One step at a time... to a healthier life!

tonight as I was doing my work out I thought I could use this blog to be an encourager to my friends and readers in there journey to healthy  living and to help keep each of us accountable.  I have a problem saying no to sweets.  I love sweets.  Two years ago I went to a dietitian and she taught me a lot about food.  I have notice that since I quite going to her I have gotten lazy on my nutrition. 

So here it goes!  I have no idea what God will put on my heart to write.  I just felt like during my workout I could be a light to others that might struggle as I do with nutrition and exercising.

Having a physical disability I have learned the importance of exercising.  About three years ago, I was over weight, tired, and walking very poorly.  As many of you may know, my doctor told me it was time to lose the weight.  Ugg!  I didn't even know where to begin, but with support from my doctor, a dietitian, my friends and family, and the Lord, I lost 30 lbs. 

The hard part is to keep up my diet and exercise.  So I hope I can encourage at least one person to get active, either for the first time, or like me get back too it!

Here are top ten reasons to exercises:

1.  Prevention to Obesity.   For adults 35 and older, having a BMI greater than 30 is considered obese.  At my highest weight I was considered obese, but to me I had no idea.

This is in 2011 down in Texas, probably at my heaviest.
At the time I was blinded that I had a problem.  I just figured it
was part of working, getting older, and have cerebral palsy!
Praise the Lord, He knew better!!

2.  Exercise and heart Disease-  Even walking every day reduces the risk of heart disease.  Now if you are like me, you are thinking I am young what does heart disease have to do with me?  But as we all have heard heart disease is the #1 one killer of both men and women.  Our heart is what keeps us alive, we need to take care of it.  I have known a hand full of people, including my grandpa, that has died suddenly because their heart has failed!!
 So my encouragement to all of us is to get out and take a walk. 

I have fallen in love with walking.  Walking is very difficult for me to do, but I started out little, but before I knew it I was walking a 5k!!  I have reached my goal and have walked two 5ks!!!  What is your goal going to be!!!!!!!

I have a new goal to retrain my brain to pick up my feet as I walk.  With my CP I drag my right foot.  Last year I had a goal to walk a 5k.  If I can encourage you, make a goal for yourself.  You are more prone to exercise if you have a goal. 

3.  Lower Blood Pressure-  I will be honest, I don't know a lot about blood pressure.  All I know is when I go to the doctor my blood pressure is "Very good."  According to WebMD, blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vassal walls.  High blood pressure makes the heart work harder to push the blood, which causes the arties to harden which causes heart disease.  Also according to WebMD the 3 top things that causes high blood pressure are: smoking, being overweight, and lack of physical exercise.  Just another great reason to get out and exercise!!

4.  Exercise and Cholesterol-  Exercise increases the level of good cholesterol.  I don't know a whole lot about cholesterol, but for if you eat cheerios it helps your cholesterol!  :) 
According to medicalnewstoday.com, cholesterol has four man functions: 

Contributes to the structure of cell walls

Makes up digestive bile acids in the intestine

Allows the body to produce vitamin D

Enables the body to make certain hormones.

I don't want to board us all with just facts:  just know this according to the American Heart Association, high cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke.  So Eat your cheerios!!!

5.  Exercise and Diabetes-  Exercise helps lower blood sugars and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes.  We all know what diabetes is, but here is some facts.  Being overweight _BMI 25) increases your chances of developing diabetes.   
There’s a genetic mutation involved in type 2 diabetes, although researchers haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact mutation. You must have a genetic mutation in order to develop type 2—not everyone can get it. If you have a family history, you are at higher risk.
Did you know that Diabetes is #1 cause of kidney failure in the world!  Exercise and diet can either reduce or delay the incidence of diabetes by over 50%! 

The good news is that type 2 diabetes can be reduced and prevented just by being active, another great reason to go for a walk today!

So there are the fist 5 reasons to get up and exercise!!!  I though I would wait to tell you the next 5!!  I don't not want to overwhelm us!!

1 Corinthians 6:19 says, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own."
If you believe in God or not, I think we all can say that you only get one body in your life, and it your responsibility to take care of.  For me, God has changed my heart to see my broken (cp) body as his masterpiece, and I can honor Him by taking care of it. 
Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's masterpiece.  He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." 

So as I end this blog, and start a new day, I encourage us all to go for a walk today!  if you have only 5 minutes or and hour, remember every step will count!!!  Get out and enjoy the beauty of God's creation!

Redeemed

Yesterday during work one of the girls I support and myself decided to go for a hike.  It was during this hike that I thought I should tell you all a little bit of where I live and how the Lord has redeemed the land. 

Washington Family Ranch is a Young Life camp, nestled in a deep canyon about 18 miles from the town of Antelope OR.  Young Life is a ministry for kids in middle and high school.  Kids come to camp every summer to hear the gospel of Jesus.

The Land when the Rajneesh occupied it.  I think the tents where
some of the homeless stayed.

But this land has not always been used for good.   The camp is about 64,000 acres.  In 1980, a guy named Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh used the land to build a small commune with about 7000 followers.  The Bhagwan had an advocated a more open attitude towards sexuality, a stance which earned him the sobriquet of "sex guru" in the Indian.   While here at the ranch he and his followers tried to take over the town of Antelope.  Within a year of being at the ranch, conflict between the local ranchers and the Rajneesh became apparent.  The Rajneesh wanted to use the land to build there own little town, when they originally told the county that they wanted to use it for agricultural. 
In 1982, the Rajneesh wanted to take over the town of Antelope and bought some lots in the city limits.  The town of Antelope, itself, voted to discorporate itself, to prevent itself being taken over.^[ By this time, there were enough Rajneeshee residents to defeat the measure. In May 1982, the residents of the Rancho Rajneesh commune voted to incorporate the separate city of Rajneeshpuram on the ranch.  A part from the control of Antelope and the land-use question, there were other disputes.^[ The commune leadership took an aggressive stance on many issues and initiated litigation against various groups and individuals.   (Wikipedia.)

The main goal was to take over the county of Wasco.  In 1984, a couple of the leaders went to Portland to try to kill a Oregon Politician.  The also went up to The Dallas in hope of poisoning 100 of people, so they could not vote in the upcoming election.   Eventually, the Bhagwan was arrested for immigration, trying to flee the United States. 


The Oregonian (The Portland newspaper) did an article of the ranch.  In 1995, the ranch was owned by a multi-millionaire, Dennis Washington.  He was looking for the ranch to be used as a to help "wayward" teens.  After some hesitation, from locals in Antelope, and some others involved, Young Life opened the camp in 1999.  This year over 7000 heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

A friend of mine took this picture of her son!  Great view of the Camp

I tell you this story because, yesterday we walked up a canyon where the Bhagwan built some A-frames.  I been told that these buildings is where they homeless people lived.  They would bus in homeless people from all over the country and make them work hard labor.  As we climb one of the hills full of A-frames, we decided to go look over a peak.  Just over the peak, we saw the camp.  The Dining hall.  This beautiful building!!!  Not built so workers who are stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no place to go, can go eat.  But a building that kids can come, gather around a table for a meal with there friends, and laugh with out a care in the world.

The big building is the Dining Hall.  This is so kids can come to
hear about the one and only true God, Jesus!!!

What one man used for evil, God has redeemed for good.  The Bhagwan thought he was god, and wanted his followers to worship him.  They even had a worship center (our sport center), where they worshipped him.  But the Lord is the one to be worshiped.  Jesus said, "You must worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."  Luke  4:8   He said this to the devil after he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. 



This is the pool at the middle school camp.
Kids come and hear the Good News of Jesus!



I write this blog because yesterday hike reminded me of how God has redeemed this camp.  The Holy Spirit is so evident here!  Thousand of kids have there lives changed because of the gospel of Jesus Christ in this place. 
Psalms 34: 18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who spirits are crushed."

For me, Jesus has used this place to change my life!!  I came a very broken, sad, young lady with a crushed spirit.  He has redeemed my soul.  I can know say that I am the happiest have I been in my life.  I love who God has created me to be.  And I am excited to see what He has for me in the future!

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength!!!
I am so thankful God called me out to
this ranch!
Stay tuned because next blog maybe about calling me out!!!
 

Amazing Grace

I Asked God

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve,
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things,
I was given infirmary, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy, I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things. that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for-
but everything I had hoped for.
 

 

Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

-Anonymous Civil War Soldier

After yesterday fall, God's grace has been on my heart.  I fell backwards down about 10 stairs.  As I was falling, the thought I am going to hit my head on the wood floor.  I have no idea how I walked away from the fall with out any injuries.  I believe the Lord Jesus was my Protector.  I should have been seriously hurt! 

Grace- Approval or favor.

"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."  Hebrew 4:16

My bible defines grace as the favor of God.  I love this poem.  There has been so many things in my life that I wished I had, to be rich, to have more strength, to be able to keep up with my sisters.  Sometimes there are also things I wished I didn't have, especially when it comes to my cp.  I am finding out that the older I am getting, I am more prone to falling.  There as been many times were either going up or down the stairs I lose my balance, but some how I usually catch myself.

Yesterday was different.  I was doing everything right.  I was going slow, hanging on to the railing,
I thought even making sure my feet were in the right place.  But something happen, and I can't even tell you what.  All I know is that I was falling backwards and not catching myself.   In that moment I was thinking "I am going to hit my head on the wood floor!'  I was also thinking about my neck.  I have fragile neck because of a fall I had a couple years ago.  This is where the grace (favor) of God came in.  After I hit the wood floor, I could move and roll over, calling out my roommate name.  I WASN'T hurt, sore yes, but nothing broken or bruised. 

I love the line in the poem, "I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God." 
I believe the Lord was protecting me yesterday.  Palms 91 says "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High  will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  This I declare about the Lord.  He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I trust him.  He will cover you with his feathers.  He will shelter you with his wings.  His faithful promises are your armor and protection" 

He covered me with his feathers and sheltered me with his wings!!  All I can say is that in that moment He was my armor and protection!

I might have weakness, I might not have a lot of money, I might walk with a limp and talk funny!  But I also have the grace of God!!!  As my favorite verse says " My grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness."  2 Corth 12:9  Paul writes "So now I am glad to boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ can work through me!"  2 Corth 12:9

I don't know about you, but as for me I need the grace of God!!!

"Do you want to get well? Pick up you mat and walk"

Afterward Jesus returned for one of the Jewish holy days.  Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches.  Crowds of sick people-blind, lame, or paralyzed-lay on the porches.  One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.  When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time , he asked him, "Would you like to get well?"
"I can't sir," the sick man said, "for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up.  Someone else always gets there ahead of me."
Jesus told him, "Stand up, pick up your mat and walk!"
Instantly, the man was healed!  He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!  But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected.  They said to the man who was cured, "You can't work on the Sabbath!  The law doesn't allow you to carry that sleeping mat."
But he replied, "The man who healed me told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk."
"Who said such a thing like that?"  they demanded. 
The man didn't know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd.  But afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you."  Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.  John 5:1-15

At my worst!  barely could walk, Kaytee had to help me walk just to get the picture!

I know that I will never be healed from cerebral palsy, and for me that is ok.  As I have said before I know that my cerebral palsy is a blessing.  But as many of you know, I have been working very hard on retraining my brain to walk better.  Not only does it give me more confidence, it will also help as I get older on my muscles, joints, and bones.  My PT, Trevor, said we can retrain our muscles.  For me, this means telling my left knee to go really high, and to keep my right hip in.  My right hip tends to want to pop out causing my lip. 

Three years ago I could not stand up straight, walk without being exhausted, and probably headed towards having to use assistants to walk.  At that time, I didn't really care.  If Jesus asked me, "Bri, do you want to get well?", I would of been like that man, and said there is nobody to help me.  Just like the man at the pool, I had many excuses.  The man told Jesus that someone else always get in the pool, and that nobody would help him into the pool.  My excuses: "I was to tired", "Who cares", "I love food to much", "I'm fine," "It just part of CP, that I will have to deal with."

I think the paralyzed man and me have something in common.  I think it is heart issue more then a physical issue.    Jesus asked the man "Do you want to get well?"  He didn't give Jesus a yes or no response, he gave excuses of why he couldn't get well.  He was looking for someone else to help him and didn't believe he could do it by himself.  I had the same problem.  I wanted someone else to help me and didn't know how to do it on my own.

I also had a heart problem of not believing I was worthy enough.  I have always struggled with my worth.  I didn't want to go get help from doctors or physical therapist, because I didn't want to waste their time, and didn't believe I was that bad enough to get help.  I was scared that if I went in, they would ask "Why are you here?"

I believe Jesus saw my struggle and waiting for me to take a step out in faith.  I had no idea what one step would do.  It all stared when one of my greatest friends, here at camp, fell off a ladder.  He had a brain injury and was going to a special therapy, Craniosacral Therapy.  I wanted to try this therapy, but because of scheduling conflict I could not get in to see this particular therapist.  So the schedule me for a different therapist.  At first I was bummed, but soon realized that God had a plan!  I was schedule to see Joanne.  After seeing her a couple times, she suggested I go see a pain specialist. 

Again having a heart problem, of not feeling worthy enough, I took another step of faith to go see Dr. Paulson.  In Joyce Meyer's "The Everyday Life Bible, she writes about John 5, "Jesus did not stand there and pity the man.  Instead, He gave very specific instructions: "Get up! Pick up your bed...and walk!"  In other words, "Don't just lie there, do something!"

God has used all my physical therapist and Dr. Paulson in this way.  No, they can not heal my cerebral palsy. But they can help me and encourage me to Get Up!  and do something!!

Now that my weight is under control, my next goal is retraining my brain.  In this process, my brain has to tell my hips, legs and feet to do something all at once.  For most people, walking comes natural, but for me it takes a lot of thinking for each step!  I have to think about where my right hip is, pulling up my knees and where me feet are landing.  This is not an easy task, but I am excited to see how far I can go.

My new awesome brace!!!  Help me walk heel to toe better! 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your path straight."  Proverbs 3:5-6

"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establish their steps."  Proverbs 16:9

I believe that Lord is healing my heart problem.  He has brought me to a place of excepting help, and feeling worthy to go see my doctors.  I always giggle at Dr. Paulson.  He always tells me, "Bri I don't know if you are in pain, if you don't come see me!"   He wants to help me!!!'

Last summer with my "tool belt" aka walking poles! 

As I end, I still struggle with having to use my walking sticks.  Trevor says they are just tools!  I realized that yesterday, when I tried to walk straight and took one step and fell.  I believe the Lord still has me on the journey of health, physically and spiritually.  I want to get well!   I guess, the "mat" I need to pick up, is my insecurity of using my walking poles.  But If I "Want to get well," I guess I will have to pick up my sticks and start walking!