Posts by Bethany Wilkes
Getting Fit
I love working out. For me it is a stress release, a way to challenge myself, and a way to enjoy being active. But I think you have to keep the right attitude about it. Working out, exercise, activity is something to enjoy. And it is important to enjoy it in balance. You don’t want it to consume you or take over your life. So find your own balance. My balance: I have been trying to incorporate running (which I am growing to love) into circuit training. So some of my outdoor running is being converted to treadmill running. Here’s a workout I found and adapted. Hope you enjoy it.
Arm and Cardio Workout
This is a gym workout is best suited for people who lift weights regularly and know correct form. If you don’t belong to a gym, try to do some other type of run/pushup/situp/plyo circuit in this style.
Workout: 3 circuits (about 10 minutes each) with 1 mile treadmill run/walk in between
Repetition of each set: If you are trying to bulk up do 10 reps with heavier weight.
If you are trying to maintain and stay lean and fit do a little lighter with 12-15 reps.
(Time: about 1 hour depending on run/walk times)
Warmup: .5-1 Mile Treadmill Run/Walk
Circuit 1: Repeat 3x
Lat Pull Down (substitution: pull ups)
Chest Press (substitution: bench press or pushups)
Burpees
.5-1 Mile Treadmill Run/Walk (Water)
Circuit 2: Repeat 3x
Bicep Curl
Overhead Tricep Extension
1 Minute Plank
.5-1 Mile Treadmill Run/Walk (Water)
Circuit 3: Repeat 3x
Chest fly (standing or bench)
One arm row (substitution: seated row machine)
Jumping Jacks (with or without small weights)
Cool Down Stretch (Water)
Most importantly, have fun! Push yourself hard enough to get a good work out. If you want to get …
Read MoreLove Does and Go Do Love
LOVE… such an enormous word. We can all relate to it. But what does it really mean?
What is your definition of love? How do you express your love? How do you feel loved? Do you just think about love, or do you act in love? Love is action. Love is words. Love is irreplaceable. Love is impacting. Love is powerful. Love can build up. Love reaches the depths. Love is simple. Love is worth it. Love is trust. Love is a force. Love changes things. “Love does”……
Refreshed – Backup Copy
Are you thirsty? Do you feel like your thirst is never quenched? Do you feel an ongoing need for hydration? Are we every fully satisfied?
Water is essential to our lives. I am sure you already know we cannot survive without it. But did you know our bodies are made of 50-70% water? Water is vital as it dissolves substances, carries nutrients, transports oxygen, aids other organs, regulates body temperature, sends electrical messages, helps digestion, and many other essential functions. And not only is our body made of water, we have to continually put water in to continue replenishing what we use and lose. So we never arrive and have a sufficient and lasting amount of water. We always need more and more. How people get water into their body can look a little different, but the base has to be water. Water in its purest form is the best. But you can get small amounts of waters from teas, fruits, vegetables, and other foods. But that doesn’t replace the need for just pure water.
We always think of drinking water once we get thirsty, but what we forget is it is much more beneficial to hydrate yourself consistently. When competing or exercising, the process of drinking water should happen way before you even start. Water improves performance from the beginning. Once you feel thirsty, it has already gone too far. Your body is then in survival mode. Water needs to be an every day, all the time, without even thinking, choice.
Now some of you may see where I am going, but can’t we look at this and compare it to our lives as believers. To be truly refreshed, we need to saturate ourself in the love of Jesus, the word of God, the community of believers, the blessing …
Read MoreRefreshed
Are you thirsty? Do you feel like your thirst is never quenched? Do you feel an ongoing need for hydration? Are we every fully satisfied?
Water is essential to our lives. I am sure you already know we cannot survive without it. But did you know our bodies are made of 50-70% water? Water is vital as it dissolves substances, carries nutrients, transports oxygen, aids other organs, regulates body temperature, sends electrical messages, helps digestion, and many other essential functions. And not only is our body made of water, we have to continually put water in to continue replenishing what we use and lose. So we never arrive and have a sufficient and lasting amount of water. We always need more and more. How people get water into their body can look a little different, but the base has to be water. Water in its purest form is the best. But you can get small amounts of waters from teas, fruits, vegetables, and other foods. But that doesn’t replace the need for just pure water.
We always think of drinking water once we get thirsty, but what we forget is it is much more beneficial to hydrate yourself consistently. When competing or exercising, the process of drinking water should happen way before you even start. Water improves performance from the beginning. Once you feel thirsty, it has already gone too far. Your body is then in survival mode. Water needs to be an every day, all the time, without even thinking, choice.
Now some of you may see where I am going, but can’t we look at this and compare it to our lives as believers. To be truly refreshed, we need to saturate ourself in the love of Jesus, the word of God, the community of believers, the blessing …
Read MoreRefreshed Perspective
A few weeks ago, I heard a talk on “Start with Why”. Since then, the “start with why” perspective has come up in my job, relationships, church, and mentoring. It seems like everywhere I turn I am reminded to think back to that talk. That reminded me to dig down deep, to dig around, and discover what drives me. What is the reason I do what I do? Who am I? What makes me tick? The why of life communicates from the inside out. So what is going on in the inside is the most important piece. The why to life gives context and meaning behind actions. It isn’t just what you do, but the reason behind why you do it. It is the emotions, the reasoning, the authenticity lived out.
Without knowing the why of what we do and who we are, we can feel like we are walking around aimlessly. We don’t have clarity in our vision, in who we are, or our actions. We feel insecure and doubt ourself. We make halfhearted decisions. The why is unknown. So the how and the what remain unclear. Or if the how and the what are clear, it can feel lukewarm if its not based on deep conviction or an understanding of the why. The why brings trust and consistency to decisions.
The crazy part is there are actually chemicals in your brain that affect decision making and motivation behind your actions. Decision making happens not in your logical part of your brain, but your limbic part of your brain. The limbic part of your brain is the survival, the emotions and feelings. So decisions are made with emotion, not just the formulas and strategies. So the right side of your brain and decisions need to be tied to the …
Read MoreCommitment of One!
With the theme of commitment this month, I wanted to remind our readers of a post I wrote a few months ago. So here it is again! Are you ready to commit?
How many different things do you say yes to? What are those things? What things do you say no to? How do those every day little decisions end up affecting your whole life?
We make yes and no decisions all day long, every day. Life is all about choices. Will you say no to getting out of bed and hit snooze one more time, will you say yes to driving the speed limit, will you say yes to another cup of coffee, will you say no to watching just one more show… Some decisions are methodically thought out over time, others are quick and hasty. Some have instant feedback, others have slow results. Some affect only you, others affect numerous people. But regardless, our lives are filled with decision after decision that determine our steps, actions, and ultimately lives.
But don’t be overwhelmed by this seemingly endless cycle of choices… I can think of a pretty amazing way to make it less of a swamped feeling. God has called us to say yes to Him. Saying yes to Christ, yes to following Him, yes to love, yes to His truth. And the rest of the decisions can just flow all determined by the one overall decision. It’s not always an easy process, but it is a simple solution. And it is not just one way, it is THE way. Yes to Christ is the most important part of any decision. It is the thing we have to remember and cling to. It isn’t about saying no to the other things. It is about saying yes to pursuing Christ, …
Read MoreCommitment
February is a perfect time to look over where you are invested. What have you committed to? Have you committed to too little, too much, or just enough? Is your heart invested in those things? Or are you just going through the motions? Is it time to say no to something, is it time to recommit to something else? Think through all that you have going on in your life. How are you really doing… Has anyone asked you that question lately, and if so, were you able to honestly answer?
To recommit to something, you have to first understand what that initial commitment actually meant. What drew you to getting involved, diving in, taking part, and investing your time, talent, or treasure? It must have been something. Looking up the definition of commitment, I found this ” the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.; a pledge or undertaking”. Are you dedicated? Are you fully invested? Or do you have your fingers in a lot of different things?
If you have kids, how committed are you to your kids? Do you love them, spend time with them, get to know them, engage in their lives? Do you remember that feeling on your wedding day when you made the commitment and covenant with your spouse? What did that commitment feel like? Or if you aren’t married, do you remember when you committed to a school and the excitement and energy that went towards that investment. It isn’t a commitment with your spouse, where you give 50% and expect him to give the other 50. It is a 100%/100% commitment, so you can make the most of your investment. When you commit to a school, you have to give it 100% to get the full experience. Life …
Read MoreUnited and Worth it
Broken. Isolated. Alone. Disconnected.
vs.
Together. Restored. Supported. Purposeful.
Which one do you want to be a part of? What sounds more inviting? I definitely think the latter, but why do we so easily play into the broken and dysfunctional tug of wars of this world. We put ourselves on these little islands trying to reach these levels of success by being self-sufficient . We do it to ourselves. We get stuck in survival of the fittest mode of our culture. We lose ourselves in comparing ourselves to others. We forget who we are because we are so caught up in what we are not or what we don’t have. We are missing it.
We were created in the image of God to be a part of his family. We were meant to be on this journey most importantly together with the Lord, but together with the body of believers. We were designed to be united in a purpose bigger than ourselves. We were shaped to be a part of the purpose of the Lord. We were formed to be United with Christ. Not separated. Not on our own. Together, in unity, in love, and whole in the Lord.
Our world screams at us to fit this mold. But that mold is broken. It is never going to fit. It isn’t what we were created for. So why are we trying so hard to put a piece of the puzzle into the wrong picture. We need to get our picture right. Are we living out the qualities and pursuing characteristics that are a part of unity of Christ, or are we just trying to get one step ahead of the rat race. The right race is not a sprint, it is a marathon, and the journey may look a whole …
Read MoreRenew your Soul- You are Chosen
Do you feel inadequate? Do you feel unloved? Do you wonder where you belong?….
These are questions that many people struggle with, but few people admit. Our world screams at us that we are never enough, that we never have enough, and we will never be enough. So we get stuck. We get stuck in the in between of trying to be content with what we have and doing away with the noise that is telling us we need more. We hide our past hurts, struggles, and feelings and fill our time with stuff to cover it all up. Then there is a never ending cycle of feeling inadequate, insignificant, and out of place.
But there is one place where we always fit in. There is one place where we are unconditionally loved. And there is one place where our significance always trumps any definition of success. That place is in the arms of our Father and Lord.…
Read MoreBe Blessed Right Where You Are
How many times have you found yourself stuck? Have you heard, thought or said any of the following… “When I arrive here”, “When I get this”, “When this happens” THEN… THEN WHAT? Life can begin? You have arrived? You are now blessed?…No, no… we have it all wrong. Thinking like that only wishes away where you are, wasting the blessings of the present. Not all blessings are perfectly wrapped with a bow on top. But I guarantee you they are there.
Look around you and find the blessing in today. They may be right under your nose. But your vision may be clouded by the what ifs. Dreaming is good, planning is essential, forward thinking is helpful, and thinking about the future can be enjoyable, but you can’t let it overshadow the joys of today. You have to keep your dreaming and hoping in check with reflecting, engaging, and being present.
Ways to focus on the blessings:
- Use a Gratitude Journal (see description here)
- See Jesus (blog post here)
- Look to bless others (With a heart to bless others, you are usually blessed and have a perspective shift in return)
- Pray! (Prayer is powerful. Walls are broken down, hearts are changed, and the Lord is given the power)
- Wear a smile and think positively (article here)
Live today. Be blessed in today. Recognize the blessings. Bless others in return. Live blessed. I want to live this way. May I renew my life and the life around me by recognizing my blessings and living different because of it.
How can you live blessed?
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