My goal of one blog post/month on our personal blog has
been an EPIC fail. I really want to do better at this, because it is the online
journal of our lives on which we can look back on years from now and REMEMBER.
Remember this life, this time, this season...the many ways God is ALWAYS at
work in lives of His children.
Life is busy for us - as it is for any family with a 3 and 1 year old. We are blessed.This is a fallen, fallen world and we are all subject to its woes. Our lives could dramatically change in an instant, so I strive to cherish each breath we have as a healthy young family. As we grow a little older each day, we realize how "narrow is the path" and how few truly find it...
Why He chose us and why He has given us the faith to believe is something I am not sure I will ever fully understand. All I know it that I am thankful. I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving when I think about our journey and How He has never left, even when I am prone to wander....
So I guess this post covers the latter part of summer and beginning of fall for us. July and August consisted of Ashley and Austin's wedding (without kids!) in Ohio, a big trip to Wild Dunes with Grams and Pops visiting for the majority of it, a little trip to Wild Dunes with just me and the girls, a lot of training/flying/selling for Steve; and play-dates, library trips, pool visits, and much memory-making for me and the girls. I have always been afraid of "dead time", but I think I finally embraced it this summer. Time passes way too quickly with these little ones, and I really don't want to miss one second.
Hope's first word is definitely "DaDa". She is IN LOVE with her daddy. Hannah is all about doing her "work-outs", playing with her imaginary friend Garie (yeah, no idea), and helping me cook dinner. Hope's blue eyes are just to die for, and her big-toothed smile makes us melt each time she graces us with it.
Justice Fitness is thriving. Every night we reflect on the gift of helping people live healthier lives for a living. It's incredible. Each client that we gain becomes a friend with whom we long to share the love of Christ with. Whether or not they find Him while they are with us is out of our hands, but our prayer is that they hear and see the gospel through our time together. I believe unashamedly that every Christian is called to "make disciples" in the workplace (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8). How that is done and what that looks like is different for everyone. Life transformation is our "game" and we can't escape communicating that physical change only brings satisfaction for a season; only God can fill the hole that He created in our hearts.
Self discipline through physical training and a healthy diet must serve a bigger purpose; they are not meant to terminate on themselves. Exercising every day and following a strict clean-eating diet are meaningless unless used to pursue holiness - a richer and deeper understanding of and relationship with our Creator. Paul sums it up best in his first letter to the Corinthians:
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Life is busy for us - as it is for any family with a 3 and 1 year old. We are blessed.This is a fallen, fallen world and we are all subject to its woes. Our lives could dramatically change in an instant, so I strive to cherish each breath we have as a healthy young family. As we grow a little older each day, we realize how "narrow is the path" and how few truly find it...
Why He chose us and why He has given us the faith to believe is something I am not sure I will ever fully understand. All I know it that I am thankful. I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving when I think about our journey and How He has never left, even when I am prone to wander....
So I guess this post covers the latter part of summer and beginning of fall for us. July and August consisted of Ashley and Austin's wedding (without kids!) in Ohio, a big trip to Wild Dunes with Grams and Pops visiting for the majority of it, a little trip to Wild Dunes with just me and the girls, a lot of training/flying/selling for Steve; and play-dates, library trips, pool visits, and much memory-making for me and the girls. I have always been afraid of "dead time", but I think I finally embraced it this summer. Time passes way too quickly with these little ones, and I really don't want to miss one second.
Hope's first word is definitely "DaDa". She is IN LOVE with her daddy. Hannah is all about doing her "work-outs", playing with her imaginary friend Garie (yeah, no idea), and helping me cook dinner. Hope's blue eyes are just to die for, and her big-toothed smile makes us melt each time she graces us with it.
Justice Fitness is thriving. Every night we reflect on the gift of helping people live healthier lives for a living. It's incredible. Each client that we gain becomes a friend with whom we long to share the love of Christ with. Whether or not they find Him while they are with us is out of our hands, but our prayer is that they hear and see the gospel through our time together. I believe unashamedly that every Christian is called to "make disciples" in the workplace (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8). How that is done and what that looks like is different for everyone. Life transformation is our "game" and we can't escape communicating that physical change only brings satisfaction for a season; only God can fill the hole that He created in our hearts.
Self discipline through physical training and a healthy diet must serve a bigger purpose; they are not meant to terminate on themselves. Exercising every day and following a strict clean-eating diet are meaningless unless used to pursue holiness - a richer and deeper understanding of and relationship with our Creator. Paul sums it up best in his first letter to the Corinthians:
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
I encourage our friends, family, and clients who are pursuing healthier lifestyles to look beyond vanity. While desiring to "be better for my kids", "be around to see my grandchildren", and "feel better on the inside" are good things, they are all vain ambitions that do not ultimately satisfy the soul. I strongly believe that this is why most people give up...because they are chasing a prize that just does not last. But training for Godliness yields fruit that sustains, multiplies, and parches our thirsty soul.
There's my rant. But it's a rant that has become the clear mantra to why we do what we do personally and professionally. Good things are meant to be good things; once they become ultimate things we become idolaters who place God's creation above God Himself. It is our humble prayer that we do not slip into this trap, which we must FIGHT every hour of every day. We find that as we pursue Christ through our physical lives more and more (as well as through prayer, fellowship, and instruction), we become stronger to DEPEND upon our God to remain our God.
And now the pictures!
The beautiful bride, Ashley Dunigan Wechter.
Old school style with Mulli and Mary at the wedding.
My man in his Fadora before the wedding. He is hot :)
Beautiful Salt Fork State Park.
He likes this one, so I'll put it up here :)
A fun summer afternoon outside of Flywheel spending time with Daddy between his classes.
Poolside at Quail Hollow Country Club. MC, you are so special to us.
Nana and Bella visited!
Dinner with sweet clients and friends.
This is only the beginning. The girl can do about everything we do! She has learned from watching us train ourselves and our clients. It is TOO cute!
Discovery Place Kids! AWESOME retreat for the little ones.
Birthday party for Hallie with Minnie.
Cowgirls.
Many early morning workouts completed before the real job begins...
Daddy's latest building creation. The fort. Built while we were at the beach. He is just incredible folks.
Belk shindig for the kids. Makeup party with Sarah. Ugh :)
Just beautiful. Posing for the camera!
Playing at a Kory's home while Steve trains Ryan.
I told you!
Lots of driveway play-time this summer.
Even Papa got it on in the sweatbox! Good job Daddio!
Discovery Place Kids date with Papa. So awesome!
Its hot in the 'box. Mommy's workouts aren't easy either :)
Pretty shirts from Nana and Papa's trip to Ithaca, NY.
No Words :)
On our lone trip to Wild Dunes. We got a tour of the Isle of Palms Fire Station and met the Firemen.
Little kid at heart...always :)
Riding Big Sissy's bike.
Costco silliness.
Fam reunion in Boone.
Gymnastics! Oh goodness!Notice hoe she is the only one NOT in a leotard. So not necessary :)
She's a balla.
In training already!
We look important in this pic huh? HA! Pre-runway shot :)
He's a model now. Yeah, really. One good-looking model at that! Repping Silverfly for Flywheel at a the Front Row Fashion Show in NODA. Good times and REALLY tight pants :)
Birthday parties galore on the first fall weekend of 2013.
After church. TOO CUTE.
Gettin her run on after school.
Backward lunge to DB press with knee lift. Obvi.
The verse of this season of our lives would definitely be 2 Corinthians 3:18. As we behold Him, we find that truly, He transforms us and little by little, molds us to be more of who He created us to be...
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Sweet times with wonderful like-minded friends. And a church plant to come...more on that soon :) God has something amazing in the works in Matthews, NC!
