My Story Part 5 -WHEN YOUR PATH TAKES AN UNEXPECTED TURN

I love to say yes to new things.  A new class, a new book, program, or study; I jump in enthusiastically but often notice my excitement shifting to dread. I find myself questioning whether this new thing was such a good idea in the first place and start thinking about all the reasons it isn’t.  Whether time, energy, or finances – you name the excuse, I’ve considered it.  Maybe it’s just me, but I find myself here often. 

Five years ago, my friend Rose, invited me to what I thought was an all-day Holy Yoga event.  Rose was an instructor, and I loved how she wove God’s word into her class.  I, however, was not a Yoga girl; remember at this time in my story I was pushing towards “ripped” as a Beachbody Coach and Personal Trainer.  I was hyper focused on my body and my business and couldn’t possibly slow down enough to consider teaching Yoga.  But I loved how I felt in Rose’s class, I enjoyed how the scripture seemed to come alive for me when I moved my body, so I happily accepted her invitation.

As the weekend approached, I started to feel overwhelmed by the promise I made Rose.  It was a long drive, I’d be gone all day, and I had so much to do.  My mind began to ruminate on how to get out of this day that was beginning to look like nothing more than a distraction from my goals.  Dread crept in. 

The night before the event I received a message from Rose that she had to cancel, I was off the hook!  Or so I thought.  Turns out I had invited my daughter who was going to college in the area, and although I had forgotten completely, she hadn’t.  She messaged me that night reminding me that she was still planning to join me.  If you’re a Mama of a young adult, you know you don’t pass up a chance to spend time with them, so of course I did what any of you would have done; I set all my concerns aside and went as planned.

That day changed my life forever. 

We arrived at the event and I noticed handouts that said Revelation Fitness but had no clue what that was and didn’t give it much thought.   We were there for yoga. We found our place in the back and settled in on our mats.

Then came Breanne. 

She was a beautiful young woman in her twenties, with long blonde hair and a sweet smile. Breanne introduced herself and began to give her powerful testimony.  She told us that that she had been a dancer in a strip club but gave up that life when she met her husband who was a devoted Christian.  She went on to share how she now ministers on the streets of L.A. distributing gifts to dancers, reminding them how much God loves them. She shares the love of Christ along with her story and provides them with information for help if they are in need.  It was clear her heart for these women came from a very personal place and this bold, yet humble young woman wasn’t afraid to share it with us. 

This was not what I expected.

Then Breanne began to work us out.  And I mean she worked us.  This was not a yoga session; this was a sweaty-full-body-strength workout accompanied by inspiring Christian music and the word of God.  This was my kind of workout!  I don’t remember the scripture she shared that day, but I do remember the way I felt.  I felt something deep within me – maybe you could call it joy.  True joy.  Moving my body, not for the calorie burn or the muscle definition but for something entirely different. 

And then came my moment.

After the workout, laying on my mat, sweaty and breathless and that is when I heard it, “This is what I have been preparing you to do.” 

Yes Lord, I’m so tired of it being about me.  I’m so tired of striving.  Yes, God – thank you.

We eventually got to the Yoga, and it was a perfect end to a life-changing day. I was hooked.  The rest of the afternoon my mind was flooded with the realization of just how stuck I’d become.  And how exhausted I was.  I was so tired of trying to get results but seldom seeing any lasting change.  Tired of doing the same things over and over but getting nowhere.  Weary of trying to control it all and pushing to succeed at the cost of my peace.

There had to be a better way, and I had a feeling I had just stumbled upon it. 

I know now that I didn’t just stumble upon Revelation Wellness. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I believe God had everything to do with having me in that room that day.  It wasn’t an accident my daughter wanted to go to this event when I would have stayed home.  It wasn’t an accident when Rose invited me. I believe I was just where I needed to be at just the right time, and I believe God had a plan for it all along.  I’m so grateful God didn’t allow my overwhelm, my excuses, or my busyness, to get in the way of the plans He had for me.

Psalm 138:8 says:

“The Lord will work out his plans for my life – for your faithful love, Oh Lord, endures forever.”

Proverbs 3:5-6:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

I love when God’s plan is bigger than my excuses; when I can look back and see He made my path straight despite me.  But I also understand that although He is at work in my life right now, I have a critical part to play.  I have the freedom to follow where He leads me or go my own way. 

I could have ignored the prompting I felt on the mat that day, I could have questioned if it really was God, or put it off because of my business goals or any number of excuses – but I chose to take the next step.  I chose to trust what I felt deep within me and let go ever so slightly of my plans to make room for God’s.

I have only experienced a few moments in my life when I knew deep down God was orchestrating my steps, and this was one of those moments.  More often I feel like all I can do is blindly find the path as I go, trusting the words of the scriptures I shared above as I put one foot in front of the other. 

Maybe you find yourself there now, wandering in a wilderness place.  Oh friend, I’m with you. Keep moving, trusting, seeking, and asking – I believe our God is busy working all things for good even as you read this today.  

It probably doesn’t surprise you to hear that came home that day and searched the Revelation Wellness website.  A few days later I was enrolled in their Instructor Training program, where my journey to true wellness would begin to unfold. 

Everything I knew about health and fitness was about to be turned on its head. Six-pack abs would no longer be the focus.  Neither would financial success.  Freedom was coming and although I had no idea what it would look like, I knew I was made for it and I was right where I was meant to be.

*If you are unfamiliar with Revelation Wellness, they are a non-profit ministry dedicated to educating and inspiring people to live healthy and whole lives so we can love others well.  You can find out more here – Revelation Wellness.