Mountains

August 6, 2023

mountains

I grew up in the heart of New York City. Every summer, my father would pack up our family and drive us to a family vacation farm in West Virginia. As we traveled South, the landscape of apartment buildings and city streets gradually shifted to open blue skies and the wonder and beautiful sight of mountains in the distance.

Mountains 2 Mountains play a significant role in many places in the Bible: Mount Moriah—is where Abraham brought Isaac in obedience to God’s voice (Genesis 22); Mount Sinai—is where Moses is given the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20); the Mount of Beatitudes—is the location of the powerful sermon on the mount (Matthew 5); and, finally, Mount Zion—is where Jesus will stand at the end of the age (Isaiah 2:2, Revelation 14).

The Scriptures also refer to mountains as a place of comfort and refuge. Psalm 121:1–2 states: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Life has its obstacles—and sometimes obstacles can often be perceived as immovable mountains. Jesus teaches us the powerful connection that praying in faith has the power to move mountains (obstacles/challenges), as stated in Mark 11:23–24: “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

If you happen to drive past mountains this summer, be encouraged to know that God has established mountains to remind us of His strength. He also wants us to face mountains with faith and certainty, knowing that He hears our prayers.

“…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20–21, NIV)

Let us be encouraged to pray in faith, as we face the mountains in our lives.

by Abby Dixson, MES, CES

Jeannie Blocher head shot Abby has been teaching Body & Soul® classes for over three decades and has a passion to help students safely reach their fitness goals and encourage each person to grow in faith. She is an ACE Gold Certified Health and Fitness Coach with certifications in Group Fitness, Personal Training, and Medical Exercise. Abby is also a Cancer Exercise Specialist (CES), with CETI. Approved to teach all five (5) Body & Soul® programs, Abby is also a Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist, Member of ACSM, IDEA, and Wellcoaches®. Abby’s words to live by: “Movement is Medicine!™”

Body and Soul® Fitness is an international Christian fitness organization that trains and equips instructors to lead a variety of group fitness programs including choreographed aerobics-style Cardio Strength & Flexibility™, cardio dance style Dance Blast™, free-weights-focused Power Strength™, boot camp style FIT360™ and Longevity FIT360™, and GOLD™ - lower impact programming for participants that are pregnant, have weight challenges, injuries, or other medical conditions. These exercise classes meet in church gyms, community centers, gymnasiums, parking lots, schools, etc. across the United States, Europe, and Africa. In-person and virtual fitness classes are available.

Key words: Christian fitness, women's exercise classes, group fitness, dance aerobics classes, Christian group fitness, Christian fitness app, FitTV, Body & Soul, Body and Soul, fitness instuctor training, low impact exercise