PUBLISHER’S LETTER
The Facebook post said it all, “This is why I left the church”. It linked to a slick and thoughtful YouTube video that “highlights the difference between Jesus and false religion”. Another exodus regularly happens as well. People cancel their gym membership, quit on their personal trainer or give-up on their fitness goals.
This is an exciting time to be alive. I say that partly because I see engaging conversations like this, but primarily because we’re alive. This is our time. Woven in these kinds of conversations and throughout our current cultural climate is a blend of disgust and desire, vagueness and clarity, pain and hope. The disgust, vagueness and pain tend to get a lot of exposure and reinforcement. A goal of this magazine is to drive forward the positive. So join with me to push forward and celebrate desire, clarity and hope.
The theme, “Legal? And Lovin’ It!” is an invitation for you and me to examine and apply to life hard-core truths while fostering an inner passion. Can you find the uncompromising facts – the laws that guide our existence and blend that with your deepest intuitions of being YOU?
My dad, when he was alive, preached that God is a gentleman. I’m going to add that Jesus is kind of pushy. Let me clarify the apparent incongruence. There is the “permissive” will of God and the “perfect” will of God. In other words God gives us a lot of latitude to exercise our own freewill BUT our will doesn’t change His natural laws. Your ultimate purpose is defined by God and discovered by you. God permits us to take a longer more difficult and painful route to an outcome if that is what we choose. Jesus said, “Let your yes be yes and your no be no”. He wants us to be either hot or cold. We say that we’re rich, increased with goods and have need of nothing but he knows we’re wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. That is more than just a little pushy. Through His compassion He gives us rebuke so we can repent, be right and full of zeal.
There is a huge fitness connection here. If you don’t exercise your body you are going to at least feel a little miserable from time to time. If you get overweight, sedentary and compromise your health you’re going to feel poor and have a physical body that is pretty wretched. True, you’ve got some latitude on how to exercise and how much to exercise, but there are some specific no-compromise rules — learn ‘em or get hurt. The truth is you need to exercise to have a healthy body. You also have to learn proper form and technique to exercise safely and effectively. Be legal but not legalistic. The passion you exhibit not only decides how in-shape you become; it defines your experience, your mindset — your self-will. Don’t just do it. Do it because you truly have the zeal.
Push and be pushed until you can celebrate your active lifestyle and your faith. Experience great faith and great fitness. Start lovin’ it.
Train strong in Christ,
-Brad Bloom, Publisher
