Hello, everyone! I hope y’all have had a happy, healthy, safe weekend! Mine was wonderful despite the F-16 swiftness with which it flew by! I must be honest: I’m quite upset at Time — not the magazine, the fourth dimension…
My fiancé Ben and I are particularly fond of what many might label “dull,” even “octogenarian” activities – save for our CrossFitting ways, of course! 😉 We order sushi to-go, play hours of Scrabble, sunset and star-gaze, watch CrossFit videos on YouTube and “Battlestar Galactica” on NetFlix, to name but a few of our hell-raising pastimes. Wouldn’t you assume that such an insouciant itinerary would impede the time-passing process? I did! Now I’m convinced that I could, without complaint, spend an entire weekend beside Ben in my garage watching dust settle on medicine balls and cobwebs accumulate on weight racks and it still feel as though the sand in the hourglass was being sucked out with a Dyson.
Ben just hit the road to head back to work in San Antonio, leaving me here to twiddle my thumbs and unabashedly begin the twelve-day countdown to our next weekend together. Okay, I think we’ve all reached our RDI for “mush.” 😉
For those of you who follow me on Twitter or facebook, you may know that my book Fit for Faith comes out on October 4th, and early copies are available here.
If you’re like me, you enjoy flipping through books at Barnes and Noble before you buy them, or, if they’re electronic, downloading a free sample before you commit to a purchase. So, in an effort to provide you with a bit more info on my book and my purpose in writing it, I’m attaching its intro below. I’ll most likely add a few more excerpts in the future, so consider this an appetite-whetter, haha. Until then…
Stay fit, stay faithful ~<3 Di
Introduction
I spent years of my life thinking weights were for shot-putters and that healthy eating meant relinquishing pizza in favor of flavorless tofu forever. Despite being involved in sports, I didn’t feel energetic, and I certainly didn’t look athletic. Long story short, my personal trainer and great friend, Michael Prince, taught me the numerous advantages of weight lifting – dispelling the myth that dumbbells turn girls into the Hulk – and showed me that eating healthily is essential to a fit lifestyle.
Near the end of my battle with an eating disorder, I came to see that, as a three-part being comprised of a spirit, soul, and body, the Lord cares very much about my physical health (1st Thessalonians 5:23). God’s word says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body” (1st Corinthians 6:19-20).
By looking to exercise for control and food for comfort, I had allowed the light of God to be snuffed out in my life. I had placed my obsession on a pedestal and exalted my Self over the Spirit in me. I now know that the Lord desires that we treat these temples of flesh and blood with respect and godliness. That doesn’t mean we can never take a vacation from the gym or have a cheeseburger every once in a while. It simply means that our bodies are meant for much more than satisfying the five senses – they are to be living sacrifices, “holy and acceptable to God”(Romans 12:1).
Since I began working out and eating right seven years ago, I have seen my body undergo amazing transformations inside and out. Not only am I toned, trim, and strong, but I have tons of energy, less stress, and one heck of an immune system. I sleep like a baby, focus better while working, and I’m more revved up and confident to serve God! You see, being in shape does more than just improve our appearance and ward off osteoporosis; it enhances our self-esteem and helps us feel empowered, prepared, and capable to face the capriciousness of life, whether on the mission field, in the office, or at the dinner table.
This is my second fitness book. Since writing Miss University for young college women, I have continued to enjoy and appreciate the value of exercise and healthy eating as they relate to my spirit and my walk with God. It amazes me how timeless and relevant the Bible is from beginning to end. Whatever our question, our concern, or our care, the Word has a remedy in its pages. In the last few years, I have implemented biblical truths pertaining to diet, sickness, oppression, and even simple rest and have experienced life-changing results. Just as I was eager to help young women get fired up about fitness, I am thrilled to rekindle those flames as we delve into God’s word and get FIT FOR FAITH!
