PYGFO Sisters:
I hope y’all had a blessed and fun Easter! Our fifth Good Friday outreach was awesome. We packed 180 gift bags Thursday night. These pretty purple gift bags were filled with make-up, costume jewelry, bubble bath and body lotion, a message of God’s love, Easter candy, stuffed bunnies, and other fun goodies. We also packed guy bags for the managers, bartenders, bouncers, and deejays as well as children’s bags. My team went to the totally nude club, another team went to a topless club, and the other teams went to the family abuse shelter, a house for the homeless, and a motel where prostitutes and transients live. This Good Friday outreach is getting too big for four of us to handle, so we found more women who wanted to join us and split into teams for the first time this year.
Most of the women in this industry have a history of sexual abuse. They are used to being objectified. It is amazing how they joyfully respond to being lavished with unconditional love and being treated as human beings. They are also used to being judged and condemned by Christians. They are amazed that we love them and give them good gifts! Our mission is not to “fix” them. Our only agenda is love. It is our desire to love them as Jesus does. He commands believers to love Him wholeheartedly and love others as we love ourselves. That is not limited to people who look, act, think, and believe the way we do. I am so thankful that my church family sees these women as individuals in need of love, compassion, mercy, and grace. We go to establish relationships, and we are available to help them get an education and find a new way to make a living. We also assist them with childcare, healthcare, and whatever else they need as many of them are single mothers with no dental insurance or health insurance. We do not beat them over the head with a Bible or preach at them. Loving them as Christ does is our mission.
We had a great time talking to the girls in the dressing room. Of course, I checked out all their shoes! These women dance in 9-inch stiletto heels! Oh my! I thought of Cathe’s forums and laughed when one of them pulled out a pair of shoes with slots in the heels for money. Someone posted a picture of those shoes in Open Discussion last year and asked if anyone really wore them. Yes, Texas strippers do!
We gave the girls tee shirts that were a big hit with them. Some of the girls danced in them! I think the message made some of the male customers uncomfortable because several of them left with a sheepish look. Here is my Good Friday “before” picture wearing my new favorite tee shirt:
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=19311014&uid=3778596
All the teams gathered to share stories after our outreach. I finally met the wife of our new discipleship pastor. She joined one of the teams this year. Rachel is a former Miss Tennessee as well as a fitness instructor, and she is heavy due to medical complications during her most recent pregnancy. She has such a great attitude about her weight and her body. She shares my belief that fitness is about freedom not a size and also likes to eat 80 percent clean so she can freely enjoy a few treats every week. Her husband loves her unconditionally and tells her how beautiful she is! Meeting her was such a blessing, and she will be a good role model for me. Her husband gives me hope for finding a man who does not expect physical perfection.
My cycle started Friday. Thankfully, I have not experienced any cramps this month. I was tired and feeling poured out after ministering Friday night, so I rested and took a 4-hour nap this afternoon after church. So much emotional energy is involved in preparing for Good Friday and participating in the Friday night outreach. Inhaling all that smoke wiped me out too, and I needed to rest my feet after standing in heels for hours Friday night.
Oh, these were my workouts for this past week:
03-16-08 a.m. Stretch Max (second segment)
03-17-08 a.m. 4-Day Split Kickbox (cardio) + Butts and Guts (leg blast premix)
03-18-08 a.m. Low Impact Circuit (upper body circuit premix)
03-19-08 a.m. Kick, Punch, & Crunch
03-20-08 a.m. Step, Jump, & Pump
03-21-08 a.m. Rhythmic Step
03-22-08 a.m. Butts and Guts (abs) + Stretch Max (third segment)
I enjoyed the stability ball segment of Stretch Max this morning. Hopefully, I will be more faithful with daily check-ins now that I am free to focus on my fitness journey again. I hope this “off topic” update does not offend anyone. I love these women and have a passion for helping women rise above their circumstances and be all they were created to be, and I want to share my joy with y’all!
I love the Easter blog pictures! Cathe and the crew look like they are having fun, and that will make these workouts so much more enjoyable for me. I believe the leg workouts will be my favorites. I love what I am seeing in the blog pictures for Meso 1 Legs. I need to start practicing my gliding moves and wall squats with one leg extended. Oh my! Did y’all see the picture of Cathe laughing during the firewalkers? I love the Nike tops. Cathe is wearing a pretty green top in this one! I prefer spring green and lime green over shades of green that remind me of veggies! I am looking forward to STS and having fun with Cathe’s cardio and circuit training workouts while I am waiting. I started a new cardio and circuit training rotation Monday morning to train for STS. I need to blast off some of this fat before these workouts arrive!
Gin, we are still on for May 17th!
Lara, is the baby kicking yet?
Hugs to Laura, Liann, Randi, and Robin.
Blessings,
Heather B.
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).
I was able to do LoMax and B&G today. I had to pause B&G several times (never had to do that before). My legs were burning and really feeling it. I wonder if I will be sore tomorrow?? This was only my 2nd leg workout of the month due to all of my illnesses. 
