We all know that exercise is good for the heart. Aerobic exercise, the kind that causes the
heart rate to rise and stay at an elevated level for a period of time, is most beneficial for the cardiovascular system. I’ve been a runner for over 44 years. During that time my heart and my entire cardiovascular system certainly has benefited from all the running. I am confident that all the time I have spent on the road and treadmill has benefited my physical health.
Psalm 119:32 says “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” Like the author of this Psalm, I have discovered over the years that as my lifestyle is consistent with God’s commands, I have found more and more freedom deep in my heart. This freedom and joy has given me an even greater desire to follow the principles of God. I want to “run” in the path that He has laid out for me in the Bible.
As much benefit as moderate physical activity like running is for us, the spiritual exercise of obeying God’s commandments has even greater benefits for our hearts. The freedom, joy and inner peace that comes from “running” alongside God is indescribable.
What benefits have you enjoyed from “running” in the path of God’s commands?
Have a terrific day!
This morning I had the good fortune to see two Carolina Wrens make their first flight. Janice, my girlfriend, and I have also had the good fortune of seeing the first flights of eastern bluebirds and chickadees over the last year. It’s a cool thing to witness! I had been observing these wrens poke their heads out of the bluebird box in my back yard over the last few days . As I write his, two fledglings remain in the nest, slowly getting up the nerve to make their inaugural flight.
James Allen, author of As a Man Thinketh, once said “You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.”
a little to warm up the muscles we would be using in the rest of our session. Then there would be some type of cardiovascular or aerobic workout - repeated, nonstop contractions of a major muscle group over a period of 15 to 60 minutes or even more that would elevate your heart rate to a level that is measurably above your resting heart rate. That might be followed by resistance exercises to strengthen the muscles. If you were in a gym you’d perhaps use some equipment designed for that purpose performing two sets of 10-15 repetitions of about ten exercises working the major muscle groups. To end the workout, you’d want to again stretch out the muscles that were used. The workout might last an hour or an hour and a half. If you were working with a fitness professional, he would consider the FITT principle in developing your workout plan. He’d want to determine the frequency(F) of your workouts, the intensity(I) or how hard you’d perform the exercises, the duration or amount of time(T) you’d engage in the various exercises and the various types(T) of exercises you should perform. These are all basic considerations when working out physically.
I’m going to add a few more of her quotes so you can take a peek into her heart and spirit:
than their more isolated peers, according to a new study in VA patients. This translates to less pain and anxiety after the operation, less use of pain medication, and fewer days spent in the hospital, researchers report. View the full article 
Many people use prayer, and some studies have shown a positive association between prayer and improved health outcomes. The article I’ve added as a pdf file under