A few years ago I wrote my first, book Miss University: A Girl’s Guide to Fitness, Beauty, and Confidence. My personal trainer/co-author at the time and I daydreamed that this little book, combining my burgeoning passion for fitness with a humble dash of faith, would land us on Good Morning, America, The Today Show, and on particularly optimistic – if not delusional – days, maybe even Oprah. 😉
Well, suffice it to say, I never did get to demonstrate lateral lunges inside a morning show studio in Rockefeller Plaza, nor did Oprah’s people get with my people (aka, my mom). Busy with college life, my book and all the hopes I had to spread its message of faith-fueled fitness fell by the wayside. I sold a modest amount of copies online and to supportive friends and family, but making sales was truly never the point. I wanted to touch lives.
By the grace of God, my second book has gained a broader audience that I’m elated to write is warmly embracing the biblical message of Christ-centered health and fitness that the Holy Spirit continues to teach and show me; as Ben and I open our CrossFit box, I’m prayerful the Lord will place it in the hands of many of our female clients…even male clients with a gift for gift-getting ;-). The heartening Facebook messages, emails, tweets, and texts regarding Fit for Faith have been an indescribable blessing, especially as I set out to coach, motivate, and encourage women face-to-face on a daily basis.
The enemy is tirelessly shouting “Fire!” to his legions of minions, whose job from time immemorial it’s been to assault us with darts of doubt regarding our callings and gifts. Without sisters and brothers in Christ praying and speaking words of faith and affirmation, those infernal arrows can penetrate our psyches until we begin to believe the lies and question if we ever heard God whisper to us, Walk this way, in the first place.
Child of God, your unquenchable passions and unwavering wishes regarding the direction of your life have been hard-wired into your being, hand-made by our loving Creator (Psalm 139:13-14). As long as you delight in Him and seek Him continually, whether feeling blessed, broken, or burdened, He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). But when – as personal experience can attest – you so much as begin your journey on the path God has carved out for you, suit up with the armor of God, and be ready for the snares of uncertainty and the serpents of doubt that lie in wait (Ephesians 6:10-18).
I believe that one of Satan’s most preferred and victorious battlefields are those surrounding our comfort zones. So many Christians are settling for the status quo, doing what they believe involves less risk, less unknowns, or simply, just less. The Bible says the righteous shall walk by faith. One can infer that the unrighteous, i.e., those not walking with Christ, walk by fear because fear is the absence of faith (Romans 1:17).
Even if we don’t feel “fearful” per se, shutting every door behind which stands a promise you’ve been praying for shows a lack of faith in the One who died to not only forgive such sins of fear and doubt, but also to carry your burdens and relieve you of worries. Lately, I’ve been going to battle against self-doubt, realizing I’d better stop focusing on myself altogether if I’m ever going to remain afloat as an citizen of Heaven in enemy waters.
More to come tomorrow! It was my intent to fully dedicate this blog to an inspirational email I received last week, but my Self needed preaching to ;-). I hope and pray each of you reading has a wonderful week and declares as David did when fears arise:
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. – Psalm 56:3
Stay fit, stay faithful ~<3 Di