Do This When You Feel Ridiculously Underqualified

Have you heard God calling you to do something where you felt ridiculously underqualified?

This is the ninth of 31 days in my commitment to write about Weirdly Faithful Fitness, and I debate how deeply into this particular topic I should share. My heart beats a little faster at the thought of what people will think of me once I click on that green “Publish” button.

As I share with you my stories of how God has worked in my life, I consider the opportunity to use a public platform a holy privilege. I strive to wrestle through these issues with God first –perhaps for weeks, months, or even years — and not just blab it all out there for the world to see. Life has enough ugliness. Throwing out more yuck doesn’t help anyone. I want my test to become my testimony, and only then do I feel the time is right to share.

On the other hand, writers need to be real people. There’s not much point in being lofty or holier than thou. No one really wants to be preached at. We all need more friends, not more lectures. Pretend perfection feels false and IS false.

So. Today’s blog.

I am a success at weight loss, healthy eating, and physical fitness. And, I am not.

May these both be okay with you, sweet readers.

If you are in need of a manual with detailed how-to instructions for diet plans or a writer with perfect theology, please keep clicking to a different website. I have gems of wisdom I’ve learned along the way about our awe-inspiring God, but I’m not a preacher. I’m not a therapist. I am not a medical expert. There are so many days I wake up and think, oh my goodness why on earth do I have the guts to write or stand up and speak to groups? Maybe I will crawl back into bed and use my iPhone for entertainment purposes only.

I am so ridiculously underqualified.

Then let’s look at my personal lifestyle. At times I’ve sat down to write this blog while eating a bowl of chocolate ice cream with peanut butter. O.M. G.oodness! Where is the hidden camera? I’m a hypocrite! I should be eating a salad with no dressing and grilled chicken breast, right? A few days ago I posted a blog with pictures of me stuffing Voodoo Doughnuts into my mouth, and I have people who have hired me to speak to their groups about health and fitness in the next few weeks. Am I freakin’ insane?!

On the flip side…If you are looking for a friend, someone who will come shoulder to shoulder with you and is perhaps just a step or two ahead along the road toward wellness, this I can do. I dearly appreciate the precious time you give me and will honor it. I will tell you about the totally amazing ways God saved my life when I was 100 pounds overweight. I will tell you about how this girl who absolutely hated exercise with a passion has come to actually enjoy it. I will challenge you, but I promise I won’t lead you anywhere I haven’t been before and am going again.

Now it’s your turn. Where is God leading you that you feel ridiculously underqualified to go? (Comment below if you feel comfortable doing so.)

God loves calling us into places where we are not ready or strong enough, because that’s where His glory shines brightest. So often I feel like God calls me just a little too early. I want to say, “Just give me a few more years to prepare, God”…but God says, “Nope. Go now.” Yours could be an area with fitness or a different area of your life.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

What to do when you feel ridiculously underqualified? Pray. Go anyway. You are right where God wants you.

Watch the video below to see this all come together in a powerful way:

• Faithful Fitness: God, Weight Loss, and Exercise
• Why My eBook Hasn’t Been Popular
• One Weird Thing that Helps Me Enjoy Exercise More
• How Does Guilt Fit into Weirdly Faithful Fitness?
• Are there Good Foods and Bad Foods?
• The Freedom of Constraint
• Call Me Weird, But…I LOVE the Paleo Lifestyle!
• Do This When You Feel Ridiculously Underqualified
• Laughter is the best…Fitness?
• Motivations for The Coming Week
• Ask the Experts for Fitness Advice: YOU!
• I Am a Person Who
• How my Son’s Life-Threatening Condition Gave Me Freedom
• Do You Need Exercise Accountability?
• How Losing the Guilt Breaks the Cycle
• My Family Hates Exercise
• Garlic Sweet Potato Mash
• Grace for the Now
• How Workouts Can Lead to Fat Gain
• Your Expert Advice: Fitness
• Don’t Forget de’ FEET!
• Four Steps to Tell Your Support Peeps What You Need
• A Day in the Life of Maintaining a 100 lb Weight Loss
• Three Girls and a Dog
• The Red Zone: How to Enjoy the Holidays and Stay Fit
• How to Avoid Burn Out and Find Fitness Success