IT MATTERS

For the last two weeks, I have had the two words "it matters" running through my head at all times of the day and night. WHAT MATTERS!? I kept asking myself as I wrestled with this idea. What is IT? And WHY does it matter? Why do the little things matter... such as the extra sets at the gym, whether or not I make the best food choices, whether or not I pray when I feel like complaining, why does IT MATTER!?

1 Peter 4:11 says: "Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the STRENGTH and ENERGY that God supplies. Then EVERYTHING YOU DO will bring GLORY to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! AMEN."

This is why it matters!! This is why all of the little choices we make throughout the day matter- to bring glory to the One who made us!!! If nothing else, my hope and desire for my life is to honor the One who gives me my very breath moment after moment and has set me free. He has redeemed this life and made all things new and so with great conviction, I have realized that IT MATTERS. Everything I do matters because it all provides an opportunity to bring Him the glory and point others to Him. Yes, indeed, IT ALL MATTERS.

In this next week, I challenge you to look at the big moments and the little moments and remind yourself that IT MATTERS! Check how you respond to that rude driver, how you respond to the 1,043 questions your kids ask you throughout the day, how you talk to yourself, how you treat your spouse... because they are ALL opportunities to bring glory to God. IT ALL MATTERS.

Killer 30 minute cardio

So I have this friend; you know the kind of friend that make you do things you really don't want to do, but in the end you know it's the best thing for you. After an Olympic lifting WOD (workout of the day) and setting a new PR (personal record) in the split snatch, she says to me and another innocent bystander friend... "hey girls want to do a 30 minute cardio workout with me? It's a good cardio blast, c'mon it will be fun." (insert sly sarcastic smile here). So hesitantly we agreed, and do you know what? It was empowering, faith building and one of my favorite cardio workouts I have done in a long time even though it was TOUGH. I love my friend for so many reasons, but one of them being that she pushes me to be a better athlete and believes in my ability way more so than I do at times. Friends are such a blessing- especially fitness and faith centered friends!

So here's the workout... try it if you have a good base of cardio endurance and want a challenge! You can also scale it back to 15 minutes or minimize the number of reps in each round to fit you fitness level.

Every minute on the minute (EMOM):
10-12 calorie row
10-12 burpees
  * pick a number than you can maintain throughout the entire workout. Also, If the row takes 40
     seconds, rest for the remaining 20 seconds then start with burpees at the top of the next minute.  
     Continue until set time elapses.