​Hello Froggers,

The room was packed on Tuesday night!  It was such an incredible gift to see God's people taking time  for themselves in a healthful way.  Imagine an entire room filled with men, women and children wanting to deepen their faith through the practice of Christian yoga.  42 is what we counted!  And the best part is that our love offering for Hope House came to $177!

With the thoughtful guidance of our instructor and Christian Yoga Book Author, Denise Stemple, we moved through a series of challenging physical poses on our yoga mat and set our focus on the meaning of Christmas.  Through the glow of candles on the floor in the shape of a cross, we were moved by meaningful bible verses, Christian songs and carols.  At one point, many were singing along.  I believe everyone in the room came away with a sense of deep Godly peace and comfort by simply showing up.

The Second Tuesday's 7pm Christian Yoga Class that we are offering at Red Rocks Church in Arvada is being enjoyed by a rotation of 4 instructors.  Frogpose is thrilled to be a part of what God's doing in the Red Rocks Sport Ministry.  Always at the core of this beautiful moving meditation of God's word is each teacher's  commitment to the strict teachings of the Bible.  We may approach the teacher's seat with a unique style of exercise but we stand firm on the foundation on the Good News of God.  So, whether you are familiar with stretching on a yoga mat or have never tried it before, this is a wonderful place to start.  All levels are welcomed.  

Mark your calendars for our next evening class in Arvada, January 14, and every 2nd Tuesday after that. Can you make the healthy commitment to show up on your mats in 2020?   We can't wait to see how God is going to stretch your mind, faith and body through 2nd Tuesday Classes this coming year.

Join us this and every Wednesday at noon for our weekly donation based Beginner Power Flow Class at 2900 Valmont Road, #F1, Boulder.  This week's focus will be on God's generosity and the giving of good gifts.  (there's not many shopping days until Christmas!)

James 1:17 - Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

The Holidays are officially upon us!  This is a great time of year to enjoy Christian yoga classes where we, as a community, can focus on the reason for the season, Jesus' birthday.  Get some needed Amen-time on your mat and get into a personal mindset for receiving the Christ.  If you feel alone at this time of year, come to a class.  If you want relief from the hustle and bustle of parties and family, come to a class.  Frogpose Yoga, it does your body good.

Please join us for Wednesday's noon class at 2900 Valmont F1, Boulder and the 2T (2nd Tuesday of each month) 7pm class at Red Rocks Church, Arvada.  All donations to class this week will benefit Hope House.

This Thanksgiving I'm enjoying the privilege of visiting friends and family in the mountains of Santa Cruz.  Today's grey and rainy weather is welcomed by the locals after having months of hot and dry conditions.  As this powerful atmospheric river marches up to meet the hills, I'm watching the tops of grand redwoods sway and move from side to side.  I'm reminded of something I learned from my yoga teacher, "it's the most flexible trees that survive the strongest winds."  Let's hope these big giants are in the same class of thought!

Yesterday we strolled Scott's beautiful property which rests in the company of trees.  My soul feels at home when I'm in the forest because I sense God's presence there as the marriage of breath, wind and Holy Spirit.  I get a heightened awareness of peace and freshness as it awakens all my senses.  I bath in the forest as I smell the soft floor beneath my feet and my eyes gaze up sturdy tree trunks that support lively canopies.  Our walk together reminds me of God's support for me.  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?  

When I invite people to enjoy a donation based Frog Pose Christian yoga class I often hear the excuse that they claim fame to tight muscles, the inability to touch toes, and hence, are unable to participate.  Being flexible in the body is not necessary in order to benefit from the effects of the class.  All we ask is that you present yourself with a yoga mat, some water and a flexible mindset.  You will be met with a teacher who will gently guide you through 60 minutes of a healthful moving meditation, which incorporates deep breathing, stretching, and hearing from God's word.  Incorporating 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 Frog Pose Yoga this Wednesday at noon, even if you don't feel flexible enough.

Matthew 12:8 - ...I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual...    ~ the message

Have you ever spent a weekend skiing in Steamboat and enjoying its famous deep Champagne powder?  There's nothing more thrilling than dropping into a snow laden forest to realize the awesomeness of God's beauty.  Get me off a groomed run not only in pursuit of a series of fresh tracks, but to feel my simple LOVE for the forest.  And, the rule of tree skiing is to always go with friend; use the buddy system for support and safety.

Before I sold real estate, I pursued Environmental Conservation.  I'll admit it. I am a tree-hugger at heart.  The Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, forest bathing, is the mindful taking in of the sights, smells and sounds of the trees to reduce the overactive modern brain.  Two studies have shown that the forest reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, and reduces blood pressure and increases the protein adiponectin, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.  There's knowledge to gain by putting yourself in the middle of some trees.
One of the most beautiful yoga poses that we take as a community in Frog Pose Yoga is the Tree Pose.  Individually, we come to our mats with our unique shapes, strengths and struggles.  Collectively we rise in solidarity as a mighty forest as we enjoy the benefits of balancing on one foot, an opening of the hips, and lengthening of the spine.  

Are you the righteous oak, the cedar of Lebanon, a fruit baring tree and still trying to find your forest? Just like with tree skiing, don't go it alone!  Please plug into our loving non-judgmental community at Frog Pose Yoga.  Join us any Wednesday at noon for a beginner power flow class and establish new roots!

Genesis 2:9 - The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground - trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.  In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good an evil.

Join us for our Wednesday noon class as a time of thanksgiving.  

From all of us at Frogpose yoga, we say thank you!  Thanks for your support, prayers and generosity throughout the year.  We couldn't do it without you and for that we are truly grateful.  As God continues to build our healthful, heart-first community, we are blessed beyond measure.  Keep up the good work and keep on stretching!  As we look to 2020 we want to keep our clear vision on the prize:  to build a God centered community of healthy warriors for Christ, on and off our yoga mats. 

Have you ever been to Hawaii?  The moment I get off the plane, I'm overwhelmed by the smell of tropical paradise as the trade winds stir the air with its fragrant flowers.  It's been explained to me that the phrase "aloha" means "to be with breath. "  This is an image of the railroad straight-up-the-crater hike we took.  Talk about heavy breathing!

In the Bible, it says that when God made man, He formed him from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, AND the man became a living being.  Our breath is a gift from God.  Do you want to just be alive or do you want to thrive?
The key to real life is all in our breath!

Let's be honest, to get to a daily yoga class can prove difficult in our busy lives.  Here's something you can try on your own.  The next time you're in a stressful situation, take inventory of your breath.  I can bet, if you're anything like me, it's short sips of air that seem to take over.  God would rather if you took a tall spine, reached the crown of your head towards Him and filled your lungs with the life giving breath he's gifted you with.  Inhale his Holy Spirit and soon the stress will melt off you and you can place it at Jesus' feet.

Sara became Sar-AH!  Abram became Abra-HAM!  A BIG EXHALE.  SO can you!
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Come to any Frogpose Christian Yoga Class and come into a deeper understanding of how our breath, along with physical postures and focus on God's word heals our bodies. 

Acts 17:25 - God himself gives to all mankind life and breath and Everything!

Lately I’ve noticed spiky white hairs growing out of the top of my scalp.  All the other hairs lay down nicely, yet these wiry ones have a great desire to stick straight out.  They spout with exuberant pride and I want to pluck them out of embarrassment.  Is this the not-so-subtle reminder that I turn a whopping 52 years of age on Wednesday?  Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness! (Proverbs 16:31) Right??

What’s a birthday worth anyway? Some of my friends groan about another year going by and don’t even want it recognized.  Or they pretend to quit adding years and repeat celebrating the same age of choice year after year.  Perhaps they might consider making a sequel to Groundhog Day called Groundhog Year!  Others, like myself, makes sure everyone around me has the knowledge of my birthday weeks in advance and I plan to celebrate the whole month long!

In chapter 2 of The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes that we are not an accident.  “Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature.  Your parents my have not planned you, but God did.  He was not surprised by your birth.  In fact, he expected it.”  God planned and expected your birth!  What a fantastic reason to jump for joy each year.  His eyes saw me in my Mom’s womb and knit me together for a special reason: to experience true love with the God of the universe. (Psalm 139)

Birthdays are worth throwing a party for yourself regardless of the number of silver threads on your head!

At Frogpose yoga we fully rely on God to enjoy practicing standing poses with torsos folded forward which help combat the effects of aging.  In class you might hear your instructor introduce the pose named Wide Leg Forward Fold.  This one helps set our focus on giving our problems over to God and in the process, reduces stress.  In Fountain of Youth Pose the thyroid is massaged and we notice reduction of grey hairs and wrinkles!  Stress doesn’t only make you look older it also ages your genes but when we join in community on our yoga mats to pray, breath and take physical poses, we experience healing and a renewal of life.
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We would love to have your presence, not presents, this week at our Wednesday noon class at 2900 Valmont F1 and 2nd Tuesday monthly yoga at Red Rocks Church Arvada.

​During any given frog pose yoga beginner power flow class, chances are good that you’ll hear your instructor offer verbal cues beginning with the word reach.  “Reach your hands heavenward.” “Reach the left leg high.” “Reach with a long spine.” Depending on how you’re feeling at that moment, especially if your body or mind is in a period of rebellion or exhaustion, to hear such encouraging words is the difference between continuing to hold the challenging pose or giving into more of the same.

Why do we practice as a group?   We gather on our yoga mats not just to stretch and to learn about God but also to encourage those around us.  Most importantly everyone wants healing.  There’s nothing better than to collectively heal in community.  God designed our bodies to practice yoga with others so as to resonate with other healthy bodies - similar to a tuning fork.  We need each other to offer words of encouragement, prayer and support to continue in our pursuit for health.  Our great physician, Jesus said “where two or more are gathered, there He would be also.”(Matthew 18:20)

My friend called and mentioned she had a difficult day.  Realistically, it’s been a difficult series of days, weeks and months. She admitted that she hasn’t felt warm fuzzies from her sphere of friends and she wanted healing.  I celebrate her for verbalizing her disappointment and for reaching out to me.  Life is hard to go at it alone. Sometimes I need to find encourager's in life and move towards those who refuse to let me to remain locked in bondage.  In this season, I’m frequently asking myself, am I an encouragement to those in my life or am I enabling them to remain stuck in their difficulties?

Our friends matter.  What is holding you back from reaching for true freedom? In Girl, Wash Your Face, Rachel Hollis says “the time when god is stretching you and growing you or forging you in fires hotter than you can withstand – all of it is growing you for the person you are becoming, for a future you cant even imagine.”  Stay in the fire and reach for your future!
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Join us this week as we celebrate reaching for the good things God has for us.  Wednesday at noon at 2900 Valmont Road F1.

I’m so happy and thrilled to announce a new event happening with Frogpose Yoga.  Together with Denise Stemple, Lorie Corrado and Niki Sparks we are honored to be serving the Arvada community with:

FREE Christian Yoga Classes
Offered monthly on 2nd Tuesdays
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Red Rocks Church, Arvada Campus
(park and enter on the east side)

All-level classes open to everyone.
Bring a mat and water bottle.
Enjoy rotating instructors.

 1 Peter 4:10 -- "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." 
How do the Four Pillars of Red Rocks Church Sports Ministry relate to Christian Yoga? 
 Dynamic Sports: yoga is a beneficial supplement to other activities as it increases flexibility allowing for further range of motion, strengthens the stabilizing muscles needed for everyday life and movement, uses a larger range of muscles to better balance out the overuse of some and no use of other muscles, and calms the mind enhancing the ability to hear from God 
Fostering Life-long Relationships: many of our instructors and students have formed their closest friendships in class
Passion to Serve Our Community: having a healthy, able body allows us to go out and fulfill our God-given purpose
Spiritual Pursuit: we invite the Holy Spirit to speak as we quiet our minds to hear His still, small voice from the sacred space on our mat
 Please join us Wednesday for our regularly scheduled 60 minutes of stretching and learning about God’s word as it relates to our practice on our mats.  Mark your calendars for the 2nd Tuesdays in Arvada (next class is November 12) as 4 different yoga instructors expand on the 4 pillars of the Red Rocks Church Sports Ministry by leading God focused stretching on a yoga mat.
And stay tuned for the announcement of our next weekend retreat!

It’s sweater weather!  With that comes all things pumpkin spice and breathing in the colors of the season.  Today was one of those rare days when the beautiful snow peaked mountains and Colorado blue sky served merely as a backdrop to the glorious red and orange tree leaves of fall.  “God’s country” is what people call this place and I can’t argue.  From the infamous yellow aspen to fiery flaming maple, I can’t help notice God’s joyful fingerprint on His creation through trees.
I feel the same observable joy when I see my first palm tree upon arriving on a tropical vacation.  I understand God’s generosity and provision for me when I encounter fruit baring trees; they seem to produce more food than what I comprehend as possible.  Once I stood in the presence of the great Redwoods of California and felt the sheer awesomeness of God.
In Frogpose yoga, one of the more practiced balancing poses is “tree pose” as it’s a great way to grow into equanimity, balance and sturdiness.   We work up to the pose once we have warmed up both the spine, legs and abdominal core.  From standing at the top of the mat, start by planting one leg as the firm foundation (such as the word of God), and then bend the knee of the other leg, set that free foot onto the standing leg.  Breath and balance.  And then try the other leg to make things equal. 
​ Whether you are new to stretching on a yoga mat or have many years under your belt, balancing poses can prove challenging.  Wobbles and wiggles are welcomed because we practice being present in God’s word, not being perfect.  Sometimes one leg feels easier to balance on than the other.  We don’t judge ourselves or those on the mat around us because we are single minded: to grow sturdy and strong in Christ.
Join us this week as we use breath, physical postures and a focus on God’s word about trees to learn more about healthfulness and faithfulness.  Together, in community, let’s come to an understanding that it’s the most flexible trees that withstand the strongest winds and life’s change of seasons.

I was packing for my recent trip and developing quite a mound of personal items.  It became rather apparent that flying standby would require taking a lot less items!  I wasn’t going to be able to handle those extra tops, dresses and toiletries and it was forcing me to pair-down to the “must have only’s” in order to achieve carry on.  I sat on the edges of the tiny suitcase, managed to barely zip it up, and I was free to take off and enjoy!
Life can be the same.  What items are you carrying around with you that might be too hard to handle?  God has equipped us to carry things in our own backpack of life and things of which we either need to release control over or ask for the help of others to pack for us! He has us covered either way.
 Corinthians 8:13-20 The Message (MSG)“So here’s what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart’s been in the right place all along. You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can’t. The heart regulates the hands. This isn’t so others can take it easy while you sweat it out. No, you’re shoulder to shoulder with them all the way, your surplus matching their deficit, their surplus matching your deficit. In the end you come out even…”
In that same vein, I have done some soul searching and determined that offering 3 classes a week is more than I can handle.  Starting this week we will be moving to one class offering a week:  Wednesday at noon.  I know this won’t work for everyone’s schedule, and I’m sorry for this.  But, I pray that God will work out details in your work and life activities such that you can continue to come to class and enjoy retreats and workshops.  More to come on that later.
For now, I’m packing my bags on Monday at 8am and Thursday evenings at 7m.  Join us this week for our first week of one class a week:  Wednesday at 12pm!

When is it appropriate to fall into deep sleep?  Have you seen the movie “Overcomer” yet?  Without giving it away, it’s a beautiful story about the power of God’s redemption and relational reconciliation.  I very much enjoy financially supporting faith-based movies and wish I didn’t agree with the rotten tomatoes 4/5 critics giving it a green splat.  When the guy next to us snored LOUDLY  through much of the movie, I couldn’t blame him.  My friend and I both agreed that it certainly made sense as to why his counterpart was seated a few rows back. 
I’ve heard people say that they love the final pose of a yoga class, the corpse pose, because they can fall asleep.

In Frogpose yoga class this pose signals our practice has come to an end, but it’s not an invitation to go to sleep.  On the contrary, corpse pose is an active pose.  It’s at this critical time where we can apply all that we’ve learned about God’s word and truth in class, and let it quietly and gently saturate our minds.  It’s a literal dying to self and awakening of the mind to further meditate on how God wants to use this new information in our bodies.  This deep rest of our face, torso, arms and legs, hands and feet, allows our brainwaves to move into the state of creativity, spiritual awakening and peak performance.

Ephesians 4:22-24: that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
 
Try a FROGpose class on Facebook Live or better yet, come to the studio, and learn what a dying to self looks like for you.  We  focus on bible verses, listen to Christian music and pray in community as we move through physical postures into corpse pose. 

​Have you ever walked into a free Christian yoga class?  If you have, then you know: you don't know what you're going to get.  

One of my students who stumbled onto our ministry told me that she was skeptical for 3 entire Frog Pose Christian yoga classes before she knew we were true to our mission.   She said that because the classes were being held in Boulder she was certain that, at any moment, we would throw in some other form of new age theories or spirituality.  To her surprise she was relieved that FROG Pose Christian yoga references ONLY Biblical truths. 

Rest assured that when you walk into a FROG Pose yoga class you will not only come away with a heightened sense of physical well being but the confidence that you haven't compromised your Christian faith.  We are prayerful that each class will offer an insight towards healthier living and that a healing within your body happens in each 60 minutes class. We thank you for your financial support as we continue offering free yoga classes in hopes of reaching more of our local community's craving for something more than just a free yoga class.

At FROG Pose, no one is turned away due to financial restraints or differences in spiritual thought.  All are welcome! We hold out hope that Christians and non believers alike will strut into a class and feel that they have found their tribe. To call frog pose yoga home and a regular place to practice yoga is the goal.

This week we focus on our walk with God and how God guides our coming and going. Step into a donation-based Christian yoga class Monday at 8am, Wednesday at noon and Thursday at 7pm!

Psalm 56:13: For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. 

Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch?

FROG Pose Yoga is hosting the Sole to Soul Women’s Weekend, a women’s yoga retreat hosted in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. This three-day yoga retreat connects women back to nature and to other Christian women who like to be active and enjoy the outdoors. Whether you’ve been doing yoga for a long time, you’re new to the practice, or you just want a weekend getaway, Sole to Soul women’s yoga retreat is the perfect excuse to get outside and visit the mountains this spring.





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We intentionally chose to host the Sole to Soul Women’s Weekend at Beaver Run Resort in Breckenridge because of their message to “Relax, Escape & Enjoy.” The perfect setting for a three-day yoga retreat, Beaver Run Resort is up against the mountains to capture the spirit of Colorado in springtime. Whether you’ve never been to the Rocky Mountains or you’ve made it part of your get away routine, join us for Sole to Soul to relax, escape and enjoy this pure Breckenridge experience.
What will you get out of this weekend yoga retreat? Relaxation, a clear mind, and access to a Christian yoga practice through the following schedule of events:

• Friday:
  • Check-in 5pm-6pm
  • Intro, Worship, Yoga Short Flow, Dinner, Dance Party
• Saturday:  
  • Yoga, Teaching from the Word, Alignment Instruction - Therapeutic Fun, Interaction/Game/Artistic Expression
  • Lunch
  • Worship, Break Out Session, Free time, Evening Worship
  • Art Therapy, Yin/Restorative Flow with Candlelight​
• Sunday:
  • Farewell Flow, Communion, Closing Prayer
  • Check-out 11am

Self care might be more of a buzzword now than ever, but taking care of your body, mind and spirit through yoga enables you to deal with the stresses of everyday life in a healthier way. Combining Christianity and yoga allows faith-fueled women to access the benefits of yoga while feeling comfortable and uncompromising with their religion. FROG Pose Yoga believes in making yoga accessible to all, including Christian women who may not otherwise feel free to practice.

If you’re feeling the need to escape to the Rocky Mountains for a long weekend, our Sole to Soul women’s yoga retreat guides you towards self care and community! Join us at Beaver Run Resort in Breckenridge for fellowship, fun, and physical rejuvenation with this amazing group of Christian women, May 3-5.
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Comment with any questions, or register now to save your space. Early Bird pricing ends March 31!

This morning I woke to the peaceful, snow covered, sun glistening, crispness of the Rocky Mountains.   I wanted to take a break from yoga and escape to the mountains.  I arrived to Aspen, the ski capital of the Americas.  What a blessing! 
Half way into my drive yesterday I would be telling you a different story. I encountered evidence of the recent snow avalanches, a rock slide, a boulder in a lane, dueling snow plows over Vail pass and falling snow blindness; not to mention slick conditions.  Upon arrival, I had to peel my fingers off the steering wheel in order to cut the engine.  

God guarded me again!  He kept watch over me and my trusty AWD Ford Freestyle.  As always, God does what He says he will and one of his wonderful character attributes is that He guards.  Psalm 91:11 says for he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Join us in class this week as we focus on God's protection of us from harm or danger.  We will focus on God's word from the Bible, breath and movement on our yoga mats .  We practice on Monday 8am, Wednesday noon and Thursday 7pm.  2900 Valmont Unit F1 (in the backside of the Zarlengo Plaza).

Some of you have inquired as to the frequency of how much yoga "should" be practiced.   To which I would reply "should's" aren't as important as paying attention to what are your spiritual, physical and emotional needs.  Knowing when you need a break is important.  In an interview with Baron Baptiste, the one who wrote the book on Power Yoga, and from which a Frog Pose Power Stretching class is closely modeled after, he says " I try to do something (yoga) twice a day, sometimes it's just a little bit. The place that my life happens to be will determine its intensity—anything from restorative to high intensity vinyasa (a method of yoga in which movements form a flowing sequence in coordination with your breath). I try to be true to myself each day and see what I'm moved to do. I don't have a mold or external blueprint that I follow, but in general I'm pulled toward vinyasa, heat-based movement moving energy through my body."  1


For me, I'm going to get out and enjoy the fresh powdery white stuff and God's creation, thanking Him in advance for watching over me as I drive back down the hill tomorrow.
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1-Yoga Journal 8/28/07

There's nothing like taking time off with girlfriends to get in a good laugh or two.  For me, laughing is my reset button.  Lately I've found myself laughing a lot in thrift stores: we've been seen blowing a ram's horn at Arc, practicing the Shake and Weight in Goodwill and most recently beckoning Mom into a Palm Springs thrift store to rescue me out of the two sizes too small dress!  Ha!
 
Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.  Laughter triggers the release of endorphins.  These are the body's natural feel-good chemicals, which promote an overall sense of well-being and temporary pain relief.  You worried about catching the flu or has pain gotcha down?
 
There's a time for everything.  In Genesis Abraham and Sarah had a good chuckle when God told them they would be having a baby at 100.  In Ecclesiastes we learn there's a time to weep and a time to laugh.  
 
Maybe you don't have access to a gal pal nor a second hand store but you can try this exercise by yourself at anytime.  At F.R.O.G. Pose, we use our God given breath, physical postures and focus on God's word to lift our spirits.  You don't need to be in front of a mirror but it can help conjure up a good belly laugh.  Set your intention on Psalm 121: 1-2 -  I lift my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

1. Inhale deeply as you turn up the corners of your lips to form a smile on your face.
2. Open your hands and spread wide to the webbing of each finger with fingers pointing upward.  Prepare to clap your hands such that you touch all the acupressure points on the entire hands.
3. Clap your hands three times with the rhythm of long... short, short.  With each clap, exhale and exclaim "God is Very Good".  Repeat once.
4. Inhale
5. Lift arms and face towards heaven and say "YAY!" with a FULL exhale.
6. Repeat 3 times.
7. Place your left hand over your heart and your right hand over your belly.  Make a good hearty audible laugh.

 
Laughter is how we can see and hear happiness.  Come make your joy visible and audible as we take a deeper look at God's sense of humor as noted in the bible.  We will do some laughter therapy and stretching on our mats this week:  Monday 8am, Wednesday at noon and Thursday at 7pm.  2900 Valmont Unit F1, Boulder.

There's nothing like a federal holiday to get me excited about half priced furniture sales and wishing I worked for a bank or the government!  What's now called President's Day was once Washington's Birthday.  We now lump all the president's birthdays into one day, to celebrate them all, past and present.  I suppose it's worth celebrating because after all, these men of authority, who are leading the free world, deserve a birthday party too.
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If the sentiment is "not my president" or "I voted for the other guy", I don't feel like I want to celebrate at all!  What does the Bible say about our leaders and how God orders life?   The apostle Paul wrote in the book of Hebrews to "have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be no benefit."  

I can find joy knowing that God rises up leaders and princes and principalities for his good and that they are going to be accountable to God. Yes, it's good news that God's my true authority.  So, bake a cake or buy a couch today in honor of ALL of our presidents with the confidence that God's highest in rank.   

Join us in class this week as we look at God's supremacy as the authority of our lives.  Tomorrow at 8am, Wednesday at noon, and Thursday at 7pm.  Our new location is 2900 Valmont #F1 (around back, in Jade Martial Arts).





PS -  Mark your calendars for the Sole to Soul Women's Weekend "Rise up, Beautiful!". May 3-5,  Breckenridge CO.  I am thrilled to have the honor and privilege of teaching alongside the amazing Lorie Corrado and Denise Stemple.   We are planning a REALLY special schedule of events that you won't want to miss!  We are praying for you and that God's going to do amazing things in those few days.  

Since cancelling cable I've become rather fond of Netflix.  I'm watching a series called Tidying Up and have learned a fascinating approach to ridding my tiny condo of accumulated personal possessions: only hold onto items that "spark joy" in me. Going along with my 2019 word of the year, joyful, this resonates with me.

I started with my clothes. Half way through making the pile of unwanted and discarded items, it occurred to me that I am grateful I don't serve a God that rids himself of me if I'm no longer sparking joy in Him!  I am not only wanted by Him, with all of my rips, stains and moth holes, but He loves me deeply and promises to never leave me.  He finds beauty in me no matter how I look or perform.
What a relief!  My worth has nothing to do with my ability to spark joy in the eyes of God.  He made me perfect just by going to the cross at Calvary. 
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Join us this week as we learn about true beauty and the way God always sees us.  Tomorrow at 8am, Wednesday at noon and Thursday at 7pm.  Jade Martial Arts, Boulder. 

In His Light