Fitness is only for the young? Think again. Tamara shares how G.R.A.C.E can keep you moving at every age.
Are you getting older? Is your body changing in ways you never expected? Are you discouraged to move because you don’t want more aches and pains?
Are you wondering if fitness is not for you anymore?
When God looks at you he sees your uniqueness down to the fine detail of your DNA. He knows how your body moves and responds to stimuli. He is aware of the ripples around your waist, the love handles on your back, the lines that grace the corners of your eyes, and the gray hair that frames your face.
Maybe you aren’t called to move in all the ways you used to, but there is still room for you at the fitness table.
Fitness at every age just begins with a little bit of G.R.A.C.E.
Called and Equipped
In the Bible, we read about individuals who were of “a mature age” when they accomplished feats that may be considered reserved for a younger generation. Moses was 80 when he confronted Pharaoh (Exodus 7:7). Joshua was about 80 when he led the Israelites into the promised land (Joshua 1). Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born (Genesis 17:17, 21:5). Clearly, God can use us at any age. And don’t forget about the women of God.
Miriam was the older sister of Moses, clearly, she was beyond 80 years, yet she danced. She not only danced, but she played her tambourine and led the women dancing. Picture Miriam with her tambourine, followed by hundreds or thousands of women of every age. Their arms are outstretched, singing, and rhythmically moving to the beat (Exodus 15: 20, 21).
Sarah was about 90 when she gave birth (Genesis 17:17, 21:6,7). For some women, giving birth can be described as hard physical labor. I believe it rivals a RevX workout any day of the week. It is endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility combined to create an iron-wo(man) workout. Who knows how long her labor lasted. Who knows how strong her contractions were. What we do know is that in this blessing God prepared her body to be strong and capable. This was a normal physiologic birth without an epidural or pain medication.
Can you imagine that?
God uses men and women of every age and stage of life for his glory.
My Glory Season
I am 55 years old and I am a Fitness Teacher Gospel Preacher (FTGP). Most days, my body feels strong and vibrant. Some days my body takes longer to bounce back from a tough workout or a long hike. There are days when my body behaves like a 30-something-year-old and days when it needs to soak and be still.
When I lead fitness classes for the active agers at my local senior center I am the youngest one in the room. The drumstick workouts are their favorites. They love Tabata and line dances. In fact, it was at their request that they learned to do the Wobble.
God uses men and women of every age and stage of life for his glory. There are no limitations based on the season that we are in. As a FTGP, I move my body as an active act of worship. It is the place where I give myself G.R.A.C.E. to show up as a “whole” person without preconceived notions about what fitness should look like.
What is G.R.A.C.E?
G- GO WITH YOUR GUT
In my Rev on the Mat RevU Training, I learned to ask my body, “what do you need today?”
In return, I give my body space to tell me what it needs for the day. Today I need endurance, strength, flexibility or balance training. It might ask for a walk in the sun or solitude on the mat. What was formerly a routine is transformed into a holistic mind, body, and soul experience.
R - REST AND RECOVER
Sometimes my body needs a break. Needing a break is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of wisdom. Exercise-related injuries increase from over-use and not listening to our bodies.
When you are a beginner or progressing to the next level of fitness you will experience some muscle soreness. Normal soreness is your body saying, “wow, that was different.” Pain is your body saying, “that hurts, something is not right.”
A - ACCOUNTABILITY
Building formal or informal alliances is a way to create accountability for your fitness routine. The people in your community can exercise with you, check on your progress, and support you. Joining a group led by a Revelation Wellness Instructor is an example of a formal alliance. An informal alliance could be you and a neighbor walking together once a week.
C - CHALLENGE
Challenge yourself to move your body outside of your comfort zone. My senior fitness group requested that I teach them the Wobble line dance. Not everyone had the confidence that they could do it, but they all agreed to try something new.
If you have been lifting the same weights for years, go heavier or increase the number of repetitions. If walking is the only form of exercise that you do, incorporate stretching and flexibility.
E - EMBRACE THE WISDOM OF GOD
Embrace the wisdom of God and freely apply it to fitness.
Proverbs 4: 6,7 instructs us to get wisdom. Wisdom will protect, love, and guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing that you can do. Applying wisdom to your fitness routine means inviting the Holy Spirit into every conversation by surrendering your expectations for health and wellness in favor of God’s pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).
G.R.A.C.E. is not a one-time deal. You can practice it as often as you need to or incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle.
Your body is good and it works
James 1:1-2 explains how the pressure that comes when our faith is forced to reveal itself in the world is not something to be avoided. We don’t need to run from it. It is a time of joy and a gift that we can share with our friends.
This is what faith-fueled fitness looks like. Our muscles are compressed, pushed, pulled, and tugged to help them become more flexible, stronger, and functional. Sometimes it feels hard, but the reward is sweet. This is when I believe God is whispering to us, “your body is good and it works.”
Tamara Wrenn ( Revelation Wellness Educator, Revelation Wellness Fitness Instructor, and Outdoor Leader) is a Kingdom-focused woman with a heart for women’s health and well-being. She is a spiritual midwife, called to encourage and build up women so that they can be set free to experience everyday freedom through intimacy with God. For more information about her ministry, Faith Fire Flow Fitness or Holistic Wellness Coaching. Connect with her on Facebook or Instagram.
Join Us for 21 Days of Walking Prayer
Walking has been proven to lower stress, anxiety, and depression and a host of other physical health ailments that come from either moving too little in neglect of your body OR too much due to obsessing over your body.
In this program, you’ll walk and pray for 21 days through scripture with an audio recording as your guide.
Each walk will take you into the Words of Jesus and prompt you to engage with the Word in prayer. You won’t just listen to the words, but process and walk the words of Jesus. You’ll put feet to your faith as you follow the One who gave us His Word.
Keep moving at every age with these resources:
