Faith In Motion

I remember sitting in a Subway restaurant with my sister, Kristi, years ago when she asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks.

Yes, it was years ago….but I remember it like it was just yesterday.

It was totally casual ~ we were munching on sub sandwiches and catching up after not seeing each other for a while, when out the blue she asked, “Can I ask you a question?  How is your Faith?”

I was honestly speechless….and uncomfortable.

I had no idea what to say to her.  I had no idea what my answer was.

The truth is, I’m not sure at that time in my life Faith was even important to me.  And, to this day, I can’t remember how I responded and that makes me very sad.

I was still going through a time where I questioned how a God that is supposed to love and protect us could allow such tragedy and loss in our lives.

I was feeling alone and helpless, and I’m certain at the time I hadn’t prayed in a long, long time.

Kristi is a lot younger than me.  And, I remember thinking at the time, this girl is smart. To be so sure of her own Faith at her age really touched something in me.  And, there she was, challenging me and honestly asking me one of the hardest questions I’ve ever been asked.

As I sat there trying to find my words, I remember feeling this overwhelming sense of sadness….like who was I and who was God and could I find Him again?  And, then it was as if her question opened up my heart and to this day when I think of that moment, I’m overcome by His spirit.

It would be years later that I found New Hope church and finally felt like I as home.  It would be years later when I decided I wanted to be a Christian writer.  And, it would be years later when I finally arrived to a time when I can answer that question comfortably and with hope and complete God-confidence.

I always believed in God and that there was a Higher Power.  But, I didn’t always believe I deserved or trusted His Grace.

Though the road has been long, I think of that question almost daily, “How is your Faith?” and I finally feel like I’m finding my peace and my place.

So, something hit me at the end of service last Sunday, and I thought about Kristi and that day yet again and I decided I wanted to do something I haven’t done yet and start Faith-based private coaching groups!  I want to inspire others and ask the hard questions!  I want people who are lost to maybe be able to find themselves again.  At the end of every service, the lead Pastor will say, “We don’t just leave the Church….we go and BE the Church.”  I want to do for others what my sister has done for me.  Because of her Faith and her love and her belief in me, she pushed me to keep finding my way and to find Him again.  I’m finding the strength to forgive and maybe more importantly the strength to ask for forgiveness and Grace.  I have so many people to say to “Because of you, I didn’t give up.”  I want to be that light for others.

For most of my life, I had no self-confidence.  I felt weak and as I’ve said in other posts, I’ve battled depression and hopelessness.  But, what I found was that the one thing I was really missing was right in front of me….around me….always with me.  It was Him.  I have spent far too many years looking for something to make me feel better.  I can tell you there’s nothing magical about those dang cupcakes I talk about all the time.  But, there IS something magical about Faith.

If you are out there struggling with your weight or with food or depression AND if you are the believing kind, I would love to connect and invite you to my newest group ~ FAITH IN MOTION.  We will be reading the book Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst.  This is an AMAZING faith-based book about why we are made to crave what we do and how we can change and grow our relationship with God to overcome.  I have so many people to thank and stories to share about how Hope has changed my life.  And, as I start the process of writing my book, compiling stories of Hope, Faith, strength, Grace and life warms my heart and makes me even more passionate about taking the LEAP OF FAITH to write.

If you’ve been following me, you know one of the reasons I’m so passionate about what I do is to be the example I want to be for my daughter.  She’s the epitome of my “Because of YOU, I didn’t give up!”  Brooklyn’s favorite books right now were a gift from my dad called “My Bible Friends.”  They are books filled with stories from the Bible written for kids and they are amazing.  I grew up with these books.  I even had them on cassette tapes and listened to them over and over.  And, the books always remind me of course my dad, but also of Kristi and my step-mom.  Those of you reading this who know them know they are three of the most faithful and gracious people you could ever meet and I would not be the person I am without their love and support.  And, I want to be sure to instill in Brooklyn what they did for me.  I am watching her grow and sit by me in church and want to stand in the aisle during music and it is all amazing to me.  We witnessed baptisms in church a few months ago and she was so curious and I told her that I was going to do that some day soon and she asked if she could too.  I want to do my best to make sure she never loses her Faith like I did.

And, I honestly have found my way back by surrounding myself with positive, full-of-faith, like-minded people and hosting groups just like this have change my world as I know it!  The people I’ve met and connected and bonded with have become my light.  I want to keep paying it forward and keep finding new ways to change the world.  I’m reminded of a saying on the marquee in Nashville last summer at our Coach Summit ~ “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead  

INDEED.

As coaches, we are far from perfect.  But, we do have a passion for health and fitness and believe that God wants us to move and honor our bodies!

If you would like more details on this new Faith in Motion movement, you can fill out the app below or email me at fitstrongpink@gmail.com to learn more!  AND, anyone who joins TODAY, June 30th, 2016, with the requirements and the commitment to themselves, will get a $25 Scheels gift card and this tank top!!  *Must not be a coach or be working with another coach.*