MM XIII: Adding Years

Not only do I work with the Strength and Conditioning department, I also am the Assistant Hall director of the freshman dorms on campus. During the summer we rent out the dorms to camps so that they can come on campus and do whatever it is they do. Recently a church choir camp came to visit my university and all of its little campers stayed right around my room. Our building has a lounge that sits behind the front door exit; this meant that each time I would walk outside I would have to stroll by it. All of the choir practices and meetings were held in the lounge, so every day the campers would see me, and I would see them. At first I thought I had something on my face, because each time I walked by they would stare at me with twisted lips. But after three days I concluded that they just didn’t like me being there. After a quick talk with one of the campers I was informed that they were a “very strict church with high morals.”

This was no skin off of my back; people have been looking at me funny my entire life. However, over the course of the campers stay I began to realize something. Most of the camp members were heavy set, and it wasn’t hard to realize why. Every day they would bring in a new cake, a new box of donuts, and a new squadron of cookies. I didn’t see them eat one vegetable the entire trip. That relays me to this point: how likely is it for a church to preach against sexual immorality to the youth, but then turn around and have an all you can eat pot luck for its most heavy set members? Or a better question, is our church killing off its members through gluttony?

Intermittent fasting is being used by many athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike. There is research to support that the body will remain healthier, leaner, and less inflamed if the person fasts one day and then eats as much as he or she wants the next. If you’re a Christian then you have at least heard of fasting for God and spiritual reasons. If you bring that up at your church, especially if it’s a Baptist one, then your pastor might recommend you fast from TV instead of food. I only say this because I have been told this by not one, but two different pastors at two different churches. No surprise, it seems that the second most obese country in the world has a food idolatry problem. Rather than fast from technology, which I’m not saying is bad, we should fast from food; the way it was intended. My greatest revelations have come from reading the word and praying while my stomach is empty; I believe God indoctrinated fasting for a reason.

I’ve been told many times that fitness is not for everyone, usually by the most unfit. This blows my mind, because everyone was born to work the land and be fit. And staying fit doesn’t just mean looking good for your spouse, no staying fit could mean that you have 15 more years to spread the gospel. Have your ears peaked up and has your attention been grabbed. That’s right, fitness is not just about looking or performing better; it’s about keeping your temple in tip top shape. Close your eyes and imagine all of the things that you could do for Christ with an extra fifteen years of ministry.

If you haven't been taking care of the body God had blessed you with, then I hope you will now. Throwing away your junk food today could result in helping someone to Christ in the future. If this doesn’t motivate you to reprogram your fitness intentions then I can’t fathom what would. So not only do I challenge you, the reader, to revamp your fitness, but I also challenge you to motivate your family to start eating healthier and exercising. Please share this message either by facebook, twitter, or word of mouth! Just get the message out there: fitness and ministry go hand in hand.