I've Got a Strong Right Arm!

As you know I try to work out at least three days a week to keep myself in decent shape. Mondays are my least favorite day to work out because I have my kick boxing class these days, which is the class where I’m pushed the hardest to perform. Not that I don’t enjoy kick boxing, but it hurts my shin every time I kick the bag… (I’m a wimp!). So I went to class on Monday and found myself feeling a little relieved when we had a fill-in instructor. I knew the class would push me but it wouldn’t be like most Mondays where I count the minutes to completion. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy the normal instructor, but I was ready for an easier workout because it had been such a busy day.

The class began and it was your typical warm up. Running, frog jumps, push-ups, burpees (no, it has nothing to do with belching…lol), lunges, and the list goes on. After the warm up we have 30 minutes of boxing and kick boxing routines. Things were progressing normally with the class doing the routines when I noticed that the instructor had put on boxing mitts and was going around having everyone in the class hit the mitts for a period of time. This is probably my favorite part of boxing class! I was at the end so it would be a long time before he got to me, but it gave me something to look forward to. When he finally arrived to me I remember setting up and telling myself to hit them hard. One of the sounds I love to hear is the pop of the mitt when you hit it square and hard! As I was hitting, the pops were getting louder, and it made me want to hit them even harder. When he was doing my 10 second count down I increased my drive with every punch. When I finished he complimented me and said I had a really strong right hand. I felt so good to hear those words of encouragement and warn you readers to watch my right! (Ha ha.) As class was wrapping up he made his way over to me and again complimented me and said that it felt like I was going to break his hand. I just laughed and thanked him for the compliment and walked out feeling like Mohammad Ali. I know I would be taken apart if I ever got into the boxing ring with a real boxer, but that instructor created an excitement in me that has me counting down the minutes until my next workout.

I love how Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote words that excited and encouraged the church. He offered them words that created excitement in going out into the world and making a difference in the life of someone. He also encouraged them to encourage each other. Who is that person that you can encourage in life today? What simple words will give someone the drive to say, “I’m ready to face today’s challenges because someone spoke words of life into me.” Never forget Paul’s encouraging words to the church found in I Thessalonians 5: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”