year. Maybe you have heard whispers in your ear that the mistakes you’ve done before will be repeated again. Someone may have told you, as was once said to me, “a leopard never changes its spots.”

Funny about that saying, “the leopard never changing its spots.” Did you know that comes from the Bible? It’s from Jeremiah 13:23. Before I came to know the Lord in 1987, I was that leopard who could never change her spots. I had so many “spots” on me that only the Lord Himself could see something salvageable beyond the spots and stains caused by a life of sin.

It is true. A leopard cannot change its spots. I could not cleanse myself from sin. Neither can you. Are there some things you would like to do differently in 2010? Are there certain paths you’ve taken that you do not want to take again? Do you want to improve your health, lose some excess weight, and become more physically fit? Would you like to improve your relationship with God, with members of your family, and with friends and co-workers? Would you like to improve your family’s lifestyle financially, get a new or better job, pay down some debt — – perhaps simplify your life in some way? Things have gotten a bit complicated, haven’t they?

Would you consider asking yourself this question: “What are the three most important things in my life?” Please write them here in the spaces provided. Write them in the order of their importance to you.

1. _____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________

For most people, their relationship with God, family and loved ones are usually somewhere in the top three. Health, finances, work, education or ministry-related goals are often in the top three as well.

Holy Spirit Spot Remover?

Let us consider for a moment the Scripture from Isaiah 13:23 “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.”

Wait a second! Surely an Ethiopian, Norwegian, Israeli or Cherokee cannot change his skin, neither can a leopard change its spots. So why does the Lord then follow this statement with the admonition that we are to do good, we who are accustomed to doing evil? Oh, I know you are not “accustomed” to doing evil. However, would you agree there are some areas in which you are more prone to sin than others?

It seems on the one hand, that we are being told we cannot change, and on the other hand, we are told to change. It reminds me of Paul’s words in Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

The answer to this perplexing and soul-wrenching dilemma is found in the next verse. “I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin.”

No, you cannot change your spots. Only God can. We can with our minds choose to turn to the Lord to help us. The Holy Spirit lives on the inside of your recreated human spirit once you have surrendered your life to Jesus Christ. By ourselves we can do nothing, but with Him all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

How can we show our willingness to make 2010 better than last year—to be more of the person God created us to be? Take a look at the three things you wrote in the spaces above. Ask the Lord right now to tell you something you can do right now to see improvement in each of these three areas. You may be surprised how simple the ideas may be which occur to you. I’ve found that the Lord leads us in STEPS, not LEAPS.

The word of God says, in James 1:5-8 we are told, we can ask God for wisdom, and he will give it to us. Write down a few words in each of these categories. Please do that now.

Then May You Also Do Good

Perhaps one of the things on your list was to grow in your relationship with God. Investing time with the Lord at the start of each day is something the Lord told me to start doing years ago. When I was a young Christian, I remember hearing these words in my heart: “Read, study and pray for 20 minutes a day.” That is where I started. Sometimes I would do more, sometimes, I would do less – and sometimes I would forget! But in time, investing time with the Lord every single day became a habit and my delight. Even after all these years, however, my flesh still balks and wants to go back to sleep!

One Bible teacher I know used to get up at 5:00 in the morning to read the Bible. To keep from falling asleep, he would read standing on the edge of the bathtub! His flesh soon got the idea that no matter what, he was going to read his Bible every day and not fall asleep!

The point is, we can take action in the new direction, and trust God to take us the rest of the way. Often, a willing heart and a step forward is all that is required. I believe that is where “then may you also do good” comes in. You do what you can, following the leading of the Lord, and He will take you the rest of the way.

In time, that good thing will become a habit. If you want to become healthier, more fit, lose some excess weight and keep it off, it will take a change of lifestyle. Remember, you cannot change your spots. You cannot work only on the outside of you and expect permanent change. All of the diets and the best exercise plan in the world will never feed a hungry heart. Only the Lord can do that. The change must come from the inside. With God’s help, it can be done, and you will succeed.

Take one more look at those three areas in your life that are most important to you. Consider the things you can do right now, the small steps you can take right now – even today – to start seeing improvement in those areas. Hold your list up to the Lord and give them to Him. “I give these to You, Lord, and ask you to help me do better every day, by Your grace, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

There! You have already taken action. You are acknowledging that you are not trying to “change your spots.” You are, however, doing good by asking help from the only One who is all good.

Now, take a step and do one more thing on that list. Whatever it is, do that one good thing – whether it is taking a walk, saying a prayer for someone else, reading your Bible, calling someone on the phone you have not spoken with in a long time, drinking a glass of water instead of a soda pop, hugging your child or telling your spouse how important he or she is to you – do that one thing IN FAITH and see the beauty of the Scripture from Isaiah 43 come to pass in your life.

Lastly, speak these words aloud with me, these words the Lord spoke through the prophet Isaiah thousands of years ago—speaking to you in 2010 or wherever you are TODAY: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Yes Lord, together we can start over again in 2010. Amen!

And now I’d like to invite you to learn about our PraiseFast weight loss program, get the free “Fit Favorites Devotional” and PraiseMoves FitNews. To get yours, go to http://praisemoves.com.

© Laurette Willis 2009

“The LORD is my shepherd. I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

In Hebrew, Jehovah Rohi (ro-hee) means “Jehovah, my Shepherd.” Appropriately, rohi means “to feed.” It is first used in Genesis 37:2 when Joseph, “being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers.”

When we say, “The Lord is my shepherd,” we are saying “The Lord is the one who feeds me.”

God wants to be the supplier of your every need. It is His great pleasure and desire to feed and care for you. There is an enemy, however, who also wants to “feed” you. His feeding program involves “junk food” for the spirit, soul and body.

From the ages of 7 to 29, I spent twenty-two years of my life partaking of the enemy’s spiritual junk food in the form of New Age religion, yoga, metaphysics, psychism, channeling demonic spirits, and a host of other dead-end (and deadly) spiritual practices. It all looked so bright and glittering, so appealing—so attractive.

The dangerous thing about “devil food,” however, is that while it may seem to satisfy for the moment, it has no nutritive value, is addictive, and the devil is a cruel and jealous shepherd. Jesus said of him, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy,” but He added: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Spiritual junk food can be found in many places. The enemy knows that people have a spiritual hunger as keen as any physical hunger. Spiritual junk food can even be found in some churches, not unlike the Pharisees whom Jesus spoke against in His day. “Blind guides,” He called them in Matthew 23. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”

I grew up in such a church. There was a lot of pomp and pageantry, a lot of form, but little substance—and I never heard the message of salvation there. I was taught that my being sprinkled on the head as a baby and belonging to the church was what kept me on the “good side” of God, assuring me a place in heaven. I was easy prey for the enemy’s lies in the New Age and human potential movement, the religions of pride and arrogance.

Soul-ish junk food titillates the mind and emotions. There is also a spiritual element to these distractions and addictions that affect our will and decision-making. For one it may be cry-in-your-beer country music. For another it may be dime store romance novels (the non-Christian variety). For someone else it may be horror movies or R-rated music videos, soap operas, risqué “reality” shows or video games…the list of distractions goes on and on.

Physical junk food—I think you already know that one! The more chemical processing a food has undergone, the more your body has to work to digest, assimilate and extract its nutrition (what little there may be of it!). Many processed foods contain “excitotoxins,” biochemical substances that react with the brain and may be responsible for a host of neurological and physical disorders including seizures, migraines, autism, certain types of obesity and allergies. For some, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour products and caffeine can be more addictive than cocaine. Some nutritionists believe this may be due to the concentrated nature of these substances.

The nutrition in food items still in their original God-designed wrappers (like fruit and vegetables) and minimally processed foods are more readily absorbed by the body and have positive energy-producing, life-giving effects on us.

Who’s your shepherd—who is feeding you?

Take a look at the food you regularly consume physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Would any of it qualify as “junk food”? Ask God to help you discern between what good, nutritious food is for you and what is unhealthy.

Print out the list below and write your answers under each category:

Spiritual Nutrition                                              Spiritual Junk Food

_____________________________      _____________________________

_____________________________      _____________________________

_____________________________      _____________________________

Mental/Emotional Nutrition                         Mental/Emotional Junk Food

_____________________________      _____________________________

_____________________________      _____________________________

_____________________________      _____________________________

Physical Nutrition                                             Physical Junk Food

_____________________________      _____________________________

_____________________________      _____________________________

_____________________________      _____________________________

What do items in this column have in common? What do items in this column have in common?

Today, would you be willing to exchange a negative item in each category for a positive item? Instead of drinking diet sodas today, could you drink ice cold or sparkling water? Instead of watching the divas of daytime drama, could you watch a favorite Bible teacher on TV, or listen to worship music, or write in your journal…?

Just taking something negative out of our life rarely works. It has to be replaced with something positive—and filling.

Did you know you can be filled—with God? Listen to these Holy Spirit-inspired words from your brother Paul in the book of Ephesians:

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19).

He would not have asked God to grant it if it were not possible for us to receive it. I invite you to take the words of Paul and make them into a scriptural affirmation for yourself. Speak them as a personal prayer for yourself and your loved ones—and be filled with all the fullness of God!

And now I’d like to invite you to learn about our new PraiseFast weight loss program, receive a free “Fit Favorites Devotional” and PraiseMoves FitNews. To get yours, go to http://praisemoves.com.

© Laurette Willis 2009

Christian Fitness Expert and author Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves, offering fitness programs, DVDs, books and training for those interested in a Christian alternative to yoga, and fitness for spirit, soul and body at http://praisemoves.com . To follow Laurette on Twitter visit http://twitter.com/Fit4Christ and on FaceBook: http://facebook.com/praisemoves