Here is today's communion meditation.

This week our Yearly Cycle filter is to relax into the stretch. At times God stretches us to expand our capacity and build potential energy on the inside of us. And I think there are three ways we can respond to the stretch: We can resist the stretch, do nothing and allow God to stretch us, or we can actively pull into/embrace the stretch. When we move into the stretch, we store up energy and become elastic with the ability to release power when called upon. While thinking about this I was reminded of a passage from my book "The 8th Date." Here is the passage:

Think of a golf swing, where the golfer must swing back in order to then swing forward. The goal is to store up as much potential energy as possible before releasing into the ball. The storing of energy puts the golfer into a stretched or elongated position, and the body’s elasticity turns the golfer's body into a coil or spring that is ready to be released.

The riches of God’s grace are limitless. He has tremendous potential waiting to be tapped into. He wants to do more than we can ever imagine, but we must receive it by faith. One of the best ways to do this is by abiding and totally immersing ourselves in the culture of heaven. When we do this, we store up this energy in our hearts, creating potential that can be released at the right time. After Jesus was born, Luke 2:19 tells us that his mother Mary treasured or stored all that people said about him in her heart and she thought about them often.

As we continue to store up his word in our hearts, we begin to stretch on the inside and expand our capacity to receive his grace. Think of it like God stretching a bow and arrow back in order to shoot the arrow forward.

In today's communion we are asking God to help us become more elastic by pulling into the times of stretching.

Today's Health and Fitness Tip

Our workouts are a great opportunity to practice exercising our faith to become more elastic. As an example, when you are doing a pushup, you can actively use your upper back muscles to squeeze and pull you down. When we actively pull down it relaxes the muscles that push us back up which makes us more elastic. When this is done properly you will find a new source of energy and strength in the bottom of each exercise. 

I am praying for you.

Daniel