Fit To Serve – In Disasters And Daily Life is a collection of features in Faith & Fitness Magazine to support you in using your physical fitness as a way to serve others and God not only in times of urgent need but daily in your community.
Hurricane Ian hit a wide swath of Florida in September 2022 and then continued battering the Southeastern United States for days after. Whenever there is such catastrophic devastation and damage people want to help and give. Are most people just generally good-natured? Sure, but consider this: The Bible talks a lot about God’s good pleasure. Natural disasters often lead people to question just how good (or bad) they think God is. You have the opportunity – more than an opportunity – a calling to be the life of Christ to others. And that isn’t limited to just disasters, God wants you to do it daily.
Read the following to get ideas and help in serving with physical and spiritual strength:
BE FIT TO SERVE
This article highlights Coach Tim Powers book, Fit To Serve. It is a roadmap to help you achieve physical and spiritual fitness and become what you were created to be.
JEFF DRURY – ALABAMA TORNADO VOLUNTEER
Disasters can happen anytime and anywhere. Listen to this audio recording with Jeff Drury about how physical training and spiritual preparation can help you to be prepared to be a strong source of help to those in your community.
Being Others Minded
When your physical fitness is intentionally invested into others as a passionate living-out of a faithful lifestyle you’ll discover that ‘fitness’ takes on a more robust and intentional purpose and longer-term/eternal value. Look closer at what it means to be others-minded.
In The Flesh
Let’s talk about your flesh x 3! OK, yeah I do mean your body, love it or not. Then there’s your human nature that naturally puts you at odds with your deeper desire to be good. Most importantly, when it comes to others, you need to be ‘in the flesh’. Why? They need you!
Runner Gene Carter Says YMCA Offers More Than Fitness
Gene Carter is one of those enthusiasts. He loves to run but he doesn’t run just for himself. He says, “I strive to use my fitness regimen and running passion to serve others.”
HELPFUL TIPS TO BE FIT TO SERVE IN DISASTERS AND DAILY LIFE
- Know your strengths (skills and passions) and your strength (your capacity and potential).
- Drive your desire: read the Bible, pray and fuel your eagerness to be life to others.
- Maintain avenues of awareness and availability: tap local info sources, agencies, providers and organizations so that you’re the go-to person when help is needed. For example the Volunteer Florida website is a tool to offer volunteer support for disasters like Hurricane Ian.
- As you discover your opportunities and potential consider how you can build capacity by getting training, getting certified, acquiring tools, getting some funding, and inviting others to join you.
- Journal your experiences. This isn’t for boasting ‘look what I did’ it’s for documentation, learning, sharing to build capacity (see above) and for your own personal growth in Christ.
We want to hear how God is using you to be fit to serve in disasters and daily life. What’s Your Story? Share it with us.
