's motd Sunday April 10, 2011

[Guest guest]

HALLELUJAH!

Sunday, 10 April 2011

Would you like to hear a really

cute story on this beautiful Sunday? Well, gather

around because it really is a good one!

See, about six months ago, a lady

named sent me an E-mail from Pennsylvania. The

reason she wrote is this. She told me that a number

of the ladies who attended her church all needed to

lose weight. And in fact, she needed to lose some

weight, too. wanted to know if she could have

my permission to use some of my workout videos to

start an exercise class for herself and the ladies at

her church. (I thought her request was so cute!)

's phone number was on her E-mail and I decided

to give her a call. She was truly surprised to pick

up the phone and discover it was me.

I told that not only did she have my permission

but that I would be honored knowing she and

her fellow church members were working out to one of

my DVDs getting in shape and losing weight. was

so excited and thankful.

Now, her next stop was to have a talk with the

church's pastor. She told him about our phone

conversation and mentioned how several ladies,

including herself, wanted to lose some weight. So she

was asking for his permission to use one of the

church's activity rooms where her group could workout

together. Well, not only did the pastor say yes but

admitted that he could use some of those workouts

himself! LOL. Seems 's pastor could stand to

drop a few pounds, too.

So now that she had my permission

and the pastor's, and her group were ready to sweat!

Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, they'd meet in

the church's activity room, pop in one of my Sweatin'

To The Oldies DVDs and had a great time

sweatin' together! That first week, there were only

eight participants but within less than two months,

they were averaging more than 25 members each

time they got together. And get this, the pastor even

joined them for a few workouts. (I love it!)

Every couple of weeks would send an E-mail to

let me know how their classes were going. Everyone

was feeling better, looking better and yes...they

were losing weight. (Even the pastor had

dropped a few pounds!) I was thrilled to receive a

photo from 's group and oh, they were all just

beaming in that photo. I could feel every one of

their smiles! (Didn't I tell you this was going to be

a cute story?)

And what a great idea this was, too. I mean, let's

face it. When most people go to church, they usually

spend a lot of time sitting. Yes, they stand on

occasion to sing a hymn together but, during the rest

of the service, they're sitting and listening to the

pastor's sermon.

Which reminds me, I have to tell you about an idea

I had once. And that was to remove all of the

pews from a church's sanctuary and replace them

with...treadmills! That's right, hundreds of

heavenly treadmills...maybe even with little angel's

wings on the side. That way, while you were getting

your soul fed, you were feeding your body's muscles

with some good-old fashioned...exercise. HALLELUJAH!

Hey, maybe 's idea will light

a spark inside some of you to start an exercise group

at your own church. Remember, a church is like a

family. And there's the old saying, the family that

prays together...stays together. Well, I say the

family that sweats together, stays

together...for a very long time!

Love,