From Chaplain Lynn… 

You might remember Jewel McCoy from our Community Awareness Breakfast last year. He has been coming to the FAC periodically to encourage and pray for people. On this specific day I let him lead the Bible study and afterwards I saw that there was such a spirit of love and community that a few of our friends held hands to pray. Praying God will continue to pour out his spirit on all flesh and use those who are willing!

If you’d like to volunteer with Lord’s Gym Ministries, please click on “Get Involved” on the menu above. We’d love to have you serve alongside us. God bless!

From the desk of Melissa Reinert… 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19

A few weeks ago, in following with our culture-themed devotionals, we discussed getting our minds right. Today we’re going to talk about stepping up, the next response we have the opportunity to make when faced with a situation.

This response, to step up, is pivotal to our Discipline over Default thinking. It calls us to action. Stepping up means to make reality of what we’re thinking; to practice what we’re preaching. In order to be disciplined and live above the line, or above default, we must step up.

As children of the one true King, stepping up, is the living out of our faith. I think of Proverbs 13:12: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

We must exercise our faith and do the work.

Stepping up isn’t always easy. It, in fact, always takes courage. To gain and cultivate the courage to step up, we must enrich our lives with God’s word and be in constant prayer. This ensures our moral compass – we’re walking closely with the Lord, Who is making our paths straight.

Stepping up means doing the right thing. It also means answering God’s call. Both are intertwined and both take courage.  Let’s look at Jesus’ charge to His disciples, all of us believers, in Matthew 28. He tells us to “go” and “make Disciples.”

It interesting, to me, that the Lord uses the word “GO.” It implies movement. It requires action. Jesus does not say, wait here for people to come to you. He does not say, as people pass by you tell them. NO! Jesus says to GO! Go where the people are. Go where the need thrives. Don’t sit, get up, step up!

If we are to accomplish any task we must step up and do it. Step up. Take charge. GO!   

A Message From Melissa Reinert… 

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.” Colossians 1:9

Recently I had the honor of meeting with our friends to pray for our donors and to write a little note of thanks. It was such a blessing to my heart.

One gentleman who has been coming to the Covington gym for quite some time, had some trouble writing, so I offered to help. He told me what he wanted to say and I wrote it for him. He signed each of the cards himself. His message of thanks was a beautiful representation of what Lord’s Gym Ministries is all about. He spoke of how the gym is a place for him to come to get his mind and heart right with the Lord.

He offered genuine appreciation to those who support the gym through generous giving. He deeply understands, as many of our friends do, that it is because of others’ generosity we are able to operate. God does all the work, let me assure you, and He is the No. 1 reason this ministry has existed for 30 years. However, the Lord has pressed upon so many hearts and so many have listened to His call to give and serve through the gym. It’s so appreciated. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of this process and how God uses normal every day human beings to accomplish such great works as saving and transforming lives for His glory. All glory be to God!

Another gentleman, who volunteers at the Covington gym wrote a note of thanks. His perspective is quite interesting. “I came here to be a blessing,” he said. “Instead, I have been blessed.” What another beautiful insight into God’s wonderous and mysterious ways. 

I hope that as our supporters begin to receive these little notes o thanks, they are reminded that they are an important part of this ministry. It’s not just about the giving of their treasure. It’s about the giving of their hearts to the Lord. It’s about their willingness to obey when He calls. It’s about serving Him. I hope they too are reminded that they are prayed for on a regular basis, not only by our staff, but also by our friends who they are serving. I hope these realizations leave them blessed.

From the desk of Melissa Reinert… 

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2  

God’s Word tells us in Romans chapter 12, to not be conformed to this world. Conformed means to comply with rules or standards. Simply put, we need to be different. We are to be transformed. We experience this transformation with the renewal of our minds. In other words, we are to be refreshed, rejuvenated, renovated, and restored. 

We do this by reading God’s Word. We should also be seeking the Lord in prayer, communicating with Him on a regular basis (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). In addition, as we come into difficult circumstances and decisions, we must have the courage to ask ourselves: What is the responsible response? We do not ask: What do I feel like doing or do I like it? Then, we do it. We do the work. There it is again discipline over default. 

Think of Jonah. God called him to go to Nineveh to preach a message of repentance. He didn’t ask what the responsible thing was to do. He didn’t feel like doing it. He didn’t like the idea. So, he didn’t. 

In refusing God’s call, He attempted to run from the Lord. Ah, but: “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:7-10.  

Jonah learned the hard way. He went through a horrific storm and was thrown overboard to drown. The Lord had other plans. Great plans.  

A great fish, prepared by the Lord, swallowed Jonah up and three days later spit him out safely on shore. Jonah had plenty of time to get his mind right while in the belly of the fish. After being spat out, his attitude was renewed. His relationship with the Lord was restored. Refreshed, He gladly answered the Lord’s call, and the fruits of his labor were multiplied with many saved souls. 

Take heed of 1 Peter 1:13-15: “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. As obedient children do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He Who called you is holy so be holy in all you do.” 

Do the right thing. Answer God’s call. Be renewed in His Spirit. Live set apart. Live like Jesus. Live for Jesus.

From Melissa Reinert… 

This Saturday we hosted our first Volunteer Essentials, a 90-minute volunteer training session to better equip our volunteers with the tools and resources needed to maximize their impact. If you could not attend the Saturday session, please register for Thursday’s session: https://bit.ly/VolSessionThurs

The training was a true blessing to all those involved. You’ll learn more about the ministry, as well as hear a testimony about the impact the ministry is having on those volunteering.

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.