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I start out today’s article, the second one in this series about taking care of ourselves spiritually and physically, with this word: I make no claim to be great at either physical exercise or spiritual disciplines. No matter how old I get, I realize I still have much room to grow. Nevertheless, I seldom miss a day working out at the gym or on the treadmill in our garage, and I work hard at my spiritual disciplines. On the days I walk a brisk pace at a high incline on the treadmill, I also use that time to read my devotional material for the day. If I am running or lifting weights that day, I use the time to listen to sermons, podcasts, books, or music. I’ve learned, in fact, that physical exercise and spiritual disciplines have a lot in common: When I do both in the morning, my day starts off better. That’s the case for me physically as I get to the gym, and it’s also the case spiritually. I generally do my deeper study in the Word later in the evening, but I also start each day with a “Verse of the Day” in my email inbox so I turn my heart immediately to God when I wake up. Just one verse has a way of directing the day, and prayer time as I walk or run is life-giving, too. I’ve learned the significance of meeting with God in the morning. If I don’t at least start them in the morning, it’s more likely they won’t get done. There are just too many distractions and diversions that get in the way later in the day. I walk or run in the mornings, though I might do other exercise later in the day. As I noted above, I at least meditate on my “verse of the day” each morning before studying more in the evening. My tasks are seemingly never done, and I’m often worn out before I get around to doing either thing unless I at least start them in the morning. Having a plan is essential to doing both well. If I don’t know my plans and goals for each day of exercise, I may not be as focused or intentional as I need to be. Or, I can simply postpone exercise for another day. Likewise, having no plan in doing my spiritual disciplines often leads to misfocused, half-hearted efforts. It’s just too easy to push away from spiritual disciplines if I don’t know exactly where I’m going. A plan, though, gives me both direction and goals. When I do both each day, I gain strength and increase stamina. There’s no question that weightlifting and doing cardio have helped me stay healthy as a 65-year-old. I may not be able to do as much as I used to do, but I can still do something. It’s also the case that daily time with God has strengthened my heart and grown my faith – so much so that I can press on even when my faith journey is difficult. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to run to my disciplines because ministry is hard. It helps me to have accountability for both. On one hand, working out with a partner or a trainer has pushed me beyond my perceived limits and helped me to grow—especially if my colleague is a believer who understands the importance of this commitment. At the same time, knowing how my spiritual mentors read the Word, pray, fast, and witness has challenged me to follow their lead. I want to walk in their long-faithful footsteps. I need all these folks to help me stay disciplined in both my physical and spiritual disciplines. The more I do both, the more they become part of my DNA. My body now naturally awakens early each morning to exercise (and, to be honest, that reality also drives me to bed earlier in the evening—which is also good for me). My mind then also moves quickly to my “verse of the day” and my scheduled Bible reading for the day. It’s almost come to the point, in fact, that I cannot imagine going through a single day without doing both. To be honest, it’s fun not to have to force myself in these directions. I pray others see my growth through these efforts. Only they can tell me if so, but I hope I look healthier because of physical exercise; at least, I hope they see me as a disciplined person in general. And, I hope my heart more reflects Christlikeness on an ongoing basis because of my spiritual disciplines. I know I have a LONG, LONG way to go in either case – I still want to lose some weight, and some of my disciplines are stronger than others – but I’m enjoying the journey each day. It’s good for me to push myself in both cases. I generally push myself to some extent with physical exercise, but not nearly as much as a trainer does (and, frankly, I’m cheap enough that I want to make sure I’m getting my money’s worth when I pay a trainer!). I also try to push myself in my spiritual disciplines. For example, I’m seeking to strengthen my approach to Bible study, even though my current method has been really life-giving for years. I’m also trying to build more natural rhythms of prayer and fasting into my life. And, I’m pushing myself to incorporate more sabbath rest into my routine at this stage of my life. How about you? Do you need to work on your physical exercise or your spiritual disciplines? Or both?

We all want to live in a good place right? Among good people, doing good things. And we try, but it's pretty obvious that there's a lot that's not good in this world. Is it even possible to find goodness? Stefanie is here today with some good news for you straight from the Bible.

Read Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. Reflect What is your attitude concerning work? Do you view it as a blessing or a necessary evil? Did you ever look at the need to work and decide that it’s a consequence of Adam and Eve’s disobedience? That, if they hadn’t sinned, we wouldn’t need to work today. It’s a common enough thought that even kids ask about it in Sunday school. This is probably rooted in thoughts of Genesis 3:17-19 in which God laid out the consequences for Adam and his offspring after his disobedience: “‘Because you have…eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, “You shall not eat of it,” cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.’” It’s easy to interpret this verse as saying work itself is a curse on mankind from God. But in reality, God had intended for Adam to work from the very beginning! Today’s verse is found in the creation account. God had just formed the man out of the dust of the ground and then breathed life into him (Genesis 2:7). After God created Adam, even before He created Eve from Adam’s side, He gave Adam a job to do—He put him in a garden paradise to “work it and keep it”. In giving Adam a job to do, God was dignifying man by giving him purpose and responsibility. The ESV study bible notes: “Since this command comes before Adam sinned, work did not come as a result of sin, nor is it something to be avoided. Productive work is part of God’s good purpose for man in creation.” The curse for sin then, isn’t the work itself. Rather, the curse is that the nature of the work changed. Prior to the fall, work had been joyful and productive. Adam tended the ground and it only produced good things. After the fall, the ground produced weeds, thorns, and thistles. Adam’s job got significantly more difficult. By the sweat of his brow, he would labor and toil in order to eat. Sometimes, we focus so much on the reality that we live in a fallen world, enduring the consequences of sin, that we forget how gracious and merciful God has been to us. Charles Spurgeon, a 19th century theologian and preacher, pointed out: “Although the sentence took away from Adam the luscious fruits of paradise, yet it secured him a livelihood. He was to live: the ground was to bring forth enough of the herb of the field for him to continue to exist. Albeit that henceforth all he ate was to be with the sweat of his face, yet still he was to have enough to eat, and he was to live on.” Yes, we work so that we can eat and the Bible commands that those who are able to work but choose to be lazy, should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). But work is not a necessary evil. It is a necessary good. When we go back to the Bible, we see that work was part of God’s plan for mankind since the very beginning. We are made in the image of God and our God is a God who works! In fact, the very first thing we read in Scripture is that God created the whole world in 6 days and “...on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:2). God modeled His intention for us. We are to work diligently as we fulfill His mandate to fill the earth, subdue it, and have dominion over it (Genesis 1:28), and then we are to rest. We were not created to simply exist. We weren’t made to leisurely wander the earth all of our days. We were made to work. Respond Lord, You are a Wonderful Maker and a Merciful Savior. Thank You for the gift of work. What a privilege it is to participate in the work of Your Kingdom! When I feel like being lazy, remind me that work was always a part of Your plan for us. Help me to see the meaning and purpose in all my labor. Amen. Reveal Consider how your hard work can be a testimony to others. Colossians 3:23-24 challenges us to “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” and 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”. In doing so, how might your work ethic and conduct in the workplace reveal the Lord to those around you?

In today’s spiritual fitness workout, Coach Caleb White explains the biblical plan for how to grow in the fruit of the Spirit with a look at grapes and the goodness of God! To grow in goodness, remain connected to Jesus. Perhaps that includes confessing some sin that is holding you back. Trust His promise that you will produce much fruit and grow in goodness when you abide with Him!

SPIRITUALLY FIT | TODAY In this episode of Spiritually Fit Today, Arnie Cole and helicopter flight nurse Katlyn explore the hidden weight of unforgiveness in the aftermath of trauma and crisis. Drawing from years of responding to devastating accidents and emergencies, Katlyn shares how bitterness can quietly destroy healing—and why forgiveness is essential for emotional and spiritual recovery. BACK TO THE BIBLE DAILY In this episode of Back to the Bible Daily, Braden Pedersen reflects on Isaiah 40:28–31, offering encouragement for those feeling deeply weary. Discover how God’s everlasting strength renews us in every season—soaring, running, or simply walking. Explore the power of waiting on the Lord with active trust and find hope for today, no matter how tired you feel. ADDITIONAL STEPS: STEP 1 - RECEIVE (Receive God's Word and Grow in Bible Knowledge) Though the early church began among the Jewish people, it soon became clear that the message of the Gospel was a message for the world. Join us as we walk with Peter to the house of the gentile Cornelius. We'll also consider Paul's first missionary journey. STEP 2 - REFLECT (How does this Scripture Apply to your life?) We all want to live in a good place right? Among good people, doing good things. And we try, but it's pretty obvious that there's a lot that's not good in this world. Is it even possible to find goodness? Stefanie is here today with some good news for you straight from the Bible. STEP 3 - RESPOND (How will you Win Today?) In today’s spiritual fitness workout, Coach Caleb White explains the biblical plan for how to grow in the fruit of the Spirit with a look at grapes and the goodness of God! To grow in goodness, remain connected to Jesus. Perhaps that includes confessing some sin that is holding you back. Trust His promise that you will produce much fruit and grow in goodness when you abide with Him! STEP 4 - REVEAL (How will you reveal Jesus to others today through praying and sharing?) If you've invited Jesus, the light of the world, into your life, how are you using that light? Paula joins us for some encouragement and prayer as we seek to shine God's light to those around us. BONUS STEP Click HERE for your DAILY FORWARD DEVOTIONAL

If you've invited Jesus, the light of the world, into your life, how are you using that light? Paula joins us for some encouragement and prayer as we seek to shine God's light to those around us.

Though the early church began among the Jewish people, it soon became clear that the message of the Gospel was a message for the world. Join us as we walk with Peter to the house of the gentile Cornelius. We'll also consider Paul's first missionary journey.

Some of the deepest wounds a person carries can be inflicted by Christian people, or even a particular church. Is this true for you? Is there a pastor who betrayed a confidence? A community that circled the wagons around the wrong person? A friendship that evaporated the moment you needed it most? A leader whose private life turned out to be nothing like his public one? These types of scenarios are not uncommon. I have heard versions of them repeatedly over the course of my life, and they are always painful to sit with. If you carry one of those wounds, I want to say something clearly up front: what happened to you was wrong. You are not oversensitive for being hurt by it. You are not spiritually weak for still feeling it. Your pain is real, and it deserves to be dealt with as such. But I also want to say something else, because I think it matters just as much: the person who hurt you does not get to decide what becomes of the rest of your life. That part is still yours. The Honest Difficulty of Forgiveness Lysa TerKeurst, in her book Forgiving What You Can't Forget, writes something I have never been able to shake: “I am a soul who likes the concept of forgiveness — until I am a hurting soul who doesn’t.” That is one of the most honest sentences I have read on the subject. Most of us believe in forgiveness in the abstract. We affirm it theologically, because we’ve heard sermons on it and we know what Jesus said about it in Matthew 18 and what Paul said about it in Ephesians 4:32. But then something happens — something specific, involving a specific person who should have known better — and the concept of forgiveness suddenly feels impossible. That gap between what we believe and what we feel is not necessarily a sign of weak faith. It is a sign that you are human and that you were genuinely hurt. The question is not whether forgiveness can be hard. Often, it is. The question is what we do with the hardness. Scripture never minimizes betrayal. David wrote about it in the Psalms with raw, unguarded grief. “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me” (Ps 41:9). Jesus himself was handed over by one of his own twelve. The Bible is a book many of whose authors had been betrayed by those closest to them, and who found that God met them in that place of betrayal and pain. What Forgiveness Is and Isn’t One of the reasons people get stuck is that they misunderstand the true nature of forgiveness. They think they need to sweep the injury under the rug, pretending it didn’t happen, or restore the relationship to exactly what it was before, or feel warmly toward someone who has not acknowledged what they did. None of those things are what forgiveness actually requires. To be clear, forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. You can forgive someone fully and still maintain a boundary that protects you from further harm. Forgiveness does not require you to place yourself back in a situation that was damaging. It does not require you to minimize what happened or manufacture feelings you do not have. What forgiveness does require is a decision — repeated, sometimes daily — to refuse to let resentment become the organizing principle of your inner life. TerKeurst puts it plainly: “My ability to heal cannot be conditional on them wanting my forgiveness, but only on my willingness to give it.” The other person’s response, or lack of one, does not control whether you get to heal. That is actually good news, even when it doesn’t feel like it. There is also a practical reality that forgiveness addresses. The Bible is quite clear that bitterness rots the soul, and it seeps out into our lives, ruining one aspect after another. Unresolved bitterness spreads. It colors how we read new relationships, how we enter new communities, how we respond to new leaders. The writer of Hebrews warns about a “bitter root” that grows up and defiles many (Heb 12:15). He is describing something any honest person who has carried a wound for years already knows: bitterness does not stay in one place. The Longer Work Healing from wounds inflicted by Christians is rarely quick, and anyone who tells you otherwise has not sat with enough people who have been through it. It is slow work, and sometimes it feels like two steps forward, one step back. Some days feel like genuine progress. Others feel like you are back at the beginning. What I have seen over many years is that the people who come through it tend to share a few things in common. They allowed themselves to grieve honestly rather than rushing to resolution. They did not isolate, even when isolation felt safer. And at some point, they made a quiet decision to stop defining themselves primarily as victims. That last one is harder than it sounds. When someone wounds you inside the church, it can reshape how you see yourself, how you see God, and how you see the community of faith. Untangling those things takes time and usually takes help from a trusted friend, a counselor, or a pastor who has earned your confidence. But it is possible, because the God who allowed you to walk through it has not finished writing your story. What happened to you is part of your story, but not the whole of it. You are more than what was done to you. And with God’s help, and in His time, the wound that someone else caused can become the very place where your faith grows its deepest roots.

Imagine being a teenage girl, engaged, and pregnant – with the Son of God! Through this difficult situation, Mary demonstrated a very important part of spiritual fitness – perseverance. Sherri Kreps talks about the importance and the blessings of humbly and continually pursuing God in all things! Today, give up control and trust God instead. Continue to persevere by believing in His promises, giving thanks, and praying for your needs, with thanksgiving!

Have you ever felt like giving up? Like, what's the point of continuing if you're not even going to win? Tom is here today to share about a time that he quit. But through some wisdom from his coach and some encouragement from the Bible, he found what he needed to carry on. Let his example encourage you today.