Starting fresh

A look back on 2011 may reveal some areas of your life where you fall short. Perhaps you made some mistakes that harmed an important relationship with a friend or family member. Maybe you continued a habit that undermines your health. Or maybe you haven’t prayed regularly or served God with your whole heart. Possibly this has gone on for several years before 2011. Now is the time to be look forward and to accept one last gift of the Christmas season – that of forgiveness given to you by God by way of His Son, Jesus Christ. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)

We live near the coast and whenever my husband and I walk on the beach, I am always impressed by the relentlessness of the surf. From far out at sea the waves just keep coming, one after another. The ocean does not “run out” of waves. Likewise, God does not run out of mercy. Lamentations 3:22-23 says “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” (italics added) God will forgive a sin you committed a decade ago or a sin you’ve done every day for the past decade. That’s how huge His love is and how unlimited His mercy. This mercy came to us when God sent Jesus to die on the cross to remove our guilt from all our wrongdoings.

The gift of redemption – the wiping away of our sins and bringing us back into relationship with God – is received by faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25) The astounding fact is that God did not wait for us to stop sinning to clear us of guilt. “But God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Have a look for yourself at some of the verses in the Bible (click here to see a Bible on-line.) that talk about this: John 3:16, Romans 3:21-26, 1 John 1:8-9, Titus 3:5-7 and 1 John 4:9-10. Bring your wrongdoings to God. Then step into the new year washed by God’s love and mercy, seeking Him every day.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

As you make your New Year’s resolutions and think about improving your health and fitness, here are some questions to consider. (Regard these as exercises for your brain!)

1. Why do you want to start exercising? What do you see are the benefits? Try to list benefits that are personal to your life. For example: “I could lift my grandchild out of the stroller,” or “I could take that trip that involves a lot of walking…” Focus on the benefits to help you stay motivated.

2. On a scale of one to ten, (one being not at all, 10 being very much) how strong is your desire to begin a fitness program? If your answer is lower than 5, what would it take to increase that number? (Finding someone to exercise with? Having a reward for a small accomplishment?) If you said 1 or 2, you should revisit question 1 and have someone help you identify more benefits to starting. (Click on benefits to find out more.)

3. What is something healthy you are doing for yourself now? If you are already practicing one healthy habit, would it be in the realm of possibility to add another healthy habit? You could say to yourself “I’m just going to try it. If it doesn’t work, I’ll try something else.”

4. What one thing are you willing to do, even if it is small, to live a healthier lifestyle? People tend to have better success if they start in small increments and set short-term goals. For instance, you could decide that you will walk 10 minutes a day to start with and see how you feel after three weeks. (Always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.)

5. What is the biggest roadblock that keeps you from exercising? What are some ways you could overcome that roadblock? Arm yourself by planning a strategy ahead of time. Don’t be too critical of yourself if you don’t stay with the plan. Start again the next day (or the next hour)!

6. What are some ways you could manage your day to include time (even if it is ten minutes) for exercise? (This topic will be covered in a future posting.)

One positive step you have already taken is to read this blog. Length and Strength from the Inside Out will show you basic exercises that are easy to fit into your schedule and can be done almost anywhere without equipment. You can review previous exercises (and scripture reflections) by looking at the Blog Archive at the upper right of this page and clicking on any of the months. Best wishes for Length and Strength from the Inside Out in the New Year!