My Friend, My Mentor

You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17, The Message)

Attributes of a Mentor

Understanding Accepting Supportive
Involved in the community Good listener Open-minded
Positive Genuine Empathetic
Trustworthy Approachable Honest
Committed Respectful Sense of humour


Developing the Relationship

· Listen without interrupting
· Identify and reflect feelings
· Frame things from a positive perspective
· Use humour selectively and appropriately
· Follow the conversational “lead” of the talker
· Maintain eye contact, without staring or glaring
· Avoid using judgmental words like “you should” or “you shouldn’t”
· Using “I messages”, for example: “When you said ___ , I felt ___ .”
· Be yourself and share without completely switching the focus to you
· Help to identify options, pros and cons instead of giving advice
· Remain interested and focused on the person speaking
· Avoid dramatic or disapproving reactions
· Use “active listening” techniques

Luke 6:40
“A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”



Effective Mentoring

? Who has acted in a mentor role before? If so, can you describe the experience?

? Who has had a mentor before? If so, what was that like?


Equipping Mentors

· The partnership is fully confidential
· Mentors may take on more than one protégé at a time
· May have an opportunity to be a mentor in one partnership and a protégé in another
· Mentoring relationship will be as unique as the personalities, gifts and needs brought to it


Activity

Think about how you personally can make a difference in the lives of other women. Consider:

Whom could I be a mentor to?

Where might this mentoring process take place?

How much time am I able to devote to this?

How long am I prepared to be a mentor?

Now write down one thing, an action step, that you can take to begin the mentoring process.


Food for Thought

Just as eating healthy foods nourishes your body, Bible study nourishes your spirit. There are many similarities between healthy eating and Bible study:

Healthy eating and Bible study are both activities that you need do every day. They give strength and increase energy.

There are different ways to perform each. You may eat healthy at home or at a restaurant. You may enjoy different food groups. Similarly, you may read your Bible at home or in a group. Also, there are many Bibles to choose from.

Both build healthy relationships. When eating, you can enjoy the company of your family and friends. When reading your Bible, you can build a healthier relationship with God.

With a pure motive, they both delight God.

(Taken from Fit for Faith – 7 weeks to improved spiritual and physical health)

Recipe for Success

1 Book
Reading the ___________ provides you with wisdom, instructions, and comfort – “nutrition” which helps you stay spiritually healthy. The Bible is food-for-thought and as with eating food, it is also important to “digest” God’s Word.

8 cups of water
When the body gets the water it needs, it will function optimally. Water boosts your __________, suppresses appetite, increases short-term memory, prevents fluid retention, improves concentration, maintains skin, relieves constipation and rids the body of waste. The recommended water intake is eight to 10 glasses a day. Drinks containing ______________ do not count because they are diuretics, which increase water loss. You need to drink enough to keep your urine clear, light-colored and plentiful. A dark, gold colour urine may mean you are dehydrated.

4 tbsp of garlic, 4 pounds of chicken, 4 tsp of sesame seeds
Try not to eat the same food within a _____________-day period. Enjoy many different kinds of foods to get all the energy and nutrients you need. God created a variety of foods that you can enjoy to meet the needs of your body.

½ tsp each ground cumin and paprika
Focus on ______________. Add chilies, hot mustard and salsa to your meals, instead of high fat butter, rich cream or cheese sauces. Try non-fattening flavorings such as lemon juice, herbs and curry powders. And try low fat cooking techniques such as baking, broiling, steaming or boiling.

1 cup each chopped onions and red bell pepper
Reduce the amount of processed foods you buy. If you really want to be healthy, get back to the basics with ____________foods. Try to eat food the way God made it or as close to it as possible.

3 pounds of fat-free tortilla chips
________-_______ snacks may include pretzels, light microwave popcorn, vanilla wafers, fig bars, dried fruits, low-fat bran muffins, graham crackers, angel food cake and frozen yogurt.

Answers:
Bible; Energy; Caffeine; Four; Flavour; Whole; Low-fat



Plan of action

Can you remember a time when you may have had an intense yearning for something meaningful? Did the void feel insatiable? Did you turn to food to fill this void? If you feel like you still have this feeling, than your relationship with food has to change. It can no longer be looked to as your comforter, but instead you can look to the true Comforter. When you are feeling that emptiness, you can turn to your Bible and read the Word. That empty space can only be filled with God. Instead of giving into the craving, realize what it is: a deep call to spend time with God. Only God can fill the void.

Bible study cleanses your spirit. The word Bible means “the books”. It is the product of one Master Mind. The Bible itself internally claims to be God inspired and is something more than literature or history, it is God’s Word. It is the best-selling book of all time.

Bible study is not boring or irrelevant with over 40 different authors from all walks of life including priests, fishermen, prisoners and doctors. The writers came from a variety of locations and different eras. They used different writing styles including psalms, love songs, history, biography and letters.

Not just one big book, the Bible consists of 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament for a total collection of 66 books. 400 years lapsed between the writing of the Old Testament and the New Testament. The writing of the Bible spanned over 1500 years, surviving cultural, geographic and political changes.

Benefits of Bible study
Provides insight and wisdom
Details God’s interaction with people
Instills peace
Promises hope for the future
Builds a relationship with God
A pure motive delights God

Examples:
I plan to cut fresh vegetables and keep in a container in the refrigerator
I plan to participate in at least one Bible study each year
I plan to keep a water bottle with me at all times
I plan to read my Bible daily for fifteen minutes before the kids return from school


Your turn:
· I plan to:
· I plan to:

Flex Your Spirit

Just as flexibility exercises stretch your body, journal writing stretches your spirit. There are many similarities between flexibility exercises and journal writing:

Flexibility exercises and journal writing are both activities that many people do not do on a regular basis. Benefits are seen only when these activities become a part of your daily routine.

It is difficult to see the results. With flexibility exercises, you may feel that your body is more supple, but not “see” the effects. The same is true of journal writing. You may not see any specific changes, but rather feel a change in attitude.

Both flexibility exercises and journal writing can melt tension, reduce your stress level, and provide peace.

With a pure motive, they both delight God.

(Taken from Fit for Faith – 7 weeks to improved spiritual and physical health)

Stretch your Knowledge

Stretching
a) is just for athletes
b) relieves your body from tension
c) is “warming up”
d) is painful

Journal writing
a) helps you to express your personal feelings about God, or about your experiences and needs
b) is a way to document Bible information that you have discovered
c) helps to record ways to put Bible truths into practice in your personal life
d) all of the above

Flexibility
a) is the joint’s ability to move freely in every direction and is an important component of fitness
b) activities include gentle reaching, bending and stretching of all your muscle groups
c) melts tension, reduces stress, decreases risk of injury, maintains good posture, increases range of motion of joints, and improves muscle imbalances
d) all of the above

Journal writing
a) is writing for other people’s benefit
b) nurtures your spirit and helps to achieve greater well-being in your body and spirit
c) is about writing only “nice” things
d) can not help you recognize and avoid repeating old, nonproductive patterns, and free you to focus your energy for God

Plan of Action

Warm up
· Before starting a stretching program remember to always warm up with a gentle, rhythmic exercise such as walking or riding a stationary bike for five to 10 minutes.
* It may be difficult to find time for journal writing. If your life revolves around children, family and society expectations this may be a sign that life is out of balance. Through journal writing you can learn what is most important to you and your health.

Hold
· Stretch all your muscle groups daily and hold each stretch for at least 10 seconds, working up to 30 seconds. Stretching every day is ideal, but at the very least stretch before or after you exercise.
* Journal writing is a place to record your feelings about your new or renewed relationship with God. It is about listening and responding back to God through handwritten notes. You may write about your triumphs. You may write about your failures. The important thing is to write.

Be specific
· Besides a general stretch of major muscle groups, stretch the specific muscles required for your sport or activity.
* Through journal writing, you can explore your eating and exercise habits, your feelings about your body, and your relationship with God.

Watch your technique
· Do not bounce or force the stretch. Use gentle, smooth movements. Gradually ease into it and stretch to where you feel a slight, mild tension, never to the point of pain.
* Writing may help you reclaim who you are and achieve a sense of health and wholeness. Journal writing can help you recognize and avoid repeating old, nonproductive patterns, and free you to focus your energy for God.

Remember to breathe
· Do not hold your breath as you stretch. Breathe in a natural rhythm – inhale deeply and then exhale slowly.
* You may find you are spending a great deal of time listening to the world outside you. Your mind may be full of chatter some days and so it is helpful to get rid of the noise in order to explore your thoughts more deeply. This is the time to slow down, listen and write.

Examples:
* I plan to start stretching activities in the morning in my bed
* I plan to explore my eating and exercise habits through journal writing
* I plan to buy a video on stretching and use it two times each week
* I plan to write in my journal at least fifteen minutes every day

Your turn:
· I plan to


Fit for Prayer

I am starting a new fall series to share with you what I've learned about spiritual & physical health. I look forward to your comments and questions!

Fit for Prayer

What cardiovascular exercise and strength training do for building a strong body, prayer does to build spiritual strength.

There are many similarities between exercise and prayer:

To be physically and spiritually healthy requires discipline. You need to practice them both daily and use this strength or you will lose it.

The effects can be both immediate and/or long term. You may see the results right away or the effects can be cumulative.

Both are significant in improving balance in your life, improving your quality of life and boosting your mood.

With a pure motive, they both delight God.

(Taken from Fit for Faith – 7 weeks to improved spiritual and physical health)

Frequency (how often?)

Myth: I have no time to exercise.
Fact: Exercise means active living. You can walk your dog, go for a short bicycle ride or take the stairs instead of an elevator. It all adds up. For a more formal program, schedule time for yourself to exercise with the same amount of respect and consideration that you would schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Myth: I must pray only in the mornings.
Fact: Like exercise, prayer is not a one-time thing. You can pray everyday, anywhere and anytime. It is important to spend time in private prayer each day – just you and God. It is important to not only find time for prayer, but to make time.

Intensity (how hard?)

Myth: Low-intensity exercise will not promote weight loss like high-intensity exercise.
Fact: The most important exercise factor for losing body fat is the total calories burned, regardless of the rate at which they are burned. The benefit of working out at a lower intensity is that you won’t get as tired as quickly.

Myth: Prayer is only for highly spiritual people.
Fact: Prayer is not just for highly spiritual people. God delights to have you come to Him with your requests. You do not have to be “good enough” to pray.

Time (how long?)

Myth: I need to spend hours in the gym to see results from an exercise program.
Fact: Even if you don’t have time for a formal workout during your day any exercise is better than none. Try to take three 10-minute walks. For strength training, three 20-minute sessions a week will do the job.

Myth: I must pray for at least one hour at a time.
Fact: Prayer can be as short as a “Lord, help!” or it can be planned time every day at the same place. It can be that you pray as you breathe or you can kneel on your knees and pray for a full 20 minutes. Or you may shoot a quick prayer of thanks as it comes to you. It does not need to be a specific time limit.

Type (how?)

Myth: If women lift weights they will bulk up.
Fact: Women have less of the hormone needed to build muscle bulk easily. Very large muscles are most likely not in their genetic potential. Generally, women can’t develop huge muscles without spending hours a day lifting very heavy weights.

Myth: I must say the same prayer each day.
Fact: Prayers change as your needs change, your moods change, your heart changes.
God does not want a “canned” prayer, but one that is sincere and comes from the
heart.

Plan of action
Frequency - How often?
Intensity - How hard?
Time - How long?
Type - How
?

Some ideas to combine active living with a healthy prayer life:

Pray while walking
Exercise while watching a Christian program on television
Read a Christian magazine/newspaper while working out on a treadmill
Read the Bible while doing floor warm-up stretches
Reflect on Scripture during exercise class
Read a daily prayer from a devotional book before eating
Listen to the Bible on tape while riding a stationary bike
Keep a prayer journal of answered prayers

Your turn:


· I plan to

Blessings on the road to health!

Mermaid or Whale

I received this in my email inbox and thought it worthy of sharing:


Mermaid or Whale

Recently, in large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tanned woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said: THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE??

A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern:

Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans). They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Barren Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia. Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don't exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them not to mention how could they have sex? Therefore they don't have kids either. Not to mention who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store? The choice is perfectly clear to me; I want to be a whale.

P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a coffee with my friends. With time we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy. Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think? Good gosh, look how smart I am.