Speaking of being in shape…what shape are your photos in? Until a few days ago, that area was a deep, dark mess in my life; much easier to ignore than organize.
When we were building our new home three years ago, a lot of our older photos were put in storage. That means I shoved them into boxes and put them in a large storage building on our farm. I had open-heart surgery one month after we moved in, and it’s been one thing after another since then, it seems. Although I’ve thought about sorting my old pictures, I didn’t know where to even start, they were such a mess.
But this weekend, I thought, It’s time.
Spring cleaning, you know.
My inner discipline.
OK, OK, let me tell you the truth. The 700 Club is going to interview me on their “Skinny Wednesday” segment on April 21, and they requested old photos!
That’s all it took. I opened the barn door on Saturday, cut open the top box, reached in and have been looking at myself grow up ever since. I have everything from the day I was adopted and baptized to pictures of my wedding to Robin.
Through faded photos I’ve relived my early childhood dancing days, having my first child at age 19 and my first open-heart surgery at age 24. I found my runway pictures from modeling school, as well as the children’s baby pictures, pictures of our pets and more and more and more.
One of the treasures I came across was a photo of me teaching at the Y in the late 1980s. It was then that Susie, a student in my fitness class, came up to me and told me she was praying for me. Her bold love turned my life around and led me to a relationship with Jesus.
After two days of diligent dusty work, I was able to find a dozen photos that tell the story of my journey from a lonely and uncertain girl to a fitness coach for body, mind and spirit. I scanned them and emailed them off to the producer at The 700 Club on Monday.
Sorting my photos wasn’t so hard after all. I just had to take the first step.
Blessings,
Theresa
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Get more advice from Theresa!
Find all you need to know on whole-person
wellness in Shaped by Faith.
Theresa is a former model and nationally certified fitness professional who teaches people to use their faith to inspire fitness and their fitness to strengthen their faith. She is the author of Shaped by Faith: 10 Secrets to Strengthening your Body & Soul, and three exercise DVDS: Pilates for the Soul, Strength Training for the Seasoned Soul and Pilates Stability Ball.
She and her husband, Robin, have seven children and live in Calhoun, Kentucky.
