Daily Exercise - GODSPLAN part 3

 

   This is part three of the eight-part mini-series on health! I pray that you are blessed and hear God's Heart of Love and Delight in you! We've gone through Godly Trust and Open Air, now we are at "D" for Daily Exercise!   

   Daily Exercise is something that each of us needs; for myself, I don't think I need a strenuous workout each day, but I feel SO good after some exercise to get my circulation going, my heart rate up for a while, getting some good air in my lungs, and burning some carbs! Especially in the wintertime when there's not as much need for me to exert myself, I have noticed that I don't feel as much energy, feel kind of drowsy, and don't feel hungry at mealtimes unless I get some exercise! In winter my family and I enjoy taking breaks and going sledding in the mountains. We have a blast of a time together in God's Creation! I've found another benefit that I have found from exercise: it helps me to de-stress; helped me "burn off" some not-so-good feelings! 

   I know it can be hard to make time for exercising sometimes, so I've been thinking up some practical ideas that I can maybe implement:

1. Walk briskly to the mailbox

2. Do squats whilst brushing my teeth

3. Climb the stairs each time I need something instead of trying to take and do everything in one load/trip! ;) 

4. Shovel the snow from the driveway

5. Prepare a garden spot and plant (Remember, God gave Adam and Eve their exercise in the Garden! He created it to be enjoyable, but after sin He did say "in the sweat of thy face"! ;)

6. Weed/hoe the garden

7. Play active nice games with little kids

8. Go for a swim

9. Go for a hike/walk

10. Get/prepare firewood

11. Follow a workout program on Youtube (I found it so nice to see a lady on Youtube that has modest workout videos! :-))

12. Sweep and Mop

   Doing HIIT or a similar program is of course exercising, but I don't think that everyone has to do that! ;) There are many things that have what it takes to give us the wonderful health benefits of bodily exercise! It may take a bit more intention though to get ourselves in the mindset for spending the extra energy and/or time, but oh the benefits are wonderful! I was recently reading a list of benefits of regular exercise and was actually surprised to see the variety of good side effects! The Valorous Woman (Proverbs 31) is not only beautiful on the inside and out, but she is also strong on the inside and out! And she uses EACH of these attributes to glorify her Maker! Not for pride or show, but to serve God and others!!! 

   But is physical exercise to be the all-absorbing thing? 1 Timothy 4:7b and 8 says:

   "...exercise yourself to godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the present life, and of that which is to come."

   "Bodily Exercise" does bring profit, but our focus is to be on the exercise of more important virtues! The Bible names that "Godliness" is to be the "body shape" that we are to be seeking first and foremost! :D To be like Jesus! 1John 2:6 says: "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."!!! What kind of Exercise does God do?!? Well, last summer at a campmeeting the health speaker shared the following verse:

"But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."

~Jeremiah 9:24

   Isn't that beautiful?! Jesus exercises Lovingkindness, Justice and Mercy and everything Good in the Universe! Truly this is something that with His Aid we should be seeking to imitate! May God help us to follow in His Steps, shining as lights in the world, and glorifying God in our bodies by being healthy! :D

   "We should daily exercise faith; and that faith should daily increase as it is exercised, as we realize that he has not only redeemed us, but has loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and the Father. We should realize that 'God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'" 

{Youth's Instructor, October 18, 1894}

   I recently read that above quote and thought it was such a fitting tie to close up this issue's look at exercise; keep the Faith of Jesus always, my dear Brothers and Sisters!!! Grow in Grace and seek Christ daily, and you will find that as you hunger and thirst after Him, and exercise His ways, you will become the One of God's Dreams! Praise the Lord!

~Kristina