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Volume 30, November 2008
Inside This Issue:
Welcome
Who is New Beginnings
What’s New-
November 2008 Feature Article-
Monthly Fitness Tips
Team News/Prayer Requests and Praise Reports
What Have you Been Reading?
Book Recommendation
Book Blog
Upcoming Events-
Reminders-Church Link and Newsletter Signup
Word of Encouragement
New Beginnings Scripture for November
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.
Who are we?
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.
What’s New?
New Beginnings Holistic Fitness Ministries, Inc, would like to express our heartfelt congratulations to President Elect Barack Obama. We believe in the message of hope, because that is what we promote as a ministry and we look forward to seeing the people move to a place of holistic change, to new beginnings in every area of their lives and to a new level of hope and belief. We are grateful for the positive things we are seeing with the people as we see them pulling together with a new sense of hope and desire for change. As a ministry we will be praying for the president, his family, the country,for unity and no more division, for the family unit overall and the Body of Christ!
God thank you for crossing cultural, religious, lifestyle, race, age, sex, denominational, political and all other lines that we have drawn to be exclusive to make this election about inclusion and unity. Help us to carry it forward. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Monthly Feature Article-
A Kingdom Marriage!
By Angela Willingham
This term kingdom marriage has been stuck in my head and in my spirit for a few years. A kingdom marriage. A kingdom marriage. A marriage established by God. Every marriage cannot grab this claim to fame. A marriage where God has united two people as friends, in love, purposed to move His kingdom agenda forward. God is raising a new type of marriage, one that is not based on touchy feely, tee hee, “I love you, I love you too” comments. Kingdom marriages have a kingdom purpose and a kingdom agenda. Marriages that have gone through some tough times and come out on the other side stronger, better, more connected and determined than ever before. Marriages that have grown through adversity and have a story to tell. Marriages that exemplify true agape love. Marriages like my friends Shelley and Larry Reichenbach, what they went through was not just for them, it was for us. Their testimony teaches us that even when you go through it is possible for restoration to take place in our relationships and specifically in their marriage. Why would God allow it? To teach us love, to teach us forgiveness, to show a dying world that He is still able and that there is truth in the word that says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, even accept a man back into my life that left me for someone else.
Marriages like Michelle and Barack Obama, as she stood by him through the presidential campaign and election, at his side working diligently with him to secure his election. To hear him during his acceptance speech acknowledge her as his best friend for over 16 years and to see the love they have for each other.
A kingdom marriage is one where the parties are not exactly alike, but they compliment each other. They are strong in the others weakness. They are connected in love and for a purpose. They fit. In a kingdom marriage the desire is to see the best, God’s best for your partner. In a kingdom marriage there are struggles, these are not perfect marriages, they learn how to work through.
Pastor Deron Robinson, the pastor of Word of Abundant Life Church of Phoenix, AZ used the examples of two marriages that I identified as kingdom marriages. They were the marriage of Jacob and Leah and the marriage of Hosea and Gomer. Neither of these women was the first choice of their husband, but from each of their marriages we can learn a powerful lesson. Leah taught us to stand, to persevere and to do what you know to do even when it is difficult or uncomfortable. She knew he desired to be somewhere else, with someone else, but when you read the story, you see that his choice was Rachel. He loved Rachel. Rachel had difficulty becoming pregnant and died along the way.
Many of the relationships that we have chosen for ourselves have done the same thing. They did not have what it took to stand the test of time, to move us into our purpose and they died. Some of them ended so badly that a part of us died with them. While Rachel was Jacob’s choice, her father substituted Leah in her place. Our father, our heavenly father has made some choices for us as well. He has decided who our mates should be and who they should not be. It is up to us to wait on Him to deliver the person of His choosing to us, realizing that He knows what is best for us and He knows why.
The choice He makes is the one that will propel us into our purpose, our choice may just put that thing on delay or have the ability to cancel it out altogether if we don’t accept His will. When Jacob died he gave instructions to his sons to bury him next to Leah. I had never seen that before. I had always felt sorry for Leah and cried over the rejection that she experienced until now. Leah’s marriage to Jacob had a purpose. Your marriage like Leah’s may be one that is full of pain, rejection, misunderstanding or lack of love or attention, but if you know God purposed you to be there, you know that is the husband or wife that God has for you and that you did not choose them for yourself hold on and let God work it out for you. In the end whatever hindrance, whether it be another relationship, lack of love, whatever it is God will work it out and it will die, it will just end or disappear.
Remember that will only happen if this is the relationship God purposed, because the bible is clear, what He purposed cannot be stopped. Don’t get in the way, don’t manipulate the situation, don’t use your body to try to entice or draw the person to you, let God work it out while you pray. You stand and pray, trusting God all the way.
Others may tell you to get out, to leave the situation alone, they will tell you what they would not put up with, but this is the purpose God has for you, so listen to God and do what He tells you to do. It will not be easy, but you can do it through His strength, grace and mercy. Remember that the lessons learned in a kingdom marriage are not just for you they are part of the testimony God will use to help others as they go through.
Remember that Kingdom marriages are not about us, they are about fulfilling God’s purpose in the kingdom. It may not look like you think it ought to look and it may not be your first choice, but when we recognize that God knows best we will recognize along the way that God knew what we needed and when we needed it. As one of my friends often says her husband is not what she dreamed, he is beyond her imagination. If you want a kingdom marriage you will have to trust God and watch it unfold.
Monthly Fitness Tips-
Weight Loss Tip # 25 (Taken from the New Beginnings' Message Board)
Keep Junk Food Out Of The House
If it ain’t in front of you, you can’t eat it. If you know you can’t practice moderation, don’t bring it into your home. Out of sight out of stomach. If you don’t buy it you will not be tempted to eat it. We all know how much easier it is to walk into the kitchen to grab an unhealthy snack than it is to drive to the store of fast food restaurant to get one. Most of us are not that inclined to get up and leave a warm cozy house to go buy a snack, but once it is in the house it is on. Save yourself the headache, don’t bring it home and what you do bring into the house take the time to package it into single serving sizes or buy it already packaged that way. Try the 100 and less calorie packs. They will give you the little fix you need while helping you to avoid going overboard. That means you can’t eat 2 plus packages, just one. If you still find yourself being tempted don’t buy those either.
Check out the New Beginnings Message Board for more tips that will benefit you under the Physical Fitness Category. www.mynewtemple.org. If you would like to add your own tips and suggestions please feel free to do so. If you have forgotten your password submit a request to have it sent to you or reset through the message board sign in screen.
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.
New Beginnings Team News-
 Don’t forget to check out The Fitness Angel site www.myfitnessangel.com. It is back and better than ever. Remember The Fitness Angel has created a Fitness Community, but the only way to build a community is for people to join and get other people to join. It is a place where you can blog, update your own exercise videos, meet other individuals that are attempting to get fit just like you are, view his bi-monthly fitness newsletter, recipes and much more.
You can create your own personal free account and sign up for the monthly newsletter. Don’t forget to refer your friends to the site and forward the newsletter. Remember it is free, so don’t keep it to yourself. The Fitness Angel is working on a new promotion that will reward you for sending members to the site and signing people up for the bi-monthly newsletter, but you can only participate if you are a registered member yourself. Watch for upcoming video interviews conducted by The Fitness Angel and Angela from the New Beginnings Team. These videos will deal with health issues and topics such as breast cancer and addictions that affect our fitness and our families. Be sure to check the site for the weekly encouragement video from The Fitness Angel himself that focuses on all areas of fitness. He is looking forward to your participation so come join in the fun. www.myfitnessangel.com.
 Angela’s Weight Loss Watch- We are continuing the collaboration between New Beginnings and The Fitness Angel on Angela's Weight Loss Watch. We have gotten off to a slow start as we have been dealing with upgrades to The Fitness Angel Site and making sure that everything is working so that you can join in, but we expect it to really take off in October.
You can join Angela in this endeavor by going to The Fitness Angel site www.myfitnessangel.com and completing your profile. She would love to see your pictures so feel free to upload them to the site and e-mail her to let her know how you are doing if you choose not to put everything on the site. Remember her goal is to lose between 75-100 pounds. She does not know how long it is going to take. That is not her concern. Her only concern is to be obedient to God and to make some lifestyle changes to support and maintain the loss. The goal is to lose the weight but more importantly to teach and to learn something in the process to become a healthier person. Check out her blog on the New Beginnings site www.mynewtemple.org.
If you watched the video with she and The Fitness Angel you know that he was getting a bad rap for not helping her. Well he has stepped up his game and begun to check in on his project on a daily basis, so if she tries to tell you anything else don’t believe her. He acknowledged that is just the first step, so keep watching as the intensity on the Weight Loss Watch picks up. If you do not have an encourager in your corner get one and stay turned to see how The Fitness Angel shows you how he got his name while he works with her. Just so you know, she is going to be complaining, but it will be a good thing as you see her becoming healthier, but don’t just watch participate as you see them move forward on this and The Fitness Angel exhibits his skills and his ability to encourage her through.
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. Please let us know if you have read some good Christian fiction as well. Many of those books have awesome messages contained within them and we want to encourage people to grow spiritually any way they can.
The Ministries’ Monthly Book Recommendation-From The New Beginnings Team
This month we have several book recommendations, however we are still in the process of reading through them. They are just so awesome that Minister Angela could not wait to get you going on them. They will redefine your marriage, if you will take the instruction seriously and begin to practice the suggestions that are being made. Just FYI, success in marriage is not given to the stubborn or the strongwilled. Success in marriage is given to the one who is willing to submit and change, the one that is willing to be obedient to the leading of The Holy Spirit. We encourage you to check out Love and Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs and The Love Dare by Stephen and Alex Kendrick.We will give you a right up next month.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
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
The book blog is on hold for this month while we focus on making changes that will make it easier to post. Feel free to write about books you have read or to comment on the ones the New Beginnings Team suggests by going to our message board.
Movie Review-Fireproof
On Sunday, October 26, the Couple's Fellowship of the Berean Church went to see the movie Fireproof. Minister Angela Suggs one of the co-directors of the ministry along with her husband Frank believed that this would be a good movie for married couples and those with a desire to be married to attend. The following is her review of the movie.
The movie was funny, sad and compassionate. The main theme was the "Love Dare". Highly recommended to married couples and anyone planning to marry. The Love Dare is a 40 Day Devotional by Stephen and Alex Kendrick. The movie focuses on the importance of a Christ-Centered relationship. The movie emphasizes the covenant of marriage and the challenges of balancing the relationship with a Christ-Centered unconditional love. The movie emphasized never leaving your partner behind in a fire. (FireFighter motto). A fire can be defined differently depending on the relationship. Maybe the fire is money, maybe it is other people, family or some other person who is trying to deal with one of the partners.
Others can play a significant role in marriage either positively or negatively if the relationship is not nurtured in Christ. The movie highlighted areas such as selfishness, communication, respect, work relationships, inattentiveness, distractions, sharing of responsibilities and being unsaved. Every one of these has the tendency to destroy a marriage if not identified and dealt with. There was a hint of the pornography, lust and infidelity, which are also identified as parasites and it was all done in good taste. Overall it identified a marriage dealing with real issues in a very transparent manner. It was real.
We encourage you to see the movie and get the book if you have not and to encourage your married and single friends to do the same. Don’t just watch the movie, talk about it. Identify areas in your own marriage that need to be addressed and work on them. Don’t just assume they can’t be helped or that is just the way it is. We dare you to do something different and watch God do something different. If your friends are not married but have a desire to be married this can be a good movie to help in aiding and equipping you for when the time comes.
The key to watching these types of movies is to do something after you watch them. Be willing to make a change, where change is needed, be willing to talk about the things you saw and increase the communication in your marriage. Don’t just watch for entertainment, but ask God what can I learn from this.
Currently on the Website-
Meet Larry and Shelley Reichenbach-
 If you have not already watched them we encourage you to check out the 4 part video series based on the lives of Larry and Shelley Reichenbach. All of the segments have been posted and we pray that they are a blessing to you. Shelley Reichenbach is the author of The Crushed Rose. We are accustomed to seeing these things from the woman’s perspective, but it was a real blessing to have Shelley’s husband Larry share his side of the story. It is our desire as a ministry to get the male side of things as well as the female side so be prepared for us to always attempt to give a well rounded view. Check out the videos and let us know what you think. Remember there is a book, so if you need a copy go to Shelley’s website or contact us and we will connect you. You will be blessed we promise.
We encourage you to visit Shelley’s website www.thecrusedrose.com and order a copy of the book for yourself, your sisters and your brothers. It was just that profound. You can even write to Shelley and Larry at shelley@thecrushedrose.com and larry@thecrushedrose.com. Even after you watch the video, we can promise you that you will not get the whole story. You have to get the book.
Upcoming Events-
Watch for-
Watch for an interview with a Breast Cancer Survivor-We are looking forward to doing a joint interview with a Breast Cancer Survivor, who survived a double masectomy. How did she handle it, how did it affect her mentally, how did it affect her family? If you have questions write to us at contactus@mynewtemple.org so we can get ready to ask your questions as well as our own.
Other Weight Loss Success Stories-Watch for the upcoming pictures and story from Lindsay, who started her weight loss journey in January of 2008 and by the end of August 2008, she has already lost over 105 lbs. We will hear her story and find out what caused her to do it and what she did. Watch for Burt who lost over 40lbs walking 10000 steps per day. September has been a busy month with trying to get The Fitness Angel site ready to receive your profile information and also trying to get the Weight Loss Watch going smoothly, so we still owe you these success stories. Hang in there with us they are coming I promise. These are real people.
Watch for the Why Do You WorkOut Question to be answered-We were thinking it might be fun to get some snip-its from people in the park or at a gym to find out why they work out. Why do the personal trainers do what they do? What kind of satisfaction does a personal trainer get out of your success?
Watch for Health Tips-As part of our desire to help individuals become holistically fit we are presently working to incorporate health tips into our website. This information will assist by giving individuals basic information on such topics as diabetes and high blood pressure. These segments will be short but informative.
Relational Focus-Watch for upcoming podcasts and articles focused on our relationships, beginning with our relationship with God. If we get our relationship with God right our other relationships will also be better.
Divorce From the Male Perspective-What do you say when you think everything is okay and your wife comes home and asks for a divorce? . What do you do? Normally this is the story we hear from women. We blame it on a man’s midlife crisis. This time we are going to hear it from the side of the man. The series will allow a man to share his feelings and struggles.
If you have suggestions for upcoming articles or New Beginnings content please write to us at contactus@mynewtemple.org.
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.
Newsletter Sign Up-
 If you are receiving this message you are currently signed up on our New Beginnings message board. We have set up a new E-mail program for the New Beginnings and Women’s Faith Stories sites, and it will be necessary for each of you to click on this sign up button and complete the informationor 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.
Currently on Women’s Faith Stories (WFS)-
Check out the new podcast-The Crushed Rose-Shelley Reichebach
Shelley is the author of the book The Crushed Rose. It is her personal testimony of the enemy trying to destroy her marriage and how God raised her up as a prayer warrior to pray for the restoration and reconciliation of that marriage. For those who may not be married this story can still be a blessing because each one of us has some stuff the enemy is trying to take from us or discourage us with, but if we will just trust God and stand, He will get us through. Check it out either via audio on the WFS site or via video on the New Beginnings site. While Shelley is sharing this story, she is not the only one that has lived it.
Marital infidelity and problems are no respecter of person. If you believe it can’t happen to you, you are fooling yourself, so I encourage you to listen and to share it with your friends. The bible is clear that we are to share one another’s burdens in Galatians 6:1-4:
1Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.
John 10:10. says, 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. He desires to steal, kill and destroy families and marriages and lives, but God has another plan, but to fulfill God’s plan we will need to stand strong for ourselves and for each other.
We are still collecting pictures and stories for our Women That Have Gone Before Us Quilt. In an effort to honor her grandmother who passed away on January 11, 2008, Angela has decided to create a quilt. If you would like to submit a picture and brief tribute on behalf of a woman that meant something to you and helped you get to where you are today send it to us at contactus@womensfaithstories.com. Include their birth date and date of death. 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. Check out last month’s newsletter for more information.
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.
Word of Encouragement-
Luke 22:31-32 says, 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” This month we want toencourage you toStand strong for yourself and stand strong for each other. Share your testimony. Share your hurts and pains, it may help someone else, that is what ministry is about. As you are blessed by podcasts, videos and articles, share them with someone else so that they will be blessed also.
New Beginnings Scripture for November 2008
Luke 22:31-32:
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”
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-
Mailing Address: 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.
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