The Ultimate Training Plan

Scheduled, pre-planned expectations of workouts. Training plans.

 

Training to improve. To increase strength. To increase speed. To be more successful.

 

Working out for me is so much easier when I’m following some sort of training plan. It’s totally that Type-A thing coming out in me again, but I seriously love crossing days off of a workout calendar. Knowing that I’ve successfully accomplished that which I set out to do.

 

Now enter a bigger-picture, philosophical bent – what is it exactly that we are set out to do? I’m sure it’s something more than run a 5K.

 

As a Christian, we are to love God and love others. Really couldn’t be more simple than that. (Unfortunately, “religion” has complicated the situation immensely – but that’s another story for another day.)

 

But if my “goal” is to love, how do we accomplish that? Wouldn’t it be great if we had a training plan for life?

 

Good news – we do! It’s the Bible. This treasure trove is chock full of everything we need to know about loving God and loving others well.

 

It sets your course. It provides your motivation. It keeps you accountable.

 

Now I realize reading the Bible can be overwhelming and confusing, to say the least. But through prayer, God can speak life into every passage.

 

This summer (like this ENTIRE SUMMER…) I’ve been working on a project that has FINALLY come to fruition. A “Child Training Bible” – except it’s not really just for children.

 

Highlighting helpful verses for twenty-one different issues of life makes the Bible a quick and handy parenting tool.

Some of the topics include anger, selfishness, laziness, jealousy, etc. Anyone feel like maybe they could use a little positive direction regarding any of those topics for their own lives? Um – me please. 🙂

 

Literally days before I stumbled upon this idea, I noticed an NIV/Message Parallel Bible that I had purchased a few years ago lying on a shelf here in our office practically untouched.

Disappointed in my waste of resources for buying something that is easily accessible via a variety of apps or websites now, I almost jumped for joy when I realized I needed a “new” Bible for this project. God smiled, I’m sure.

 

When I began this project, I had bookmarked a blogger’s post where she had listed the verses for each category. Midway through this endeavor, however, her blog shut down – which may have been a blessing because then I felt more freedom to choose only the verses I felt were applicable in my own opinion (rather than feeling like I had to use all of the verse that were on “the list.”) But, of course, it increased the time this project took.

And then there was the issue of running out of green sticky tabs, confusing the two shades of blue, and the printer refusing to produce the silly little train… But, all in all, a lengthy but very worthwhile project.

 

In life, we are always in training – hopefully. Trying to successfully love others. Always working to improve.

 

For fitness. For life. Having a training plan in place always makes the road a little easier – (at least for me!)

 

If you’re interested in making your own Training Bible and need a little more direction in how to do it, send me a message or comment below. I’d be glad to help!