Jesus. In. My. Place.

Have you ever worked for a temp agency? You know where you go in and do the job of someone that is “missing”, even if only for a short time. I did and it resulted in the only (knock on something) migraine that I have ever had. I got to thinking about taking the place of another and then I began to think about who I would be willing to “fill in” for. Which led to me thinking about what other “requirements” I would have before I agreed to “take his/her place”. And then it hit me, if I have that many requirements for filling in for someone, then do others? Did Jesus?

During Old Testament times, the high priest would offer a yearly sacrifice on
Yom Kippur. They would enter the Holy of Holies(the place in the Jewish temple where God's presence would be, behind the veil) and sprinkle the blood of a clean animal sacrifice upon the ark of the covenant in order to propitiate or satisfy (literally...absorb the wrath) the anger of God against the sins of the people. But in order to enter into God's presence the high priest had an intense process to complete so that he would not be struck down(it involved some seclusion, a bunch of showers, and frequent clothing changes). The high priest would be the fill in for all the people so that they could be forgiven of their sins. Let's look at

“Now Joshua, the high priest, was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” Zechariah 3: 3-4

In Scripture, a person's garments often speak of a person's character or condition. Soiled and filthy garments speak of sin, white garments speak of being cleansed and made sinless. Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, but these were removed and replaced with festal robes. Festal robes were the priests' equivalent of their "Sunday best.” Notice that God had done the work of cleansing, not Joshua. Before God, he was filthy in sin. It was the Lord who removed his iniquity and made him clean. Jesus does that for us. Jesus. In. My. Place.

What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. This is a common saying among married couples – well at least in my marriage it is. When I said “I do”, I took all of Justin to be mine and he took all of me to be his. He worked at first and I was in school, but that did not mean that he kept all the money and I couldn't eat. And then we switched places, he was in school and I worked...either way it did not make a difference. When we accept Jesus, all that is ours becomes His and all that is His becomes ours...man I think He got the short end of that stick...but the best news is that He thinks the same thing! You see Jesus is all we need. He did not hesitate to take our place. He took it...no questions asked. He is our High Priest. He was the sacrifice laid before God to take care of our sin. We need nothing else. Jesus. In. My. Place. J.D Greear says:

“Jesus + Nothing = Assurance”

Romans 4:5 says this....“But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.”

You see, it says that the person who realizes that there is nothing they could ever DO to earn eternal life and BELIEVES that God did the work necessary to save him/her, will be righteous. Jesus. In. YOUR. Place. Aren't you glad that Jesus did the work for you? I am!

~ Donna

Yes, Lord!

Three women standing in a parking lot.
All different. One in her thirties with small children.
One in her fifties with grandchildren.
One in her forties with teenagers.
United by Christ.

Three women standing, talking, laughing and one says, "Did I tell you about the service I attended"?
The other two listen intently.
At this service the pastor starts and says, "YES, LORD. He says, YES, LORD; yes, Lord; yes, Lord." For half an hour the pastor says, "Yes Lord" in every way that it could be said.
And all that were listening were in agreement. They echoed back, "Yes, Lord".

The two listening stare wide-eyed. They even laugh at the thought of a thirty minute, two word, repeated message. In jest, they lift arms and say, "Yes, Lord".

And then the end of the message is shared.
After 30 minutes and all those being led to a united agreement the pastor prays.

"Now that you know the answer Lord, tell us the question".

I can hear the pin drop now.
The chills as they realize the point.
A spirit of willingness.
A spirit of YES. Yes, Lord.
No matter what the call; no matter what the question.

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."

Psalm 51:12

 

 

The two in the parking lot listening to the third agree. Yes, Lord. Yes, we must be willing no matter what the call; no matter what the question. No matter what the impossible looks like, it is possible for YOU.

 

Three women standing in the parking lot.

All different.

Part ways...united in Christ.

Ready to say, "Yes, Lord"!

 

Is your spirit willing? Willing to say yes, Lord? No matter what the call?

Christ sacrificed His life for you and I.

Consider the answer you will give to whatever question He may ask you today!

 

~because He lives! Jodie

 

"Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." Isaiah 26:8

 

Vital

This week I have been reminded over and over how aligning your thoughts with the thoughts of our creator is vital!
Vital to our daily walk with Christ.
Vital to relationships with others.
Vital to the body of Christ being united.
Vital.

Yesterday we all held our breath in Sunday school as we opened the lesson to see that we were studying something that most have admitted trouble achieving...using words appropriately. All sitting around the tables in our small class knew that it was likely that "toe stepping" was coming. Thankfully, an early morning session alone with God had prepared me with a willing spirit to learn!

The book of James has much to say about not saying much...
"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (1:19)

How often have you wished you had heeded this truth? I can count numerous times. Oh to go back and erase the many words I have been to quick to speak. There was a time that I had nothing good to say because I was not filling my heart and mind with good things. My thoughts were that of what I ingested from the world.
My bible somewhere gathering dust.
How do we communicate in the way the Father intended, if we do not first let Him communicate?
Be quick to listen.
Quick to listen to the Father.
Quick to hear the still, small voice.
Quick to discover His words and let them mold yours.

I watched, well I read, how a few small words was tearing at the heart of another this week. I recalled when the same sort of words tore at my heart. It only takes a few words to break a spirit.

"Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." James 3:5

 

If we are going to use the words of our mouth to set a fire, isn't it best that the blaze be one that does not destroy. Can we slow down and purpose our words to light a fire for Christ?
Set our souls on fire Lord!
Vital. Vital to align our toughts with Christ. So that when we set a fire it is not to destroy and take down a great forest.
How can we be encouaraged knowing that "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing" (James 3:10)? We can be encouraged through prayer and study of the word that assures us that the power of God lives in us and is able to do immeasuably more that we could imagine. We can be encouarged that we can call on Him whose greatest purpose is to Love and share love through us when we stop to listen, encouarge and shower others with that same love and encouragement.

It is vital that our thoughts and words be His.

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14
When we use words to build the Kingdom He will be pleased.
When we set a fire for the Kingdom He will be pleased.

Vital. Vital to align with God.

~Jodie

Blown Away!

Most Wednesdays we give a challenge. Just a little encouragement to stretch ourselves further in our faith and fitness endeavors. When I started to write today's challenge it was no different than any other Wednesday. I had an idea. I began the research and then I was BLOWN AWAY!
God does that sometime.
Sometime to let me know that I am on the right track, sometime to let me know that He has other plans and sometime to remind me that He is awesome!

I set out to explore a song and to challenge you to do the same.
For those who have never worked out with this stitched together bunch we call Faithfully Fit let me take a moment to tell you about the music we use to work out. It's not just music. It doesn't just have the right beat. It has a message. A message to direct our minds, thoughts, praises and conversation toward Christ! Our first song this session is called Build Your Kingdom Here by Rend Collective Experiment.

It's catchy...it sticks in your head...it has twang. After hearing it a few times in class I heard it on the radio. I turned it up, I rolled down the windows of my orange jeep, and I listened.
I listened and I got excited. I was blown away!
Blown away by the meaning I heard in the lyrics. I knew had scripture backing! Scripture from the Word of God was flowing through this song. I wanted to run to my bible and find a verse for each line! I shouldn't be surprised. Much thought and time goes into the selection of each song. But this morning God BLEW ME AWAY as I studied.

First I wanted to see the lyrics. Then I looked at the artists behind the song. I found this as I read their bio:

“We’re all handmade people created by our God who is not safe or small,” Gareth shares. “Our heart was ultimately to make music that was sonically creative and pushed the boundaries, but we also wanted to write something that really served the Church. It’s not us trying to do something crazy and different for crazy and different’s sake, it’s our response to a truly magnificent God with a wild imagination.” - Rend Collective

And then I listened to their story (http://rendcollective.com/bio/) and I had tears and a heart swelling with praise to God. The God they sing for, is the God I sing for and they see, they see the need for UNITY. They see God's people and they see the need for unity. They see the body of Christ joined as ONE to worship Christ.

And then they collectively do something!
My challenge was going to be study the lyrics of a song and search the Bible for it's backing. But it is now changed. I challenge us to see the need for unity, to join as one and worship Christ! Let Christ set your heart ablaze with hope.........and then Share it with ALL that they may be ONE in Christ!

"We seek your kingdom first

We hunger and we thirst

Refuse to waste our lives

For you're our joy and prize

To see the captive hearts released

The hurt; the sick; the poor at peace

We lay down our lives for heaven's cause

We are your church

We pray revive

This earth"  ~Rend Collective, Build Your Kingdom Here

 

Blown Away~ Jodie

Are You Sure?

I feel certain that we have all asked or been asked this question at some point in our lives. I can think of a few times. Like during the ultrasound when you are pregnant - It's a girl! Are you sure? Or when eating some new food with Justin – is it hot? No, not really...Are you sure? Or “sitting” behind a boat on skies. Ready? Yep! Are you sure?

 

I would also venture to say that in life we have had times when we are SURE that one thing was going to happen, but then something else happens which shakes our assurance and makes us doubt. But the question we pose this week is does God really want us to have assurance of our salvation? And if He does, then what proof does He give us in His word? You see, when we ask the question “Are you sure?” we have some uncertainty about whatever it may be and possibly even some fear. But God changes us and molds us; not by fear, but through love - secure love. J.D Greer says in his book Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart that “your spiritual life will not really ever take off until you have the assurance of salvation. Until you KNOW that you are His and He is yours, your obedience will be limited.” We need to KNOW of the God whom we are leaving this world for. We need to KNOW of the resurrection in order to take up our cross. Oh and I love this - “It is the JOY of KNOWING beyond doubt that you belong to God that makes all of these things possible.” JOY!!!!!!

So how do we know? We must be convinced that the something we are risking it all for actually exists. If we are going to jump off a cliff with only a rope to hold us we have to make sure that the rope exists.

“Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” 1 Corinthians 8:6

“For His invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20

You cannot be assured of your salvation until you are confident that “Jesus will support the full weight of your soul”. You cannot say “no” to sin until you realize that God has said “yes” through Jesus. You cannot suffer persecution in this world until you are certain where you stand with God. Make this verse yours as a believer in Christ:

“For I KNOW whom I have believed that is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” 2 Timothy 1:12

You must believe and know that God made a radical commitment to you. You must do good works for God, not so that God will approve of you, but because you “deeply and truly love the One that is commanding you.”

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.   This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.   And if we KNOW that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.” 1 John 5:13-18

So, how can we apply assurance to unity? Religion commands us to change our behavior, but it cannot change our hearts. Only the gospel, the one TRUE gospel (There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism,  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6 - remember?) and the assurance it yields goes deep enough to actually change the warped nature of our hearts. We are only transformed into glory when we are overwhelmed at the glory of Christ's sacrifice for us. Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior today? Are you confident that He completed the work on the cross? Do you daily try to live for Him? Then KNOW that you are saved! Are you sure? Absolutely! Donna

References: the Bible and Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart by J.D. Greer

Is there anything I can do to help?

He walks in the kitchen and says, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
I was preparing Sunday lunch. The oven was going, the stove top was steaming, the cutting board was out and I was in "full speed ahead" mode.
I answered. "The dishwasher needs unloading".

Pause.

"I mean something I want to do."
"That is not what you said. You said, is there anything I can do to help?"

We exchanged a few more times in jest of the situation. An offer to help, that was really just a polite gesture with no real intention. It was nice to hear can I help. But in this case, on this day, the response my husband wanted to hear was...no, I'm good.

The whole conversation got me thinking of how we come to Christ. We say in our most pleasant voice of prayer, Lord, use me. Where do you need me? What would you have me to do?
And then we hear the answer. We see the road and the clear path to where God would have us to serve and we pause.

That was not what I was thinking God!
Are you sure this is my calling... I really wanted to serve over here.
I want to do this, but that...that takes me far away from everything I know I can do.

Recently, I have prayed some tough prayers. They are tough because I am asking God to take me outside of what I can do alone and I am asking Him to mold me for what He wants me to do. (To unload the dishwasher would be so much easier!) At dinner last night I shared a prayer with my ministry partner...she said,"would you stop praying that!" We laughed together because we knew that it was the right prayer, but we knew it would stretch us.


I wonder. When Jesus washed the feet of the disciples what would have happened if He had first said, wash the feet of your brother?

Would the response have been positive? Would the disciples have been willing to take the dirty feet of another into their hands and humble themselves in such a way? First Jesus "poured water into the basin and began to wash the disciples feet" (John 13:5). First, Jesus demonstrated. Then He explained, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will after this" (13:7). Last He instructed.  "If I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you" (13:14-15).

He gave the example.

When we come before the Lord to ask how He would use us let us come with a spirit of willingness. If the instruction comes and we are uncertain and less than excited to wash dirty feet, let us remember the One who first washed the dirt himself. He does not ask of us what He has not yet first demonstrated, explained, instructed and given us the strength to accomplish.

Pray today and ask boldly and willingly, "Is there anything I can do to help"?

Stumbling to Stand

Today I stumbled across a familiar verse of scripture, one we have used in Faithfully Fit. I sat to spend time with Jesus and I stumped my toe on the Word he placed in my path.

Ouch. Had I really forgotten so soon after committing the verse to memory? Perhaps.
Perhaps because I banked it as a memory, rather than making it a heart commitment.

I READ. The devotion laid before me, then chapter two of Philippians.
I SEE. Jesus before me in these verses.
"he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant"

"he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!"

All this, without complaining, He did. Washed the feet, walked the miles, feed the thousands. Without complaining. Listened to the doubts, the ridicule, the accusations. Without arguing. All the way to the cross without complaining, without arguing. Jesus.

He had love, love with a goal.

Do I have a goal? While I am stumbling in this world to stand, do I see the finish line?

His goal, to show God's love, that all may see, know, trust and have eternal life.
I go back to the verse that stumped my toe. I look before, I look after.

"for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain."

God does the work, yet I must be reminded not to grumble.
And the gift, see the gift....To be children of God, to shine for Him. To shine for Him in a warped and crooked generation.
Timeless...as chemicals are being used against His children and those without Him are perishing daily. His Word is timeless.

If I must stumble to stand, let me stumble on His Word.

Without a grumble or an argument, let me do everything for Him.

For His glory, that others may see,
Jodie

A Jog Around the Track

A cool fall night. I stretch and wait for a friend to arrive. A jog around the track is in order.

It was a long day. Housework, office work, volleyball game, meetings...I really just wanted to crash.
Thankfully my friend said, "I am sitting here, dressed and ready". Just enough encouragement to keep me headed to the track! My body needs this, my mind needs this, it is good.
We hit the track full speed ahead, a few brisk walking laps to get the juices going. We commence to talk. Isn't that what all ladies do around the track? She has been in a place I am now entering, she offers an ear, kind advice, encouragement. We pick up the pace.

We push to run. We are training. There is a race the end of this month and we are slated to participate. We push to run. We continue our conversations. Talk of children, school, fundraising, God. We don't overlook God. Not tonight. In fact, most of the time when I am near this friend the talk does not overlook our Jesus. I smile at the thought.

We lose count of the laps; each one happy to take the others count when it is higher than their own. We continue the talk until the last sprint when we just push to run as hard as we can and then we slow down to just breathe. We almost leave. But there is more pressing on our hearts and so we talk a moment more. Isn't that what all ladies do?

I listen. It's a trained attribute for me. I must remember to listen. God places wisdom before me and I must listen. I hear. I get excited. I understand. The night ends with one Jesus girl saying to the other, I find He speaks to me over and over. Yes, Yes! He does. He speaks because we are listening. He speaks because we knock. He speaks because He said He would and we are in a relationship with Him! Right where He is...in the Word. We open the Word and we look there, we enter into prayer and we hear Him speak.
A cool fall night. I am now sweaty (beautiful). I am encouraged. I feel invigorated. I am thankful for a friend. I am thankful for Jesus. I am thankful for a jog around the track.

Jodie

If you are in need of a friend, encouragement, prayer, wisdom from the Word....Faithfully Fit has what you are looking for....all ladies are invited to join us!

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God,

namely, Christ"

Col 2:2

A Birthday Celebration All Stitched Up!







Starting with an idea & a box of yarn...
with hope of encouraging women to live out a few verses from Ephesians 4

" There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

With great expectations we chill the water while we work to "stitch" a celebration....

The new logo has been quilted together by a faithful man of God who lends his talents to the ladies of Faithfully Fit

The Fall Newsletter has been lovingly written and "sewn" together with the help of a computer and tired eyes staring at a screen to see if things are just right...

The linens are spread, the flowers are placed, and then we work on the final touches...spreading buttons, lighting candles. Because the ladies we serve, we serve with JOY & they are beautiful.

“All beautiful you are my darling; there is no flaw in you”

Song of Solomon 4:7

Now the time is near. There are circles of chairs that wait to be filled. The ladies, each with a heart, each with a smile, many with a quilt. The questions lay in wait...just little conversation starters and then we wait to great each lovely lady that God created.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13

And they come. Generations are represented in more ways than one. The stories flow, the smiles enlarge across faces. Each quilt is shared with love and adoration for grandmothers, great-aunts, special church members who pieced together each square and finished a gift to be given....

And given. This one for a graduation gift in 1976

These all represent different stories, different lives, different hopes, different dreams.

 

Story after Story reveals love. One grandmother starting a gift of love, another to complete the gift. Scraps from dresses, potato sacks, flour sacks and more, stitched, one stitch at a time. The time spent together sharing prepares the heart to hear....

The Word.

The JOY from the laundry room spills out and over from one heart to another in hopes that we can live out those verses from Ephesians. Those special ladies with eyes wide open watch and listen.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Rom 8:28

My Jesus is your Jesus. He calls us to be ONE. He takes all that we are, all that we have...and works it for the good. If you have Jesus you are ONE with any other who is a daughter of Christ. Let us come together as ONE, stitch by imperfect stitch....let us build the body.

Let us stitch

and stitch

Until everyone is stitched and held together by the one true knot called
JESUS!

And out of that box of yarn, with buttons of love and prayer we smile and we share, Our Third Birthday, with anyone who wants to be stitched into the family of Faithfully Fit!

 

 





 

 

Unity in Marriage

by Michelle Adams

Faithfully Fit Morning Instructor

 

“Life is like a roller coaster”… we’ve all heard this expression from time to time, huh?!  When asked to write on unity in marriage, that was the first thing that came to my mind.  Relationships in life are sometimes hard, even complicated, and I would say marriage is on the TOP of that list! 

Now, I will speak from a woman’s perspective since I am one, after all, and because we are a group of women in Faithfully Fit.

 I have always felt a strong desire to “submit” to my husband – even before I was saved.  God put that desire in my heart at a very early age.  “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:3-5)   All I wanted to do when I “grew up” was to get married, have kids (LOTS of kids!!) and be a stay-at-home mom/wife.  He has surely given me the desires of my heart and I feel so incredibly blessed each and every day. 

I prayed for my husband, Mike, long before we even met.  We have been married almost 16 years now (in October), and we have been walking with God together for 14 years.  We have attended many bible studies and seminars/retreat weekends on marriage.  I can tell you, it is a constant journey, but we are both committed to each other, but most importantly, to God first. 

“However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”  (Ephesians 5:33)

In the last two years I have seen a few marriages fall apart.  Statistically, we are reaching the age where this happens, as 50% of all marriages end in divorce.  WOW! 50% is too high!  I feel the number one culprit is selfishness (pride) taking hold of our spirit… with a great lack of love and respect. 

 

“¹Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2)

 

Early in our marriage, I had someone say to me, “Humble yourself… put him (your husband) above yourself and do something, especially in time of anger/frustration, to bless him.  Compliment him, do something for him without being asked that will cause you to rise above the situation.  If it is hard, pray and ask God to give you the peace, and will to do what is ‘right’ in His eyes.”  Sometimes that is the HARDEST thing in the world to do, but in prayer, God gives me the strength, peace and grace to go against my “flesh” and honor Him (and my husband) J.

 

An excerpt from Focus on the Family’s "the art of marriage"

In the valleys of our “roller coaster”, it is important to stay connected.  Some ways to do so are:

·         Spend time reading the Word of God both individually and as a couple, particularly the book of Psalms.

·         Pray together.  Use scriptures to enrich your prayer time.

·         Journaling is a concrete way to express to God how you feel and helps a spouse understand your struggle.

·         Worship corporately with other believers, even when you don’t feel like it.

·         Join a small group so that others can support and encourage you as you walk through the difficult time.

·         Choose to find joy in other areas of life, and verbalize a thankful heart.  Make a list of things you are thankful for.  True joy in a family is caught not taught.

·         Go away together as a couple and regroup.  Some things can’t be sorted out in the midst of children, jobs and routine.

·         Embrace the Holy Spirit as your Comforter, and allow Him to work as you rest.

·         Verbalize your choice to make your attitude better, not bitter.

·         Ask for help from trusted friends or a counselor.

This is such a deep topic, and it could be written about and discussed in great length; however, I will leave you with this opportunity… my home church, Valley Community Church, has a ministry (Longview Retreat) created by a wonderful couple, Joe and Jane Brown.  They have taken their beautiful family farm and are using it to glorify God in such an amazing way.  They hold 1 ½ day marriage seminars throughout the year.  They pamper and love on their participants in such a godly way, and in the process provide couples with life-changing tools to guide and grow their marriages.  Mike and I have been blessed to participate and serve with Joe and Jane in this ministry and would love to tell you more, if you are interested.  They also offer one-on-one marriage counseling with individual couples and pre-marital counseling.

“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:14)

 

One Heart by Heather Merritt

This has been quite a long but much needed summer break.  I have missed my faithfully fit morning girls and am excited to get started again with them in September.  As I was thinking and praying about our new fall session “All Stitched Up” I felt I was at a loss as to what to share with you all, but then remembering it’s all about unity I had words fall into my lap. (I guess they didn’t just fall, I’m sure God placed them there carefully). 

As many of you know I own and coach Valley Cheer All-star’s at The Rock.  There are seven different teams of all ages of girls ranging from 2 years old to 18 years old.  Each team has a different team name and different coach, and each of them have a completely different two and a half minute routine that shows off each girl’s individual level of talent.  Although my coaching staff and I feel it is important to let each individual girl shine we all know that they have to be one when performing to make the routines work. This is why my staff and I came up with our gym’s motto “One Heart”.  It is on our practice shirts, in our music, and is recited over and over in the cheer portion of our routine by each cheerleader. 

We chose “One Heart” as our motto to show the importance of us all following the same dream and working hard towards the same goal.  I asked my cheerleaders what “One Heart” meant to them, they told me “everybody needs one heart, without a heart the body is dysfunctional.  We all have to work together to keep the heart beating.  If one thing is wrong or off the heart won’t beat right and the body won’t function”.  They said even though we are all different and have different backgrounds we all come together as one here at The Rock, we are like one big family.  This is true, we are a group of diverse people combined together to be successful.  I love the Celine Dion song One Heart, some of her lyrics include “If you got one heart you are following one dream”.  I hope each of my girls know that yes we are there to be successful and work hard to reach our goals which is to compete and perform well at competitions but it is so much more than that. 

Recently at The Rock we have had one of our highest highs and one of our lowest lows all within 24 hours.  Jessica Neville a senior and longtime member of Valley Cheer was named the Distinguished Young Woman of Roanoke Valley.  We were all there cheering her own and so excited to share in her glory.  Little did we know just a few hours later we would all be at the hospital praying for the Jean family.  A family that has been a part of Valley Cheer since it began.  It was amazing to see the love, prayer and support for both families at two totally different times in their lives.  I am so honored to be a part of a family that comes together to support one another no matter the situation.  There were two cheer moms who captured our “One Heart” motto into perfect words.

“Cheerleading and Dance are just a sport? not for THE ROCK family. Our cheerleaders couldn't stand the thought of having practice knowing their sisters were in Raleigh worrying about their dad so we went on a field trip! We took 20 girls to Raleigh and surprised our Jean family.  We are all praying for Scotty and the entire Jean family and cannot wait to see them home soon. “One Heart.”  We are all one family and I am so grateful to be a part of it.”

                                                                                                            Angel Carter

 

“As it was said earlier today, it's more than just cheer and dance, and trophies and medals... it's about family, love, support and prayer. We are ALL blessed my friends.... far more than we deserve. This gym, as well as everyone in our community loves and supports each other, and as we have seen over the last 48 hours, prays for each other.  That’s worth more than any award.

Treva Neville

It is an overwhelming feeling to know that our little words of “One Heart” have become so important to every person at Valley Cheer.  As we make our quilt of life I hope “One Heart” is a piece of it that will never be forgotten.  “One Heart” started as a cheer motto but we want everyone to adopt this motto and be a family, support and pray for each other.  We want the Faithfully Fit girls to become a part of our “One Heart”.

“All the believers were one in heart and mind.  No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.”

Acts 4:32