_________________ A Word from Amy _________________
The final key in the DREAM principle is to make a difference in the lives of others. I believe this is the fundamental step of the entire principle. When we
consciously look for ways to give of ourselves and our resources, we open ourselves to a wonderful world of possibilities. We are planting seeds that can sprout up
in millions of wonderful ways.
When Phil and I were given the opportunity to go on The Biggest Loser, we knew it was a direct blessing from God. We felt His presence and grace the entire time
we were there. We had an overwhelming feeling that just being there was a vehicle that the Lord was going to use to fulfill His plan; we were just along for the ride.
And what a wild ride it has been! How could we have known that literally millions of people would watch us and be influenced by our story? How could we have
known that we would be able to travel around the country and share what we have learned and see lives changed as a result? How could we have known that we
would be able to write this book that you are now reading that we hope will better your life? How could we have known that the true prize of being on the show was
knowing that we had made a difference in other people’s lives?
My husband and I didn’t have a clue what was in store for us. But God did.
Jesus says in Luke 6:38, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and
poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Giving is a spiritual law. If we give, we will receive. The second part of that verse
shows us that the amount that we give will determine the amount given to us. I like to look at it this way. If we use a teaspoon, then we will get a teaspoon back. If we
use a dump truck, then we will get a dump truck load of blessing back. It’s simple. The more we give, the more we get back.
It’s so easy in this fast-paced world to get caught up in ourselves. After all, we have so many responsibilities to tend to. We work, have families, are involved in our
churches and communities, and have to take care of our health. Sometimes it seems as if there are not enough hours in the day to do everything we need to do for
ourselves, let alone help others. This is often why we fail to make a difference. We don’t have time. We’re just too busy.
But you know what? Excuses like those don’t cut it.
Throughout this fitness challenge over the next ninety days, you will continue to learn how to become more healthy and in control of your body. Just as an infant
slowly crawls and then learns to walk and eventually run, we believe that you will undergo a similar metamorphosis. As you begin to change your health for the better,
you can make a difference by remembering those who are similarly trapped in their bodies. Help them learn to run. Pay the gift of health forward. Tell others about the
“Challenge” and encourage them through the process.
Giving Brings Joy, Gratitude, and Blessings
Helping others is essential for experiencing joy. When we make it a practice to acknowledge our God-given gifts and look for ways to share them with others, it is
only natural to be thankful for all we have. When we focus on filling the needs of others, we are less likely to focus on the negative aspects of our lives.
When I was younger, I volunteered for a community organization that made and delivered food baskets to needy families during Christmas. I had lived a fairly
comfortable life growing up, although I viewed myself as poor when I compared what I had to what my friends had. In hindsight, I never lacked for anything. There was
always food on the table and clothes on my back. But all I saw then was what I didn’t have.
My perspective of poverty completely changed the day I delivered gift baskets to those families. I remember one family in particular. I walked through their front door
and was shocked at how dilapidated their home was. There were holes in the floor so large you could see the dirt underneath the house. In one corner I saw three
children huddled around a black-and-white television that barely got reception. They were covered with dirt and grime and looked so sad. The father was in bed, too
sick to get up. The mother, a gracious lady, told us that because her husband was ill, he was out of work; she had to stay home with the children, so they had no
income. It broke my heart.
I’ll never forget how excited this woman and her kids were to see our gifts. It made my heart so happy that even though I couldn’t change their situation, I could do a
little something to bring joy to their day. Suddenly, the problems I had seemed a million miles away. My troubles were nothing compared to this family’s desperate
situation. I saw my life in a completely different light and had a better attitude of appreciating all I had.
When you make a difference in others, your life changes.
A friend who is a real estate agent recently had a difficult year in sales compared to previous years. He was constantly worried, depressed, and always focused on
how bad things were. One day he told me that he had been asked to help serve food once a week to a group of homeless people. He had never done anything like that
before, but thought it would be a great thing to do. He told me that once he started serving in that way, he noticed his real estate business started picking up. The month
that he got involved in that ministry, he wrote sixteen real estate contracts. Previously, it had taken him a year to get that much business.
My friend gave to those who had no home of their own, and the windows of heaven opened for him to sell people homes. What a sense of humor God has!
There are so many ways to give to others. You could give money, your time, your knowledge, your talents. You can volunteer at a local shelter. You can sponsor a
child in a refugee camp. You can help a neighborhood child learn to read. You can offer to carry groceries for an elderly person. Your options are endless.
Just think about your own life and what you have to offer. Identify the gifts you have inside of you. Are you a loyal friend, an eloquent speaker, a fabulous cook, a
great gardener, a nurturing mother, or a talented musician? Whatever the gift God has given you, find a way to use it to bless others. I promise you that your life will
change.
The Gift of Words
One of the easiest ways to give to others is by encouraging them. It’s simple to do, doesn’t take much time, and makes a world of difference. It’s a wonder why we
don’t do it all the time. How many people do you know who could use a word of encouragement? I’m sure there are many.
A friend of mine likes to send out daily text messages of encouragement to the folks on his contacts list. One day a businessman that he knew only casually called him
up and asked him out for coffee. They had a great time chatting. Right before they were getting up to leave, the businessman said to my friend, “I wanted to tell you that
you saved my life.” My friend had no idea what the man was talking about. I mean, he barely knew the guy. The man explained that he had gone through a terrible year
financially. He was in the construction supply business, and when the economy took a turn for the worse, he was left with $800,000 of unpaid invoices that he knew
would probably never get paid to him.
One day he needed to make payroll, and he didn’t have any money to do it or even to pay his personal bills. The man looked over toward the fax machine and saw
his pistol lying on the shelf above it. He truly believed that taking his life was the only way out. He moved his chair to reach for the gun, and just as he did, his phone
beeped with a text message. He glanced at the screen and stopped cold as he read the simple message my friend had sent—”Trust in the Lord.” These words brought
him instant comfort. He knew that God had used my friend to send him that message at exactly the right moment.
You never know how you might make a difference in someone else’s life. All my friend did was use his gift of encouragement, and look what happened.
There are all kinds of gifts inside of you. God has placed them there for a purpose. You may have let them lie dormant, but they are there whether you let them out or
not. The Bible says that the gifts and callings of God are “irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). That means that once God gives you a gift or a calling, you can’t get rid of it. It
is forever a part of you. It is designed to be used to make an impact on the world and the people in it.
So use it!
Remembering the Blessings
When I look back on my life, I always remember the times when people gave me something just because they wanted to bless me. They didn’t give because they
wanted something in return or because they wanted a pat on the back. They gave because they wanted to make my life better.
When I was pregnant with my oldest son, Austin, Phil and I were living in Puyallup, Washington, a little town near Seattle. We had lived there only a short time, and I
was three thousand miles from any family. We didn’t have much money, and a part of me was a little uncertain about how we were going to take care of this baby. I
was also a little down because I knew that a baby shower was out of the question since we were so new to town. We had just started going to a local church and had
barely begun to make a few friends. One Sunday afternoon, much to my surprise, the ladies of the church threw me a baby shower. There were people I didn’t even
know who showed up to give me gifts and wish me well. I felt the most amazing outpouring of love that day.
Another instance that comes to mind is when Phil and I celebrated one of our early Christmases as newlyweds. We lived in a sketchy neighborhood in a tiny house
that had no heat. Phil and I put a space heater in our bedroom at night. When we had to bathe, we would run to the bathroom, turn on the hot water, and then run back
to the warm bedroom. When the tub was full, we would run back to the bathroom, jump in the tub, bathe, and run back to the warm bedroom again to get dressed. We
did this all winter that year.
This particular Christmas Eve I came home to that little rundown house to find a huge platter of homemade cookies and Christmas candy on our front doorstep. A
family in our church had a tradition of baking together the week before Christmas, and on Christmas Eve they would go to specially chosen homes and, like little elves,
deliver their goodies. The fact that they spent their time to make this special gift for us deeply touched our hearts. When our children were old enough, Phil and I
decided to adopt that Christmas tradition as our own. Our boys love to do it because it makes them feel good to give to others and especially to see the smiles on the
faces of those we serve.
When we remember how we have been incredibly blessed, we have a responsibility to pay it forward and give to others. I hope my children do the same thing with
their children and give back for the many times they have received.
When God Moves You to Make a Difference
Have you ever had a feeling that you should call someone to see how they are doing or pop by and visit them, only to find out that they are going through a difficult
time and could use your help? I believe those are the moments that God is directing you to use your gifts. If we are sensitive to these feelings, we will find that we are
able to affect so many lives in ways we never imagined.
On the morning of the casting call for The Biggest Loser, I was irritated at Phil because he was moving way too slow for me. I wanted to hurry up and get to the
auditions so we could be one of the first ones in line. When we drove up to the building, he let me out while he went to park the car. I stood in line and started venting to
the first person that looked nice enough to listen to me blow off some steam. That person was Rae, and she said that she had wanted to get in line early as well, but one
thing led to another and she and her best friend, Lolo, got there at the same time we did.
Open casting calls require you to stand in line for hours while you wait for a casting director to see you. As you can imagine, you get to know a lot about the people
standing in line with you. Phil and I chatted with Rae and Lolo for hours. By the end of the day, the four of us were laughing hysterically, and by the time we got to the
casting director, we had caused such a scene that he had no choice but to give all four of us a callback to the next round.
We went out to lunch to celebrate and exchanged phone numbers and email addresses before we went our separate ways. As it turned out, Phil and I made the
show; Rae and Lolo, unfortunately, did not. Still, we remained in close contact with them. Lolo visited us several times at our home in South Carolina, and eventually we
invited her to live with us and help us with our kids when we traveled. To our excitement, she said yes. Lolo has been a part of our family ever since.
The story doesn’t stop there. Since she has been living with us, Lolo has lost seventy pounds. She says that it wasn’t God’s plan for her to go to the ranch because
He brought the ranch to her. Who knows what would have happened if we had gotten to the casting call as early as I wanted to. Maybe we wouldn’t have met Rae and
Lolo. Maybe we wouldn’t have gotten a callback. We definitely wouldn’t have Lolo in our lives now. God had a hand in timing our meeting just right so that we would
all be there together and eventually make a huge impact on each other’s lives.
Be sensitive to what God is prompting you to do and be open to what is going on around you. Don’t be like I once was, so caught up in plans and schedules that you
miss the bigger picture and don’t realize that God may have a plan for you that you don’t know about. Endeavour to be led by His voice.
You are made by God to live an abundant life. When God made the world, He said it was good. Then He created man to enjoy His creation and to rule and take
care of it. Many of us have let life be in charge of us instead of God’s plan of abundance. Now is the time to reverse that pattern.
I love what the author of the Book of Hebrews wrote, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every
weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on
Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
When I read these verses, I visualize the grandstands of heaven cheering us on in our spiritual race and in our lives. Think of loved ones that have gone on before you.
I believe they are in that “huge crowd of witnesses.” I believe they are watching you and are waiting with anticipation to see if you will conquer the challenges or be
complacent and let circumstances take you over.
This challenge is about more than just your body. It’s about changing on the inside and watching the results on the outside. It’s about knowing that you are strong and
powerful and can do all things through Christ. And it is especially about passing on wisdom and serving and helping others so they, too, can finish the race.
As you venture into the next ninety days, live each day to better yourself so that you can make a difference in this world. I know you can do it!
The final key in the DREAM principle is to make a difference in the lives of others. I believe this is the fundamental step of the entire principle. When we
consciously look for ways to give of ourselves and our resources, we open ourselves to a wonderful world of possibilities. We are planting seeds that can sprout up
in millions of wonderful ways.
When Phil and I were given the opportunity to go on The Biggest Loser, we knew it was a direct blessing from God. We felt His presence and grace the entire time
we were there. We had an overwhelming feeling that just being there was a vehicle that the Lord was going to use to fulfill His plan; we were just along for the ride.
And what a wild ride it has been! How could we have known that literally millions of people would watch us and be influenced by our story? How could we have
known that we would be able to travel around the country and share what we have learned and see lives changed as a result? How could we have known that we
would be able to write this book that you are now reading that we hope will better your life? How could we have known that the true prize of being on the show was
knowing that we had made a difference in other people’s lives?
My husband and I didn’t have a clue what was in store for us. But God did.
Jesus says in Luke 6:38, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and
poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Giving is a spiritual law. If we give, we will receive. The second part of that verse
shows us that the amount that we give will determine the amount given to us. I like to look at it this way. If we use a teaspoon, then we will get a teaspoon back. If we
use a dump truck, then we will get a dump truck load of blessing back. It’s simple. The more we give, the more we get back.
It’s so easy in this fast-paced world to get caught up in ourselves. After all, we have so many responsibilities to tend to. We work, have families, are involved in our
churches and communities, and have to take care of our health. Sometimes it seems as if there are not enough hours in the day to do everything we need to do for
ourselves, let alone help others. This is often why we fail to make a difference. We don’t have time. We’re just too busy.
But you know what? Excuses like those don’t cut it.
Throughout this fitness challenge over the next ninety days, you will continue to learn how to become more healthy and in control of your body. Just as an infant
slowly crawls and then learns to walk and eventually run, we believe that you will undergo a similar metamorphosis. As you begin to change your health for the better,
you can make a difference by remembering those who are similarly trapped in their bodies. Help them learn to run. Pay the gift of health forward. Tell others about the
“Challenge” and encourage them through the process.
Giving Brings Joy, Gratitude, and Blessings
Helping others is essential for experiencing joy. When we make it a practice to acknowledge our God-given gifts and look for ways to share them with others, it is
only natural to be thankful for all we have. When we focus on filling the needs of others, we are less likely to focus on the negative aspects of our lives.
When I was younger, I volunteered for a community organization that made and delivered food baskets to needy families during Christmas. I had lived a fairly
comfortable life growing up, although I viewed myself as poor when I compared what I had to what my friends had. In hindsight, I never lacked for anything. There was
always food on the table and clothes on my back. But all I saw then was what I didn’t have.
My perspective of poverty completely changed the day I delivered gift baskets to those families. I remember one family in particular. I walked through their front door
and was shocked at how dilapidated their home was. There were holes in the floor so large you could see the dirt underneath the house. In one corner I saw three
children huddled around a black-and-white television that barely got reception. They were covered with dirt and grime and looked so sad. The father was in bed, too
sick to get up. The mother, a gracious lady, told us that because her husband was ill, he was out of work; she had to stay home with the children, so they had no
income. It broke my heart.
I’ll never forget how excited this woman and her kids were to see our gifts. It made my heart so happy that even though I couldn’t change their situation, I could do a
little something to bring joy to their day. Suddenly, the problems I had seemed a million miles away. My troubles were nothing compared to this family’s desperate
situation. I saw my life in a completely different light and had a better attitude of appreciating all I had.
When you make a difference in others, your life changes.
A friend who is a real estate agent recently had a difficult year in sales compared to previous years. He was constantly worried, depressed, and always focused on
how bad things were. One day he told me that he had been asked to help serve food once a week to a group of homeless people. He had never done anything like that
before, but thought it would be a great thing to do. He told me that once he started serving in that way, he noticed his real estate business started picking up. The month
that he got involved in that ministry, he wrote sixteen real estate contracts. Previously, it had taken him a year to get that much business.
My friend gave to those who had no home of their own, and the windows of heaven opened for him to sell people homes. What a sense of humor God has!
There are so many ways to give to others. You could give money, your time, your knowledge, your talents. You can volunteer at a local shelter. You can sponsor a
child in a refugee camp. You can help a neighborhood child learn to read. You can offer to carry groceries for an elderly person. Your options are endless.
Just think about your own life and what you have to offer. Identify the gifts you have inside of you. Are you a loyal friend, an eloquent speaker, a fabulous cook, a
great gardener, a nurturing mother, or a talented musician? Whatever the gift God has given you, find a way to use it to bless others. I promise you that your life will
change.
The Gift of Words
One of the easiest ways to give to others is by encouraging them. It’s simple to do, doesn’t take much time, and makes a world of difference. It’s a wonder why we
don’t do it all the time. How many people do you know who could use a word of encouragement? I’m sure there are many.
A friend of mine likes to send out daily text messages of encouragement to the folks on his contacts list. One day a businessman that he knew only casually called him
up and asked him out for coffee. They had a great time chatting. Right before they were getting up to leave, the businessman said to my friend, “I wanted to tell you that
you saved my life.” My friend had no idea what the man was talking about. I mean, he barely knew the guy. The man explained that he had gone through a terrible year
financially. He was in the construction supply business, and when the economy took a turn for the worse, he was left with $800,000 of unpaid invoices that he knew
would probably never get paid to him.
One day he needed to make payroll, and he didn’t have any money to do it or even to pay his personal bills. The man looked over toward the fax machine and saw
his pistol lying on the shelf above it. He truly believed that taking his life was the only way out. He moved his chair to reach for the gun, and just as he did, his phone
beeped with a text message. He glanced at the screen and stopped cold as he read the simple message my friend had sent—”Trust in the Lord.” These words brought
him instant comfort. He knew that God had used my friend to send him that message at exactly the right moment.
You never know how you might make a difference in someone else’s life. All my friend did was use his gift of encouragement, and look what happened.
There are all kinds of gifts inside of you. God has placed them there for a purpose. You may have let them lie dormant, but they are there whether you let them out or
not. The Bible says that the gifts and callings of God are “irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). That means that once God gives you a gift or a calling, you can’t get rid of it. It
is forever a part of you. It is designed to be used to make an impact on the world and the people in it.
So use it!
Remembering the Blessings
When I look back on my life, I always remember the times when people gave me something just because they wanted to bless me. They didn’t give because they
wanted something in return or because they wanted a pat on the back. They gave because they wanted to make my life better.
When I was pregnant with my oldest son, Austin, Phil and I were living in Puyallup, Washington, a little town near Seattle. We had lived there only a short time, and I
was three thousand miles from any family. We didn’t have much money, and a part of me was a little uncertain about how we were going to take care of this baby. I
was also a little down because I knew that a baby shower was out of the question since we were so new to town. We had just started going to a local church and had
barely begun to make a few friends. One Sunday afternoon, much to my surprise, the ladies of the church threw me a baby shower. There were people I didn’t even
know who showed up to give me gifts and wish me well. I felt the most amazing outpouring of love that day.
Another instance that comes to mind is when Phil and I celebrated one of our early Christmases as newlyweds. We lived in a sketchy neighborhood in a tiny house
that had no heat. Phil and I put a space heater in our bedroom at night. When we had to bathe, we would run to the bathroom, turn on the hot water, and then run back
to the warm bedroom. When the tub was full, we would run back to the bathroom, jump in the tub, bathe, and run back to the warm bedroom again to get dressed. We
did this all winter that year.
This particular Christmas Eve I came home to that little rundown house to find a huge platter of homemade cookies and Christmas candy on our front doorstep. A
family in our church had a tradition of baking together the week before Christmas, and on Christmas Eve they would go to specially chosen homes and, like little elves,
deliver their goodies. The fact that they spent their time to make this special gift for us deeply touched our hearts. When our children were old enough, Phil and I
decided to adopt that Christmas tradition as our own. Our boys love to do it because it makes them feel good to give to others and especially to see the smiles on the
faces of those we serve.
When we remember how we have been incredibly blessed, we have a responsibility to pay it forward and give to others. I hope my children do the same thing with
their children and give back for the many times they have received.
When God Moves You to Make a Difference
Have you ever had a feeling that you should call someone to see how they are doing or pop by and visit them, only to find out that they are going through a difficult
time and could use your help? I believe those are the moments that God is directing you to use your gifts. If we are sensitive to these feelings, we will find that we are
able to affect so many lives in ways we never imagined.
On the morning of the casting call for The Biggest Loser, I was irritated at Phil because he was moving way too slow for me. I wanted to hurry up and get to the
auditions so we could be one of the first ones in line. When we drove up to the building, he let me out while he went to park the car. I stood in line and started venting to
the first person that looked nice enough to listen to me blow off some steam. That person was Rae, and she said that she had wanted to get in line early as well, but one
thing led to another and she and her best friend, Lolo, got there at the same time we did.
Open casting calls require you to stand in line for hours while you wait for a casting director to see you. As you can imagine, you get to know a lot about the people
standing in line with you. Phil and I chatted with Rae and Lolo for hours. By the end of the day, the four of us were laughing hysterically, and by the time we got to the
casting director, we had caused such a scene that he had no choice but to give all four of us a callback to the next round.
We went out to lunch to celebrate and exchanged phone numbers and email addresses before we went our separate ways. As it turned out, Phil and I made the
show; Rae and Lolo, unfortunately, did not. Still, we remained in close contact with them. Lolo visited us several times at our home in South Carolina, and eventually we
invited her to live with us and help us with our kids when we traveled. To our excitement, she said yes. Lolo has been a part of our family ever since.
The story doesn’t stop there. Since she has been living with us, Lolo has lost seventy pounds. She says that it wasn’t God’s plan for her to go to the ranch because
He brought the ranch to her. Who knows what would have happened if we had gotten to the casting call as early as I wanted to. Maybe we wouldn’t have met Rae and
Lolo. Maybe we wouldn’t have gotten a callback. We definitely wouldn’t have Lolo in our lives now. God had a hand in timing our meeting just right so that we would
all be there together and eventually make a huge impact on each other’s lives.
Be sensitive to what God is prompting you to do and be open to what is going on around you. Don’t be like I once was, so caught up in plans and schedules that you
miss the bigger picture and don’t realize that God may have a plan for you that you don’t know about. Endeavour to be led by His voice.
You are made by God to live an abundant life. When God made the world, He said it was good. Then He created man to enjoy His creation and to rule and take
care of it. Many of us have let life be in charge of us instead of God’s plan of abundance. Now is the time to reverse that pattern.
I love what the author of the Book of Hebrews wrote, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every
weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on
Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
When I read these verses, I visualize the grandstands of heaven cheering us on in our spiritual race and in our lives. Think of loved ones that have gone on before you.
I believe they are in that “huge crowd of witnesses.” I believe they are watching you and are waiting with anticipation to see if you will conquer the challenges or be
complacent and let circumstances take you over.
This challenge is about more than just your body. It’s about changing on the inside and watching the results on the outside. It’s about knowing that you are strong and
powerful and can do all things through Christ. And it is especially about passing on wisdom and serving and helping others so they, too, can finish the race.
As you venture into the next ninety days, live each day to better yourself so that you can make a difference in this world. I know you can do it!
1 comments:
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