For me life is about balance: mind, body, spirit. And while I’m passionate about my job and serving others, I’m also driven in the other two areas of my life as well.
First the spirit. I put my life in God’s hands everyday, asking that he mold me, direct me and give me strength. My spirituality is central to my life. Reading scripture feeds me, attending mass renews me and my classes on religious studies and pastoral counseling are hopefully preparing me to become a spiritual director or at least be a better companion to any of my friends hoping to grow in their spirituality.
And now to my body (another great gift from God). As busy and crazy as I get, I try to make it a priority to work out and eat clean. There’s so much focus these days on looking good, but I’m more intent on being healthy and strong so that I can have a great quality of life for years to come. I walk/run many miles over the course of a week and lift weights 3-4 times a week. It all keeps me sane and strong.
Tell me about your faith and/or fitness in your life… I love to talk about both!
Comments
I’m the kind of guy that struggles with both faith and fitness – trying to “make time” for both seems to be the big challenge. How do you balance a busy life with the things that are potentially more important in the long-term?
#I recently started to workout again within the past 2 months after being diagnosed with MS in Nov 2007. I was always in too much pain & sore to work out but since I’ve been using the Wii Fit & Active, I have lost 12lbs so far & starting to feel better each day. I used to feel like I have lost faith in feeling healthy & not being able to move like I used to. But I was able to put my mind to not letting the MS bring me down & started moving. Honestly it does work, I’ve had less pain than ever. I even started eating more healthier too. My faith & motivation are driving me to push myself for my 2 kids & my family. Love the new site Tracy, can’t wait to check it out everyday…
#Tracy, you are so right regarding keeping your faith central. There are so many times that I feel confused and emotionally exhausted and the minute I make the decision to hand my life back over to God, I immediately feel refreshed and renewed. It truly is all in God’s hands. Whenever I really feel bad I remember the story of the footprints in the sand and realize that God really does carry us when we are at our lowest point—we just have to trust Him.
I recently read this quote and have “borrowed” it and put in on the bottom of all of my emails—I think it says volumes: You only ever have to do what you’re capable of doing, because by design, no matter how things appear, you’ll always have enough time to do it, you’ll do even better than you would have thought, and life will get even richer than you could have imagined. When I am in this type of situation and I think I’ll never get everything done that needs to be done, I re-read this and sure enough it comes true.
Thanks for helping us all out a little everyday, you are truly a blessing to those you serve.
#Hi Tracy,
I received a Google alert on “Faith and Fitness” with this post. The ministry God has given me for the last three years has been to share with others the insights I have gained through the study of the Bible about the connection between “total fitness”(health) and faith. In case you are interested, I wanted to share the ministry site with you and your readers as well.
http://www.faithandhealthconnection.org
Thanks for all you do in your reporting and writing.
#I just left a woman whom I share with on a regular basis and we spoke of this. Faith is trinitarian in so many ways. Body, mind and soul. God, neighbor and self. Faith, love, hope. it is my humble opinion that all is one and my (your) faith is contageous. I get it!!! It can’t be learned. It must be experienced.
#So, what do you think????
Tracy,
Have you considered being a retreat director? Our local retreat house is in Malvern, PA., and Fr. Hickey is always seeking inspired retreat masters. Malvern offers retreats for men, women and families. If you are interested please contact Fr. Hickey.
Anthony DiFlorio
Fr. Gregory J. Hickey
Rector
GHickey@malvernretreat.com
Malvern Retreat House
315 South Warren Avenue
Malvern, PA 19355
Note: US Post Office will NOT deliver mail to our street address.
Please use our mailing address above.
Phone: (610) 644-0400
Fax: (610) 644-4363
mail@malvernretreat.com
McShain-Horstmann Family Life Center
Phone: (610) 407-3582 (Press #2 for the front desk)
Looking forward to your guest appearance on our “What’s Up With Missy” radio program on AM1340WHAT this month.
#Wow! How refreshing it was to find you are a spiritual gal. In short-I am a converted Catholic American Mom who has believed for almost 27 years that my son possesses my Dad’s spirit but is his own man because of genes and environment. Point-simple. Heaven is Close at hand the good book says and yet we can not seem to achieve it.
#The reason I write-The disastrous oil spill. We as a country need to PRAY-all kidding aside to our Blessed Mother-the Rosary being primary- to help the minds of the scientists and engineers to find a solution to the spill and the cleanup. Believe me I am not nuts. I have had this faith for quite a while, but this devastation needs HELP by all of us!!! My Mom and Dad created a Heart that cares sometimes too much, and although I live in PA it kills me to see such disaster exist. Tracy, I almost lost my daughter to a severe brain injury 15 years ago, and with every school in the Archdiocese saying prayers and people across the globe praying-she survived with a NO HOPE diagnosis, so we had to choose to take her off life support, pray like hell, and see her fight like hell to survive. WE NEED A PERSON LIKE YOURSELF TO INITIATE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE. Please listen to my plea-we all have the ability to have Holy Spirits and this is mine!!! Thanks!
Hi I recently sent an email which shared a rather private thought. I am asking for your help one more time. I have a book in the works, prior to the oil spill, that is revealing my faith and the need to pray for our troops. and in praying for our troops-PRAY FOR ENEMIES! Not something we want to do but is the WAY we were taught by God’s Son. So if, Tracey, you still are aware of any of these emails, I ask you, take the initiative since you are a well liked media person, and ask our world to put their needs aside and pray for our troops return and a solution to the oil spill. And most important for the Catholics out there PRAY for the intercession of Our Blessed Mother. Being a converted Catholic, I came to know the miraculous existence of Our Mom and the Power she possesses. I believe Her intercession is the key to our nation’s recovery-I just wish more people felt the same way. Thanks so much for your hard work and informative content. Our world needs the Media to bring us back to the basics-and feeding our spirits is one. “There is No Marriage in Heaven” the good book says and rightfully so. He wants our WHOLE HEART!! Good luck in the future.
#Do you Want to say something?