Day 12: The F.I.T.-ness test

Daniel Fast 2010: day 12

Today was tough. Spiritually, emotionally and physically. I was drained. At first I was ready to chalk it up to PMS but there were no chocolate cravings so that wasn't it.

All day I was dragging, eyes barely open, it hurt to breathe, well not really hurt but it almost burned to breathe. Kinda reminded me of Ohio winters when its so cold your nostrils stick together if you sniff. That kind of hurt-breathing. My body ached; my head, my back, my legs. Every noise seemed exagerated and annoyingly loud. Every song on the radio made me cry, every thought that passed my mind made me tear up. I was frustrated...and the list went on, BUT GOD!

I had no idea that I was being tested. Even when I had to deal with the torment of difficult people, I was being tested.

At the end of the day, I sit here relieved its over taking a sigh of retreive when the Holy Spirit says to me "you've passed". I'm like "WUT". So we began our conversation:

"you passed your test, this was a fitness test. To see how strong you are. You say you are strong, you have placed your life, your health, your wellbeing, in my trust. You've given it to me, I've tried you and tested you and I know you are now F.I.T. to serve"

WOW! Do I get a medal or anything? Probably not, but, I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL!!!!!! Toward the High Calling, which Christ has called me to! I press on! I passed this test.

Today. It felt like the long jump in a track and field tournament. I was grounded then off I ran full speed as fast as my feet could carry me, boom, I hit that landing zone, up in the air with the greatest propulsion I could muster up and I landed in the sand...here come the judges to measure my distance. How far did I jump, were my toes across the line? I don't know how far I jumped today, all I know is that I qualified for the next round!!!!!

Later in the day I ran into a familiar face from one of my very first experiences as an aerobics instructor. We chatted about how long it's been since we first met recognizably so because our daughters were just in baby carriers then. And then another God Stop ; that's those moments Beth Moore describes in the Believing God study, when God just quickly identifies Himself in an unlikely space in your life. I realized how far I'd come. I realized that over 7 years ago I stood infront of a group of hopeful moms, unsure of who I was; guiding them on a journey of finding their potential in staying healthy. I had no clue who I was yet He used me to be a light in someone's life. WOW! How great our God is that He caused me to be effective when I thought I was defective.

I am drawn to the following passage, especially when I feel like giving up and saying this is too much for me to handle.

1 Corinthians 8:10-15 says

(10) And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desireing to do a year ago; (11) but now you must complete the doing of it: that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.(12)For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have. (13)For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened. (14)but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack that there may be equality. (15) As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack"

After years of having labored with compassion to keep others fit, I know that He will do what He said He would do, when I first began this work.

No matter how I feel or how it looks I will let this scripture be my encouragement. Let it also encourage you.

So I will discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:27

-keep your heart pumpin' and your spirit movin'

Amia