Growth Is On The Side Of New Practices

May last blog asked the question, "What is new with you?". Let me reply to my own question with some new things I am learning to practice. At the YMCA I have under the guidance of a patient instructor started a new way of fitness. Now three times a week I am bouncing a 6 pound medicine ball off the wall. The instructor was careful to show me how to do this with out killing myself. We do need help from experienced people when we try a new practice. Today I will begin a new adventure with MANGO. It is a program offered free by our library system to teach us a new language. Yes, I am excited about brushing up on my Spanish I played with as a prison chaplain. The Mexican inmates were kind to coach me on some basic words and phrases. This evening at the YMCA I will try a new fitness class called SELAH. It is a unique combination of pilates and yoga. It is an hour experience of stretching while listening to Christian praise music. It will be a miracle of sorts if I can make it through the whole hour. The pace is up beat to keep up with the music! Maybe my newness here will be 30 minutes of the class. In the battle for my soul I am challenged by a Korean Chaplain friend, Vescinda McDonald, to not permit my thinking to live in the room of anger, fear, resentment or worry. When I find myself dwelling in these negative rooms that drag me down I am practicing a new thing she strongly suggests. When aware of this negative down feeling I am rebuking Satan in the name of Jesus my Lord. Then I am giving those weeds of the soul to my Lord to burn up in the fire of His love. And in the here and now I practice thanking my Lord for the abundant ways my life is good. Her book , "Twisted Logic, The Window of Depression" is ground breaking for me to practice some new ways of the Spirit. If you want to borrow my copy of her book let me know. So here are my questions for you this week, "What do you want more of?" and "What do you want less of in your life?". The answers are in your heart.