Fit, Fabulous, 40's Friday!

Hi Friends, remember me?

I know, that's not me, but didn't it make you smile?

Yes, it's true! A Post!!  Happy Friday!!
I've been busy with my children and my ministry at church and God is just doing so much right now.

Here are the Cliff Notes, sad if you even know what these are!!

In July, I get a call from an old friend Tracy, out of the blue, who works at church and says, "Janet, the person we thought was going to take over our Cross Fitness class can't do it anymore.
I prayed about it and GOD brought you to mind."

What would YOU say?
Well, knowing the reputation of this woman and the sheer respect I have of her...I told her I would pray about it.
I called my husband, (who is AWESOME-by the way) and he says, "I think you should do it".
Of course, part of me was wishing he said not to, because I've never lead group instruction. I had done some personal training, a little one-on-one, and this would be a risk for me, translation: I was scared!

20 minutes later I called Tracy to tell her that I would do it.

My first class, there were probably about 12-15 people. I was super excited and was doing this for the Lord, so I just went for it.

Last Wednesday's night class had almost 80! Crazy, right?

So, back to teaching my first class, I prayed.
I prayed for music, the workout, what God wanted me to do, say, EVERYTHING!!!
What a blessing it was, and slowly the class began growing.

2 months later, I was asked to support the other fitness classes on campus- Holy Yoga, Zumba, Stetch and Strengthen, Walk & Worship, Bootcamp. I immediately started praying for these leaders, their ministries and the community we were serving and continue to serve.

I remember meeting Tracy after a few classes and just feeling very dependent on God, not knowing why He had me there.

Tracy gave me this verse:
Romans 4:1-3

It didn't make much sense to me then, but boy, it sure does now!

(Basically, this passage speaks of how if Abraham was able to do what God asked Him to do, it would be an Abraham-story, and not a God story. If I was asking God to bless the things I was planning, doing and creating, then God would not get any credit, as I was able to do these things on my own energy, strength and ability.
But because Abraham entered into what God had for him by surrendering his plans and trusting God to take him to places and do things on his own, it became a God-story.)

Back to what's happening:
The New Year hits and Pastor Rick launches his new Daniel Plan book and we have a Rally and start the bible study, "Transformed".

Pastor Rick wants to shut down all the fitness classes on campus but Tracy negotiates for us and they give us permission to keep our classes going as long as we all lead groups, at which time, Walk & Worship, Zumba and my Cross Fitness Class are all on the same night so we decide to collaborate into one tent.

We have a medium sized group but are stoked that people come and groups are formed.

Shortly after we start the study, I get a call from Mrs.A, who says that the Daniel Plan is going to make some Fitness videos and she wanted to know if that sounded interesting to me.

WHAT? Ummmmm....YES!!!!

So, she tells me that I need to make a video and submit it as an audition and since I was going to have class that night, just video tape myself....
#1- I hate watching myself on video
#2- the videos she sends me to look at as samples are totally professional
#3- I'm not a professional
#4- I haven't been trained to act
#5- Did I say, I'm not a professional?
I will post it sometime...

So, all my stuff that the devil likes to shout at me, starts coming up.
I do it anyway!!!
I send it in.

I get a call, and the producer would like to meet me in person.

Her assistant meets me and takes pictures and asks me to jog in place so she can make sure I don't look like I'm twerking or something...
I'm going to be a "cast" member in the back, but I don't care. There will be 5 of us. I'm one of them!!!

A week later I get a call from Sony (actually a woman representing Sony) asking if I'm ok with the dates, the pay and some details.

Can I just say, "WOW"? God is creating HIS story.

So here I am, I got a call today about my sizes for outfits, I have 4 clients that I train regularly and love the place I am in.

I'm blown away. This is God's story...not mine anymore.
It happened when I said, "YES", to Him, with ALL that I have....EVERYTHING.

I know being a part of Mary De Muth's  book launch a couple of years ago, helped me on my journey to handing God Everything.....THANK YOU Mary, for trusting me and just for being a bright light in this world.

I know that being a part of Deborah's bible study at The Gate also helped. I grew this last year....the process is so slow you almost can't see it, unless you LOOK BACK. Thank you Deb, and ladies from that Bible study- Connie Bear, Janet T, Sue R.



I also know that my church and Pastor helped....a lot....and
spending time in God's word, the Bible, helped the MOST!

So, this is a small part, but the cool thing is that a year ago, I could not have ever guessed my life would look like it does, but God knew.
He was waiting for me to give my life to Him so He could use it.

I'll be posting my exciting ventures while in rehearsal and the filming, if I can.
Stay tuned!

Oh, and here is my Cross Fit Devotional and Recipe for the week:
Inspired by the Bible Study I'm currently doing, "Faithful,Abundant and True",
Speaker of the week: Priscilla Shirer

Verse:”The disciples believed in Him”  John 2:11 (NASB) 

This passage tells of the miracle of Jesus turning water into wine. His disciples were there, they saw the whole thing, and it tells us of their reactions to what they saw- The disciples believed – only after they saw this miracle.

It tells us that it is possible to be a disciple and still not believe God.

You can pray, talk with God, serve Him and walk with Him, but still not trust God with your life.

I can relate to this story. For years, I had lived as a Christian, going to church, praying, having a very deep relationship with Christ, however, I wasn’t trusting HIM with my WHOLE LIFE, and it showed up when I went through my father’s death. I fell into depression and sin, and was in the biggest pit in my life. I was even contemplating leaving my husband.  I was angry at God even though at the time I would not admit it. Luckily, HE gave me enough sense to seek counseling and go to my small group of women prayer warriors, who prayed for my heart to change when I couldn’t pray for that myself. Through my husband’s unconditional love and forgiveness, and a lot of time….I was able to see what I had become and that I was holding back from God.  I questioned, “how could this happen to me, I’m a Christian?”, but I realized that although I had asked God to come into my heart, I didn’t allow HIM to have ALL OF IT,  just MOST of it.

That changed when I surrendered ALL of my control and MY entire life to loving and serving Christ. I stopped asking God to bless my life and the things I wanted and started asking God for guidance and to seek His journey instead of asking Him to bless mine.

Think: What is the difference between belief and trust?

Ask: Am I trusting God with my life? With EVERYTHING?

Look: Where am I still trying to control my life and even my spiritual life?

Pray: Father, Thank you for all that you have given to me. Help me to see where I am still trying to control this life you have blessed me with and help me to be courageous in having YOU control it ALL. 
Help me to be obedient in where you will guide me, 
help me to be brave when I know I should do what you want me to do and 
help me to hear your voice above the noise and chaos of my life.
I love you, Father, and want to surrender EVERYTHING, all of my life to you.

In Jesus’ name- Amen

Oh, and a healthy, yummy recipe from http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/

Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies

Category: Healthy Cookie Recipes  

▪                1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp quinoa flour (52g)

▪                1/4 tsp baking soda

▪                1/8 tsp salt

▪                2 packed tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar (22g)

▪                2 tbsp white sugar or xylitol (20g)

▪                2-4 tbsp chocolate chips, optional

▪                up to 2 tbsp milk of choice, as needed

▪                1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

▪                1 tbsp plus 1 tsp vegetable or coconut oil (15g)

Go to her website for instructions! She Rocks!!!

Be blessed and covered in love~

Prayers Please!

You know what they say?

"Be careful what you wish for,

because 

you might actually get it!"

I have always dreamed of being a 

REAL Speaker,

you know, someone who actually gets paid for it?

Well, this week I have a few speaking dates,

and I'm a little scared.

I could really use your prayers!

On Wednesday,

I'm speaking for one of my favorite Mom's Groups,

Mission Hills' Mom2Mom Group.

On Saturday I have my first

"REAL" Speaking opportunity at a Boutique in Orange.

Then, on Monday,

I have another "REAL" talk that another speaker referred me to since she couldn't make it.

I will be sharing 3 different talks,

within 

1 week.

Please say a few prayers for this girl! 

(two thumbs pointing at myself)

I am praying this:

But I'm not so scared that I'm not preparing or doing what I need to do.

Our God is faithful.

HE always shows up.

HE always provides.

HE never leaves me,

ever.

So, I don't have to be afraid.

That doesn't mean that some of the ladies won't like me.

:-(

That doesn't mean that I will bring all the lost to the Lord.

That doesn't mean that my fear is completely gone.

It is still there....a little...

but HE calls me to be brave,

faithful,

courageous.

So, 

I'm stepping!

Please say a prayer for me and for the hearts of these women that I will be speaking to

1) on Marriage (Wed)

2) on The Gift of CHRISTmas (Sat)

3) on The Power of a Praying Mother (Mon)

Thank you SO, SO MUCH!

And may I pray for you?

Lord, 

Please bless my friend reading this.

I pray that this week, he/she would see you, that you would make yourself 

supernaturally real for this friend.

I also pray that this friend would be blessed, protected and be swooned by you and your love!

Lastly,

I pray that they too, would step out in fear,

and that they too, would be brave,

courageous 

somewhere in their life this week!

Thank you, Father, for hearing every word, every prayer, every heart!

I love you,

in Jesus' name I ask these things,

AMEN!

Motivational Monday!

One Thing Remains!

His Love Never Fails

It Never Gives Up

It Never Runs Out on Me

HIS love is always with me and always with you.

As I live each day as a lover of Jesus,

sometimes I forget,

sometimes I need to be reminded
that He ALWAYS loves me.

Do you love me even when I don't listen to what your Word says?

Yes.

Do you love me even when I'm not thinking of others,

but only of MY needs, MY cares, MY wants?

Yes.

Do you love me even when I fail you day after day?
Yes, yes and yes.

Never?

But Lord, you know I've made many mistakes in my life.

"I know".

I mean, I won't even mention them here, but you know, I've committed every sin.

Father, EVERY sin.

And, you still....love.....me?

"Yes".

No matter what we have done,
the mistakes,
the failures,
the flops,
Jesus still loves us.
You
and
me.

For this, I am forever grateful.
Why is it so difficult for some of us to accept love?
Why is it so difficult to believe in the unseen?
Trust.

What if you were to trust HIM with your life today?
What if you were to trust HIM with ALL of your heart?
Then,
you would know,  without a doubt,  that
HE.
IS.
REAL.

My father was a proud man. He was a Marine who served the United States in the Korean War.
Did I say he was proud?
Being proud and being a Marine is redundant.

He allowed God into his heart at the age of 72!
Yes, he was that stubborn!
But you know what?
He was changed because of it.

The last 5 years of his life were the best.
His heart was healed from all the hurt he had given
and taken from this world.
He was softer, more loving and more forgiving

Don't be too proud.
Don't wait too long.
Don't say, "HE doesn't exist" just so you can be "right".
Don't be afraid.

Open your heart to the one who loves us-
who gave His life for us.


^{35 "}Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Godthat is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:35, 38-39

^4 4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.

Isaiah 43:4

I am so grateful that I can begin each day

loved,

forgiven

and 

saved.

How about you?

Let's not make this just another Monday!

How are you going to start YOUR week?

Be blessed!

 

God Changes-

Happy SONday!

Have you felt pressure lately?

I have.

Do you feel God changing you into something new or unfamiliar?

I do.

Trust HIM.

I am.

Good Morning!

Do you ever just need a reminder?

I do!

(every...day)

"Have a good time"

" I LOVE YOU"

<3 GOD

What problems are YOU trying to handle?

"As soon as I pray, you answer me;

you encourage me by giving me strength.

Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord,

for all of them will hear your words.

Yes, they will sing about the Lord's ways,

for the glory of the Lord is very great.

Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,

but he keeps his distance from the proud.

Though I am surrounded by troubles,

you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.

You reach out your hand,

and the power of your right hand saves me.

The Lord will work out his plans for my life---

for your faithful love,

O Lord,

endures forever.

Don't abandon me, for you made me.

Psalms 138

HE

hears my prayer.

HE

answers me.

HE

encourages me and gives me strength.

HE

cares for me.

HE

protects me.

The power of HIS right hand

saves me.

HE

works out HIS plans for my life.

HE

never leaves me.

HE

made me.

HE

loves me.

&

HE

loves YOU!

What problems will you HAND OVER to the LORD today?

He does not need our help,

but we sure need HIS!

An Unfamiliar Road

Is God taking YOU on an Unfamiliar Road?

Is God asking you to trust him on a new path, a new venture, a new way of thinking or living?

I think God is asking me to trust him, even though I cannot SEE where He is taking me.

Have YOU ever felt that way?

"Back in the day", like 20+ years ago.....a-hem...

I remember playing a "Trust" game in high school.

You are blindfolded and then there is a classmate that takes your hand,

and you have to LISTEN to their directions and TRUST that they are leading you in the right direction- down the hall into another classroom,

NOT down the stairs or into the Boy's Restroom!

I don't think I had a problem with that game,

only because I KNEW the person who was guiding me.

If it were some mean kid, I probably wouldn't have trusted him/her at all!

So, when God asks us to go with HIM,

even though we cannot SEE where we are going,

we need to TRUST HIM.

HOW do I trust Him?

Get to KNOW Him....we TRUST those who are TRUSTworthy.

“But he who puts his trust in Me shall possess the land, and shall inherit My holy mountain.”

(Isaiah 57:13)


“Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help … Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,

whose hope is in the Lord his God …

Who keeps truth forever, who executes justice for the oppressed,

who gives food to the hungry.”

(Psalm 146:3-7)


You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You,

because he trusts in You.

Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.”

(Isaiah 26:3)


Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He shall direct your paths.”

(Proverbs 3:5)


Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.

Corrie Ten Boom

God is a Comedian...

I'm speaking next week to a MOPS group that I have visited for the last 2 years.

This year, they had one small request.

"Janet, we would LOVE to have you back (maybe she didn't say "LOVE" in bold letters, but she did say, "love"), but can you do us a favor?

Uh oh.

"Sure, anything- what do you need?" (always here to please...)

"would you mind speaking on Organization?"

"Uh....okay", was my response.

"GREAT! Thank you so much, how about this date....time, etc".

Uh oh.

For any of you out there in Blog-Land who don't know me...

I'm not the most organized person.

I'm hardly organized..

God is a Comedian...

seriously?

Me???

Seriously?

I have stacks of papers in my office right now

(still there from when I spoke w/her 2 months ago!)

I'm so dis-organized that my kids are trained to put their hands up when they open the cupboards in case something comes falling out...

I'm so disorganized that when I try to file something or put something where it should be,

I CAN"T FIND IT!!!!!!

In fact...

"It sucks to be me ( as Nacho would say) speaking on Organization", was my first thought, embarrassingly so...

Then I heard a still, small voice....

It's not YOU...it's ME, speaking through you...

My heart is the vessel HE uses to encourage these women...

My mouth is the vessel used to present the message HE wants to present...

My disorganized mind is somehow used to focus on what HE thinks is important to communicate...

My body is a puppet HE uses while I attempt to step aside...

I am the vehicle HE uses to reach those Mommies, HIS Mommies...

It's all HIM...

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same SPIRIT. There are different kinds of service, but the same LORD. There are different kinds of working, but the same GOD works all of them in all people.

Now to each one the manifestation of the SPIRIT is given for the common good."

All these are the work of one and the same SPIRIT."

1Corinthians 12:4-7, 11

It does NOT "suck to be me", in fact, I am honored, blessed and humbled that HE would use me in this way...

sometimes confused,(me LORD? Seriously?)

but alas still honored!

And I know, that God will provide me with

WHAT to say,

AND

HOW to say it.

"My GRACE is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.

For when I AM WEAK,

then I AM STRONG."

2Corinthians 12:9-10

I'll let you know how it goes!

Trusting In HIM,

Janet