Come for the Prayer, Stay for the Fitness
“I really didn’t want to get up and come this morning, but I really wanted the prayer and oil,” said Alice after class when the sun finally rose over the church building.
I had similar thoughts...I really didn’t want to start teaching classes again for fear of failure, but the Lord had a different plan.
We All Want to Be Treated
Daddy-daughter date
About a month into teaching classes this summer, a friend asked me how the class was going. I told her how people say they come more for the prayer at the end of class than anything else. She agreed and confessed that her favorite part of yoga is the end when the instructor comes and simply puts a drop of essential oil on her neck. We need physical touch, affection, personal care. As adults, we don’t always get it. We are too busy caring for others.
When I came across this verse about how rich people have a lot of friends: "Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend” (Proverbs 19:4), I thought, "Yeah, I get it. We want to be treated like a Father treats His kids to ice cream. We don’t do that for ourselves very much, so when we have friends that treat us, it’s a special gift and we are attracted to that type of special attention. We all want to be loved."
Fitness used to be the last place where I would feel especially cared for. It was a place where I was expected, either by the instructor, competition from peers, or an inner drive, to be the best and perform to feel worthy...until I took my first Revelation Wellness class. We started strong with Scripture, worked hard during the workout and laughed during partner drills, and at the end were washed with prayer. I felt cared for: body, mind, and spirit.
A Breath of Fresh Air
When people go to a fitness class, they expect to work hard, but rarely expect the instructor to work on them. I think that’s why Peter was so surprised that Jesus wanted to wash his feet.
It’s the same reaction I have received from people in class this summer. “It’s just so refreshing, like a breath of fresh air,” they tell me.
In Revelation Wellness, we use fitness as a tool for the gospel, to attract people by providing them a safe and effective exercise experience, and give them the Good News as they move. I have found that once you get used to the classes, you come for the gospel and stay for the fitness.
Opportunities For You
Revelation Wellness Athens Fitness
Courtesy of Courtney Fair
If you’re an Athens local, I would love for you to join us for our classes on Friday mornings at 6 am starting September 8th. You can find more details here!
The Wellness Revelation
If you want to go deeper to the roots of your own health and wholeness journey, I’m also hosting a study through the Wellness Revelation: Lose What Weights You Down So You Can Love God, Yourself, and Others starting September 11th. This study helped me step aside so the Lord could break down walls of pride in my pursuit of fitness and chains of emotional eating patterns. What do you want to lose? I’m considering hosting an online option, so if you’re interested, please let me know by commenting or emailing me at hi@kaseybshuler.com!
Prayer Tribe
I want to serve you, whether you come to a class or not. Yes, I prefer the healing touch of physical presence, but the Spirit is not limited by distance. When I thought of how I prayed for people in my class, the Lord reminded me that I could do the same for you, my extended global family.
For all my email subscribers, I print off the list and pray for you by name. Here is my prayer for you: that God would awaken joy in Jesus through health and wholeness. This has become my favorite part of my day. But I feel like a mom wanting more children--I want more on the list to pray for! If you feel like that’s you, that you want to know someone else is intentionally thinking of you, you can subscribe here, even if it’s solely for the prayer.
Reflect and Respond:
What are your expectations when you walk into a fitness class?
How do you generally feel when you leave a fitness class?
How is God treating you in your everyday life?