Joyner - Witness to fitness: pumped up, powered up, all things are possible

This book is dedicated to my beloved grandmother
Ruth Naomi Cash

Contents

I have spent my life helping individuals become as healthy as possible in every dimension of their lives: spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, and physically. Having warred with my own weight and fought my way back to fitness after numerous injuries and subsequent surgeries, I know personally the multitudinous benefits of a healthy body. As the pastor of the Potters House and our more than 30,000 members, I have witnessed too many people succumb to illness before fulfilling their God-given potential.

And its not an isolated problem. According to Dr. Regina Benjamin, the U.S. surgeon general, Two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. All of us battle with eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet and getting enough proper exercise to stay healthy and fit. Two out of three of us are losing this battle right now. You may be at risk for diabetes or heart disease. You may be increasing your risk of cancer by your lifestyle habits. You may need to drop some pounds to increase your energy level and enjoyment of life.

But no one changes until theyre sick and tired of being sick and tired. You must be willing to diagnose your denial and make new choices that are integrated with all the other areas of your life. You cannot conquer what youre not committed to carrying forward. You cannot win at what youre not willing to welcome. God gave you a body in his image and wants you to care for it as his temple. Im convinced its a form of worship to notice, nourish, and nurture the temple with which hes blessed you.

Ive never seen an individual who shares this belief with more conviction than Donna Richardson Joyner. As her pastor, Ive experienced her passion for merging faith and fitness and witnessed her dedication to wellness on every level. Her comprehensive program will inspire you to live a more productive, powerful, and purposeful life. In these pages you will discover her selfless and relentless desire to energize you to new levels of spiritual and physical vitality.

Dont wait until youve lost your health to realize just how important it is. Too often we forget to be grateful for feeling good until were feeling bad. Donnas blend of motivation, inspiration, and perspiration will help you sow an eternal investment even as you reap the healthiest of returns right now. Isnt it time for you to make the most of what youve been given? Isnt it time to give your-self the gift of a healthy mind, body, and soul? If youre ready to experience a fresh start and a whole new level of wholeness, then turn the page, and as Donna says, Lets get pumped up, powered up, and prayed up!

Bishop T. D. Jakes

I havent walked in your shoes and you havent in mine. But Im sure we have experienced some of the same struggles, setbacks, and frustrations in life. Im here to share with you love, knowledge, and experience to help you transform your health and your life. Ive learned to decrease self-interest and increase Gods interest so that I can better serve, inspire, and elevate you. The focus of this journey is not about where you have been but about where you are going. You cant change your past health but you can change your future well-being.

I have traveled from city to city, country to country, helping people live healthier and more purposeful lives. I have worked with the rich, the poor, the overweight, the undernourished, the willing, the reluctant, the hopeful, and the hopeless. My greatest challenge was not overseas; it was my family, my community, and my church. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired of seeing loved ones:

• suffer from preventable illnesses,
• go to heaven way too soon,
• know better but not do better, and
• be prisoners of their own health.

Its time for change, and you have the power to make change happen. Change does not occur on the outside until it has manifested on the inside. Why wait for bad health to come knocking at your door when you can do something now and experience the joy of good health? Your health is the power line of your life, so take steps to recharge and renew.

Are you ready to walk in the newness in your health and in your life? Act now, because tomorrow is not promised to you. Do it while you can, because there comes a time when you cant. First, you have to change your thinking and get a new attitude. Second, strengthen your spirit and see Gods light. Walk by faith and not by sight. And last, move and eat to win and be victorious in managing your health. My goal is to help you get the results you are destined for, live life more abundantly, and create lasting change for generations to come.

Pumped up! Powered up! All things are possible! Be a witness to fitness! Donna

Changing Your
MIND

Chapter 1
Transforming Your Mind-Set

I ve had an Its Possible list for several years now to help me organize, prioritize, and visualize my dreams. Its sort of my version of the standard bucket list, only less depressing, and something more than a wish list, because that isnt definitive enough for me. One of the items on my Its Possible list was to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest freestanding mountain in the world at 19,340 feet. So you can imagine how excited I was when an opportunity presented itself. I trained hard for two solid months, preparing myself for the difficult climb, and then the call camethe deal was off. I was very disappointed that my Its Possible climb was no longer possible.

Several months had passed since that disappointing news, and my Its Possible list still had climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on it. As I stared at my list, I thought, Why am I depending on someone else to make this happen when I can do it myself? This wasnt beyond my reach, so I decided to go for it.

That November, during my forty-eighth birthday party, I announced that I was going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro as a birthday goal and gift to give back. I asked if anyone wanted to join me on the journey. Two of my dear friends, Rockin Raquel and Super Shannay, said they wanted to go, and Ready Rance Greer, a renowned photographer and videographer, would document the feat. So the training began again.

By the time we left for Tanzania, I was ready mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The preparation was tough, but the process of getting to the mountaintop proved the most difficult. When I thought I couldnt take another step, I would sing the lyrics to that James Cleveland song I Dont Believe He Brought Me This Far to Leave Me. I sang it loud and off-key most of the time, but I was definitely making a joyful noise unto the Lord.

SWEET TWEET

Anything can happen when U believe. Dont fret or let go before U achieve.

Move every mountain out of your way. God is able 2 answer today!

Courage, perseverance, and faith took me up and then down that mountain. No matter how painful and labor intensive, I kept going. I dug deep into my belly and grabbed hold of the inner strength I needed to push ahead. Although the climb tested the very fabric of my being, I was victorious in accomplishing my goal. I climbed to the top of that majestic mountain and declared, With God all things are possible! I could now check off one big item from my Its Possible list.

We not only climbed the mountain, we also did missionary work and visited area orphanages, giving them food, school supplies, uniforms, soccer balls, and more importantly love. We spoke to them about having courage, faith, and perseverance. It was an unforgettable, life-changing experience, and it all began with one step in the right direction. I put into action a dream on my Its Possible list, and God was with me every step of that amazing experience.