You say, “I’m afraid” but God says, “I have not given you a spirit or fear”. Over the years, God’s words have helped me to be a bold witness for Him and have kept my faith strong. Studying the Bible under strong Christian leadership in my church has helped me to lose the since of fear and gain confidence to be bold in my faith.
As a kid I was born and raised in Henderson, Kentucky in a loving home with parents who encouraged me to play sports like football, baseball and join the boy Scouts . I had a stocky build as a kid. So, sometimes I got harassed and teased by other children. It was in the high school weight room while training for football that I started to discover a transformation. I was making muscle gains from the weight training more than from playing football. I gained results that gave me confidence and positive self-image.
In high school I would watch the older guys in my neighborhood lift weights outside in their back yards. Then on television I would watch well-known bodybuilders like Lee Haney, Dorian Yates and Shawn Ray compete for the Mr. Olympia title. This inspired me to first start powerlifting and later get into bodybuilding. I started powerlifting at the Pit Gym in Evansville, Indiana at the age of seventeen. Powerlifting was a real Godsend to me. Through it I gained muscle and strength at a young age. However, He used it to help me gain a stronger understanding of who I am in Him. Powerlifting consists mostly of doing power movements such as the bench press, power squat and deadlift using heavy weight. Powerlifting combined with a very focused diet, supplementation and a focused schedule for training and rest can lead to those huge muscle sizes that some guys want or need.
Bodybuilding became a lifestyle for me at the age of 21, later by God’s grace I soon started winning in the lightweight class in various bodybuilding shows at 154lbs. Bodybuilding is the practice of strengthening and enlarging the muscles of the body through exercise. Muscle strength contributes to better joint health, some improved metabolism, overall improved physical processes and general improvements in mental wellbeing. Powerlifting and bodybuilding both are effective ways for men to gain muscle, maintain health, build mental acuteness, set and achieve personal goals and attitudes and grow spiritually. Many men find that bodybuilding is sufficient to achieve their expected outcomes. But what are your expected outcomes for your spiritual life?
I entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ at the age of fourteen. His ministry for me is to share His message of hope and grace with others. Is that a unique calling that is exclusive to me? It is not. But, my attitude toward my God has a powerlifting and bodybuilding mentality. Being confident and having the boldness to tell others about Jesus comes from an attitude shift. I’m not a Christian by default “by birth”. I don’t view “being a witness” as a generic and optional God-given mandate. Instead I see that being an influence for Christ in the lives of others is indeed His ministry for me. I do it with those in my town, on my job and in the gym. While serving in the Navy for example, God used me to be an example of His love and purpose to some of my fellow service man who were on brink of suicide. As a result, some of them chose to pursue a personal relationship with God. His words, “I have not given you a spirit of fear” are always there to encourage me to be bold.
How do you lose your fear? For me, the muscle gains I made and maintain today make it easier for me to be a witness of my faith in God. My physical body communicates health, strength and passion. People see that and are inclined to come to me with a question. I simply answer the question with a whole response. Powerlifting and bodybuilding are a part of what you see. A strong spirit in God makes you complete. If you haven’t yet attained your goal, be encouraged. You can be bold today. It is the process of gaining that helps you to lose fear.
I believe in being a bold servant for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because he not only saved me from my sins, but is the head of life. I’m not a Christian by title but through relationship. I’m not afraid to tell others about my faith in God, and neither am I ashamed of the gospel. We should always thank God for sending his son Jesus Christ to save us from our sins.
My fitness tips for men are to get a physical checkup, follow an exercise routine that fits your schedule, stay consistent with your training, get plenty of rest and eat for health. Do that and you’ll likely gain some muscle to last a lifetime. Lose your fear and live your faith daily with passion and you’ll most certainly make gains that last forever.
