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Action Plan

The Fit & Faithful program is based on these key principles:

1. Discipline is the heart of discipleship. Most of us would like to be more proactive and disciplined in our spiritual growth and our physical exercise. The trouble is, we find it difficult to do unless we have help. Fit & Faithful provides an outside resource, a planning tool and a program that encourages you to work with others. We learn discipline as we work the program.

2. What gets written down can be measured. Everyone knows that writing out a budget is the first step in effective family finances. Why? Because the thought process and the actual work that writing a budget involves already is moving you toward the discipline required to live within the budget. In the same way, when we plan our Bible reading or our walking/running/exercising schedule, we are far more likely to actually do it.

3. What gets measured can be accomplished. In every time management program, the first step (after gaining clarity on your values and goals) is to set time aside to plan your day. A list of “to do” items is really helpful in making the most of your time every day.

The Fit & Faithful program comes with a daily list of “to do” items toward spiritual development. You can either program in your own workout schedule or you can select a Fit & Faithful program guide that includes a pre-designed workout schedule. As you accomplish each component, you check it off, note what you have learned and go about your day.

4. What gets accomplished can be celebrated. The additional value of designing a training program around a list of daily “to do’s” is the creation of a lasting record of your accomplishments.

At the end of every week that you participate in Fit & Faithful, you will know what you accomplished that week and you will know, when you complete the 12 week program, that you have met a significant goal. Since goal planning begins the whole process, you will have earned the right to celebrate your accomplishment.

5. What gets celebrated fuels our growth and brings joy and wholeness in our lives!

6. Never forget the wonders of compound interest! Expect to enjoy auxiliary benefits to your life as you consistently do what Fit & Faithful asks of you. Not only are you being good to yourself physically, you are also growing in your understanding of the Bible, your prayer life is enriched, and you have developed deeper relationships with your teammates.

We really believe that if you work this program diligently, after 12 short weeks, you will feel better about yourself and your faith. Other people will see changes in you. And you will sense God’s presence in your life in a new way.

Here are the steps in beginning and following the Fit & Faithful program:

1. Attend an informational gathering.

- Some people discover Fit & Faithful at fitandfaithful.com. The website contains all of the pertinent information to order the materials and begin the program either individually, with a group of others, or as a congregational program.

- Others find out more by attending a Fit & Faithful Team gathering, most often at a host congregation.

- Once you have been introduced to the program you are ready to take the first step...you make a decision to do it!

2. Commit yourself to the program.

- The most important first step is the commitment to do it!

- There is a great deal of flexibility in the program. You can choose to adapt a “self design” exercise program to fit your needs or you can choose the added challenge of reaching for an exercise program that will stretch you and test your limits.

3. Gather at least one other person for your team.

- You can do the program by yourself but you miss out on the reflection, the sense of team and the accountability to others.

- Teams don’t have to do identical physical programs but it helps to stay in touch and share a workout or time together once every week or two.

- Teams can be any size.

4. Before you actually begin the daily disciplines of Fit & Faithful, choose a time to gather with your teammates to plan your workout program and goals.

- It is helpful to use the “Goal Planning Week” included in the Fit & Faithful workout booklet to write down both your personal goals and the common goals of your teammates.

- The “self design” program allows you to plan your own exercise schedule.

- You can choose to plan the entire 12 weeks in advance or you can use the training log as a means of recording what you do each day.

- Some people choose to walk, run, swim, etc. a certain number of times per week.

- Others choose a challenge program that will systematically increase the distance and intensity of their exercise toward the completion of a goal.

- A variety of pre-prepared exercise schedules is currently available. More will be added as Fit & Faithful grows.

5. Work daily on your physical and spiritual goals.

- The point of Fit & Faithful is to establish new disciplines in our lives. We learn discipline by becoming disciplined.

- It is vitally important to keep up with the Bible reading. If you miss a session, make it up!

- The prayer card in the back of each Fit & Faithful workout booklet gives you four options for your scheduled prayer times – intercessory prayer, meditation, meditation on a Bible passage, or use of the daily prayer card to guide you in your prayers.

- Note at the end of each week when you were able to gather for fellowship with others and how you gave yourself away in service.

- It is not necessary to “make up” a planned exercise time. Be gentle with yourself; perhaps your body was telling you that you needed rest.

6. Gather with your teammate(s) weekly or bi-weekly for a joint workout, reflection and accountability time.

7. Attend the optional monthly Fit & Faithful Team Time for sharing and learning. At Covenant Lutheran Church, the first congregation to try the Fit & Faithful program, the gathering is held at 7:00 on the first Sunday of the month. Teammates are also free to gather on their own to check in, work out and support one another.

8. Celebrate the completion of the 12 week program and decide whether to repeat the program or go on to the next unit.