Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 358

Day 358 - October 24th

FASTING

Spend the best day this week fasting.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 328

Day 328 - September 25th

FASTING

Spend the best day this week fasting.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 298

Day 298 - August 25th

FASTING

Spend the best day this week fasting.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 280

Day 280 - August 16th

GUIDANCE

One day as soon as you can, go away for the day by yourself and spend some time thinking about you future steps – dedicating them to God and asking for His guiding word. You could dedicate the next year or next 3months to His guidance. It is important to do this maybe 2 or 3 times a year. Go somewhere you like and feel like you have got away, like the beach.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 268

Day 268 - July 26th

FASTING

Spend the best day this week fasting.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 238

Day 238 - June 26th

FASTING

Spend the best day this week fasting.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 208

Day 208 - May 27th

FASTING

Spend the best day this week fasting.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 178

Day 178 - April 27th

FASTING

Spend the best day this week fasting.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 160

Day 160 - April 16th

GUIDANCE

One day as soon as you can, go away for the day by yourself and spend some time thinking about you future steps – dedicating them to God and asking for His guiding word. You could dedicate the next year or next 3months to His guidance. It is important to do this maybe 2 or 3 times a year. Go somewhere you like and feel like you have got away, like the beach.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 148

Day 148 - March 28th

FASTING

Spend the best day this week fasting.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 118

Day 118 - February 28th?

FASTING

Spend the best day this week fasting.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 98

Day 98 - February 10th

GET TO KNOW YOU - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Think back to day 67 and 68. Recall your pathway. Today spend time investing in your pathway in whatever way you see best. Of anyone on this earth you know yourself best, so invest in your relationship with God in the way he designed you to today.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 91

Day 91 - February 1st

SERVICE/SUBMISSION

There is a service in being served. In the scripture John 13, Peter found it very difficult to allow Jesus to wash his feet:

'He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

⁷Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

⁸"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."

Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." '

This week, actively allow someone to serve you. It could be where you find it difficult to submit control over a task, to trust and allow that person to serve.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 90

Day 90 - January 31st

SOLITUDE

Spend some time today by yourself. Remove any distractions. During this time write a letter to yourself containing both encouragements and challenges. Put this letter in a self addressed envelope and give it to a trusted friend. Ask them to post this letter to you in a couple of months or so. When you receive it, spend some time reflecting on the challenges and encouragements.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 89

Day 89 - January 30th

STUDY

Share with a friend(s) a bible verse that has encouraged/ challenged you in some way. The sharing of scripture has such a powerful effect of bringing it to life as we see how these words have affected our lives.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 88

Day 88 - January 29th

FASTING

How did you find fasting the last time round? It is a difficult thing to do if you are not well practiced. Pick the best day this week again, when you are not too active, and fast for the whole day. Ignore the cries of your stomach, they are much like the cried of a spoiled child. Starvation does not kick in until around 2weeks of no food so a day is little! Do drink water.

This discipline will come around once a month in this challenge. If you feel you can do it more often then great. If, for health reasons you feel you cannot then no worries. Perhaps replace this discipline with cutting out something else in your life such as a TV programme.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 87

Day 87 - January 28th

SIMPLICITY

Watch this video. This is a good video with a real challenge. We fill our lives with so much and can be so busy all the time. Busyness can be deceptive, it can even be that we are so busy with God's work. But God did not call us to be busy, he called us to be fruitful. Think about that today and maybe do a little less filling and little more clearing!

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 86

Day 86 - January 27th

PRAYER

Spend some time today doing a prayer walk in your house. Go in to each room and take time listening to what God has to say and then to speak the appropriate prayers of protection. It is good to do this with whoever else lives in the house if you can.

Review: 'District 9'

Film Review: 'District 9' directed by Neill Blomkamp

It takes three months after an alien spacecraft hovers over Johannesburg for the South African military to decide the best option is to cut their way through. Inside they discover almost two million malnourished aliens, later known in the film by the derogatory term ‘shrimp’ on account of their appearance and references to them being the lowest of the low,. These aliens find asylum in a large township in Johannesburg known as District 9.

The director Neill Blomkamp sets out his intent from the word go. “Now to everyone’s surprise the ship didn’t come to a stop over Manhattan, Washington or Chicago, but instead it coasted to a halt over the city of Johannesburg”. This multi stylized feature combines documentary, hollywood and video game style action. Blomkamp uses ‘shrimp’ for the rather unsubtle reference to a nation’s tortuous political history. With no alien’s allowed signs spread all over the city and imminent evictions from District 9, the stage is set for a human versus alien showdown.

The star of the show is the stage. Having the action in a township, much less anywhere other than Manhattan, London or Paris, lends a uniqueness. We will not see this often and for this alone it is worth viewing. I do have to critique the use of multiple style, for the viewing feels muddled. It is a brave attempt, but makes it difficult as a viewer to connect. This being said, they have attempted something a little different here and I for one enjoyed it. This film feels like a raw experiment and it is no surprise that as a result some things work and others do not, but it is an experiment worth the watch.

spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 85

Day 85 - January 26th

MEDITATION

Spend some time looking at this famous painting of 'The Light of the World' by Holman Hunt. It is truly an amazing painting. To me it was the highlight of an exhibition called 'Seeing Salvation' at The National Gallery in the spring of the year 2000.

Hunt himself said of the painting (for which he felt he needed to explain the symbolism):

'The closed door was the obstinately shut mind; the weeds the cumber of daily neglect, the accumulated hindrance of sloth;...the bat flitting about only in darkness was a natural symbol of ignorance.' and when asked why the door had no handle outside, he replied:'It is the door of the human heart, and that can only be opened from the inside.'

We can often let the state of hearts become much like the door. Overgrown and inhospitable. Christ does not force his way in to our lives (which is why there is no handle on the outside of the door in the painting). We must let him in. It is our choice. Spend time today clearing the door to your heart and let Christ in.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 84

Day 84 - January 25th

PRAYER

The prayer of St Francis of Assisi has had a huge influence. It has been adapted into the famous 12 step Alcoholics Anonymous programme and can be found in chapter 11. It has also been made into a hymn that is traditionally sung once a year in the Royal Albert Hall at the service of remembrance in November by The Royal British Legion. The song is named 'Make me a channel of your peace'. Many different versions of the prayer exist. The most popular is the following:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Reflect on the prayer and think of areas in your life to which it applies and pray into them.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 83

Day 83 - January 24th

CELEBRATION

Share a meal and good times with friends.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 82

Day 82 - January 23rd

STUDY

The memory cards that you create and put in your wallet/ pocket. Once you feel like you have learned them, take them from your person and put them somewhere in your house that you are likely to see them. In the long term, once you have done a few, you could put them in a box by your bed and then test yourself. Check the book, chapter and verse and speak it out.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 81

Day 81 - January 22nd

WORSHIP

This week, try reserving the word ‘awesome’ just for when you are talking about God.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 80

Day 80 - January 21st

SERVICE

Discover the joy in serving. Mother Teresa says she did not serve because she had to, she served because it brought her great joy. Now there is the service in small things. It is probably best to discover the joy in serving by doing small, simple things. Do the washing up at home. Tidy the house. Whatever it might be, do it with joy.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 79

Day 79 - January 20th

STUDY

Another technique for scripture memorisation is by melody. A friend of mine completed extensive research during his studies and has set up a website:

http://www.walkingbible.org/

This will introduce you to the theory of memorisation incorporating melody. You can download various scriptures that are recited using melody straight onto your MP3 player.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 78

Day 78 - January 19th

STUDY

This scripture memory technique you can do by yourself but I recommend to do it with friends - it makes it really fun!

This technique is to read the scripture out loud to a rhythm with actions. Think up actions for each part of the scripture - if you do this with friends, the more likely you are to be creative. I memorised Isaiah 61:1-3 with my home group by this method. It really does work.

Review: 'Transformers 2: Revenge of the fallen', 2008

A review of the film: Transformers 2: Revenge of the fallen, directed by Michael Bay, 2008.

The Transformer franchise has been with us since the mid 80’s and strides forwards with continued success. With this in mind there is a target audience stretching 25 years worth of ‘boys’. I have no doubt that the majority of the audience will be watching the film for the following reasons: 1.Nostalgia. 2. Visual effects 3. The entertainment and adventure. 4. Perhaps a little bit of Megan Fox.

To touch on nostalgia. The effects are too good to give us 90’s kids a sense of nostalgia. For every minute the team has spent on CGI, the harder it has become to connect. Nostalgia has heart, this movie does not. Perhaps I am being too harsh, hoping for a bit of heart from a feature of robots. In adventure and entertainment value, it does not quite cut it. Megan Fox sticks her perfectly formed behind in the air and pouts her bulbous glossy lips oh so well, but that is the entirety of her contribution. I should mention that Shia La Boeuf tries his admirable best with what is a torrid storyline.

This film is a triumph for visual effects, although be careful because it really is an experience for the cinema. I watched this on a 27inch widescreen and the effects were lost on me. Perhaps this is why so many of the fighting action scenes were instilled with slow motion sequences? (Come on Michael Bay and your CGI team, you’re just showing off!) If you missed it at the cinema like me, then find a friend with a projector.

We are filled visual effects, explosions and sequences, but this cannot disguise the utter emptiness of heart and storyline that eaks it’s way all throughout the excessive 2hours and 30 minutes. I am sorry to say that this is well and truly inferior to the first installment. Perhaps the (inevitable) third should dumb down the action sequences a little and give us some heart, even if it is one made of metal.

Review: 'The Hurt Locker', 2008

Review of the film: 'The Hurt Locker', directed by Kathryn Bigelow, 2008

Review title: Reality made real.

Strip away every ‘Holywoodism’ you can imagine in the war film genre and you are left with ‘The Hurt Locker’. Being drawn in so deeply from start to finish along the relentless mission of the Camp Victory platoon, it is only in the final seconds of this tense, earthy and raw feature, when the music of the final credits kicks in, do we feel the release of its grip.

Firstly to comment on the camerawork. It is reminiscent of Paul Greengrass' direction in 'The Bourne Supremacy'. It's shaky, it's edgy, it gets you in on the action. You can connect with what is happening, because it is how you would see and feel the action played out before you. It may not be to the taste of everyone as I found out from the mixed response of my viewing company, but if you would like a steady camera, clean cut experience then perhaps a war movie is not what you should be watching.

The acting is never overplayed. Despite the overtly bravado character of the lead, he maintains control of his performance. Upon his return home in the film I was expecting him to trash the aisles of cereal in the supermarket, but was pleased that we were spared the cliched overdramatic angst to his old, privileged surroundings. The dialogue is often so ordinary that as for watching a film goes, leaves with a slight taste of disappointment, but this is only a temporary madness for one remembers this is its very appeal.

The scenes are created and filmed so effectively, and the dialogue and sequences acted out so well, that it has no need and does not use any music to enhance the mood. I can only think of about 5 seconds after the sniper sequence that has sounds. There is an overriding air of tension as we follow each bomb disposed, each enemy slain. The film has left you gasping the question ‘How do you do it?’ long before Sergeant JT Sandborn (Anthony Mackie) asks that very question to his Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) referring to disposing of the bombs.

This morning the radio tells me a British soldier in a bomb disposal unit has been killed in action. I came away from my viewing feeling like I had tasted the very air and dust and blood of the conflict, and today confilcts rage ever on. This film is the Reality Made Real.

Review: 'Up in the Air', 2009

A REVIEW OF THE FILM 'UP IN THE AIR' directed by Jason Reitman, 2009.

REVIEW TITLE: A HEAVY BAG PLEASE.

Ryan (Clooney) works for a company that is hired to fire. He travels across the U.S frequently by plane to various offices to bring the bad news to terminated employees. Along the way he meets Alex (Famiga), another frequent flyer and is then accompanied by Natalie (Kendrick), the bright spark with great ideas to save the company money, but little real experience for which her ideas are targeted.

As with the film ‘Juno’ Jason Reitman gives us a razor sharp dialogue, a great cast and a soundtrack that could define your listening for the next couple of months (he’s becoming a good way to find out about new artists).

The chemistry between Ryan, Alex and Natalie (Kendrick) is thoroughly compelling viewing and there are plenty of laugh out loud moments as the cinema walls would testify. Yet Reitman does not fall in the trap of ticking all the feel good boxes. This is a sober study that is best described in Ryan’s inspirational lecture that he delivers between termination jobs. His lecture is titled ‘How much does your life weigh?’. He encourages people to pack the bag of life light, as in his own example. Do not be weighed down by material possession and the even heavier weight of relationships. Yet at what cost?

The director leaves this an open thought and I suspect the answer to this question will depend on the viewer. The director’s view becomes clear with the occasional over-sentimental sequences (that push this into romcom viewing) at the wedding of Ryan’s sister, when he falls well and truly for Alex, but furthermore when he gives a pep talk to his future brother-in-law. Where the film is more successful is in the sombre, slow paced moments. These moments show a confident composure of a director that does not need to fill every moment with a joke or lecture us with a message. Like a powerful orator, these pauses add to the message.

This is a very entertaining, yet sober romcom and I fully recommend it.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 77

Day 77 - January 18th

STUDY

This week your challenge is to memorise scripture. There are many methods for memorisation. We will use various methods over this week.

Today, read over the given scripture. Read it out loud. Break down the passage and repeat each part, one after the other. Write this scripture down on a small piece of card and carry it with you today in your wallet or pocket - somewhere it is easily reached. Throughout today, look over the card and speak it out loud.

There are good resources. For scripture memorisation. If you can get your hands on 'Topical memory system' Published by Navpress. This takes you through memorisation theory and within the book there are perforated scripture memory cards that you can tear out and put in your wallet/ pocket. I highly recommend this resource.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 76

Day 76 - January 17th

FASTING

Today, go to a supermarket and choose items on the shelves that appeal to you. Read the packaging and find out where the item is from. Spend a moment thinking about that country and pray for it. Instead of a shopping list take a world map and cross off the countries as you go round the shop. Cross off countries that you have prayed for and then put all the products back as a way of demonstrating sacrifice and what God has done for us.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 75

Day 75 - January 16th

PRAYER

Focus your prayers today on the leaders of this world. Think over the political and religious figures. You may have a heart for a particular country, pray for it but focus on those in positions of power.

Pray for the leaders of your local churches. We need to cover them in prayer. I spoke to someone that used to practice Satanism before becoming a Christian. They told me that they would actually meet and pray against local churches, for destruction, curses and ill fortune - being specific and naming local leaders as they did this. It was a real wake up call that we need to cover our leaders in prayer - we are in a spiritual battle.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 74

Day 74 - January 15th

PHYSICAL

Water.

Make sure you are drinking enough. Many of us can feel tired a lot of the time. This can be brought on by dehydration. For most healthy adults somewhere between 1.5-3 litres of fluid intake is what is recommended. This does not have to be water but can be any drink. Dehydration can also fool us into thinking that we are hungry. Many of us snack to keep going when in fact a glass of water would suffice (food contains part of our fluid intake). Buying some sort of water bottle will help. You can know just how much you are drinking by how much your bottle holds. Carry it with you and get in the habit of small, regular glugs of water.

MEDITATION.

As a meditation, read John 4 but focus on verses 7-14:

⁷When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" ⁸(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

⁹The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

¹⁰Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

¹¹"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? ¹²Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

¹³Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

As you drink water today, reflect on this passage. Pray for the living water that is Christ Jesus. Our soul needs nourishment much like our physical bodies need nourishment. Jesus Christ, the living water, is what is needed for our spiritual desire.

spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 73

Day 73 - January 14th

PHYSICAL - CELEBRATION

DANCE.

Dance. Make up a new one. Get your own personal space - do it at home. You could put on some music really loud and just let yourself go. Let it be a celebration and of worship to God for all He has done and who He is.

There is something about dancing that brings new levels of freedom. In many parts of western culture, we can be so conscious of how we look, especially in dance. For some, only with alcohol does the dancing come out!

During some time spent in Guatemala, I was part of a church that really encouraged dancing. The pastor would refer to how there are more references in the bible to dancing that singing and clapping. It was a dancing church. During my time there, I felt the chains around my ankles slowly lose their grip to the point that, having been attending this church for 2-3months, I had no hesitation to dance. I felt new levels of freedom in all areas of my life through being able to do this.

Back in the UK I feel the chains again somewhat. I still do dance sometimes, but not with the freedom I once had. If you feel like me and find it difficult, you can start out by doing it in private. Begin to gain freedom, get your body working in praise of Him!

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 72

DAY 72 - JANUARY 13th

PHYSICAL

Cut out an unhealthy part of your diet today. This may be to remove snacking or to replace it with a healthy snack like dried fruit.

It is of valid belief that our diet can have an affect on our energy levels. Anything that makes your body feel bad is likely to have an affect on our spiritual fitness. I am no expert in this field, all I know is from personal experience. The more I look after my body, the better I feel. Start in small steps to getting your body up to shape.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 71

Day 71 - January 12th

PHYSICAL

I don't know if you have started reading the bible in a year, the challenge laid down during the BIG challenge week. If you have great, if not, you can start at any point. You may be conducting your own bible reading already and are persevering in this. In this case you may choose to take up the bible in a year challenge at a later point.

Today, during your time reading the bible, intersperse it with exercise. I am try to get into a routine of interspersing reading the bible with various simple stretches and body exercise. I will read a chapter and then get down on my exercise mat and do 50 sit ups. I will then read another chapter and then do 20 press ups. You get the idea.

You will know the limits of your body and the sort of exercise that will benefit your body. Do not push it too hard, the real benefit of this is to wake your body which in turns awakens your mind as you delve into the scripture.

I find my bible reading is made even more alive when I feel alive in my body and exercise helps me to do this.

There are many exercises you can do at home. Many without any equipment whatsoever and some with basic equipment such as weights. If you are struggling for ideas just type in home exercises into an internet search and there are many websites with great ideas. If you add home exercises without equipment there are even more great ideas. I tend to do exercises without equipment, just a roll mat. I do sit ups (crunches, of which there are many variations), press-ups, holds and leg extensions (feet on the edge of a stair and pushing up and down from the ankles).

TODAY, EXERCISE YOUR BODY AS YOUR EXERCISE YOUR MIND.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 70

Day 70 - January 11th

GET TO KNOW YOU - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Your values

So you have thought about your values. You have selected the five most important values. Now take some time to think over you values. Use the following questions to help you think through them. This process will help you to think about how you can live out these values but also the ways that you might fail to live out these values. Just because we have values does not necessarily mean we will demonstrate them. Knowing your values and just how to demonstrate them is on of the most important things for you to learn about yourself.

Value	How can I best do it?	How might I fail to do it?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 69

Day 69 - January 10th

GET TO KNOW YOU - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

The following list of values are compiled from various business and personal values training that I have been aware of and are designed for personal reflection. Look through the list and write down your top 10 values. From this top 10 narrow it down to a top five and place these five values in order of their importance to you.

If you have done this sort of thing before, I encourage you do to it again. Often some of our values change through time and circumstance.

Personal (and work) values – please do add your own if needed

Achievement Advancement/ promotion Adventure Affection

Arts Beauty Challenging problems Change and variety

Cleanliness/ ordered Close relationships Community Competence

Competition Concern for others Cooperation Country (patriotism)

Creativity Decisiveness Democracy (Having) Disciplined

Ecological awareness Economic security Effectiveness Ethical practice

Excitement Faith Fame Family

Fast living Financial gain Freedom Friendships

Fun Growth Hard work Helping others

Honesty Humility Independence Influencing others

Inner harmony Integrity Intellect Involvement

Job tranquillity Justice Knowledge Leadership

Location Loyalty Meaningful work Nature

Keeping good company Order (stability) Peace (non-violent) Personaldevelopment

Physical challenge Pleasure Privacy Public service

Punctuality Purity Quality relationships Recognition

Respect for others Self respect Serving others Solitude

Status Teamwork Time freedom Tolerance

Truth Work under pressure

I think mine would have to be (in order): Faith, Quality relationships, arts, physical challenge and fun.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 68

Day 68 - January 9th

GET TO KNOW YOU - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Having thought over your spiritual pathway yesterday, today spend time reflecting on your pathway.

In what ways can you invest in your spiritual pathway? How can you further strengthen your relationship with God through your pathway? Think up some practical ways of doing this.

Further to this, it is important not to solely focus on your pathway, but is good to explore the others for a well balanced faith. How can you push and challenge yourself in the ways that you find difficult to connect with God?

You will be given opportunities over the year to further invest in your pathway.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 67

Day 67 - January 8th

GET TO KNOW YOU - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

We all connect with God in our own way, how do you? There are many different ways, this is a brief overview. John Ortberg in his book ‘God is closer than you think’ says, “Our individual uniqueness means we will all experience God’s presence and learn to relate to him in different ways. A spiritual pathway has to do with the way we most naturally sense God’s presence and experience spiritual growth. We all have at least one pathway that comes most naturally to us. We also have one or two that are the most unnatural and require a lot of stretching for us to pursue.”

He outlines seven different spiritual pathways and they are as follows:

Intellectual Pathway: People on the intellectual pathway draw closer to God as they learn more about Him. When there is singing at church, you may be looking at your watch waiting for the sermon to begin.

Prime example: Paul. The road to his heart ran through his head.

Relational Pathway: People who follow the relational pathway find that they have a deep sense of God’s presence when they’re involved in significant relationships.

Prime example: Peter. He came to Jesus with others.

Serving pathway: On the serving pathway people find that God’s presence seems most tangible when they are involved in helping others.

Prime example: Mother Teresa. She is quoted as saying the primary reason she served was not out of obligation or that it was something she was supposed to do, but that it brought her joy.

Worship pathway: For people on the worship pathway, something deep inside then feels released when praise and adoration are given voice.

Prime example: King David. He wrote psalms and poetry to God. He played instruments beautifully. He danced.

Activist pathway: If you have an activist pathway, challenges don’t discourage you; they energise you.

Prime example: Nehemiah. When he hears his beloved Jerusalem has fallen, he is upset and wants to act.

Contemplative pathway: If you have a contemplative pathway, you love large blocks of uninterrupted time alone.

Prime example: Apostle John. He was known to be one who loved to bask in adoration of God.

Creation pathway: For people on the creation pathway, there is something deeply life-giving and God-breathed about nature.

Prime example: Jesus. He often withdrew to spend time alone in nature, by a lake or up a mountain.

Reflect on this list. Read through it again and think to yourself which is your spiritual pathway.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 66

Day 66 - January 7th

MEDITATION

Check over your standards of what you watch on TV. In Philipians 4:8 it says:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Look at what you are watching. How does it make you think? Could you say this passage about it?

Let it challenge you over your viewing. For something a little further, you may decide it to be a good idea to print out the scripture in large print and put it near your TV as a reminder of this challenge.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 65

DAY 65 - January 6th

CONFESSION

With the list of things that you need forgiveness for that you have compiled over the last three days, meet a trusted friend. With the list of things from your CHILDHOOD, your ADOLESCENCE and your ADULTHOOD, simply read them out to your friend, do not try to explain any of them, just read them out for what they are.

Pray this through together. Pray for your forgiveness. I recommend destroying the list once you have prayed as a metaphor that you have been forgiven.

You may want to repeat the phase going over your adulthood and praying it through at another point this year.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 64

Day 64 - January 5th

CONFESSION

Once again repeat the process of the previous two days only this time spend some time thinking over your past, specifically your ADULTHOOD. There is likely to be things that you need forgiveness for that lie forgotten. Write down the things that come to mind in a list. Do not over think it, many things you will have asked for and received forgiveness already. God will make it clear what is still needed to be resolved.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 63

Day 63 - January 4th

CONFESSION

Repeat the process of yesterday: spend some time thinking over your past, but this time specifically your ADOLESCENCE. There is likely to be things that you need forgiveness for that lie forgotten. Write down the things that come to mind in a list. Do not over think it, many things you will have asked for and received forgiveness already. God will make it clear what is still needed to be resolved.

spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 62

Day 62 - January 3rd

CONFESSION

In his book 'Celebration of discipline', Richard Foster takes us through a confession technique in the 'Confession' chapter. This will take over the next few days of the challenge.

Part One

Spend some time thinking over your past, specifically your childhood. There is likely to be things that you need forgiveness for that lie forgotten. Write down the things that come to mind in a list. Do not over think it, many things you will have asked for and received forgiveness already. God will make it clear what is still needed to be resolved.

Spiritual Fitness Challenge DAY 61

Day 61 - January 2nd

How are you finding your quiet times with God? Do you struggle? Do you feel like there are any barriers for you connecting with God? Do you feel like there is something getting in the way in your faith? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, then chances are there are hidden things that are stopping you and holding you back. IN order to really connect with God, we need to make ourselves right in his sight. This week we shall be going through a detailed technique to deal with the sin in your life.

CONFESSION

First we will start with something light. Spend some time thinking about your week and ask for God’s forgiveness where you have got it wrong.