Alright sojourners, the next 31 days of our journey will begin on March 1st! Are you ready?

If you are just joining us, I am going to recommend that you start from March and move forward with us. The only exception being those who wish to do the 12-Step Journey. If you’re just joining us and want to do that version, please begin with January’s Path… of course, you’ll be doing it during the month of March instead. There is a purpose to the order and I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the benefits. So, after you read the mission, come back here.

Those who already have a plan to follow, did you re-evaluate last months plan? Do you have what you need to start off with a bang? Please post in the comments of this message what your plan for March will be. Even if you’ve set a time-frame for your personal journey that’s longer, let’s just focus on March for now.

Those taking on the “12-Step Journey”, today is the day you find out what I’m going to ask you to add for March. Our theme for the month will be: “Move More”. This next step is to help you get through to spring with a bit more ease. Now that we’re hydrated, we are going to dedicate this month to moving our bodies and thanking the Lord for the ability to do so.

The Mission: move your bod

Now, this can be interpreted many different ways. Obviously I have no way of knowing how much you’re moving, so it would be ridiculous for me to tell everyone to get out and run a mile a day. If you aren’t doing anything, start by looking for ways to sneak in activity: park further from doors, take the stairs instead of the elevator, don’t use the remote on your television (manually change the channel), get a pedometer and shoot for a certain number of steps per day… you get the idea.

Ideally, if you can come up with an activity that you enjoy, you’ll probably stick with it longer. I like spinning because it’s low impact and yet fun to do in a class setting. If you haven’t exercised regularly, it’s always better to error on the side of caution. Start out slow and gradually build up. Once you get proficient at something, increase it somehow, but always do so in a safe manner. The worst thing you can do is start out too fast and burn out (or injure yourself).

Be patient with yourself and take it one day at a time. The options for workouts are so numerous, you should be able to find something you enjoy. At a minimum, just enjoy the fact that you can move. A woman came up to me after one of my spinning classes and asked if I ever stopped smiling through the class. I told her that I was just so thankful for the opportunity to move and workout. I’ve had numerous injuries over the years that have brought my goals to a screeching halt, so now, I just go into the workout with an attitude of gratitude. Don’t dread exercise, see it as an opportunity to watch the miraculous body God gave you at work. Plus, you’ll get the added bonus of knowing that you’re doing something good for your health.

Now a word about posting for support or cheers: You are more than welcome to post in the comments of any “Journey” post or my daily “365 Raw” posts. What should you post? Well, anything you’d like to share with the group. If you’re struggling, please don’t shrink off to the shadows, let us pray for you and offer support. If you’re rocking, please don’t fly off into the sunset alone, share your joys that others may be encouraged.

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite workout songs – Dare you to Move by Switchfoot (have I mentioned that I love Switchfoot? yeah, I have ;)) My favorite line is, “The tension is here, between who you are and who you could be; between how it is and how it should be.” Ask yourself, “who could I be?” and “how should it be?” Enjoy!