{Faith & Fitness}: Summertime

Summertime is a welcomed season around here. Sure, I get tired of the heat! But I'm a huge fan of lounging around in the mornings, freedom to do as we please each week, longer days, and sometimes even later bedtimes for the kiddos. I joked with my husband that I would be an awesome stay at home mom if it were summer year round! I am terrible at getting up early and getting everyone out the door on time. I'm also not a fan of the school drop off and pick up. I feel like I waste so much time during the day running carpool. So as soon as summer hits, it's like we all feel refreshed. We have a routine but there's generally no stress. That's my kinda schedule!

And since there's not much stress of any sort (I can not tell you how much better our nights are now that we aren't dealing with homework and making lunches, Lord have mercy, the lunches), it's a whole lot easier to say yes to the kids when they ask to go on bike rides or to play basketball and even jump on the trampoline. So take advantage of the time and get out and be active together...all the while making some great summer memories.... and not to mention burning some extra calories!

And if you are one of the lucky ones that has a pool or access to a pool, use it to your advantage and do your workouts in it.  It's easy on the joints and a great cardio workout. Plus you'll stay cool doing it and if it's outside, you'll get a great tan, too! ;)

Try out all of these or a variety of these exercises and make yourself a pool routine:

1. Swimming laps! Swimming truly is a great alternative to running. If you have a pool where you can do laps, then maybe change up your workout a couple days a week and get in the pool instead of on the treadmill. Since everyone's swimming ability is different, some might tire after only a few laps. I would start by swimming 4 laps in a row and then resting. Repeat until you have done 16-20 laps total. Adjust numbers accordingly.

2. Treading water in the deep end. Start with normal treading water by using your arms and legs and then add in this variation. Make small circles with cupped hands and lift right leg to hip level, keep left leg down. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then switch legs. Keep alternating every 5-10 seconds for a total of 30 seconds to a minute. Do 3 sets.

3. In the shallow end do squat jumps (pull knees to chest when you jump). (Start with squats if you need). Continue squat jumps for 30 seconds and then rest for 30. Do a total of 3 sets. (You can adjust times and set numbers as needed)

4. Jumping/alternating lunges. Again stay in the shallow end and lunge with your right leg, jump up, and bring your left leg in front and lunge. Continue for 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds. Do a total of 3 sets.

5. In the shallow end, run in the pool (not running in place, actually run). Run for 3 minutes, then rest a minute. Do 3 sets. You can do all kinds of things besides running (skipping, karaoke, jumping, etc).

6. Using the side of the pool, stretch your hamstrings. This is one of my all time favorites to do in the pool. Put your hands on the side of the pool and hold on. Put your feet against the side of the pool (in the water) and then straighten out your legs as far as you can. Hold for 30 seconds. And repeat as many times as needed.

So as you are feeling physically refreshed with a change of pace, a new routine, and maybe even a new workout, don't forget to refresh and renew your mind.

Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Romans 12:2

I recently started reading Jesus Calling each day and this definitely has been refreshing. Praying we all remember to renew our minds in Christ daily.

To see the previous posts in the {Faith and Fitness series}, go here.

About the Author: Jessica Vick Lewis is a Worthy of the Prize volleyball coach. She was the assistant volleyball coach at Martin High School for 5 years and the assistant volleyball coach at Seguin High School  for 1 year, before she began "staying home" with her boys full-time. Check out her Advocare site for all of your health and wellness needs and follow her family blog to see what her and her boys are up to! Jessica is married to S, a Construction Manager, and they have 3 little boys...c, e and n.

{Faith and Fitness}: Waiting...A Physical and Spiritual Need

As I was praying and preparing for this blog post the Lord laid this concept on my heart. This post takes a little step back from Health/Fitness complete view on things and really dives into the NEED physically and spiritually for the time the Lord ordains for us to rest in Him. I hope you enjoy :) 

Waiting......This word can evoke a myriad of emotions in people. As I say it I can feel my heart beating faster and my frustration mounting. To wait, now that is a concept, and one that I might add, many Americans do not like to encounter. We have become a nation that is used to drive-throughs, Face timing, the "magic" diet pills that cut 20 lbs of fat in 2 days, speedy delivery or your food is free, entire meals ready in minutes, we even have faster internet service, each company boasting that they have the new and improved means to get you your information the quickest. If I am being completely honest, and I promise to always be, I get frustrated when my information is not always at my finger tips, I get a little out of sorts when I have to wait an extra 2 minutes for my computer to sign on and I almost feel lazy when I look at my calendar and it is not filled up day to day.  But I have to stop and think; “where does the idea of waiting fit into all of this”?  What are we missing in all the busyness? What am I not grasping as I look forward to the next health goal that Im trying to attain? What am I overlooking in these times of waiting, where patience is required and faith is strengthened?  

It is a biblical truth that the Lord ordains times of waiting.  Hannah, barren and heartbroken waited year in and year out for her womb to be opened, to be given a son; Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers and taken away from everything he had ever known, Job had his family, possessions and health stripped from him in one day. All three of these are biblical examples of waiting and longing, even yearning for the Lord and his promises to be fulfilled. Often as we wait or when we get tired of waiting, we begin to fill the void that can only be filled by God, with activities or useless actions when we are called to “Be still and know that I am God”. (Ps. 46:10)

 I am in such a time as this right now as we speak. I have found myself spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted all the time and I realized I  have been  spending less and less time with the Lord and more time milling over and trying to control every aspect of my life and manipulating things to happen in my time and in my way. No wonder I am exhausted. I have been trying to be lord of my life and refused to wait for the Lord and his timing. I am refusing to die to myself and have been pretty certain that the way I have been living is far better than what my Creator and lover of my soul had planned and specifically ordained for my life.  I was once told, “no matter what season you are in or where the Lord has you, BE PRESENT”. 

How often are we there physically but our minds and hearts are on other things. It wasn’t until I was forced to stop because of utter exhaustion that I was able to take a survey of my life and realize that my priorities were out of whack.  We  have all been called and ordained by the Lord for a specific purpose and often we miss  most of his leading and gentle nudges because we are  blinded and deafened by our activities and own desires. We cannot see the Lord working or hear his voice if we are screaming out our own agenda day in and day out.   Webster’s dictionary defines waiting as:remaining inactive; to be available or in a state of readiness. If we are called into a time of waiting we are to remain inactive, not in seeking the Lord but in pursuing the meaningless, useless idols and events that waste our time and energy. (Psalm 46:10) 

Have you ever just stopped? Stopped the planning, moving, talking and just been still? So many of us cannot handle the silence because we are a culture that likes to have every second possible filled with something, whether it be Facebook, TV, music, friends, or event after event. We refuse to stop because if we were to be still we would be forced to face our sins, our short comings, our areas of pain that we continue to push down. And yet the answer lies before us, “Be still and know that I am God”. The Dictionary also defines waiting as being available or in a state of readiness, and this is essential as well. In periods of waiting we are not to just sit there like a bump on a log but we are continue to seek the Lord and his face and his will for our lives. Romans 12:2 tell us “We have been called to “be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2). Continue to seek Him though he seems distant.  We have the promise that the Lord works on his own time and his timing is perfect. God never breaks his promises. Romans 8:28 tells us that “we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose” and still many of us try and manipulate people and situations to fit into our idea of how life should be. The Lord uses times like this, periods of waiting, to grow us in Him. 

Will we continue to see his face and relationship with Him even when we do not have the answers? When we don’t know what our next step will be are we trusting in Him and waiting to see his hand move and his gentle voice telling us to move forward? Stop and think, the Lord sees all, he knows all, and he is in the past, the present and the future. He has gone before and has a specific purpose for every creature and every event. We see only the here and now.  We can draw on past events but how much better is it to stay in constant contact with the one who is in all areas and present in all times. So if you are like me, crying out for the sovereign Lord to answer your prayers and lead you in the next step stop and rejoice that His timing is perfect, his way is better than anything we can imagine. He promises “to keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on [him].” (Isaiah 26:3) So stay constantly connected with the Lord and do not fall into the habit of listening to the world, the enemy’s whispers and venomous lies.

My friend, my fellow companion in life’s journey, lets rejoice and find peace in this ordain time. As we cry out to our Lord, let’s rest in the fact that he loves us enough to give us only the best and that is what he is preparing our hearts for. You may not have the answer yet because he is still molding you and growing you to be prepared for the next step.  In the times of waiting where answers are few and tears are many, rejoice that we are covered in His everlasting love and presence that is constant and overflowing.

To see the previous posts in the {Faith and Fitness series}, go here.

About the Author: Lauren Barksdale is the founder of Soul Fitness. She has a BA and Masters in Kinesiology from Dallas Baptist University . She coached volleyball at Birdville High School in North Richland Hills for the last 5 years. In college she played volleyball for Baylor's club team and at Dallas Baptist University. She has been married to Ben Barksdale for 5 years and has two children; Evie Grace who is 3 and Hudson who is 10 months old. Lauren has a passion for health and fitness and incorporating that into everyday life as a Christ follower

{Faith and Fitness}: Day In and Day Out

So the thing is, the key to a healthy lifestyle is consistency and discipline. It's day in and day out. My sister is having bridal portraits in a few weeks and I will be in a few of them with her. And in about 6 weeks my family will be taking a trip to the beach. Now let the panic set in. Because I've been in a rut.

I'm not even sure when it happened. But over the last two months I've been eating poorly and not exercising at all. Sure I've been active but I haven't been doing anything that will tone me up. And now that I'm about to be apart of 2 events that make you completely and totally aware of your body composition, I'm freaking out. Because I know better than to let myself go like that and because I'm so mad at myself for doing that. It's like I kept putting it off because I thought I had time, but now here we are and it's the middle of May! I swear I blinked and 6 months went by.

But here's the other thing, it's not too late to start NOW. And that's what I keep telling myself. So many times I find myself throwing in the towel before even getting started because I already feel overwhelmingly behind. And that's exactly where I am now... feeling overwhelmed at the thought of getting into a swimsuit and feeling a sense of regret for ruining all the hard work I put in previously. On the one hand it seems easier to not start because in my mind I won't be where I could have been by the time we head to the beach. But that is so so so silly, because if I start eating right and exercising now, I'll be better off in 6 weeks than where I am now. I've got to let that mindset go. I can't be drowning in regret and expect to get anywhere.

So that's what I'm doing. I'm starting now. I call it dieting, but what it is, is making healthy food choices day in and day out. It's exercising consistently. It's making a lifestyle change. Because I want to be healthy forever, not just a couple months out of the year. It's discipline. And sometimes the results take awhile, but that's okay.

And it's never too late to get started. Or in my case, re-started.

"For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11

To see the previous posts in the {Faith and Fitness series}, go here.

About the Author: Jessica Vick Lewis is a Worthy of the Prize volleyball coach. She was the assistant volleyball coach at Martin High School for 5 years and the assistant volleyball coach at Seguin High School  for 1 year, before she began "staying home" with her boys full-time. Check out her Advocare site for all of your health and wellness needs and follow her family blog to see what her and her boys are up to! Jessica is married to S, a Construction Manager, and they have 3 little boys...c, e and n.

{Faith and Fitness}: Stay Fit Doing An Activity You Love

If you have read my bio, you know that I am engaged! Brendan and I will be getting married in July and we are very excited! Right now we are working on our pre-marital counseling and our counselor suggested that we find something that we both like to do and use it as an anchor in our relationship! Our anchor…cycling! This weekend we did the MS150, a 150 mile bike ride over the span of two days to raise money and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. We had so much fun spending time together and being active! As hard as the ride was, having someone that you love to be around, right there with you encouraging you along the way, made it seem so easy!

When thinking of ways to stay active it is important to think of things that you enjoy doing! The more you like the activity and look forward to doing it, the more you will get out of it. I love playing volleyball, and do it at least once a week. That is a great way for me to burn calories without realizing that I am even working out! Whatever you decide to do, have fun! Just a tip, from personal experience, if you are going to do a big event…make sure you train for it!!! Showing up and trying to go all out is not a good idea for your body and recovery! Thank goodness for AdvoCare products and Epsom salt baths!!

Go here to see the previous posts in the {Faith and Fitness} series.

About the Author: Sarah Vick is the director of Worthy of the Prize Volleyball. She is the assistant volleyball coach at Birdville High Shool, where she also coaches track and teaches special education, life skills. Check out her Advocare site for all of your health and wellness needs and be sure to follow her Fit 4 Life Facebook page for healthy recipes, fitness tips and encouragement as you journey to a healthier lifestyle. Sarah is engaged to B, a Youth Pastor.

{Faith and Fitness}: The "Why" of Working Out

Almost every Tuesday night, like clockwork, I can predict that I will mentally try to talk myself out of getting up the next day to teach my 5:30am cycle class. It doesn't matter that I have taught this class for over 2 years now, or that I love the people that join me every week! No matter how good I feel when I am done teaching each week I still mentally want to call in for a sub every week!!! People ask me "why do you teach that early?" or "how can you possibly workout at that time of the morning?" I would love to say a simple 'because it's easy' or 'I love early mornings', or even 'what... doesn't everyone love waking up before the sun rises to exercise??" 

But I would totally be lying!

The truth is... it isn't easy! And to quote myself and other instructors... "if it were easy, everyone would do it!!!" But that's not the point! The point is, what keeps me going week after week, month after month? WHY do I workout??? 

The answer comes from within and is different for everyone. It's finding your own personal answer to that 'why workout' question that is vital in longevity in health, wellness and exercise. Your answer may be one thing one day and a total different answer the next! As long as you answer honestly and it motivates you to get yourself moving... that's all that matters!!!

Here are some of my why's...

Because I am a huge cranky monster if I don't exercise regularly.

When I teach my classes and see other people motivated or encouraged I know I have made a difference.

Exercise feeds my soul and enhances my overall stability.

I get mental clarity and a mental time out while I am working out.

I workout so that along the way I can feel comfortable and less gulity ordering that cheeseburger or a yummy sonic drink.

Exercise builds my confidence but also challenges my weaknesses.

I have met some of the best girl friends at the gym.

When I workout regularly I don't see food as an obstacle or an evil, I see it as my fuel, a positive force in my life and I chose it wisely.

My list of 'why's' is and should be different than yours. Why I workout, eat healthy or exercise regularly can't and shouldn't be why you or anyone else chooses to do these things. If you struggle with motivation or finding your 'why' to working out try some self reflection before you hit the gym again. Write down what motivates you and refer back to it often. Share your successes and struggles with those close to you... although they shouldn't be your crutch or your total 'why' you exercise, a support system of like-minded friends in fitness is a must!!! 

Exercise is a choice you make daily. Sometimes it's an easy one. Sometimes it's the hardest step you will take all day. 

Do it for yourself and you will never regret it!!!

Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

To see the previous posts in the {Faith and Fitness series}, go here.

About the Author: Abbey Lewis started her blog A Moments Peace just one year ago as an outlet to be creative, and to have a place for her boys to look back and see the real her! It has been that, times 100!! Abbey lives in Texas with her husband and two sons. She loves her family, her faith, her friends and she tries to put a positive spin on any thing that God has in store for her! Feel free to stroll through her blog, Sonic drink in hand, because she believes every thing is better when you have a Sonic drink!

{Faith & Fitness}: Run the Race

Over the last couple weeks I've been brainstorming ideas of what my next Faith & Fitness post would be.  Should I give some tips on exercise? Or food intake? Or both? I've been mulling it over in my mind making mental notes here and there when I would think of something that I thought would work. And then Monday happened. The 117th Boston Marathon.

A day where thousands of people set out to accomplish one of their greatest goals in one of the world's best known marathons. An event held every year on Patriots' Day which commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War. An event inspired by the first successful modern-day marathon held in the 1896 Summer Olympics. An event where people fly in from all over the country to race. An event that I can only imagine leaves you feeling accomplished and with the greatest sense of joy and pride because you finished it! You did it! You ran the most well known marathon. 

But this year, instead of feeling joy and pride, people were literally brought to their knees, knocked off their feet, trampled on, stripped of their joy, and most couldn't even finish the race.... Instead, they were left with fear, chaos, uncertainty.... and some lost their limbs, lost their lives, or lost a friend or family member.  All in a senseless act. It's heartbreaking. 

I mean, can you imagine? You are in the zone, listening to your iPod, thinking, "I'm almost there. I'm almost finished! I'm about to make a huge check mark on my bucket list." And then, as you near the finish line, you see total, complete chaos. Or you're on the sidelines, cheering on your friends and family members and then suddenly there is a loud explosion, people shrieking, crying, blood everywhere. It makes me sick. 

All I can think is, "what is this world coming to?!" So, so many senseless acts over the last year (and more). We are heartbroken and disgusted and can't believe it, but we mustn't be surprised. In John 10:10 it tells us that "the thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy." Y'all, the enemy is real.

But what are we going to do about it? What can we do about it? We support. We trust in God. And we exercise our spiritual fitness. 

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, BECAUSE THE ONE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN THE ONE WHO IS IN THE WORLD." 1 John 4:4

We don't retreat. We don't withdraw. We don't stand around and watch. We HOPE in the Lord and give hope to our friends and family, particularly in the running community. We get out and exercise and PRAY while we do it. We don't just say we will pray.... we actually pray. We wake up and put on the full armor of God. We let the Word be living and active in our lives. We trust in the Lord with all our hearts. AND WE RUN THE RACE. We don't stop.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:24

So get out there and run the race, because there's still a race to be run. We help where we can and be a light in this dark, dark world. And while you're at it, do some good. And be intentional.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

To see the previous posts in the {Faith and Fitness series}, go here.

About the Author: Jessica Vick Lewis is a Worthy of the Prize volleyball coach. She was the assistant volleyball coach at Martin High School for 5 years and the assistant volleyball coach at Seguin High School  for 1 year, before she began "staying home" with her boys full-time. Check out her Advocare site for all of your health and wellness needs and follow her family blog to see what her and her boys are up to! Jessica is married to S, a Construction Manager, and they have 3 little boys...c, e and n.

{Faith and Fitness}: A Few Things I Have Learned About Healthy Eating

Do you ever feel like you are caught in a battle between food and fitness? I fight that battle every day! I love food, but I also love the feeling of being healthy and in shape. I have learned a few good lessons this year about healthy eating…

1. You can eat what you want, just not as much as you want! My biggest problem has always been portion control. I think the hardest part about what I eat, is that I am getting older. Not being a collegiate athlete that can eat whatever they want, has taken its toll on my body! So, this year when I don’t have the options of eating healthy, I need to practice portion control.

2.  Exercise is good in overall health, but it’s more about how you eat! I love to exercise, and I love the feeling I have after, but that’s not the biggest piece of overall health. Keep in mind that your body can only handle what it is trained to, you have to build your workouts up to a high level; you can’t start there.

3. My body is a temple! God loves us exactly the way we are. He is not concerned with our weight or clothes size; He is concerned about our heart. Health and fitness are good, but not to the point of it becoming an idol that is affecting our relationship with the Lord. We should be more concerned about feeding our spirit hunger…

“He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:3

I’m sure you already know most of these things to be true, but this is what has been on my mind this week. I have been doing an HerbalCleanse through AdvoCare and have seen great results. This is just a reminder that I give myself to stay on track with what really matters!

Go here to see the previous posts in the {Faith and Fitness} series.

About the Author: Sarah Vick is the director of Worthy of the Prize Volleyball. She is the assistant volleyball coach at Birdville High Shool, where she also coaches track and teaches special education, life skills. Check out her Advocare site for all of your health and wellness needs and be sure to follow her Fit 4 Life Facebook page for healthy recipes, fitness tips and encouragement as you journey to a healthier lifestyle. Sarah is engaged to B, a Youth Pastor.

{Faith and Fitness}: Are you Prepared?

Imagine going to work out and you forgot one of your shoes. Imagine being asked to run a marathon with only 1 day of training. What if you are like me and your "white girl moves" are not cutting it at Zumba?  What if you tried to jump into a CrossFit work out when for the last five years your idea of "working out" is walking to change the TV channel? We have all been in that place where we think, "I am NOT prepared for this type/length/level of activity. You are bound to feel unprepared, lacking and a bit overwhelmed. There are basic things that we need in order to work out and get in shape and feel prepared for the battles you are about to take on. We need shorts, shirt, tennis shoes, water, a purpose and goal, & persistance.  Many of us stop before we get very far because we have not armed ourselves with the equipment needed, both physical and mental, to pursue and fight the battles and achieve the end goal. We must also stop and realize that we will not accomplish our goals in one day. Just as eating one good meal wont make you healthy, working out once or twice wont help you cross the finish line to that marathon. In preparing for a marathon or a physical activity that seems outside of our limits or abilities there will be blood, sweat and tears and a day after day discipline to better yourself and push forward. There is no way around it. Not doing these things will leave you stagnent and weak.

Now lets transfer that to our sanctification. What if you go into life, the battles that are around us, unprepared? What if you are shoeless? What if do not have the endurance, the focus? What if you are presented with a huge obstacle and have not trained or prepared or are lacking the essential things needed to proceed and succeed? Are we aware of the battle that is going on around us? This is a battle that will last our whole life long. Do we have the end goal (eternity with Christ) as a focus? Are we trying to take on this life, this "activity" or "challenge" without being fully prepared? Life and our walks with Christ are no Zumba class. Our ability to move our hips are not going to bring us through the battles that rage around us. So if we know what is needed to pursue fitness physically, are we aware of what is needed to pursue fitness spiritually? 

We need to be clothed and prepared to grow and get "fit" and fight these battles. Ephesians 6:14-17 speaks to us about preparing and having the correct equipment as we train and pursue the end goal and fight the battles along the way. If we go into this world without one of these it is just as if you go into the gym wearing only one shoe; you would be unprepared for what you are about to encounter. 

Just as you would pursue and work towards you end goal in physical fitness day in and day out the same is true for spiritual fitness. If you are not wearing and using the correct equipment designed to strengthen you each and every day then the process is strained and you become weak or stay the same. This is not going to push you forward. 

So wether it is running the Boston Marathon, starting a new weight lifting routine or growing in the Lord and being used by him daily, the same things are needed; the correct equipment and focus. Discipline yourself today to seek hard after the Lord and the things he has set in place for our good and our growth and our protection and lets get ready to fight and move forward! Remember this will not happen in a day... but in the end it will be worth it! 

 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

Ephesians 6:14-17

Go here to see the previous posts in the {Faith and Fitness} series.

About the Author: Lauren Barksdale is the founder of Soul Fitness. She has a BA and Masters in Kinesiology from Dallas Baptist University . She coached volleyball at Birdville High School in North Richland Hills for the last 5 years. In college she played volleyball for Baylor's club team and at Dallas Baptist University. She has been married to Ben Barksdale for 5 years and has two children; Evie Grace who is 3 and Hudson who is 10 months old. Lauren has a passion for health and fitness and incorporating that into everyday life as a Christ follower

{Faith and Fitness}: A Balancing Act

As most anyone trying to coordinate multiple events or tasks at one time knows, it isn't easy to keep your balance and maintain a good pace while managing or multitasking more than one thing. Mothers often times have 101 things going on throughout their day, coordinating meals, tending to and corralling kids, pets, and husbands (yes, I said it... husbands need corralling too), doing laundry, carting kid 1 to this practice and kid 2, 3 or 4 to their respective practices, plays or recitals... the list could go on. Dads hit the ground running too every day juggling work, meetings, picking up kid 1 from practice and meeting up somehow with Mom, kid 2, 3 or 4 to attempt a family dinner, a reasonable bed time and maybe squeeze in a bedtime story if it isn't already close to 10pm. It's all about balancing and preparation... nothing in life can be done, especially done right, if you are spreading yourself too thin. 

Where do you fit time in to give proper attention to your health and wellness?? When do you take a breath to make sure your spirit, mind and body are aligned so that you aren't off balance?? How do you stop the running from here to there and set time aside to make sure you're physically centered? It's a delicate balancing act. Whether you are a single working professional, a stay at home Mom, a working Dad, a 2 parent working family,  or a single Mom/Dad... it doesn't matter, Life is about Balance!!! Being healthy is a 4 part process... to me if any of the 4 are not level, I am not at my best. To me, my 4 steps to balanced wellness are proper nutrition, a focused spirit, maintaining a peaceful mind and a building a strong body.

Pretty much any time you see me, I will have my planner in hand, a water bottle and/or Herbalife product in my bag, my Ipod charged, ready to go and a scripture or daily devotional read, posted or listed somewhere!!! That's how I stay balanced... having all those things in my life keep me centered and allow me to lead a purposeful life. I wasn't always like that though. It took a while to develop my routine, to perfect my balance and learn how to prepare myself to be successful in all of these areas. That doesn't mean I am perfect or that I don't slack or let 1 or more of these areas in my life fall short from time to time. It happens more than not... but the difference in me now from me 3 years ago is that I know I have a choice every day to try and stay balanced. I know, for me, what it takes to lead a purposeful life. I choose my direction. I pick my focus. I give my days and hours meaning... no one else does that for me. No one else determines my balance in life but me. No matter how busy my life gets or how many practices I shuffle kid 1 to and pick kid 2 up from... with preparation and focus I know my days are balanced and filled with grace.

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7

A false balance is a an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.

Proverbs 11:1

How do you maintain balance?? Do you have a plan to give better focus to your days and schedule? How do you center yourself spiritually every day? Share your tips!!! Let me in on your plan and maybe we can all learn from each other...

Always - Abbey

To see the previous posts in the {Faith and Fitness series}, go here.

About the Author: Abbey Lewis started her blog A Moments Peace just one year ago as an outlet to be creative, and to have a place for her boys to look back and see the real her! It has been that, times 100!! Abbey lives in Texas with her husband and two sons. She loves her family, her faith, her friends and she tries to put a positive spin on any thing that God has in store for her! Feel free to stroll through her blog, Sonic drink in hand, because she believes every thing is better when you have a Sonic drink!