December 23, 2024

One Way to Stick to an Exercise Program #9 – Look at All of the Benefits

September 11, 2013 by

Has this ever happened to you?  After exercising consistently for a solid week, you step on the scale to discover there is no change in your weight. Or, you have lost your motivation because your weight is no longer an issue for you.  It is now easy to give up and quit.  It could be because you have been focusing on weight loss as the only benefit of exercise.  One way to stick to an exercise program is to look at all of the benefits you gain from exercise.

How to Stay Motivated

Attaining a certain weight, look, or size is only one benefit of exercise. To stay focused and motivated to stick to an exercise program, take some time to think and meditate on all of the things you will gain.  Here are just a few:

  • More energy for yourself, family, peers and co-workers
  • Higher self esteem and confidence in who you are as a woman
  • Less anxiety and stress
  • Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, osteoporosis, and diabetes
  • Lower cholesterol
  • The ability to be a role model of health and fitness to those around you
  • Better sleep

What is Your Motivation?

Focusing on one benefit of exercise as the only motivation to continue can lead to giving up when it is not accomplished.  For example, you may not be motivated anymore to fit into a certain pair of jeans, but you are motivated to increase your energy level and decrease your stress. Last week, I talked about journaling after you exercise and suggested that you list several things you felt after your workout. When you are unmotivated, you can look back at your journal and remember all of the benefits.

Your motivation may change at different times in your life.  I must confess there was a time many years ago I was motivated to exercise only for the jeans.  Today, my motivation is to be healthy and strong for my family, REDUCE MY STRESS, and honor God.  If your motivation has not become clear to you, take a little time to determine what it is, but don’t give up.   Hold on to these scriptures:

Galatians 6:9:  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

1 Corinthians 9:24:  Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

Take a few minutes to write down all of the benefits that motivate you to persevere.  When you have YOUR motivation, you will find you have one way you can stick to an exercise program.

In Good Health,

Crystal

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Winning Him Without Words: Learn When to Pray The Most Dangerous Prayer – John the Baptist

December 3, 2012 by

John The Baptist

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

ISAIAH 26:3

Lately I’ve caught myself saying “How GREAT is our God!” a lot. It seems like every time I open a book or read something on Facebook, God has left a personal message just for me to read. Last week my co-leader, Jennifer asked me if I could write today’s post because our sweet Beverly couldn’t. So of course I said I could write it. But then once I read it, I knew the real reason I was asked. It was because God had to reinforce a lesson in me. Yes, I would’ve read this section anyway and probably gathered some great information, but when I have to write about God’s word, I am forced (in a good way!) to slow down, take apart what I’ve just read and really understand it.

Today Dineen talks about John The Baptist and wonders if he ever felt left out, dissed, short changed. Did he feel like he should be part of the Twelve men chosen to walk with Jesus? He certainly had a right to feel that way. If he chose to Compare himself to the other Twelve, he was just as able to follow and spread Christ’s word, but he didn’t. He never questioned or bemoaned his role in life. He was satisfied to do what was predestined for him and he did it with honor and grace.

Sadly, I cannot say the same for myself. I have compared myself to others my entire life. In junior high a list went around our school where you rated the girls in our class based on looks and popularity. I was rated #2. Not too shabby, but to my 12 year old brain, it was devastating. All I could do was think of myself as #2. From that point on, it was my number on all my sports jerseys. I owned the number 2. It was my mind set.  I will always be second best to anyone that stands beside me.

As an adult, I still compare myself to others. And recently I’ve amped up my comparing.  Am I as creative as that mom? No. Am I as wealthy as that person? Certainly not. Will I ever be? No, because I have to be the #2. But I learned something in this chapter about being #2, or what I perceive as #2…it’s my role in life and it’s a GOOD role. I don’t have to be the prettiest wife on the block or the Martha Stewart mom or even the Beth Moore or Joyce Meyer of women’s ministry! I can be ME. Sarah Jane Boyer. And that is a great thing to be because He created ME and He has me on the path He predestined for me. First, He gave me the ability to work with words. Then later on down the path, He urged me to start writing about His words. For the first time in my life I am doing something I really enjoy and know that it is my gift from God, which makes it all the more sweeter. And ya know what? I’m not going to think of myself as #2 anymore. I know I am first and foremost with God because I have begun to make Him first and foremost with me. I don’t need to compare myself to others because there is no comparison. We are all #1 to God and all for different reasons.

What a freeing thing this is to not have to feel like I need to mold myself into something I’m not just to fit into one group/category or another. As long as I am pleasing God, I am in the right group/category. Like John The Baptist, I am content to fulfill the role God has chosen for me and I will do it with grace and honor to Him.

So how GREAT is our God, huh? He took this lesson and brought it to me to write on so that I would slow down, listen to Him and KNOW that I am right where I am suppose to be and there is no need to compare myself with others like I have been doing.  Thank you, God for the reinforcement!

Lets Pray:

Dear Lord, You knew I was struggling with comparison issues again and You brought this message right to me so that I would really sit up and listen. I pray that what I wrote will resonate with other ladies who read this post. Comparing ourselves with others is so harmful to our self esteem. Please show each and every one of our readers how important they are to You. Speak to them like You did to me and show them their special gifts that set them apart and make them #1 in Your eyes…the ONLY eyes that matter.  In your son’s precious name, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Today, please share with us what your special gift from God is. Let’s praise God for the gifts He has put in us to share with the world!

Godspeed,

Sarah

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Our next Women’s Online Bible Study “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan, begins January 6, 2013. To sign up for this Online Bible Study, click HERE and follow the instructions. You will also be given a link to where you can purchase this bible study. We’re looking forward to learning about this “Crazy Love” with you!!  

We would LOVE to have your feedback on this study! Will you take a few minutes to complete the following survey? Your responses will help us create the best online bible study experience for you! CLICK THIS LINK to fill out the short 10 question form. Your responses are completely anonymous, I promise!! Thank you so much!

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A Daughter’s Worth Week 4/ Day 3: Know What (And What Not) to Wear

October 24, 2012 by

When we first received our blog schedule before the study started, I went through it and wrote down the topics I was to write about. I immediately sent Megan a text telling her how excited I was to have this topic!

I don’t know when it happened, but I have developed a hobby of putting together modest outfits. I believe that as daughters of the King, we have a responsibility to dress in a way that is glorifying to God. This doesn’t mean we cannot wear clothes that make us feel or look good; it simply means we must be cautious with our wardrobe. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples 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 honor God with your bodies.” Part of honoring God with our bodies is dressing modestly.

What a lot of women don’t realize is that the way you dress reflects your heart. If you are confident in who God has called you to be, you will protect and cover your body. If you do not know your worth in Jesus, you will most likely dress to draw attention to certain areas of your body. Living a life of worship and obedience is an attitude of the heart. So, next time you put on an outfit, look in the mirror and say, “what are my motives behind what I am wearing?”

Let’s Pray:
Jesus, my prayer is that these girls would know that everything You do is not to place restrictions on them, but to protect them! I pray that every girl reading this would know that following You isn’t about saying “no” to everything. It’s about saying “YES” to You and saying “yes” to everything You ask of us, living with an obedient heart that trusts that You know what’s best for us. Thank You for giving us role models who dress modestly! Give us conviction if our motives aren’t pure when putting on an outfit. Give us peace when our clothes glorify You. Give us hearts after You, God. Thank You for Your love! Amen

~Jordan

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For the A Daughter’s Worth Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. You can order the book right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

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A Daughter’s Worth Week 1: Recognizing Your Worth

September 30, 2012 by

Welcome to GCH:decaf’s very first online Bible study

A Daughter’s Worth by Ava Sturgeon.

 

Romans 5:6-8

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.7 

Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing

to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us

by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Hey girls…. It’s Megan <3

You are one precious daughter of the most-high King and your Heavenly Father has already determined that you’re worth the ultimate sacrifice. Now he wants to reveal His powerful presence in every single aspect of your life.

No matter what you hear in the media, at school or with your friends…. your life as a teenager CAN be HAPPY, Fulfilling and GODLY!

This is what we are going to learn over the next 12 weeks…. how we can embrace our worth as a daughter of god and use it to change the world around us…. one day at a time. I am so excited to see how God is going to use this study and your new friends to help transform your self-esteem, standards, and your purpose.

Each day this week, we will have a different focus. On Monday, Diane will be blogging about feeling better about myself. Tuesday, we will be hearing from Teresa about dealing with friends and boyfriends. Jordan will be writing about getting along with family on Wednesday. On Thursday, Tonya has some words for us about making plans for the future and Friday, Edwina will be writing about handling stress at school. Saturday, Coleen will have another blog post for us about prayer.

Now…. I have this awesome 15 year old friend named Morgan who is a teen member of our GCH:decaf Leadership Team and she has a few words for you as we begin this journey together…

Hi Girls! I’m so excited for what God is going to do through this study, I know that it’s going to be great! I have been praying for you, and that God will just show you through this series your worth in Him, and that no matter what may come you always have a Father that loves you no matter what, isn’t that awesome? I love knowing that God is always for me it brings such a comfort to my life, it makes me feel good knowing I’m not alone struggling with all of the pressures that this culture brings on, from making sure you look good, making sure you have the right hair, that your friends with the cool crew, making sure that you wear the right clothes, I mean this world has so much pressure.

I hope that through this study you will be able to find your true value and always know that you have worth in God’s eyes, you know the story in Matthew about the man who sold EVERYTHING he owned to have a pearl?

It says in Matthew 13:45-46:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.

When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

God is this way for you, when he found you, He took his Son and bought you with the ultimate price of death for His Son, just so you and I could have a place in Heaven forever with Him. Isn’t that amazing?! Imagine somebody giving up their Son and not just any Son this was a man who had lived a perfect life, and He didn’t deserve to die, He came to save us, so He paid for us with the ultimate price, He went and paid our way to Heaven with everything that He had. God loves you so much and I just know He is going to be doing big things through this study.

Love you! Morgan 🙂

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For this Bible Study, you will need the book, your Bible, pen or pencil, a highlighter and a quiet place. We will begin the devotional part of this study next week, so really, you have until NEXT MONDAY to get your book! You can even order it right through our website from clicking the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage.

If you are interested in joining us in our GCH:decaf Teen Girls Ministry, please click the sign-up form button at the top of our webpage. Just follow the instructions on the form and hit submit. We’ll be happy to add you to one of our Online Bible Study Groups! Our new study is A Daughter’s Worth! Please email teens@girlfriendscoffeehour.com for more information.

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