(Volume 24)  February 2008 

  Inside This Issue:

Welcome

Who is New Beginnings

What’s New-

    February 2008 Feature Article - Your Health Matters

    2008 New Beginnings Ministry Challenge

    2008 Physical Fitness Focus – 10,000 Steps Per Day

    Fitness Tips

    Watch Out For Valentines Day

    Welcome th Newest Member to the New Beginnings Family

    What Have you Been Reading?

        Book Recommendations

    Book Talk Blog

Upcoming Events   

Reminders – Church Link and Newletter Signup    

Word of Encouragement        

New Beginnings Scripture for February

Our Mission Statement

  Welcome

Welcome to the New Beginnings Holistic Fitness Ministries family. We consider it a privilege to support your fitness efforts. We welcome your suggestions and ideas, so please let us know if there is anything we can do to make your experience with the monthly newsletter, website, weekly messages or message board more beneficial. We can be contacted at contactus@mynewtemple.org. It is our prayer to bring you words of encouragement and inspiration to motivate you to become fit physically, emotionally, spiritually and relationally. This is your New Beginning and we want to make it an awesome experience for you. As you begin this new adventure we are praying for you.

New Beginnings is a fitness ministry established in 2003 to offer a holistic approach to fitness that includes mind, body and spirit. A fitness ministry also serves to help people help themselves through physical and spiritual exercise. At New Beginnings we believe good health is a gift from God and can be obtained by following biblical principles as we lead a balanced life physically, mentally, spiritually and relationally.

February 2008 Feature Article-Your Health Matters

By Angela Willingham

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that healthcare costs are on the rise. Costs that are being incurred by businesses are being passed on to a greater degree than ever before. Many companies have resorted to charging their employees a monthly fee for bad health practices such as smoking and being over weight. It results in being a fine for bad behavior or an incentive to do something different depending on whose eyes you see it through. I choose to see it as an incentive to correct the bad behavior/bad habits that add to increased healthcare costs. Increased high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, heart attacks, strokes and stress related illnesses. Some of us have paid these fines for years.

Every year we get upset when we realize we are being charged or stimulated to do something different. We get upset and we complain, not realizing that the charge that we are receiving does not even begin to pay for the costs that have been incurred by the office visits, medications, surgeries, medical procedures, lost work time, and extra burden placed on the co-workers, family and friends that are forced to pick up the slack for us when we are unable to do what needs to be done, all of this to combat our poor choices. After the beginning of the year most of us won’t even think about those fines again, we just pay them silently, not changing anything, waiting to complain again next year. Our habits don’t change, and our health continues to deteriorate, still due to our bad choices.

If something does not change we are making a decision to allow our children to be raised without active parents that are able to run, jump and hang out with them, because we can barely walk without breathing heavy.

Our children, spouses, grandchildren, family, friends, co-workers and the companies we work for deserve more than that. We deserve to live lives that are more productive than that. Even more God deserves better than that. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Be encouraged that no matter where you are today, you can do what is in your capability to take your health back, to take you life back, by changing some of your habits. You might have to pay the incentive this year, but you can work to ensure that you will not have to pay it next year. Will it be easy, probably not? I won’t lie to you, but I will encourage you to get some accountability people to walk with you through your life change and into your new beginning. The ability to stop smoking and stop overeating is in your control. You may have to deal with some stuff, but you can do it. Do it for you, do it for your family, do it for your co-workers, you pick a reason, just do it.

2008 Challenge-Get Fit From The Inside Out, In 2008 the year of New Beginnings

We are still at the beginning of the year use this time to let God show you the things He wants to change in you this year. The plan this year is to make some steady progress towards making those things happen. It won’t all happen at once so we will need to have a plan, a strategy and some measurable goals set along the way. We have realized and told you before that we will never be the perfect package but we can work to become the total package. The person God destined us to become.

We encourage you to walk with us through 2008 as we work to get fit from the inside out, including our mind, body and spirit. We want to see relationships, emotions, spiritual growth and physical growth in 2008 for all of us. Remember this is the year of New Beginnings so we need to move into it with an expectation that some thing will be different and that we will be changed. Clue-Some stuff we may just need to leave alone and this is a great time to figure it out and move in that direction.

No more tore up relationships, they will be healed and restored or removed. No more going to church because that is what is expected, we will go because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. No more emotional eating, because we are going to deal with those emotions. It is time to stop talking about our physical bodies and allowing them and there appetites to control us and to begin to beat them into submission to God’s will for us. Write to us and let us know what is going on http://mynewtemple.org/aMessages.html.

2008 Physical Fitness Focus- New Beginnings is Promoting 10,000 Steps Per Day Walking for Health in 2008.

Check out the 2008 Workout recommendation on the website www.mynewtemple.org.

New Beginnings 2008 Workout Focus
10,000/steps per day or 70,000/steps per week Walking Program*

This is the fitness opportunity that New Beginnings is promoting for 2008. It is simple and easy and almost everyone can participate at whatever level of fitness they are at. There is no great trick to walking. It does not require any special skills, advanced conditioning, special equipment or clothing. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes, comfortable clothing, a pedometer, and you're all set.

Why Walk?

• Burns almost as many calories as jogging
• Eases back pain
• Slims your waist
• Reduces heart attack risk
• Slows down osteoporosis bone loss

You can get prepared for the walking program by checking with your physician now to ensure you are physically able to participate. Go to your local discount store and purchase your pedometer, and a good pair of walking shoes. Pedometers are pretty inexpensive, but it is important to get one that works correctly. The ones that fit closer to the body seem to work best. Watch the fitness page on the website http://mynewtemple.org/aFitness.html for specific instructions on the 2008 program.

Fitness Tips-

Here are a few tips to help you reach your fitness goals:

Eat properly. Adopt a policy that we eat to live we do not live to eat. There is a difference. This change in policy may cause you to change everything that you think, because culturally, many of us use food to show love. If that means joining a group and it helps you get focused and stay focused do it. Prayerfully, consider which group you should join. Once you make a commitment to it, it is important that you keep your commitment so be prayerful and use wisdom.

Get plenty of rest. Your body needs rest to function right physically, spiritually, emotionally and relationally. Lack of rest causes us to be impatient, lethargic and leaves an opening for everybody and everything to mess with our minds.

Drink plenty of water daily. Water flushes out the impurities in our bodies. Drink at least 6-8, 8 oz glasses or water per day. We recommend that you do it during the day or your rest will be interrupted at night.

Exercise regularly. Exercise is important to maintain good health. We encourage you to join us in the years 10,000 steps per day walking for health program. We do not expect you to start out with 10,000 steps. Start where you are and do what you can. Remember this is about progression, not perfection. Just keep trying.

As always we encourage you to see a physician before beginning any exercise program. Take the first step by getting up and doing something to take care of your most valuable resource, Your Health.  

Watch Out For Valentine’s Day-

Valentine’s Day is just a week away. Don’t let it sneak up on you. Plan now to give a gift to the one that you love that is meaningful and memorable, not just fattening. Don’t try to make the candy companies richer, while making your significant other wider or heavier. If they like candy and you really want to get it for them don’t buy them a box. Take the time to go to a candy store and get a couple of very special pieces. They will know that took more time than just stopping at any store and buying the box. Make Valentine’s Day special by starting some new traditions between you, that don’t have to include things that are not necessarily good for our health.

I am not saying you can’t have it, so if you decide you really want the candy, plan for it. Plan to watch what you eat the rest of the month and do some extra exercise. Just don’t let Valentine’s Day and chocolate sneak up on you.

New Beginnings Team News-

Welcome Shawn Goodall to the team as our photographer and video camera man. Please continue to keep us in prayer as we move forward in this venue. It is new, it is exciting and it is challenging, but we know that with God all things are possible.

Congratulations to Joshlyn Barnett our Administrative Assistant. She accepted her call to the preaching ministry and preached her trial sermon on Wednesday, January 9, 2008. She also celebrated her 21st birthday on the 13th. Please continue to pray for her to receive God’s direction and wisdom.

What Have You Been Reading?

Many of you have read some awesome books that have really ministered to you, spiritually, emotionally, relationally or physically. Let us know what you have been reading by writing to us on the message board. Your recommendations might help someone else.

The Ministries’ Monthly Book Recommendation-From The New Beginnings Team
“The Preacher and The Prostitute” by E. K. Bailey

This is a small book — only 64 pages, but it says a lot. It is based on the story of Hosea and Gomer taken from the book of Hosea in the bible. The story is told in such a real and down to earth way you are able to see yourself and your situation in it. You are able to see how God is working with you even more than what He is doing with everybody else. The quote from E. K. Bailey, “What glory would God get from a prophet (preacher) marrying a prostitute?”

Next question, what glory will God get out of whatever situation you are in, your divorce, your wayward children, your financial difficulty? This book was a small power packed reminder that we do not know what God is doing, nor do we know how He is going to accomplish His plan, all we can do is trust Him and wait to see how He is going to work it out. Check this book out and let us know what you think on our book talk book blog.

We would love to hear from you. What have you been reading? Let us know by writing to us on the message board http://mynewtemple.org/aMessages.html or sending us a message at contactus@mynewtemple.org.

Monthly Book/Bible Study Blog

This month we decided to blog E. K. Bailey’s book, “The Preacher and The Prostitute” it was just that good. Get a copy and join the blog.

The previous blog for Lord, I Want To Be Whole is still available so you can still see what we said about the book and give us your feedback.

Upcoming Events-

Video: Check out Anthony and Maria’s New Beginning story. Anthony is a caterer and he was known as the man that could hook up some Mexican food. Anthony through God’s direction and the loving support of his beautiful wife Maria has successfully lost over 70 pounds. He started at approximately 371 pounds. Check out Anthony and Maria’s New Beginning videos where he shares what prompted him to make the changes, what he has done to be successful and even the weight loss his wife has experienced because she was supporting him.

When you watch the two of them you will see that more than just physical weight has been lost. Lifestyles have changed. We pray that their story will be an encouragement to you. Anthony’s next goal is to lose another 30 pounds to reach his century weight loss mark. As a ministry we are going to follow him through these next few months to encourage him, but also to be an encouragement to each of you that has some weight that you want to lose.

Anthony’s word of encouragement to us, “if he can do it we can do it”. Check out Anthony and Maria’s page and their lifestyle change. A lifestyle change that increased their family time, by not just sharing getting healthy, but also adding walking together with their daughter. Check it out, I promise you will be encouraged and stay with us as we walk out of the next 30 pounds.

Women’s Faith Stories (WFS): On January 11, 2008, Savannah Hutchins, Angela’s grandmother went home to be with the Lord. Savannah Hutchins, lovingly called Granny, by her many family members lived a long and beautiful life and leaves a legacy of love behind her. In an effort to honor her Angela has created a podcast on the Women’s Faith Stories Site. Angela has decided that her grandmother is not the only woman that went before us and left a legacy. With that in mind she is encouraging each of you to send a picture and a short tribute telling about the woman. Please include their birth date and date of death. Angela’s grandmother was a quilter. So in an effort to honor her the pictures and tributes you submit will become part of the “Women That Have Gone Before Us” quilt. Maybe it was your grandmother, a school teacher or a female family member. It does not matter who she was, we would just like to take this opportunity to honor them.

With this in mind we will begin to build a quilt of the women’s pictures and stories that you send to us. This will be an ongoing project so if you think of a woman that you would like to honor next month please send the picture and the information to us so that we can include them and grow the quilt.

Contact us if you have a woman’s faith story you would like to share for the Women’s Faith Stories Website www.womensfaithstories.com. Send your comments to us at contactus@womensfaithstories.com.

New Beginnings Reminders-

ChurchLlink-
Is there a church near you that does an outstanding job of promoting spiritual, emotional, relational and physical fitness? If you're looking for a church, check here to see if our members have recommended one near you. If you know of a church that should be on our list, please add it to our list.

If you want to ask for additional information or would like to have some one from our team contact you regarding the churches on our church link contact us at churchlink@mynewtemple.org.

 New E-mail Program-
Remember we have set up a new E-mail program for the New Beginnings and Women’s Faith Stories sites, so we need each of you to click on this sign up button and complete the information or go to the website www.mynewtemple.org home page and click on the button at the bottom of the page. This will allow us to keep in contact with you in a more efficient manner.

Word of Encouragement-

Whatever you are going through, be encouraged that no weapon formed against you shall prosper. If you are in Christ, it can’t.

New Beginnings Scripture for February 2008

1 Corinthians 6:19-20: 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Our Mission Statement

Our Mission is to draw individuals to Jesus Christ through the Ministry of Holistic Fitness and to see the Body of Christ become fit in all areas by providing tools and information to empower you to succeed. New Beginnings is dedicated to helping you gain personal, spiritual, physical, mental and relational fitness by developing the courage and confidence necessary to set and achieve goals based on biblical principles. Most people encounter difficulty reaching goals, sticking with a diet or completing a task by trying to make an outward change without having made any inward spiritual changes. In other words, all improvements in your life begin with a change in your mind and spirit.

New Beginnings Contact Information-

5130 W. Baseline #117, PMB# 224, Laveen, AZ 85339

Contact us at contactus@mynewtemple.org or on our message board http://mynewtemple.org/aMessages.html.