I’ve put together five categories with my personal top five items. These lists are not limited to all that I believe, eat and participate in, but they are the ones I like best and do most often. Included are links to sites that I believe will assist you in gaining knowledge about your weight loss/maintenance efforts. I believe in you, and more importantly so does God! He promised to bless everything you do, and you can do all things through Christ who give you strength (Ps. 1:3; Phil 4:13). Here goes:

List Four—Five fitness books:

All of these books are easy reads. They offer ideas that are practical and non-constricting. None of them are ‘diet’ books, I don’t believe in those. None of us totally agrees with any author, but these books have given me some superior knowledge that I have put into practice and gotten positive results. Promotion of overall happiness in life I believe is their ultimate goal.

1. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. Yes, this book changed every part of my life and is one of my all-time favorites.
2. Power Foods: Good Food, Good Health with Phytochemicals, Nature’s Own Energy Boosters by Stephanie Beling. If for any reason you are disgusted with traditional diets, this book will liberate you! Enjoy food and eating again!
3. The Power of 5: Hundreds of 5-Second to 5-Minute Scientific Shortcuts to Ignite Your Energy, Burn Fat, Stop Aging and Revitalize Your Love Life by Harold H. Bloomfield and Robert K. Cooper. OK, this book is a keeper you will refer to again and again! It’s more than diet and exercise it deals with everything from anxiety to aging with research references.
4. Frame Work by Dr. Nicholas A. DiNubile MD and William Patrick. This book is about balancing your body, maximizing its healing ability and maintaining an active life through proper exercise. The author does a great job of communicating the benefits of tailoring your workout to your body’s frame.
5. Super Foods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life by Steven G. Pratt and Kathy Matthews. Again, people who present healthy living as something to be enjoyed, not as some rigid, sugar-free, bland, fat-free low-carb existence. They speak of maximizing the benefits of things God put in the earth for us to enjoy.

List Five—Five favorite snacks:

Now for the fun part—eating! With all the parties, holidays and multi-tasking, we have to be creative as we choose snacks. Most of these can be bought or homemade. I eat them all guilt-free!

1. Berries. Pretty much any kind will do. My favorite ones are blackberries and raspberries. Check out the benefits at http://nutrition.about.com/od/healthyfood1/a/berries.htm.
2. Mangos. Yum! Mix these in with your bowl of watermelon and cantaloupe for a super sweet snack. Resource: http://www.thefoodpaper.com/features/health/mango.html
3. Fruit and Nut Trail Mix. Yes, the ones with chocolate are fine. However since I prefer to have my chocolate in the form of some ultra rich cake, I skip having it in my trail mix. My favorites are PLANTERS^® fruit and nut trail mix and Craisins® Trail Mix – Cranberry, Fruit & Nuts. Super Target also carries a large variety of mixes. Resources: (http://www.planters.com/varieties/trailmix.aspx and http://www.oceanspray.com/products/craisins_trail_mix_cranberry_fruit_nuts.aspx
4. Granola. Pretty close to trail mix, but it has the oats in it. I’ve actually found this priced for a dollar at my local drugstore! Talk about a great alternative to a greasy bag of chips. Resource: http://img.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Meal-Planning/Select-Cranberry-Almond-Granola/ID=prod3489575-product
5. Yogurt. Nowadays pretty much everyone knows about the benefits of yogurt. So pick your favorite brand and flavor, throw it in your bag with a plastic spoon and enjoy soccer practice. Resource: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-yogurt

List Six—Five favorite drinks:

One of the last things I did to aide my weight loss efforts, was cut soda from my diet. Please don’t be alarmed if you are a sodaholic. I’m not advising you to do so, but remember what I said about learning some things for yourself. I’ll put it this way: I immediately saw a change in my weight. Besides water, here are the things I drink most.

1. Raspberry Tea. Tea is healthy and so are raspberries. You can make your own, buy it or use one of those nifty drink mixes in your water. Resource: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/tea-types-and-their-health-benefits
2. Almond milk. Delicious. Goes great on your favorite cereal—not Fruity Pebbles! Read more at http://www.silkpurealmond.com/?gclid=CNa08IDrj6ICFQfxDAod9CGWaQ#a=3;r=1.
3. Soy milk. I don’t use this so much on cereal as I do to get the benefits of the soy. Resource: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/joy-soy.
4. One hundred percent fruit juices. Who doesn’t love this stuff! Pick your brand.
5. Potbelly’s dreamsickle smoothie. My one true guilty pleasure. Yummeee! Resource: http://www.potbelly.com/Food/Menu.aspx

And, to further prove that I’m not some robot health person, sometimes I actually do the following things: stay indoors all day watching football and managing my fantasy team (www.espn.com/fantasy), eat Kruncher’s Mesquite Bar-b-que chips (http://snydersofhanover.stores.yahoo.net/krkecopoch.html), Ultimate Loaded Queso from On The Border (www.ontheborder.com) and tour The Cheesecake Factory (www.thecheesecakefactory.com). That’s actually five guilty pleasures—might as well stick with the theme!

I’ve totally enjoyed this and pray you benefit from the information and resources here. Remember, we are blessed to be a blessing. The things God has done in us, He wants to do through us. So we would all be remiss if we didn’t share our testimonies and blessings with others—it’s our calling!

Please write me with your praise reports, feedback or questions.

Be blessed friends and have the perfect day everyday

Psalm 138:8

Shontta

Part 1: Fitness and wellness rules to live by, Part 2: Top 5 Free Ways to Get Fit

I’ve put together five categories with my personal top five items. These lists are not limited to all that I believe, eat and participate in, but they are the ones I like best and do most often. Included are links to sites that I believe will assist you in gaining knowledge about your weight loss/maintenance efforts. I believe in you, and more importantly so does God! He promised to bless everything you do, and you can do all things through Christ who give you strength (Ps. 1:3; Phil 4:13). Here goes:

List Three—Five favorite workouts:

These are the not only some of the workouts I teach, but they are my favorite ones to be a part of.

1. Aqua fitness. Call me biased, but not only do I teach one of the best aqua fitness classes around, it’s one of my favorite ways to workout. In the water you’re nearly weightless, there’s no impact and the healing power is excellent. Everyone from world-class athletes to 80-year-old ex-dancers train in water. A bounty of benefits are attached to aqua fitness. Resource: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/evan3.htm.
2. 2. Strength training. Previously I mentioned the importance of this portion of fitness. Stronger muscles mean stronger bones, a faster metabolism and enhanced immunity. Resources: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/strength-training and http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/growingstronger/why/index.html
3. 3. Bootcamp. Enough said. These programs are not for the faint of heart or most beginners. Individual classes are offered everywhere from local fitness clubs to independents. If you’re ready for a challenge, look up one in your area, participate in the one your gym offers, or check out a video version from the library!
4. 4. Running the bleachers. This is nearly as intense as bootcamp. Again, walk or drive to your local track and proceed to the empty cheering section. Run or walk those babies as long as you can stand to (I normally shoot for a minimum of 20 minutes).
5. 5. Abdominal routines. Ah, the abs. Take your pick of routines. Currently I’m between the P90-X Ab Ripper X DVD and my own concoction of abdominal exercise favorites. Same rules apply—check out a video, FitTV or take a class with a special emphasis on abs. Resource: http://www.beachbody.com/text/products/programs/p90x/popup_parseb_051010/workouts_12.html

Be blessed friends and have the perfect day everyday

Psalm 138:8

Shontta

I’ve put together five categories with my personal top five items. (Click here to see Part One: List One—Fitness and wellness rules to live by) These lists are not limited to all that I believe, eat and participate in, but they are the ones I like best and do most often. Included are links to sites that I believe will assist you in gaining knowledge about your weight loss/maintenance efforts. I believe in you, and more importantly so does God! He promised to bless everything you do, and you can do all things through Christ who give you strength (Ps. 1:3; Phil 4:13). Here goes:

List Two—Top five free ways to get fit

After a lot of prayer and research, I ended up living by these methods during my initial weight loss. It barely cost me anything!

1. Get a library card. Go to your local library and check out fitness DVDs that are enjoyable for you. I don’t think I mentioned this earlier, but I did not have a gym membership nor was I a fitness instructor when I lost weight. I was (and still am) at the library often checking things out and trying them out. I renewed and used the ones I liked and returned the rest at no cost!
2. Utilize FitTV. Your satellite, cable or fiber-optic television provider may not offer this channel. However, if you do have it, it is another excellent resource. Nearly everyone owns a DVR. Check out the fitness programs on FitTV, and program your recorder accordingly. This is slightly better than using the library in some cases because you don’t have to leave the house at all. There are a variety of shows to choose from and the information is top notch. Resource: www.fittv.com
3. Go to a local university or high school track. Although the track itself is not one of my favorite things, the variety of things I can do there motivates me. I also love being outside so I can savor God’s awesomeness. This is also a great place to go with a friend or two—and then, go out for lunch! Resource: (http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-520–13479-0,00.html)
4. Invest in a pair of dumbbells or resistance bands. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of strength training as a part of any fitness routine. Initially, I neglected this portion and my body suffered as a result. If your muscles are strong (I didn’t say big), your body will be strong. So even if all you have is a pair of five pound dumbbells for strength training, use them! Here are two resources for you to checkout: http://www.webmd.com/video/exercise-bands and http://women.webmd.com/family-health-9/slideshow-30-minute-workout-routine.
5. Two-minute cardio and toners. Every little bit helps. It’s true. Sometimes on my way to get a basket of dirty laundry from upstairs, I’ll drop and do a set of pushups. Or, in the middle of some kitchen activity, I’ll grab a barstool and crank out some lateral leg lifts. Every form of movement during your day accelerates your metabolism. I’m one of those people who always hears, “I wish I had your energy!” First of all, I live, move and have my being in Christ! Second, I always want to respond, “You do, you just aren’t using it!” God created us in His image. Our bodies have the power to heal themselves and live as long as we want to live—the quality and quantity of your life is entirely up to you (all things being equal, of course). Take ideas from the resources above and give yourself energy boost through exercise all day long. Resource: Live Long, Finish Strong by Gloria Copeland www.kcm.org.

Be blessed friends and have the perfect day everyday

Psalm 138:8

Shontta

I’ve put together six categories with my personal favorite five items (it was hard to pick only five in some!)—five fitness and wellness rules to live by, five free ways to get fit, five favorite workouts, five fitness books, five favorite snacks, five favorite drinks and a bonus category. These lists are not limited to all that I believe, eat and participate in, but they are the ones I like best and do most often. Included are links to sites that I believe will assist you in gaining knowledge about your weight loss/maintenance efforts. I believe in you, and more importantly so does God! He promised to bless everything you do, and you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength (Ps. 1:3; Phil 4:13). Here goes:

List One—Fitness and wellness rules to live by:

Christianity is a lifestyle, and so is healthy living. It’s perfectly fine to have a piece of cake at the birthday party, or enjoy your favorite high-calorie meal occasionally. The goal is to live everyday treating your body right—it’s proper maintenance. Then when you do choose to indulge, your body barely notices it and quickly discards the junk. What you do on a consistent basis will eventually bear fruit. You want to enjoy a whole life all your life.

1. Don’t diet, change your life. Romans 12:2 AMP says, “Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].” It’s not about some rigid set of rules. It’s just like when you became a Christian. You just changed your lifestyle. When you did that you stepped into the abundant life God had for you. And just like your Christian walk, it’s in your hands as to how prosperous you are in the endeavor.
2. Allow God to help you. Proverbs 3:5-7 KJV advises, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” And, Proverbs 16:3 NIV echoes, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
3. Face reality and set realistic goals. Remember my testimony. It took me more than a year to successfully lose the weight. If you are facing health challenges or are trying to lose even as little as 20 pounds, be practical and safe. Little by little is how things grow according to Proverbs 13:11. Resource: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/50-ways-to-lose-your-love-handles
4. Do your own research. Paul wrote in Romans 14:5, “Let every man be persuaded in his own mind.” You need to discover the truth about things for yourself. Don’t let what others say sway you one way or the other. He also told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 to study to show himself approved. There’s nothing like learning and knowing a thing for yourself—just like getting to know Father God. Read books, talk to physicians and fitness professionals.
5. Know that you are loved. God loves you. He wants you living well in every way. He made you in His image and if He lives in you, your body is His temple (Psalm 139; 1 Cor. 3:16). He came to give you life more abundantly (John 10:10). He has great plans for your life (Jer. 29:11). Look at this verse from The New Living Bible—it’s absolutely beautiful.

Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.—Isaiah 43:4.

Be blessed friends and have the perfect day everyday

Psalm 138:8

Shontta

Have you ever tried to quiet your mind? I mean really try to think nothing? I tried this exercise recently and found it to be very difficult. I know there are various techniques that enable you to quiet your mind for a period of time; however, the quiet can’t last forever.

The interesting thing about this exercise is that I realized that my mind communicates to me during my waking time primarily in voices. The voices are only audible to me; however, they are definitely a sound in my thought realm.

The bigger question is whose voice is speaking to you? Often the voice sounds like you, sometimes it doesn’t. You know the voice sounds like you because you know the sound of your voice and what you would say. Do you know when God is speaking to you? The Bible refers to a still, small voice. If you listen carefully, you’ll realize that God is frequently speaking to you.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10

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1. Perform vows
2. Pray
3. Seek God
4. Praise God
5. Take Up the Cross
6. Live in holiness
7. Continue in one accord
8. Read the scriptures
9. Search the scriptures
10. Exhort one another

This seems like quite a bit to do on a daily basis, but it appears that several are just positive behavior habits that should be automatic. I didn’t quite understand some of these, so, I did a little more research. Here’s what I discovered:

First, Perform Vows. I didn’t quite understand what this meant, so, I had to look it up. Here’s the dictionary definition,

1. An earnest promise to perform a specified act or behave in a certain manner, especially a solemn promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order: take the vows of a nun.
2. A declaration or assertion.

Then will I ever sing praise to your name and fulfill my vows day after day. (Psalm 61:8) I take this to mean that I should declare God’s Word over my life and behave according to His commands.

Second, Pray. I like this definition, “to enter into spiritual communion with God through prayer.” There are many aspects to praying such as praise, worship, thanksgiving, and petition.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long. (Psalm 86:3) my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, O LORD, every day; I spread out my hands to you. (Psalm 88:9) Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11)

Every day, in every way, I will serve the LORD.

Third, Seek God. What does it mean to seek God?

For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. (Isaiah 58:2)

How do we know God’s ways? Does God talk to you? How do you know God is talking to you? I spend time with God every day to get to know him better. One of the primary ways that I get to know God is by reading the Bible. His thoughts, feelings, and actions are in full display as shared by the writers who were Divinely inspired. When I spend time reading the Bible and listening to scripture, I begin to hear His voice in my daily activities. How do I know that it’s His voice? What He’s saying resonates with the Word that I’ve hidden in my heart.

Over the years, I’ve discovered that this process requires diligence to be effective. I like to memorize scripture and meditate on specific verses. As I do this, I receive understanding, or revelation, of that scripture. Some scriptures that I’ve meditated on previously will have an even deeper meaning when I come back to them later. What I’m trying to say is that the Bible is not just a book like other books, the Words in the Bible are Spirit and Life. As you consider each passage, the meaning speaks to your mind and heart at the same time. Your mind is renewed and your spirit is fed.

Once I have thoroughly prepared my heart with God’s Word, then, I’m able to fellowship with Him. When I know who He is and what He wants, we are able to have a relationship. He talks, I listen. I talk, He listens.

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4″For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ ” 6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)

This passage describes the power of persistence. Notice that the widow kept coming. Her persistence was rewarded with what she wanted. This is how a great canyon is created by a little stream of water – constant pressure. If you are persistent in seeking God, you will find Him.

Talent and intelligence are no substitute for God. Do a Google search on suicide rates, and you will see that Physicians have a higher suicide rate than the general population. Although it’s hard to validate the statistics, Psychiatrists in America are believed to be the highest of all. What good is it to have money but no happiness?

“The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.” – Proverbs 10:17

It’s a simple formula, No God = No Wisdom.

There are some who will read this post and receive it at once, and there are others who will write a flaming comment. This, too, is in the Bible. “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.” – Proverbs 9:7

If you want to add to your wisdom, read a chapter from Proverbs every day. To get even more out of it, read it out loud. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” – Romans 10:17

I encourage you, if you hear the Word, share the Word.

Shontta Before

I am five feet two inches tall and prior to any of my children being born my highest weight was 186 pounds. I know that many people would be ecstatic about weighing that much, but this is my story and this was not a healthy weight for me. I was not morbidly obese, but I was bound as bound as those people are. My disposition in life has always been sunny. I’m a natural optimist. However after age 16, I lost control of my weight.

In much of the black community, there’s nothing wrong with being healthy. In fact the first time I met my future mother-in-law, that was one of the first things she said about me, “She’s healthy!” Even though I enjoyed that time in my life, my being overweight still caused a sense of insecurity—I hid it well. To add insult to injury, my family members constantly teased me about my weight. I had two female cousins and two sisters who were all slim—I was the fat one.

Determined not to be a fat bride, I slimmed to a size 10 for my wedding. And you know what?! One of my aunts said while hugging me on my wedding day, “You’re gonna have to go on a diet girl!” I thought, “Are you kidding?! I’ve been on a diet for the last year!!” C’mon, it was my wedding day for crying out loud!

As hard as I had worked (or so I thought), by my third year of marriage I reached 186 pounds. I was mortified. There was something in me that always self-sabotaged. I cried, ate and complained to my husband (who by the way is one of those disgusting magic metabolism people!) because I now had size six-teens in my closet. I needed to find out why I hadn’t fully committed. Why did I really want to lose weight? Did I just want to be skinny? Am I that weak and superficial?

Finally, I started walking everyday—rain or shine. My husband went with me when he could. I thought I was doing pretty well. Then, I got pregnant! It wasn’t until after the birth of my second child that I really got my mind right. You see, I had never consulted with God on this topic. I didn’t let Him in at all. I took pills, went on all kinds of weird diets and exercised. Humans are by nature selfish and superficial. It is not until we realize the potential, purpose and resolve that we have in our minds and spirits that we can do dynamic things.

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
—Romans 12:2 AMP

This scripture changed my life! My mind had to be changed. I had to prove it to myself. Was it God’s perfect will that I be overweight and unhealthy? What kind of mother would I be to not take care of my body and place a burden of worry on my children? I thought about my body really being God’s temple—the place where His Spirit was dwelling. I read about the temple in the Old Testament and how it was cared for and kept. The Law also had many requirements for how God’s people were to keep their bodies. If it were that important to God then, wouldn’t it still be now?

You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that.
—1 Corinthians 3:16-17 The Message

The more I continued to let poor food choices and a lack of physical fitness dominate my life, the more I vandalized God’s temple! I was trampling the grace of God and defiling His temple. I can’t confess that by His stripes I’m healed when I am abusing my body with food (the same as with drugs or sex). My flesh was out of control where food and fitness were concerned.

I prayed and asked God to help me for the first time in all of my weight loss efforts. This time I was serious. I knew I needed His help. I was also dealing with some anger and depression residue from the death of my first child. I told Him that if He would tell me what to do, I would do it. At first, all I had to do was fast and pray. I did not exercise. It was like a mental and spiritual detoxification. I had no diet books, no gym membership or medication. I had given my heart and body to God.

There came a point after five or six months that I added in a moderate exercise routine. It consisted of walking and more praying. I had one of those neat baby straps; so I strapped my baby on my chest, and he slept while I walked. My goal was to weigh 120 pounds by the time he was one year old. I did not reach that goal.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
—Galatians 6:9

I was doing a good thing for myself, my husband, my children and God. I couldn’t afford to give up! So what if I didn’t get there in a year. With safe weight loss at one pound a week over the course of a year I would have only lost fifty-two pounds. I was trying to lose sixty-six. So actually, it took the correct amount of time—about 16 months (Hey, I had to go through the holidays!). Every so often God would tell me to stop eating or drinking something, or He would introduce me to some new exercise routine. Years fell off my life. My confidence and energy returned. That was nearly seven years ago. And as I said earlier, I was always a happy person—just not as happy as I was supposed to be. This time it was real. I wasn’t hiding anything.

When it got cold, I worked out indoors using fitness tapes and television programs. God helped me. And those same relatives who called me fat for years were now saying I was too skinny! Go figure?! Another lesson—you can’t please people, so quit trying. Live your life to please God.  This is when I was inspired to become a fitness instructor. The seeds were being sown into be during my own journey.

Now that is what I do. I often tell people that God has made me into the me that I’ve always wanted to be. Nearly everyday, I’m sowing health, life and fitness into others. Remember that whatever God has done in you, He wants to do through you! As I teach fitness, I believe that the life and vitality of God is surging through my body. I bring His life and enthusiasm to every class. It’s keeping His temple alive and well so that I can continue sharing my testimony.

I believe in you and so does God. Ask Him to help you in your weight loss and fitness goals. He promised to bless all the work of your hands—that includes your efforts to get healthy! I know He’ll give you the perfect plan that will take you from being overweight and oppressed to physically fit and free! The following is the confession I wrote to encourage a reader to reach her goals. Confess it over your life and write me with your success stories!

My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19); therefore, I refuse to abuse it by overeating. God is working in me to will and to do His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). I will ensure that the vessel He works through is physically, mentally and spiritually fit to do His work (Daniel 1:3-5, 8, 15). Lord, you said in Mark 11:23 that I will have whatever I say. I confess that every organ and tissue of my body is functioning perfectly. My blood pressure, body fat and blood sugar are all at healthy levels. I have self control (Proverbs 25:28; 2 Peter 1:6). I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13); I overcome every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Whatever I do prospers, so I am prospering in my body as I commit to treat it as holy to the Lord (Psalm 1:3). I will live long on the earth in excellent health (Psalms 91:16; 92:14). This is the will of God for my life (Jeremiah 29:11).

Be blessed friends and have the perfect day everyday!
—Shontta
Psalm 138:8

16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. – Matthew 7:16-18 (King James Version)

Here is the Five Step formula for Growing a Good Tree in your life.

1. Prepare the Soil
2. Plant the Seed
3. Water the Tree
4. Protect the Soil
5. Gather the Fruit

Prepare the Soil

One of the first steps that you must take to prepare your heart (your soil) is to follow David’s example and give thanks to God.
14Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: 15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. – Psalm 50:14,15 (KJV)

Another thing that you want to do (also like David) is to praise Him.

Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. – Psalm 106:12 (KJV)

Praising God will show that you believe Him and trust Him. Believe that God is your source, God is your supply, God is good and He loves you. Praise Him with your words, praise Him with your actions, praise Him with singing and dancing, praise Him with your thoughts and words, and with everything in your being.

Next, spend time with God. You must make room for God every day. Even if it’s just five minutes at first, start to spend time with God. Some ways to enter God’s presence are through prayer, through reading the Bible, through talking to Him and about Him, through singing praise, and through thinking about Him and His goodness.

Finally, if you have unforgiveness in your heart, confess that sin and receive your healing. This will remove the bitterness that has tainted the soil of your heart.

Plant the Seed

Once you have prepared the soil, it is time to plant the seed. This is how Jesus explains the parable of the sower:

18″Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Matthew 18:18-23 (KJV)

You can see from this passage that your heart is your soil and the Word of God is the seed. When you receive God’s Word, the soil knows what to do with it. So prepare your heart and listen to God’s Word. Immerse yourself in His teaching. Follow His ways. If you have prepared the soil properly, the Word will be planted in the good soil that Jesus talks about. The soil that produces the multiplied harvest. A harvest that is 30, 60, or even 100 times what was sown.

Water the Seed

Often, the Bible discusses water in the sense of cleansing or repentance.

I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Mark 1:8

This repentance, or change, is necessary for your tree to continue to grow. Behaviors that are corrupt will hinder the growth of the seed that has been planted in your heart. However, if you will follow God’s formula for cleansing, you will add water to the seed that will enable it to grow.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

By removing this unrighteousness, we move closer to God. We are willingly submitting our will to God’s Will.

Water in plants acts like blood does in animals. It carries the nutrients to all parts of the plant; thereby, giving even the extremities life. Water, then, in this comparison to the Word growing in your heart would be the messengers. In today’s times, you can water the Word through going to church, listening to tapes, watching ministers on television, reading the Bible, confessing the Word, reading sound teaching on the internet, reading good books, and any other way of getting God’s Word to the tree that is growing in your heart.

Protect the Soil

Just as important as watering the tree, is protecting it from anything that can harm it. If you look at the types of soil in Matthew 18, you can see that three of the soil types will not produce the harvest. The reasons are the following:

1. The seed sown along the path does not penetrate the soil before the devil comes to take it away. Thus, if the soil, or the heart is hardened, it is easy for the seed to be removed. This may come in the form of becoming offended at the messenger or numerous other ways for the heart to be unreceptive.
2. The seed sown in the rocky places does not develop strong roots. If the rocks are not removed, they will prevent the roots from taking hold. Thus, when the first sign of trouble comes, the plant is uprooted. This could occur if you keep friends or habits in your life that prevent you from getting nourishment to develop and grow.
3. The seed sown among the thorns allows distractions to choke out the plant. The plant may actually even grow and develop but it doesn’t bear any fruit because worries, activities, and worldly wealth consume your attention and energy.

The good news for each of these issues is that they can be prevented or corrected if you will apply discipline and diligence.

Gather the Fruit

If you wait for the fruit to fall off of the tree, chances are that it wiill not be good to eat. Thus, it stands to reason that you will need to do something to gather the fruit.

26And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. (Mark 4:26-29)

The seed knows what to do, and the soil knows what to do. By watching the progress of the plant, you will know when to harvest. The harvest is released when Faith is full-grown in your heart. When that happen, the Words you speak in Faith will release the fruit from the tree.

14A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man’s hands shall be rendered unto him. (Proverbs 12:14)

The mouth produces the fruit (don’t be misled, Faith requires corresponding action; otherwise, it is dead, See James 2). Once the tree is fully grown, the mouth will speak with Faith, which brings the harvest:

45A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:45)

Words are the containers for our Faith. Words bring the inner image developed in the spirit man to manifest in the physical. It is when faith is fully developed that the image is ready to be released by the tongue.

Step One. Pray the Word. It is the perfect will of God. Hearing the Word of God not only builds your faith, it sows the Word directly into your heart and enables the Spirit to speak. Many times you will be reading/praying the Word and get your answer.

Step Two. Pray in the Spirit. It is another form of perfect prayer. Your natural mind is unfruitful and can’t hinder your prayer (1 Corinthians 14:14).

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

—Romans 8:26-27

Step Three. Live by the Spirit. Galatians 5:16 says, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Verses 22-23 later list the following fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. If you intentionally personify these traits everyday, when the Spirit does give you a command you know it because there will be no mental clutter.

Step Four. Listen and obey. We have the secret! In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). All we have to do is obey. Imagine a person who lived their whole life totally committed to God’s Word—obeying it to the letter. This person, however, never actually “heard” from God. He only did what the Bible taught. What are the odds that his life would be successful? You get the picture.

Of course the scenario in step four is impossible because a man or woman of that stature would surely hear from God many times. Even sinners on occasion hear from God—it’s called a conscience. We are spirit beings. Now the conscience can be seared (1 Timothy 4:2) and therefore become ineffective. But, it was put in every human by God. So the more you discipline yourself to follow His Word, you will inevitably be following His Spirit. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice (John 10:27).” You learn to know His voice by knowing His Word.

Clues that Expose the Enemy’s Voice

1. If the voice is talking about killing, stealing or destroying, it’s not of God (John 10:10; Jeremiah 29:11).
2. If you can’t verify it in the Bible, it’s not from the Lord (1 John 4:1). Any voice you hear should line up with Scripture.
3. If it’s negative, it’s not God (Psalm 145:13). Even in chastisement, God is gracious.

Tips for Following the Spirit in Decision Making

1. Go in the direction of peace, even when your flesh is unsure. Know that your steps are ordered and it’s all working out for your good (Psalm 37:23; Romans 8:28).
2. Don’t stop moving. If you’ve not gotten a clear answer, just keep doing the right things and stay prepared. My natural father always tells me, “Stay ready so you won’t have to get ready.” This way when God speaks you’re nimble.
3. Have a short memory—forget past mistakes. So you flubbed a decision, who hasn’t? Psalm 138:8 is true concerning you. Don’t get deterred from following the Spirit just because you miss it.

Again, follow the Word and you’ll always be in line with the Spirit. My goal in this series of articles is to simplify the processes of life by the Spirit and prayer in the Spirit. I give Scripture references to encourage you to seek these things out for yourself. It is the best way to start following the Spirit of God. It’s just like following a recipe. You may not get it perfect the first time, but the more you tweak your life by the Word, the better it becomes.

Be blessed friends, and have the perfect day everyday!

—Shontta
Psalm 138:8