My deadlift shoes and those I wore to the gym that morning are on the floor before me. Looking down at my feet, embarrassment overwhelmed me. Oops, I did it again. My socks don’t match. And it’s not even close. I grab a deadlift shoe […]
Tag: spiritual life
The Sin of Not Praying
I don’t even know her. She’s a friend of a friend. Each time she messaged me, it was to provide an update on her physical, emotional, or financial situation. Her “pray for me right now” arrived in my inbox at strange hours. I’ve heard that […]
When Will the Bleeding Stop?
A plate came barreling down on my forehead one dreadful night in July two years ago. Blood soaked my glasses, covered my hands, and dripped on the floor. My crime was opening a cabinet door. Crying out to the Lord in the emergency room, I wailed, […]
Below Parallel
Depth is a word that causes an instant reaction for a powerlifter. I’ve competed on the National level here in Belize twice in my first year of powerlifting. Every meet begins with the squat. And hitting the required depth is not an easy feat, even […]
A Place For You
“You need this.” The look on his face, the tone of his voice, and those three words inspired me to finish strong. There are three events in a Powerlifting meet: squat, bench press, and deadlift. After the bench press, I learned I was in third […]
Are You Strong Enough?
Spanish Lookout is a Mennonite community in Belize that resembles a typical small midwestern town in America. I’d stopped at five different locations, unsure what I was looking for, a dress for church, new shoes, or maybe a book? No, a word from God. I […]
God’s Word Is…
God’s Word is ________. How did your mind fill in the blank? God’s Word is true? Reliable? A fairy tale? Our answer impacts our faith. In the early stages of our missionary work in Russia, I saw the miraculous hand of God in each challenge. […]
Real Change is Practically Invisible As it’s Happening
“Real change is practically invisible as it’s happening.” When I read this quote from Marie Forleo, it rang true for me. As the war rages on, our time spent in Russia and Ukraine comes to mind. Seventeen years ago, in Odesa, Ukraine, I climbed the […]
Water Before Coffee
I blacked out at the gym on my 55th birthday. Confused, fatigued, and irritated, somehow I made my way home. A cup of coffee was all that I had chosen to sustain me through my workout. The diagnosis from the doctor was dehydration. Water before […]
Who Are We Fasting For?
“was it for Me that you fasted, for Me?” This soul-piercing question in Zechariah 7:5 (AMP) lept off the page and stabbed my heart. These nine words question my motives for a weekly fast. There are so many reasons for fasting in the fitness realm. […]