Good Friday (HUH!), What Was it Good For?
Absolutely EVERYTHING!

These aren't the lyrics of Edwin Starr's famous song, War. One line in the song sings "They say we must fight to keep our freedom, But Lord knows there's got to be a better way, oh". And there is a better way: the cross on Calvary.

Holy Week or The Great Week as it's also called is the Superbowl for all Christians.  It's the big game. The playbook was prewritten and as the last seconds leading up to Easter Sunday play out, we know Christ wins...even before the TV commentators.  Fake news?  I don't think so.  I live because my Savior lives.
Jesus fought for our freedom. Jesus sustained extreme torture, more than a mere mortal could endure, had to carry his own cross in a state of complete physical brokenness, and was cruelly set to die on a cross, as a convict. What was his crime? Jesus was the original freedom fighter. He fought for freedom from religion, and for women's equality, for children and widows, for tax collectors, for you and for me.  It is for freedom that Christ set us free (Galatians 5:1) If it hadn't been for the cross, life would feel like constant war, huh!
It was for the Glory of God and our good that on that dark Friday, our Savior suffered, died and was buried.
This freedom we come to enjoy is sweetest because we understand the gravity of the cross and it was Christ's death that needed to be paid in order for us to take the win. Good Friday is met with extreme sorrow and doesn't meet our earthly standard as something we see as good, but it means absolutely EVERYTHING for victory over death.

How we chose to look at our circumstance can sometimes be more about perspective and mindset than final outcome.  Is it possible we need to endure the bad in order to get to the good ending of the game? 
We can practice seeing things that don't feel good in the moment with a positive outcome in each Frogpose Christian yoga class .  It's been said that a sustained physical injury usually resurfaces in Christian yoga before healing with a regular practice.  For instance, in Half Pigeon, your hips, the area where we store emotions, may feel very tight and uncomfortable but not painful. The urge to come out of the long hold has more to do with pushing through to the end gain of having open hips than breathing through the discomfort.  The choice to endure is ours and is as individual as there are snowflakes.  Stay in the fight or try again another day?  It's ok.  Just don't give up because sometimes it takes 3 breaths, 3 tries, 3 classes, or 3 days in the tomb, to make life changes. 

Like Diane said at the Stepping Toward Whole Health Day Retreat (video clip above), "I used to have bad hips and coming to Lorie's class has relieved me of the pain, even thought I don't consider myself very flexible." Don't let life get you down or give up pursuing that which is good and right, because I know God has victory ahead for you too.  Mindfulness is everything in Christian yoga.

In class this week, we focus on Holy Week: balance the good and the bad of life to find wholeness of mind, body and spirit. We will incorporate prayer and bible verses with stretching on a yoga mat. Invite a friend, whether they are a seasoned yoga practitioner or just beginning, a Christian or not.  
Here is your opportunity for Beginner Power Flow Yoga this week.

2nd T's:  Tuesday 7pm at Red Rocks Church, Arvada.  We will in the basement so park around back and come down the back stairs.  Doors open at 6:30 so arrive early and get settled for a prompt start.

No Weekly Wednesday class at Harvest Today or Facebook live.  Sorry.
​
God Bless and Enjoy this Week of Ups and Downs and  Celebrate the Victory!

I an thrilled to see all of you who are signing up for our upcoming day retreat.  Any opportunity to spend time with this loving Christian yoga community, is purely my pleasure.

Sole To Soul Colorado, rooted in biblical truth, equips and aligns women in body, soul, and spirit through Christ-centered yoga classes and retreats, inspiring growth and abundant life.  That's who we are:  Kat Ackerman, Denise Stemple, Lorie Corrado and myself.

When the four of us get together to plan for events such as this, the time just flies by and the ease and joy at which we work together is so inspiring.  I can't help but feel God's presence and the Holy Spirit activating.  We are excited to offer a day of togetherness, yoga, a clean lunch demonstration, a light hike around the base of the Flatirons, and fun!

Be brave and sign up!  We are praying for you.
 
Where: 88 Benthaven Place, Boulder (Clubhouse)
When: Saturday, April 9th from 9a - 3p
Cost: $55 includes yoga, lunch, keepsake mug, walk/hike, fun, recipes & study
Register Today:  email SoleToSoulColorado@gmail.com to RSVP and receive registration and payment instructions          
(Space is limited;  Registration deadline is March 26, 2022)
​
Look forward to seeing you!
Sole to Soul Team,
Kat, Kate, Lorie and Denise

Confession:  I, Natural Kate, drive the people around me absolutely batty with my goofy ways!


As life would have it, I have gravitated to take up my environmental cross, in a unique area: my personal consumption of plastic.  Yes, you read that correct.  I see and feel the overuse of plastic all around me and I can’t help but want to fight it.  To me, that which has become so typical as plastic laundry jugs, mattress bags, food containers, packing material inside packing material, and the list goes on, it sticks out like a sore thumb and feels very unnatural. This product, which I didn’t much notice until recently, is eating away at my sensibilities and hurts my heart for God’s creation.


I don’t intentionally put my burden onto other people, but since using plastics is something negative to me, by default it’s affecting change in those around me. If a friend reaches for the plastic straw, they glance at me for approval. “What?”, I shrug and shift my eyes. To use the implement for 30 seconds, just to dump it into the trash forever, isn’t for me, because I envision it sticking out of the nose of sea turtle that’s struggling for life.  My friend just looks at it as a convenience. When those around me observe my refusal of most things plastic, it offers them room to pause and question.  “What are my eating and buying habits and why?” How is my relationship with food glorifying God?


Guess what comes in plastic?  Nearly everything.  Pick up a box of breakfast cereal and the contents are bagged.  Most boxes of food that I pick up off a shelf, at any given store, not only have a hideous list of ingredients, but have a hidden treasure of plastic inside.  Go to the meat bins and nearly all the meat is packed in plastic, styrofoam, or cellophane.  Need some rice or quinoa?  It’s prepackaged in plastic bags.  What about some soda for the big game?  Plastic, plastic, plastic!


The unintended consequence of my not wanting to purchase food in plastic means that I eat REALLY clean.  If I carry my own plastic bags to the produce section, the only items I can purchase are fresh.  I can ask the meat department to wrap in paper instead of grabbing out of the bin.  I can buy nearly everything including oils, spices, teas, snacks and shampoos in bulk, using my own containers.  Guess what’s not in my grocery cart?  Chips, individually wrapped candies and most junk food. Clean eating is ingredients in your food which you can read without needing a chemical engineering degree.  It’s about consuming food the way nature delivered it, or as close to it as possible. It is not a diet; it’s a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation, leading to an improved life.  


Everyone has a different reason for creating healthy eating and has their techniques that are inspiring those around them:  diabetes, weight loss, keto, fasting, leaky gut, IBS, energy, illness, disease.  The list goes on.  If you live in community with family or friends, your commitment to being healthy will rub off on them, especially if you’re the one making the meals!  Be the change that moves those around you to eat better. What is your idea of healthy eating and why?  


Remember:  You are NOT what you eat.  You are who God made you to be, You are aware of whole health and learning how to glorify Him, even in your food choices.  We enjoy the inheritance into the kingdom of light and we can feast.


 The Sole to Soul Colorado team is busy preparing a healthful day in the Rocky Mountains for the community of women we’ve come to know as our Jesus Yogis. (J’ogis).  I was so inspired in our last planning meeting, listening to Denise, Kat and Lorie tell of their food journeys and why God brought them to their places of clean eating and what that means to them in context of whole health. We all have a story to tell about how God is bending our ear towards glorifying him, even in our eating.  It’s fun learning about whole health and how we can serve the temple of the Holy Spirit, our bodies better.

Welcome to one of my favorite times of the year, February!  Everyone knows this month marks #heartmonth.  I pulled out my red Valentine’s decorations and dolled up the house today.  Ah yes, the greatest of these is LOVE!  In God’s infinite wisdom, He knows how important it is to help that fist sized muscle mass that pumps oxygenated blood to remain healthy.  Guard your heart with all possible vigilance, for from it flow the wellsprings of life.  Proverbs 4:23.

When I think of a spring, I envision clear cool refreshing water flowing out. I consider them perpetually pouring out from source. Throughout the state here in Colorado there are natural hot springs.  And then there are effervescent springs that produce natural seltzers.   In my mind, a spring doesn’t pool up like a pond or reservoir but rather the water comes up and out.

My sister Yvonne called this week to tell me about an interesting read from the American Heart Association (AHA) called Reclaim Your Rhythm, which talks about creating healthy habits to help take back control of your physical and mental well-being.  Also this week, I responded to a woman who wrote in asking how yoga can help her heart.  When Holy Spirit prods me twice, I take that as a message that bears repeating.  

I pray that what I have to say will be of benefit to someone reading this.

How well do you know your heart? How does it feel when you place your hand over it? What helps it? Are you able to pin point what fills your love tank and what depletes it? When does your heart feel open?  When does it feel closed? Can you put a pulse on what makes your heart tick? Let me encourage you to take time the know the rhythm of your own heart.

According to the AHA, heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women.  “While you may feel too busy to de-stress – you can decide to claim your “me time,” one moment at a time. Reduce stress for a healthier version of you.  Stress can have lasting effects on your health and well-being. These health effects impact some groups disproportionately – women, for example, are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression compared to men.”

Duh!  Us modern women not only take care of households, children and the family pets, we also bring home the bacon!  Let’s face it, we are stressed to the max.  Heck, simply walking out the door is met with stress.  Last night Laura asked, did you remember your cell phone, cell phone charger, readers, hat, gloves….mask?  “Oh shoot, gotta go back to the car, through the snow, in my heels, for the %&*@ MASK!”  Pile on terrible heart break, grief, loss, and voila, we might be time bombs with a heart attack knocking on our door.

The AHA says “If you have any of these heart attack signs, call 911 and get to a hospital right away.
1.    Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
2.    Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
3.    Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
4.    Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
5.    As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.”

Face it, living a stress-free life isn’t possible, yet knowing how to manage it is. With Holy Spirit’s help and some self-control, there are three ways to reduce stress.  1.  Turn negative self-talk into positive.  If you tell yourself, you CAN do something, chances are, you will.  Be thankful. 2.  Stop stress in its tracks.  Be aware of what triggers you and make a plan for when it happens.  Breathe deeply, take a walk, step away from your desk or take whatever action needed to break those moments of intensity.  3.  Participate in activities that are known to reduce stress.  Take a walk, read a book or do Christian yoga. Regular yoga practice may reduce levels of stress and body-wide inflammation, contributing to healthier hearts. Several of the factors contributing to heart disease, including high blood pressure and excess weight, can also be addressed through yoga. 

At Frogpose yoga we incorporate intentional breathing to increase circulation along with physical poses which increases heart rate.  Plus we take a mindful approach that God is healing us, especially in our hearts. Everyone comes to the mat with varying degrees of muscle flexibility and strength, but one thing everyone has in common is our hearts desire for unconditional love. The foundation of Christian yoga is born out of the notion that God loves us whether we can touch our toes, hold a pose for 5 minutes, stand on our hands or not.  The only skill needed is to show up for yourself and be prepared to nurture your relationship with your heart, whole body and Jesus.  

In any given Frogpose beginner power flow class it’s likely we’ll practice energetic heart opening poses such as camel, floor bow, dancers and bridge.  It’s recommended that poses like these, that require arching of the back, be practiced only once the body has warmed up, where your muscles and facia have softened, and the hips have been released. Since these are poses that benefit the heart, your focus and attention is brought to the area between the collar bones versus how much the back is/isn’t bending.  Yes, your spine is benefiting from flexing but it’s a broadening across the heart area that drives the pose.  To imagine the heart pulsing, growing the color green, expanding out of your chest, and flowing out, just like a spring of water, is the ultimate expression of the poses.

In the moments of breathing through heart opening poses, the wellspring of life flows out of you.  God loves you and I deeply, and for us to keep his love to ourselves isn’t the message of Christian yoga.  We want to allow the love we feel in our hearts to journey off the mat and into the hurting word around us.  Everything in life demands practice, including yoga.  Expand your faith and improve your flexibility by coming to class this week.  Get in touch with your heart as we set our intention on Bible verses and poses for the heart.  If you’ve never tried yoga before, let me invite you to be brave and try something new. You’ll fall in love with it and the community. Christian yoga does the heart good.
​
When:  12pm-1pm
Where:  Harvest Today 7905 W 120TH BROOMFIELD and facebook live @frogposeyoga

Sole to Soul Colorado invites you to a day of nourishing your body, soul, spirit in community: whole foods, yoga, hiking and scripture.
“Stepping Toward Whole Health Day Retreat”
3 John 2:1  Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
$55 includes lunch and snacks
South Boulder, 3/26 deadline
Fill out the contact form and we’ll save you a spot as space is limited.

I pray these individual accounts from victims from the Marshall Mesa Fire will offer you hope and strengthen your faith.  Yes, our God is a consuming fire but he is also full of mercy and hope. 

“We found baby Jesus!!!” she exclaimed.

In the twisted steel beams and fallen living room rubble that had been created by the devastating fire that ravished my community, strangely all the key characters noted at the birth of our Savior were found, albeit in broken pieces, except Jesus.  Tom felt inclined to start digging right where he was kneeling, and in a pile of soot, there was the baby: with arms and legs perfectly intact!  A miracle, considering nothing else was making sense.  By the joy experienced in that moment, you would think the family had found a suitcase of a thousand-dollar bills.  No, it was a tiny porcelain figurine representing the light of the world.  Seek and you will find! (Matthew 7:7-8)


When you’ve lived in the Boulder community for most of your life, like a few of us have, and the most expensive and destructive urban fire in Colorado history, destroying 6000 acres and 1000 homes, ravishes just a few miles from home, we’re bound to know quite a few people directly and indirectly affected.  I praise God that no one I know went to heaven prematurely, but the ripple effects of the material loss and emotional pain are just now being felt and seen.  We are all looking to find hope in our suffering and God promises to do so. (Psalm 34:17)

Sadly, my friends Kat and Tom lost their home.  When they were allowed back into their neighborhood, Tom said “When we climbed down into the smoldering rubble of what had been our home, almost nothing was recognizable. A few pots and pans. Twisted steel I-beams, disconnected from the foundation, had fallen onto the ash. On our front porch we could see the crumbled concrete of the foundation, bricks strewn about. And the beautiful designer front doors themselves melted into a twisted ball. But Mary remained. Covered by black soot on the right half of the statue’s body, she was unscathed.”  This remnant was the reminder they needed that God makes beauty from ashes. (Isaiah 61:3)
In the yard of a home not far from Kat and Tom’s this was found.  A simple plastic nativity sustained heat that steel beams couldn’t!  If this image doesn’t give you goose bumps of God’s obvious involvement in this firestorm, I don’t know what does. 

Considering that as Nancy’s friend Pierre, who was fleeing by car, with the fire on his heals, and he could hardly see through the blowing smoke and ash, was able to make out what seemed to be two figures on foot.  He sped over and insisted they jump into his car.  He wasn’t thinking of himself, and he said he felt the Holy Spirit nudge him to take a moment to grab the strangers.  When they arrived to safety, both kids had 3rd degree burns on their skin.  God was moving in miraculous ways on 12/30.  How do people walk through a blaze without getting burnt?  How does a plastic mold sustain flames without melting into a pile of gunk?  (Isaiah 43:2-3)

My dear Coll lost her parent’s home too.  While her mom was living, she was quite the Angel herself and a collector of angels also.  A couple of years ago Mom passed unexpectedly.  And ever since angel figurines have been making unusual appearances in Coll’s world.  There have been many accounts of uncanny angel choochkies appearing in funny places.  We have always figured this was God’s way of reminding Coll that He’s got her in the palm of his hand (Isaiah 49:46), that He cares for her and Mom in heaven and that He's got a good sense of humor.  When the fire subsided, Coll returned to her parent’s home, and all that was standing was the fireplace and a few recognizable items.  Guess what one of these items was: this Christmas angel # 1972 plate.  The significance was huge! It helped her to feel the comfort she needed in order to face the loss of family photos and material things that had been left behind in the home.

From another area that was destroyed by the fire, Warren said this: "some people came from Castle Rock with a horse trailer looking for a way to help rescue animals. Somehow they were able to get into the subdivision and somehow find our house and somehow knew that our horses were there and they rescued them then somehow found out whose horses they were and found our phone number and called us to give us the good news. We met them with the horses in the trailer and took them to a friend's ranch for the night. We are giving all the credit to God. No other explanation than that…”

This type of terror leaves us asking questions.  God spared some homes while others were destroyed. It’s not fair. To ask why doesn’t serve us well because only our Heavenly Father knows the answers.  Choose to live one day at a time, press on and know that His mercies are new every morning.  (Lamentations 3:23) Together we will pick up the pieces and fight for joy.

If you have a story of hope that you’d like to share, or resources you think would help serve our hurting community, please comment below.  Let’s encourage each other and continue to flood our hurting brothers and sisters with the helping hands of Jesus, your love and continued prayers. (1 Thessalonians 16-18)

I pray you will get the healing you need from this horrific event and perhaps this class will help: God of Miracles.  I taught this class special for the survivors of the fire so please share it with others you know that might benefit from it.  Yoga is a great way to move trauma out of the body.  If you have the energy, go for it.  If not, that’s ok too!  Take the time you need to process all that’s been pressing on your body and heart.

You are invited to join us tomorrow night at Red Rocks Church 7pm and in person on Wednesday noon for in-person classes  Check it out at frogpose.org.
Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ is where you will find us anytime.
 
Be encouraged knowing that God is standing with you through the fire. (Daniel 3:16-28)

O-Man!

If I didn’t have an electronic calendar beeping at me each time I had an appointment, I’m not sure I could function.  Work has ramped up, I’m volunteering, socializing, dog sitting, tying up loose ends and trying to get out of town on Tuesday.  Life went from Covid zero to 60 MPH and my head is spinning!  Does it seem that way to you too?

Christmas is just around the corner and I can’t seem to keep up.    How did the year end get her so fast?  The hustle and bustle of the season has caught up with me.  As I type and reflect, I realize just how much I am in need of a rescuing from this present active life.  O-O-Ohhh, the cry of my heart is to feel Christmas NOW and leave the cares of the world behind!

Cue the Christmas carols 24/7 on 101.1!  Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.  Sweet relief.  There’s something about hearing those familiar tunes sung over and over, year after year, that help deliver me out of stress mode and into the Christmas Spirit.  Smiling and singing along is my favorite!  It’s the soul care I need to free me from the bondage of my intense schedule.  O Little Town of Bethlehem.

A few years ago my dear teacher, Thomas Milburn, enlightened me to the ancient Christmas tradition of the seven “Great O’s”.  Why did this resonate with me?  Because it’s so true!  Anytime my heart cries out, my exhaled utterances are typically the spoken O-“insert superlative”. Depending on the situation, the words coming out of my mouth can be offensive, supportive, heartfelt or praiseworthy.  If I stub my toe you might here hear me say “O-DARN” or something less attractive.

The antiphons or the messianic titles for Jesus begin with “O” and are used in the octave (seven days) leading up to Christmas Eve, with a different one proclaimed each day. They are a short sentence sung or recited before or after a psalm.
12/18:  O-Wisdom
12/19:  O-Lord (Adani)
12/20: O-Root of Jesse
12/21: O-Key of David
12/22:  O-Dayspring
12/23:  O-King of Nations
12/24:  O-Emmanuel
In a FROGpose yoga class we celebrate O-exhales.  If there’s anything you have learned from me is the importance of the breath.  Christian yoga is more about releasing tension with breath than it is about touching your toes and bulging biceps. If your neighbor can’t audibly hear the Breath of the Almighty giving you life, you’re not receiving all the health benefits that the practice has to offer you.  Turning up your breath not only encourages your fellow Jogi’s but it increases the purifying heat in your body.

Sometimes a yoga pose is cued to encourage an audible O on the exhale.  Horselips works too.  Yoga is a great way to express the cry of the heart by incorporating physical poses with intentional breath.  Lamenting is something we have a hard time expressing and practicing in the modern age of saving face, but to relieve the heart with breath prayer in class is welcomed.  No judgement.  We are all working out our salvation and God wants to hear the cry of our hearts, even in yoga class.

As you approach the mat in these next seven days, perhaps you can set your daily intention on one of the antiphons.  With your deep exhalations, try singing out loud that particular title for Jesus throughout your practice.  See what comes up and allow Jesus to physically rescue you from the bondage of your busyness.

This week’s class will be on Instagram only @frogposeyoga. See you Wednesday at noon as we celebrate Jesus O Dayspring. 

At F.R.O.G.Pose we fully rely on God in our ability to serve the local Community as a direct result of your prayers, volunteerism and charitable donations.   In 2021 we offered 58 donation based Christian stretching classes and with the help of the WWW, thousands of students worldwide were met with scripture, acceptance, and prayer.  At each class we were faithfully and prayerfully expectant that God would heal each heart and life that came to a yoga mat.  

Philippians 1:3 - Every time I think of you I thank God for you.

When a student walks through the doors of a Frogpose yoga class he or she is happily met with the same joy and expectation as you would feel this time of year: that they may feel thankful of God's gifts and abilities!  Because, regardless of their beliefs, all are welcome and all are loved.  That one soul just might experience the divine exchange of sin for salvation merely for showing up for a "free" yoga class.  That's why we do what we do!

Here are what some people are saying about Frogpose:
"It's the highlight of my week"  -MM
"Kate is an excellent instructor.  It is so cool to hear Bible verses while practicing" -BL
"Went on Wednesday and it was amazing.  My body can already feel God working in my mind, body, and soul.." -AD

Joel Belz of World News Group says "you want to support and be involved in organizations where the Bible determines both what people believe and how they behave." There are so many amazing non-profits to choose from and if you are looking for a God centered health care ministry that's committed to delivering Biblical truths, you can be assured that by linking arms with us, you get both!

$150 goes towards advertising and getting the word out (such as this ap).  $25 pays the guest instructors for a weekly class.  Our overflow of funds remains in savings in hopes of reaching the point to own our own studio.  The big vision is a Christian Yoga Studio committed serving God and is fully funded by donations.  We approach 2022 with anticipation that God will continue to do good things and move mountains.

Our prayer for you:  That God will bless you as you end your 2021 and for His love flow in and through all of your life.  In the mighty name of Jesus, AMEN!

Class is Wednesday's at noon at Harvest Today 7905 W 120TH BROOMFIELD & FACEBOOK LIVE

​

“I can’t be away from it for more than a year” is how I described my recent birthday vacation. My friend and I both laughed because she knows that my being by the water fills up my cup.

Today I turn 54 years of age.  WOW!  Did I say that correct?  It hardly seems possible because most days I feel (and act) like I’m still 24.  My favorite way to celebrate this annual milestone is by putting aside life’s troubles and descending onto the beaches of Mexico.  The waves call me back year after year and I act like a kid.  I never grow old of the sound and feeling of the ocean crashing, the sand between my toes and the sun on my skin: I feel more alive.  My entire being thirsts for the salt water and once a year I am temporarily quenched.

How do you like to celebrate your birthday? Can you trust yourself to create the fun?

Part of my yoga journey has been figuring out what my mind, body and soul are asking for and attempting to fill the space.  In any given Frogpose yoga class students have an opportunity to challenge themselves in strength building poses, but equally have time to hold resting poses that bring up thoughts, emotions.  It’s a time for recognizing personal needs. It’s called being mindful.  In the safety of the yoga mat and community space, God is faithful to meet us in the struggle.  If we are open, He can reveal to us the desires of our hearts and move us in the direction He’s leading.  In the span of 60 minutes, we breath, stretch and pray for help in the areas where we feel resistance and unmet needs.  Christian yoga a process of learning to trust God to heal us.  We grow in our faith in health and confidence to know what to do to help ourselves.

Yet, just like an annual trip down South of the Border, each yoga class is non-permanent.  We can’t be away from it for too long before we thirst for more.

I praise God that his love for you and me isn’t temporary.  There are hundreds of bible verses that us water babies can really relate to; this notion of living water filling the voids of life.  God describes his commitment to us as a miraculous flow of water that doesn’t quit producing life.  In revelation it says “And he said to me, “It is done! I(God) am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” A prophet from the Old Testament named Jeremiah said “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” The disciple John said “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.” “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Jesus met a lot of interesting people experiencing dry mouth in his short lifespan.  One woman he met drawing water from a well, he could tell her that her difficult life experiences had broken her cistern and left her feeling extremely parched (I can really relate!)  “Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” 

For what do you thirst?  Let Jesus fill that void.

My travel amiga/friend said she liked spending this past week together because she felt like a little girl, had the freedom to be silly and laugh a lot. I’ve learned beach vacations do the same for me and I make a point of taking one at least once a year so my soul doesn’t dry up.  If you haven’t had an encounter with Jesus yet, can I challenge you to a Christian yoga class to learn more? God is faithful to share a drink with you if you’ll simply ask for it.  Join me on Wednesday at noon and get drunk on Jesus. His water sits better on the soul than tequila and it’s life giving properties continue flowing after the vacation ends.

This week:
Wednesday at Noon In Person No Mask Class:  7905 W 120th, Broomfield and broadcasting live on Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ 

​You may be surprised to learn that I had one of the best times of my life working alongside Kat, Denise and Lorie as we hosted Rise Up Beautiful 2019 at Breckenridge.  Putting together that weekend gathering was a collaboration of God’s genius when each of us said “yes” to the commitment.  It took many hours of preparation and hard work and a lot of faith that God would provide, all while each of us was working other jobs and managing families. Prayerfully we crafted something extraordinary and creative.  A retreat like none other.  The privilege was all mine, serving in this capacity, and allowed me to witness the joy and growth of the attendees in a way I never expected.  Greater than that, and much to my surprise, even I was moved towards a deeper loving relationship with God, my body and friends in the process! Not to mention, with Kat as a roommate, I laughed a lot (we’re talking A LOT!)  Please read the testimonials.

You might say I’m a bit biased because I’ve experienced a Sole to Soul Colorado Women’s Retreat with Yoga first hand.  But everything I’m saying is SO true!  It was truly a moving experience on many levels!  

I’ve been inviting as many lovely women as I can to join “Beautiful By Design” this fall. Admittedly, it’s hard for me to put myself out there with an invitation.  A “no” feels like rejection.  But, because the blueprint for what I know could or would happen with a yes answer, I continue to ask.  Wil you join us October 1-3 2021 in Estes Park, YMCA of the Rockies for “Beautiful by Design”?

In classic David Letterman-style I’ll work backwards with what I’ve been hearing:

#5.  “I Can’t Afford It” – It is important to keep with a budget and in these odd COVID times, money might be tight. A weekend like this, which includes 2 nights stay, all your meals, the full program, with art therapy and yoga: some would say could be worth $2500. Dare to compare.  I think one of the reasons registrations is filling up is because this weekend starts at $352.  To break it down in a year, that’s less than $1 a day. You almost can’t afford to not sign up! 

#4. “I’m not flexible/fit enough” – Everyone is on their own path to health. There is no judgement at retreat for where each of us is at in our journey.  With comparison being a killer, all we ask is that our lady participants to be present, not perfect.  We aren’t going to be doing yoga around the clock so consider this a time of kinesthetic or experiential learning.  We will learn as we move.

#3.  “I’m too busy” – Life tends to pull us in all kinds of directions.  Taking a break from life is necessary. Sometimes we ignore the need to disengage from our routines because we think it will just add to the problem.  What research shows is that a mini vacation improves mental health, prevents heart disease, makes you happy in the planning, improves relationships and creativity and productivity.  Beautiful by Design will be a time for self-repair, reflection and rejuvenation.   Your choice to join us isn’t about time management but rather self-management. 

#2. “I’m afraid” – Can you name It?  Where is it coming from? Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of not knowing anyone? Feelings are real and fear is a big deterrent to forward progress in life. Winning Olympic athletes learn to detect fear and shift it back to winning mindsets.  When fear knocks at your door, send faith to answer it.  John 14:27 – Peace I leave you, my peace I give you (says Jesus).  I do not give to you as the world does.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

#1. “I need to clean my fishbowl” – Dog ate the homework?  Ok.  What’s really holding you back? 

Because I am confident that being a part of the fun will make a positive change in your current circumstance or life situation I ask again, “will you join us this fall?” As the Sole to Soul Colorado team is praying for you and the weekend, we are thrilled to see how God is going to use Beautiful by Design to  a master piece out of all of us.  Put yourself first.  You are worth investing in.  Don't let 
an excuse get in the way of your personal growth.

This week, Red Rocks Sports Tuesday morning yoga is at 8:30am in Thundercloud Park.
Wednesday is our regular F.R.O.G. Pose 60 minute gentle flow in person at Holiday Park, North Boulder and on Facebook live.
https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ 

After Mother’s Day I purchase beautiful blooming flower baskets and now I sit here in the morning sun taking in fresh new scents.  I feel the breeze on my skin, notice the newness of life and sense a shift.  The wonder of summer is met with my knowing it’s been preceded by spring, which came after winter, and fall before that.  The adjustment from one season to another isn’t always met with ease but I know that no matter where I am in the cycle of life, God meets me in the shift. 

In my books, Memorial Day Weekend marks the official beginning of summer.  Summer moves my thinking from packing heavy down coats and snow scrapers to baseball and hotdogs, cookouts, camping and pool time!  Normally, on this weekend, Boulder is buzzing with runners and visitors from all over the globe to participate in the Bolder Boulder and Creek Fest.  Like last year, sports enthusiasts, who normally would be stepping into new sneakers, are adjusting to stepping onto yoga mats in place of organized road races.
How are you adjusting to the changes in life this season?

Whether you are an experienced J’ogi or have never been on a yoga mat, summer is a treasured time to barefoot walk in the park with a practice of community yoga! 

Holiday Park, North Boulder:  On Wednesdays at noon you can enjoy our F.R.O.G. Pose 60 minute beginner flow classes starting June 2,  streaming facebook live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/  , weluity.com and Youtube @frogposeyoga.

Thundercloud Park, Arvada:  Join the Red Rocks Sports Yoga on Tuesdays for a rotation of teachers including myself, Carrie Davidson, Niki Sparks, Denise Stemple of Space for Change, and Lorie Corrado of Thrive Whole Health and Yoga.  There's 2 time options:  1. Every Tuesday morning from 8:30-9:30; 2.  2nd Tuesdays  Only 7-8pm.  The theme will be EVERYTHING summer and the light(ness) of Jesus!  Who doesn’t want a healthy dose of that after coming out of the perceived coldness of 2020?

 Regardless of which classes you can attend, you will be met with prayer, the Word of God, fellowship and stretching on a yoga mat.  Be sure to bring a water bottle, a towel (in case the grass is wet), sunscreen and the willingness to shift into your best summer mindset.

See you on Tuesday!

​Hello J'ogi's,

There’s nothing like visiting a farm this time of year, where the Breath of the Almighty springs forth new life.  Kat and I had a good laugh playing in the goat pen. When the owner of the farm, Kristy, said she found me, in a round about way on the world wide web, we both knew it was God’s doing.  She admitted she was a little scared to ask me about teaching a fundraising baby goat yoga class. Since I’ve never taught a class with animals before (not including you people – ha!), we were in the same boat.  But, with God, all things are possible!

I am thrilled that the courage of the Holy Spirit overcomes fear and even more excited to try something new for a good cause.  I am encouraged because God prepares in advance for special occasions, knowing the 2017 birth of the ministry of F.R.O.G. Pose is God’s idea for today’s purpose!  Our mission is to further the Kingdom of God one breath, one prayer and one yoga pose at a time…and some baby goats!  God does the heavy lifting if we just step out in faith and say yes to where He’s leading.

YOU, can do new things in 2021!

As I collaborate as Sole to Soul Colorado, and we march toward the goal of retreat this fall, wouldn’t you know God’s revealing yet another new thing to learn in 2021: teach my first baby goat yoga class.  My CORE POWER teacher training helped me to learn that a good yoga class is met with mindfulness and a teacher who’s prepared in advance for it.  Theme is an important piece in setting up her students on their mats for a successful moving meditation.  To sit at the front of the class, as guide, takes thought and preparation.  Every Christian yoga class begins with time in prayer with God to hear for how He’s wanting me, as teacher, to lead.

Since I love to theme my classes, my quiet time with God and google search on the word “goat” brought me to Matthew 25: 31-46.  Here Jesus paints what might seem like a grim account of how God will sift the nations when He makes his second coming, like a Shepard separates his sheep from the goats.  But further reading tells me that Jesus seems more interested in how we are spending our time now versus worrying about our wellbeing at the end of days.  I can take my temperature for eternity today by asking “am I feeding the hungry? giving drink to the thirsty? offering to clothe those in need? visiting prisoners?” or in the case of our fundraiser, offering shelter to Nicaraguan survivors of sex trafficking?  Based on my honest answer, I don’t need to fear whether I’m a sheep or a goat.  If I’m keeping my eyes on the prize, by helping the least of these, my take is that it’s good enough for Jesus.

Weather dependent, join us next week for special IN-PERSON, OUTDOOR Baby Goat Yoga!  Fill you lungs with fresh air, enjoy the mountain vistas, and commune with the Maker of Heaven and earth as baby goats fill your hearts with joy.  Space is limited to 15 students per 60-minute class.  Sign up at Signup Genius. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A044FADAC2BA46-baby  Normally our donations are taken to support the ministry of F.R.O.G. Pose but next week they are going toward House of Hope.  $30 will buy a child a school uniform.  $75 grants a woman a small business, $160 gives a child a year of schooling, $420 ($35 reoccurring) provides one mouth food necessary for a month. 
 
Due to an injury we won't have live Wednesday class at noon but please feel free to select a class of your liking on Facebook live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/  - show up for yourself.

Stay tuned for Yoga in the Park at Red Rocks Sports.

Continuing to Balance Anew in 2021

It’s in these uncertain times where I’m eternally grateful for my friends Kat, Denise and Lorie, as they have helped me navigate the challenges of life in the pandemic.  As we collaborate together in Sole to SoulColorado, adding in your valued participation, we’ve collectively developed a knowing that we don’t have to keep ourselves in the fearful ruts and mondain isolation of 2020 and can take an active role to do NEW things!  Since we started this in January, our hope is that you’ve found encouragement, challenge, and more balance, flexibility, and strength to all aspects of your life in body, soul, and spirit.  What healthy habits have you formed since January? 
 
YOU, can do new things in 2021!

Spring has sprung and I noticed everyone is out enjoying the warm weather and all the outdoor sportiness that Colorado has to offer.  Could this sudden motivation of the general populace be based on the fact that Coloradans packedon 10-20 extra pounds during COVID? And we thought the Freshman 15 was a thing! If it weren’t for the pandemic I’d see people of all ages training for the famous Bolder Boulder road race. I played outdoor sand volleyball the day after some snow skiing and I could tell by how I was huffing and puffing that I was a bit out of shape. Thankfully, it would seem as if winter hibernation has been replaced with moving our bodies through space.  This is the time of year the running shoes get placed by the door for easy access. 
As followers of Christ, we are in strict training for and motivated by a different kind of race.  Every one of us is a runner keeping focus on the prize that doesn’t fade.  We run in such a way as to endure the distance and  develop the necessary lung capacity so as to cross the finish line: the line between life and death, the here and now and our Heavenly home.  Our ability to draw from the Breath of the Almighty, who gives us life, is what fuels our forward momentum. We want to encourage each other to be in good spiritual health so we can confidently hurdle into our eternal home rather than stumble in, gasping for air.

I’ve only had a few instances in life where I’ve received such bad news that it literally takes the air out of my lungs.  It occurred last week as the news of our local shooting tragedy met my ears. “Just breathe, inhale, exhale”, I told myself.  Scary enough, it was the supermarket I grew up in and what, over the 42 years of shopping there, felt like the comfort of my own living room.  The weight of the senseless loss of innocent lives and the unsettled likelihood of my knowing a victim or two, felt like an instant sucker punch to my gut.
Not that it lessens the heaviness of evil acts happening in my quiet upper-class neighborhood, but my pastor reminded me it’s for this VERY reason, the recent terrible murders, that Jesus came to meet us here on Earth. If it were not for the hopeful cross and Jesus proving eternal life through His resurrection, it would be impossible to make sense of it all.  Yesterday was Easter, the Son of Man is seated at the right hand of The Father, and I can breathe a deep sigh of relief. I am doing something new by learning to breathe again.  A few deep breaths, my pulse returns to normal and I feel the beginnings of restoration in my soul.

In Christian yoga we practice voluntary breathing for the sole purpose of putting it into action when we need it most.  A gentle flow yoga instructor uses verbal breathing cues for each pose. Holding challenging poses become bearable when a student chooses to focus on a 4 second inhale followed by a 4 second exhale, rather than muscle weakness and trembling.  We’ve got a choice in our focus during a tough physical moving meditation.  The choice we make can be the difference between standing in the fight or giving up.  There is no judgement of self or others from your mat, but rather a knowledge that we are all building strength through breath.

Deep belly breaths fill the lungs with the much needed oxygen that trying experiences sometimes suck out of us.  Stress can cause the body to shrink into taking short sips of air and a mindful moment of taking 3 full breaths can be the difference between keeping your cool and saying something you might later regret.  How we use our breath helps us to make physical and spiritual breakthroughs.

Continue with Sole to Soul Colorado’s - Balance Anew 2021 as our Christian yoga community continues linking arms as like-minded accountability partners.  April is all about breath.  We are glad you are still seeking new things and together we can continue race training by offering weekly ideas, tips, challenges, and Scripture each Monday.  Our hope is that when Fall 2021 Retreat arrives, we can share, in person, how God has helped us do new things!
​
Won’t you join us in learning about breath? Email us at SoleToSoulColorado@gmail.com for more details on Balance Anew 2021 details and Fall 2021 Retreat.

After my volleyball game I introduced my sweetie to some dear couple friends, who are fellow volleyball players.  After a nice conversation, the extended handshake was met with the too often uncomfortable attempted fist-bump, elbow-reach, never-touching gesture.  Collectively we followed up the awkward behavior with apologies and a deflated sigh.  Rather than feeling the desired sense of victory for having made new friends we stepped away with that strangeness of being left hanging and gaining a mere half credit of connection.

I want to return to that feeling of belonging IN community.  My soul has a deep yearning to be seen and understood.  This universal longing is something that’s being especially challenged in these current times.  The naturalness of being free to lean in close to someone outside of your clan is becoming more and more bizarre. As time marches on in what I call the “Covid Confusion”, we are walking around attempting to live a natural life yet being met with unfulfilled longings of connection. It all feels very unnatural.

I was 50 when God called me into the ministry of Christian yoga.  We learned to speak a new language that brings healing to the bodies of the community around us utilizing verbal cues, some physical posture demonstrations and the use of hands-on adjustments. Hours of shared conversation, an unmatched team of educators and a sharing of struggles, was key to our growth and graduation.  At first it felt unnatural but with practice and with the support of this tight knit community, we emerged better than when we started.  In teacher training, I made lifelong friends.  It was fulfilling to be a part of the clan that we call “yogi’s”.  I connect with my yogi’s from a shared experience level yet I felt amiss in the spiritual. 
But God wasn’t done with my growth yet!

I heard God call me to foster the Frogpose Yoga community as one that focuses on Jesus Christ, and Jesus alone.  I was inspired to incorporate all the goodness of the yogi head knowledge with the love of God.  True connection made its way into my life with the marriage of my love of Jesus with the healthful exercise we call yoga.  I’ve even given us the name of “J’ogi’s”: Jesus-Yogi’s! God is so good as he has poured out blessing upon blessing of wonderful lifelong friendships though this practice of Christian yoga.  I am continually inspired and encouraged with the fellow teachers and students around me who God has put into my life since He birthed Frog Pose.
​
If you feel like you want to get connected to a group of people that love the Lord and to spend quality time with others who stretch on a yoga mat, you’ve found your family.  Regardless of your beliefs, all are welcome.  Whether you have never taken a yoga class or you have been enjoying yoga for years, please join in.  Facebook Live, YouTube, Instagram and some in person classes is where you will find us.  There’s room for all and know that we all started in the unnaturalness of the unknown but can now settle in and call it home.

Two weeks ago I returned from a most carefree trip to the beaches of Costa Rica.  Five fruit trees had been planted in the yard and in a matter of just 12 months they were already producing plantain bunches.  One night we had a very Disney-esque-Tiki Room experience as the winds picked up, lightning thundered and big rains fell.  The storming and strong breezes were a little scary and I knew I was safe.  I contemplated the delicate new trees:  waving in the wind was necessary to drive the tree roots deeper: "it's the most flexible trees that survive the strongest winds."  Let's hope I don't develop tree roots for feet!

My soul feels at home when I'm basking in the shade of beach trees because I sense God's presence in the marriage of ocean wave sounds, breezes, all together with Holy Spirit.  I get a heightened awareness of freshness as it awakens all my senses to a juxtaposition between the peace of the moment and perceived COVID strife in the rest of the world.  I bath in the sun as I smell the salt water and my eyes gaze up sturdy tree trunks that support lively canopies and shade.  There's much I learn from God's creation as to how flexible I am in my daily life.  Am I going to allow the ill winds blow me over or am I going to lean into God's strength and take a deep breath and drive my roots deeper?  

I invite you to to help shore up your flexibility with two opportunities for a 60 beginner gentle flow yoga class.   One in person, Tuesday Night (2nd T's) 7-8pm in Arvada and our Wednesday noon Facebook live class.  I often hear responses to an invitation to their mat that is " too tight of muscles or the inability to touch toes" as a reason to not participate.  

Being flexible in the body is not a requirement to benefiting from the effects of the class.  

Simply show up with a flexible mindset, yoga mat, some water and a mask.  Your guide  will gently guide you through a healthful moving meditation, incorporating deep breathing, stretching, and bible verses from God's word.  Adding this practice into your regular exercise routine will not only be an encouragement to your faith but it will undoubtedly increase flexibility in your muscles and ligaments.  The flexibility will come as you grow in strength.  

Come as you are, to either class, even if you don't feel flexible enough.

Tuesday:  6:45 doors open.  Red Rocks Church, Arvada.  Park in back and come around to the basement.  Bring warm clothes in case it's cooler.  Register at https://redrockssports.com/yoga
Wednesday:  12pm Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.-Matthew 5:16
Sole to Soul Colorado, comprised of Lorie, Denise, Kat and I, has been producing a weekly YouTube series to inspire and bring balance to the areas in our lives that have become skewed over the last 9 months.  Every Monday we release a short video to help encourage viewers to take new, forward steps as life continues in COVID.  Rather than allowing ourselves to remain chugging along in the lane of the mundane, we are pressing the gas pedal onto bigger and better things.  Our hope is to stretch each other and to find growth amidst what feels like a stifling time.

If you are anything like me, I’m experiencing all kinds of imbalance: eating lots of junk foods, watching endless TV shows, relying more heavily on substances or taking things out on those around me.  As an adult I’ve worked hard at breaking down barriers between me and my fellow man.  And just like that, I fall into a season of keeping to myself, staying at a distance and watching those walls go back up. 

Well, guess what?  “We don’t have to keep doing what we’ve been doing.” 

One of the best ways I’ve found to draw myself out of a funk is to help someone in need.  It takes the focus off of me and allows the Holy Spirit to pour into someone else.  There’s something about serving someone other than myself that gets me in a better head space while moving me closer to Jesus.

Our challenge for you this week is to volunteer yourself as you serve in some capacity.  What better way to find balance in your own life than to give-back.  Some suggestions could be making food for your neighbor, volunteering at church, out-serving your spouse or roommate, or writing a letter of encouragement to someone with whom you’ve lost touch.

The non-profit ministry, Boulder Pregnancy Resource Center, that’s near and dear to my heart, is having a Top Golf fundraising event on Feb 13.  Perhaps doing something like this inspires you.  Linking arms with a ministry helps improve the local community, lends for a sense of belonging with like-minded people, and helps in making new friends too.  Ministry work is hard but also VERY rewarding.  As Christians we get to see the E-ROI, eternal return on investment:  the physical AND spiritual reward.

2021 has a bright future and together we can do things differently than we did in 2020.

Join us for a gentle flow of breath, moving meditation and a focus on God's word Wednesday at noon.  Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/frogposeyoga/live_videos/ is where you will find us.