The Power of Water

“The gates of the river are opened and the palace is dissolved.” That’s how the prophet Nahum described the forceful wave of water (Nahum 2:6) released from an upstream dam by invading armies that attacked Nineveh. Nahum prophesied that the destruction would be so complete that no one would now where the city was. (Nahum 3:17) In fact, archeologists did not locate the remains of the ancient metropolis (near the present day city of Mosul in Iraq) until 1845.

Nineveh had a vicious army of fighters who were ruthless toward their captives. As capital of the Assyrian Empire, Nineveh was populous, cosmopolitan, and wealthy. Idolatry was commonplace and every sort of carnal pleasure was available. You may recall that Jonah warned the residents of their imminent doom because of their wickedness (Jonah 3:1-4), but their repentance was short-lived. Ultimately, God allowed the Medes, Scythians and Babylonians to destroy Nineveh in 612 BC.

One must never underestimate the power of water. I find it helpful to imagine myself standing knee-deep in a swiftly-flowing stream. Facing downstream, in my mind’s eye, I watch the current flow past my legs and carry away worries, fears, and guilt from sins for which I have been forgiven. The water cannot flow back upstream and “get” me, so I am safe from anxiety and guilt.

Just as the palace at Nineveh has been washed away, so have our sins been removed completely. They have been washed away by the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ when He died on the cross and rose again. Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) The Lord is merciful and gracious and when we confess our sins to Him, He forgives them and cleanses us of all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) Jeremiah 31:34 says “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Now that brings peace of mind and soul!

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. Titus 3:5-6

If you prefer to stay cool during your workout and want to avoid any impact on your joints, then deep water exercise may be for you. Exercising in the deep water (a depth greater than shoulder height) using a flotation belt or noodle, is a great way to get a vigorous cardiovascular workout while strengthening your core. You will use muscles in your legs, hips, core, and arms, but the emphasis is on getting your heart rate up.

It is recommended that you have someone else present when you are in a pool. (preferably a life guard!) Swimming skills are not required, but please do not enter a depth where you do not feel safe! (I have seen more than one person fall off of a noodle and go under.) Also, get your physician’s approval before beginning any exercise program.

That said, before you enter the water, adjust your flotation belt so it fits snugly around your waist. (Otherwise it will creep upwards, making it uncomfortable and difficult to breathe.) If you are using a noodle, push one end between your legs and go hand-over-hand until half the noodle is in front, half in back. Now you may balance and ride the noodle.

First is the warm up. As you move out to the deep water, do some easy jogs and scull with your hands: make small, sideways figure eights (as though you were using your hands to spread frosting on a cake). Once you are in the deep area, check your alignment – ears over shoulders over hips. Think “upright” – not tilting forward or backward. This is very important , as you are using the muscles in your core to help you stay vertical. Pull your navel inward toward your spine and breathe.

After two or three minutes of jogging, continue the warm up with bicycling and do breast strokes with your arms. Keep your thumbs pointing up while doing this. (Awkward, I know, but it strengthens the external rotator muscles in your shoulders.) After another two or three minutes, begin to march and pump your arms.

(Opposite arm comes up with your knee.) Remember to stay upright. The idea is to gradually increase your heart rate and warm up your muscles. All together, your warm up time should be five to ten minutes.

Now you’re ready for some cardio work. Put your marching into high gear. Keeping your navel pulled inward and your body upright, lift your knees a little higher as you march and pump your arms. You may also add force as you pump, trying to punch your fists up to the surface. March fast for 30 seconds and then march at a medium pace for 30 to 60 seconds (your “recovery” time). Repeat for two more intervals of 30- second fast and 30 to 60-second medium-paced marches.

On the next set, try to march fast for 60 seconds. (If you cannot sustain this all-out pace for that long, that’s OK. You can build up to 60 seconds.) Then bicycle for one or two minutes and do breast strokes with your arms (just as you did during the warm up). When opening up your arms on the breast stroke, squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other to strengthen your back. Repeat again for two more intervals of 60-second fast marches with one-two minutes of bicycling/breast stroke arms.

Then do two more sets of 30 second fast marches with 60 seconds of bicycling/breast stroke arms. Continue the last set of bicycling for about five minutes as you let your heart rate return to normal. This is your cool down. You may stretch your arms out at the surface to get a nice front stretch as you bicycle. Bicycle to the shallow end or to the ladder.

This routine takes you through eight intervals of fast paced/increased heart rate and medium-paced “recovery” periods. (See the summary list at the end of the post.)The total time, not including the warm up and cool down, is eleven to 16 minutes.

Here’s a fun abdominal exercise you can do on the noodle: Bring the noodle around behind you and push it down behind your hips. Sit down on the noodle and balance. (The noodle will be in a U shape and your feet will be off the bottom.)

If you wish, pump your legs and swing, tilting slightly forward and back, just as though you were on a real swing. (Just don’t tilt too far!) This is one of those exercises you can do while socializing in the pool and no one will suspect you are strengthening your abs!

Because working out in the deep water involves so much core work, this will contribute to your Length and Strength. You may just find that you’ll want to exercise in the water year round!

Below is a summary of this week’s work out. To see last week’s post using a noodle to work out in the water, click here and for a previous post with water exercise ideas, click here. I also have a prior post on how to select a suit to wear during water exercise.

Warm Up (5 – 10 minutes)

Easy jogging with sculling hands
Bicycle legs with breaststroke arms
March with pumping arms.

Cardio Intervals

March with pumping arms - fast 30 seconds, medium pace 30 – 60 seconds
Repeat two times.
March/pump arms - fast 60 sec, Bicycle/Breaststroke arms medium pace 1-2 min
Repeat two times.
March/pump arms – fast 30 seconds, Bicycle/Breaststroke arms medium pace 1 min
March/pump arms – fast 30 seconds.

Cool Down (5 – 10 minutes)

Bicycle/Breaststroke arms comfortable pace. During last minute, stretch arms.



Photo credits: River Dicle from Hasankeyf to Senol Demir

River Dicle from Hasankeyf (Senol Demir) / CC BY 2.0

The Stone Wall

When driving on country roads in New England, it is not uncommon to see stone walls extending into the woods. These rocky fences marked the borders of old fields and pasture lands before the woods reclaimed the land. In Biblical times, stones were placed on the perimeters of fields and estates, and these boundaries were taken seriously. To move a stone boundary was a crime, equivalent to stealing someone’s land. Deuteronomy 19:14 states “you shall not move your neighbor’s boundary mark.” “Do not move the ancient boundaries which your fathers have set,” Proverbs 22:28 advises. The importance of boundaries goes way back to the division of land among the tribes of Israel. “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, When He separated the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the sons of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:8)

This idea of boundaries has helped me set a limit on worrying. If there is something to be anxious about, I’m always right on it. But I have learned that sometimes a boundary is needed on what I allow myself to worry about, especially if it is an issue over which I have no control (other than praying!). If such a topic starts to make me anxious, I’ll say, “that topic is outside of my territory.” To reinforce the boundary, I’ll think of a Bible verse, such as Philippians 4:8: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think on these things.”

Sometimes a time boundary needs to be set: “I will not worry about this issue now, but I’ll consider it after class.” Or, “these thoughts are not allowed in my mind at bedtime.” Again, scriptures are very helpful, especially the Psalms, such as Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears,” or “When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.” (Psalm 94:19)

While some people need boundaries on worrying, others need protection from topics contrary to God’s Word. Firm boundaries are needed against invading thoughts which tempt one to sin. That’s when Psalm 139:23-24 makes a good prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way."

Boundaries are both for protection and visible demarcation of where one territory ends and another begins. Next time you see a stone wall, think about boundaries you may need to set in your thought life.

When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. Psalm 94:19


This week you are going to pretend you are a stone wall! This will strengthen your core and your legs. So find a mat or soft carpet and lie on your side. I want you to be aware of what all the parts of your body are doing, so it is best to remove distractions and concentrate while you are first learning.

Have your ears, shoulders, and hips in a straight line with your knees relaxed. (That means no propping your head up on your hand. Make your head an extension of your spine.) Now let’s look at what your hips are doing.

You want your hip bones “stacked” so that your pelvis is perpendicular to the floor. Prevent yourself from letting your hips rock forward or backward. This takes strength in your core (Learn more about your core by clicking here.) and that is one of the purposes of this exercise!

Now let’s use your abdominals. Pull your navel inwards toward your spine. (Click here to review how to exercise the transverse abdominal muscle.) Now imagine there is a space between your waist and the floor. Some instructors call this the “mouse house” and I think it is a good way to visualize how to contract all those muscles in your torso.

(The door to your mouse house may not be very high, but that’s okay. Just imagine that it’s there!) You may place your hand on your midsection to feel the muscles tighten. (And there are muscles under there!) Breathe and hold your mouse house a few seconds while keeping your hips perpendicular to the mat. Then repeat again to make ten repetitions. You may do the stone wall exercise every day if you wish, but at least three times per week.

Still lying on your side, we’re going to strengthen the gluteus medius (hip) and the abductors on the outside of your thigh. Straighten your legs for this one so that your knees are locked and your feet are flexed.

Lift your top leg a few inches and then lower. If you have any pain, stop! (If you are unsure whether any exercise is appropriate for you, ask your doctor first.) Remember to breathe and keep your core muscles firm and prevent your hips from rocking forward or back. You may lift your leg a little higher as long as you don’t have pain. Do you feel the muscles in your hip and outer thigh? Lift for 12 repetitions and then repeat on your other leg. The leg lifts should be done three times per week.

For variety, try lifting your leg in three counts and lowering in one count. Or you could lift in one count and lower in three. Another option is to rotate your foot outward and hold as you lift and lower.

Once you have mastered the technique and are fully aware of your muscles at work, you could do this exercise while watching tv, etc. and it can fit easily into your schedule. A strong core and strong legs make for stability and full functioning in your everyday life. That’s why this is included in the Length and Strength routine!

Photo credits: newenglandtrailreview.com,focuspilates.com.sg, tweenwalldecals.blogspot.com,weight-training-guide.blogspot.com all from Creative Commons.