In Strength and Fitness

We are more than simply a fitness organization. We are intentional about our faith, living life well, and being our best in whatever role(s) we find ourselves in life. We aim to honor God with everything we are. And we want to help you do the same.

When you become a Body & Soul® Fitness student, you’ll be given a free copy of our most current devotional booklet. In this, you’ll find our current playlist of songs/artists, and spiritual content that we hope will encourage and inspire you. Download a copy of our previous devotional booklet.
July 23, 2023
his marvelous light
Impact

Recently, I was helping at a workday at my church. I started tending to some vines that had spread everywhere!  As I was pulling them out, I realized they had been neglected for several years. This reminded me that it is so easy to neglect the vines of sin in my life. For me, the sin of pride is like these neglected vines.  I didn’t think of myself as a prideful person, but the reality was..

July 16, 2023
richly dwell
Impact

I love how the Amplified Bible further describes ‘richly dwell’ - ‘Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being]…’

God’s Word is to permeate every aspect of our being!  I believe that if it dwells within us richly then it will have this effect.  I made oatmeal this morning. As I poured in some chocolate protein powder...

July 9, 2023
lined up
Impact

Our pier had become a trip and splinter hazard and needed repair.  Finally, the long-awaited pier repair company went to work, removing our old pier and securing new pilings and a deck frame. The company’s husband and wife team began to hand-install the decking planks across the frame.  One by one they placed them next to each other, lining them up to a previously established guideline.  

I wondered what would happen if one plank got slightly out of line...

July 2, 2023
Freedom July 4th
Impact

In the United States of America, we celebrate our freedom on July 4th,  Independence Day. We honor those who fought so that we could be a free country. This is particularly meaningful to me as I have both a son and a grandson in the military. They stand ready today to fight for freedom and I am grateful for that. I wear my patriotic red, white and blue and pray for them. And I stand in awe of fireworks that light up the sky to commemorate freedom to be independent.  Freedom is precious and I am grateful for all who have fought and still fight for it.

But I never want to forget...

June 25, 2023
hellos and goodbyes

Although Summer is here, Spring is one of my favorite times of the year! It’s a time filled with the joy and hope of new life! This spring is especially exciting for us as our middle daughter says goodbye to her high school life and says hello to a brand new college world.

We found ourselves in a similar situation of hellos and goodbyes four years ago...

June 11, 2023
exercise
Impact

I love to exercise - both indoors and out, but sometimes I need to make a new commitment to put my fitness focus first. What about you? Are you ready to ramp up your exercise routine this spring? It’s a great time to renew your commitment to your personal fitness and maybe even try some new things...

June 4, 2023
Abiding Love
Impact

“I just want them to know I love them.” These words echoed in my own heart as I heard them fall from the lips of a young momma who had confessed she was struggling with her babies while her husband was serving overseas. Her anguish brought back a flood of memories from when I was living a life covered with diapers, toys, chaos, time-outs on the bottom step, snuggles in rocking chairs at bedtime, and not enough of me to go around. I remember being stretched so thin and thinking I would never find myself again, but that was just it...

May 28, 2023
Hope for Springtime
Impact

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord? Psalm 31:24 (NIV)

Springtime comes late in Indiana. March comes and goes and we long for spring as chilly days linger on. April let’s us know that it is coming soon as daffodils pop open and forsythia blooms, but in May, finally the warmth arrives and God’s beauty is on full display. 

Yesterday I was with friends from my Bible study having a fellowship lunch...

April 30, 2023
No failure here

Does God set me up to fail? Sometimes I have felt that way. I was facilitating a group of 5 ladies in a Bible study and in a few months the group shrunk to 2 and at that, they often attend on alternate weeks. There, the 2 of us are, sitting across from each other, quizzically blinking, while shyly plodding through our questions holding a quiet conversation. 

I fight the thoughts—I must be failing. Someone else would do better. God doesn’t want me hereThen I remember to fight the thoughts with God’s Word...

April 16, 2023
no fishing
Impact

April kicks off the best season for fishing on the Chesapeake Bay, where Rockfish (striped bass) are a popular catch.  When my husband invites me along it’s always exciting to reel one in. 

Jesus had an exciting catch to share with His fishermen friends.  He began His ministry in ‘the way of the sea’, in Galilee (Matthew 4:13-16) and told His new disciples He would make them ‘fishers of men.’ (Matthew 4:19)  They were later commissioned to ‘go therefore and make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew 28:19) baptizing and teaching as Jesus had commanded.  What a catch of believers that would be one day!

But there is a ‘no-fishing’ zone when it comes to our walk with the Lord...