From the desk of Melissa Reinert… 

“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

I don’t need to tell you we live in a fast-paced society. You know the pressures. You know the desire for and the pleasure of instant gratification. You also know the heartache that results from someone’s thoughtless action or remark, as well as the heartache of your own lashing out.

This living in constant hurriedness is quite contrary to how our heavenly Father calls us to live… it’s quite contrary to our spiritual nature. The toll is devastating. Look at 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Without self-control, without taking the time to train ourselves in discipline, we are a city broken into and ravaged.

There are many scriptures that call us to “be still,” such as Psalm 46:10. First Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us to take inventory of our blessings and circumstances. We are to be content. First Corinthians 7:5 says we should make time for others and to devote ourselves to prayer so that we may escape the enemy’s snares. We should also take time to appreciate the Lord and all that He has done and will do in our lives; 1 Samuel 12:16.

When we press pause, we get to know God. We are more appreciative for what we have and that brings great satisfaction and lessens our temptations. When we slow down we spend time with those we love, we care for ourself, we walk ever-closer to the Lord. This allows us to put on His full armor and fight against the enemy. Finally, we have a clear vision of the big picture in life – what the Lord wants for us – how we can serve Him by telling and showing others Jesus’ unconditional, unstoppable, timeless love.

Pressing pause clears our heads. Titus 2:2 says we are to be “sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love and in steadfastness.” This is something that takes effort and time. It’s intentional. It will help us in every situation we face. Pressing pause allows us to reflect on our situation and revitalizes our energy so that we can face our situation naturally, resiliently, and successfully.

Meet Bailey… 

FAC Learning Center Coordinator Bailey started with Lord’s Gym Ministries a few years ago as a volunteer. Now on staff, she leads the learning center and has served as a coach for our all-girls basketball team.

This basketball season marked the first that Lord’s Gym has an all-girls team. The Lady Panthers recently finished second place in the SWOB League. The girls displayed a lot of growth through the season. Bailey and the volunteer coaches she recruited played a intricate role in that growth.  

“I so appreciate the coaches,” she said. “They did a great job and were there for our girls. I am blessed because I was able to work with these coaches and the girls on our team. We’re planning to do basketball again next season and looking into summer sports opportunities for our girls.”

Bailey, 27, loves basketball. She’s played most of her life. She has enjoyed sharing her passion for the game with the girls on the team. Even more, Bailey appreciates the opportunity to share her faith.

“I came to really know Jesus when I was 12,” she said. “I grew up in church and knowing about Jesus. But my discovery to know what it is really means and what it’s really like to walk with Jesus didn’t come until my parents were divorced.”

During that time, everything Bailey knew that brought her security in life was suddenly gone. She needed something to cling to.

“I needed something to cling to during that time,” she said. “That something was Jesus.”

Now she’s working with youth, many who have never had a stable homelife or spent time in church; many who have never known what it feels like to be loved.

“I love the opportunity to create a safe space for the kids in Price Hill,” Bailey said. “I like providing programs, like our sports offerings or the after-school program at the Learning Center that they may not have anywhere else. They deserve these opportunities. I like being the one to advocate for those who don’t have a voice.”

From the Desk of Melissa Reinert… 

“Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.” Proverbs 28:19

A few weeks ago, we talked a little bit about Discipline vs. Default.

Let’s review: Default is our impulsive or auto-pilot response. The result is stagnation. Default is easy and resistant. It is folly. Check out Proverbs 5:23; 12:23 and 14:8.

Discipline, however, is intentional. It’s on purpose. Discipline is faithful to God’s Word. It also involves building skill for the life you want. Check out 2 Timothy 3:16; Proverbs 5:23, 12:1 and 3:10-20; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 9:27 and Titus 1:8.  

Ask yourself and answer honestly: How do I respond to most situations, especially stressful ones?

We typically respond in one or two ways: Discipline vs. Default. Picture your reaction as one of either above or below an imaginary line Discipline/Default.

Are you living above or below the line?

Where does your typical behavior dwell? Do you need to make changes to reach your goals and objectives? You must be willing to change and do the work, even when it’s hard, to achieve the outcomes you desire.

Think of Proverbs 28:19, if you work the land, then you will have an abundant crop. The key, do the work. You must work the soil, water it, nourish it. That’s the only way you will yield.

This applies to every situation of our lives. Do we want our relationships to grow and flourish? We must work at them; work on ourselves – put in the time and effort. Do we want that promotion? Well, show up to work on time; do the tasks you’re given now well. Do we want to grow strong in the Lord? Well, walk along side Him. Pray, read His word, serve. It takes intentional effort.

Putting forth intentional effort requires discipline, living above the line.

It’s your choice to learn and to grow spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. It’s a process that is slow, small, and daily. You must be intentional and stretch your resiliency muscle. Go. Rise above.

From the Desk of Melissa Reinert… 

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law, he mediates day and night. He is like a tree planted by steams of water that yields fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3

At Lord’s Gym Ministries our objective is to see lives transformed for the Glory of God. We want to see our friends come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and for their lives to dramatically change spiritually. We also want to encourage self-responsibility that will allow them to rise above their circumstances and end destructive lifestyles. These things are accomplished by us living out the culture we’ve defined for ourselves at Lord’s Gym. We can also apply the same objective to our own personal and spiritual lives.

 As children of God, our objective for ourselves should be to be transformed. Once we accept Jesus, we are “a new creation,” according 2 Corinthians 5:17. This is a process, as we are to continually “put off the old man and put on the new,” as it says in Ephesians 2:44.

Knowing one’s objective requires self-awareness and mental toughness.

Being self-aware means to have conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives and desires. This takes work. It takes assistance from God too. In Psalm 139:23-24, David writes: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ask the Lord to reveal these things to you, to give you the courage to face them and the strength to change them.

The next step is mental toughness. Mental toughness is simply a measure of individual resilience and confidence that may predict success in sport, education, and the workplace. Let’s take it a step further and include our spiritual and personal lives.

Mental toughness predicts our success in these areas. To be mentally tough we must have and build on our resilience. Resilience, as we know, is the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties, i.e. toughness. We must be willing to do the work, even when it takes us outside our comfort zone. We must have a discipline over default mindset.

Default is our impulsive or auto-pilot response. The result is stagnation. Default is easy and resistant. It is folly. Check out Proverbs 5:23; 12:23 and 14:8.

Discipline, however, is intentional. It’s on purpose. Discipline is faithful to God’s Word. It also involves building skill for the life you want. Check out 2 Timothy 3:16; Proverbs 5:23, 12:1 and 3:10-20; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 9:27 and Titus 1:8.  

Be aware of yourself and have the mental toughness, accompanied by God-given spiritual toughness, to be transformed.

From Chaplain Lynn… 

It really breaks our hearts when we see our friends that have tasted freedom for many years find themselves back in the miry clay of addiction. When we’ve been clean for many years I believe we can let our guard down and forget we have an adversary who is going to and fro seeking whom he may devour. However we don’t beat them up when they fall by the wayside, we lift them up and build them up just like we would want somebody to do for us. I’m sure the guilt and shame is already a heavy load for them to bear but we come to remind them Christ yoke is easy and His burden is light. We come to cover them in prayer believing that one day they will come to themselves and remember that their Heavenly Father is running toward them with His arms open wide ready to throw a heavenly party because His child has come home! 

From the Desk of Melissa Reinert… 

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3

I’ve been struggling lately. Things are getting hard. As I was driving recently replaying all the trials I’m facing over and over in my mind, it occurred to me: “It’s a season.” It’s not going to last forever. It will pass. I will live through these trials, albeit it seems so overwhelming in the moment, God is here with me and will see me through. He always has.

A wonderful sense of comfort flowed into my soul. My heart felt calm. The Lord gave me His peace that surpasses all understanding.

Naturally, I should be overwhelmed. There are bills, there’s inflation, there’s health struggles, there’s just so much to do and I’m tired. But, God! My heavenly Father has me. Things will get better, in fact, things already improved in that car ride. My mindset shifted.

It takes constant intentionality to keep a better mindset. It’s something I’ve been working on my entire life. 😊

When circumstances are difficult and beyond our control, it’s easy to lose hope and optimism. That’s why it’s so important that we prep ourselves. So how exactly do we prepare? How do we cultivate a get better mindset?

• We cultivate a get better mindset growing our faith. Hebrews 11:1, says: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It takes work. We must regularly commune with God and build a strong relationship with Him. We do this by spending time in His word, worshipping, praying and serving others in His name. Growing in faith instills and empowers hope. We need hope that things will get better. That we will become better people through the trials we face. 
• We need to remind ourselves of the great things the Lord has done. Psalm 126:3 reads: “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad.” Keep counting your blessings over and over. Write them down so you remember them. Write down the Lord’s provisions and His answers to prayer. Keep this journal handing for when you need reminding. This provides our hearts and minds with proof that with God, we can will overcome any of life’s circumstances.
• We need to understand that if God is for us, who can be against us? Remember, the Lord says in Jeramiah 29: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” What more comfort do we need than knowing that we are in the hands of our loving Father, the Lord God almighty Who created the universe and is indeed its master.

“Hello” from Valerie… 

For Lord’s Gym Ministries Community Liaison Valerie, there’s no place she’d rather be than in Price Hill serving her neighbors.

“I live in Price Hill,” Valerie said. “That helps me to understand what our friends are going through and their needs. I understand exactly how what happens here in the community affects them, because it affects me and my family too.”

Valerie, a Certified Community Health Worker, comes to Lord’s Gym Ministries through a partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

“I love being at the Family Activity Center,” she said. “I love having a job that allows me the opportunity to openly share my faith. I can pray over people and share with them my testimony.”

Valerie said she grew up in a faith-based home and has always known Who God is.

“I haven’t always lived out my faith,” she said. “I’ve lived for my flesh and instant gratification. It wasn’t until 2010 that I reconnected with the Lord. I found myself in the Lord and realized that I want to live for God and not myself.”

According to Valerie, at that turning point, God had “graciously and lovingly” let her hit rock bottom. He then lifted her and inspired her to be the “mom and woman He created me to be.”

Valerie said that she’s excited that Lord’s Gym Ministries is now a big part of that. She’s looking forward to helping to redefine the community within the Family Activity Center, a community that encourages and lovingly expects respect and self-responsibility.

She also hopes to share her testimony more and prays that God leads and encourages her in doing this, as it can be a little intimidating.

“My human condition holds me back,” she said. “It can be hard because our friends here are my neighbors. They see me at the grocery store. They see me when I take my kids to the park. Sharing my story is so intimate, but I have to overcome my fear. Besides, the only thing that matters is how God feels about me. Also, I know that my testimony could be the thing that helps someone else… that helps them draw closer to God.”

Stop in the Family Activity Center Monday through Friday to be greeted by Valerie; always smiling and spreading the joy of the Lord.

From the Desk of Melissa Reinert… 

As we usher in a new year, our hearts are often filled with a renewed hope. Our minds are focused on new beginnings, and we often set goals to try new things. It should be an opportunity to set our sites on new spiritual growth in our lives, as well.

I have a challenge for myself and for you this year. I want to get myself not only thinking out side the box, but living outside of it. In 2023, I’m challenging myself to be more intentional and more adventurous. I want to learn new things. I want to try new things. Not only in my relationships and skillset, but also, spiritually. I challenge you to consider the same. We can do it!

Think of the disciples. They were not scholars and certainly were no saints – fishermen, a tax collector, etc. They didn’t have the natural talent for the positions Jesus would entrust them with. But see what they were able to accomplish. Do you believe that you can aspire to skills for which you don’t have the natural talent? I believe I can. I believe you can.

The secret is that you must be willing to do the work.

This is a very big component of the culture we live out for our friends at Lord’s Gym Ministries. We firmly believe they can leave behind destructive lifestyles; they can come out of the pit of poverty; they can live responsibly; and they can make a difference in their community.

It’s all about being willing. You have to do the work. You have to set aside your default or go-to reactions for discipline. You have to receive feedback too. You must surround yourself with Godly counsel, true friends who want to help you succeed in this journey.

You can apply this to your spiritual life as well. You want to be closer to the Lord? You must move toward Him. Loyally attend a Bible-based church. Talk to Him regularly. Read His Word. Live out His Word in love and action by following Jesus’ example and serving others in the way He’s called you to serve.

Then, you will leave behind your sin, you will rise out of the pit of spiritual poverty, and you will live life to the fullest and make a difference in others’ lives.

You must do the work.   

Partner Highlight…

Having a job is about more than earning money. It’s about dreams. It’s about accomplishment. It’s about the person.

“A job can truly be life changing for a person and that speaks to why our mission is we change lives,” said The Job Center Covington CFO Emily Goodman. “It is important to have the resources that you need to live; however, it also can instill pride and confidence in a person that he or she did their best today at their job.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment rate for the United States is expected to increase in 2023. “The US began 2022 with an unemployment rate of just 4 percent and it is currently hovering between 3.5 and 3.7 percent,” BLS reported. However, next year it is expected that the unemployment rate will again increase if inflation continues to rise.

In Cincinnati, the unemployment rate, as of November 2022, is 3 percent; in Kentucky, it is 4 percent. It has remains steady with 2021, but will surely reflect the national rate, as inflation continues.

Unemployment is a serious issue in the communities we serve, and Lord’s Gym Ministries has an amazing organization we partner with to combat this issue, The Job Center. The Job Center opened in Ohio in 2007 and has grown to more than 26 centers across 11 states. Last year, the Covington office, which shares a building with the Covington Lord’s Gym helped place 26,146 people in jobs.

According to The Job Center CFO Emily Goodman, the organization specializes in helping individuals find light industrial work. The positions can range from general labor to picking and packing in a warehouse setting to also manufacturing and food production. They also have forklift positions available. In addition, The Job Center has two other divisions that help people with job placement, MOR Talent Solutions is more skilled industrial, and Galaxy Healthcare is local and travel nursing.   

 “The success of the placement depends on the goal of the associate.  We specialize in temp to perm roles with the idea that within six months our associates will be hired full time by our clients,” Emily said.   

The mission is to “change lives.”

Emily has worked as an employee for more than 7 years, but previously served as the company’s CPA. Her history with The Job Center goes back 16 years. She said her work with The Job Center has been very rewarding. 

“I love helping people,” she said. “I love that God has given me the skillset that I have with accounting and compliance and that I can use that to help change a person’s life with a job.”

The Job Center partners with many great companies in the area which means great opportunities for their associates. 

“We work to find the best fit for our associate by understanding their skillset and what they are looking for in a job,” Emily said. “We want them to find a long-term home with our customers.”

From Scott…

Congratulations Zach on a fantastic report card! Woohoo buddy. You put in the work and it is showing. So glad to have you at the FAC and setting such a great example for all of us!

Discipline, as Zach is showing us, is when we choose to focus on the behavior and response we want. Discipline involves doing the work to accomplish our goals. In discipline we grow. Zach’s life embodies this mindset. He has been disciplined in his work, his education, and his spiritual life. He is seeing magnificent results in all these areas.