Trouble getting rid of stains & smells and lengthening the lifespan of your activewear?
With no thanks to high-performance fabrics and strong odors that linger long after washing, activewear can be tricky to clean.
When you're working hard, your performance tees, sports bras and yoga pants are collecting sweat, body oils and dead skin cells. This mixture ends up growing a nasty bacteria farm that smells less than fresh, even after your clothes have been through the wash cycle.
On top of that, a lot of workout clothing is made with polyester, nylon and other materials that can wear down quickly if not washed correctly.
To really knock out the smell from sweaty clothes and to make your activewear last longer, you need to wash them a certain way. Here's how.
Before you can give your activewear a good wash, you need to choose a good detergent. There are many specialty detergents on the market that are specifically designed to remove stains and smells that get trapped in your workout clothes, like Defunkify Active Wear Laundry Detergent Powder and Sweat X Sport Extreme Laundry Detergent.
You really don't need a special detergent, though. There are some brands that work great for activewear and your regular laundry, too.
For instance, Consumer Reports lists the top three detergents for activewear as Persil ProClean Power-Liquid 2-in-1, Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release and Tide HE Plus Bleach Alternative. All three of these choices can be used for everyday loads.
Now that you have the right detergent, let's get down to the washing. First, like every other load, separate your whites from your darks and pretreat any stains with your normal stain remover stick or spray. Then turn everything inside out before you throw them in the washing machine.
Next, measure your detergent using the guidelines on the bottle. Do not add extra. Extra detergent won't rinse away properly, leading to a buildup of grime on your activewear that can trap sweat, oils and skin cells more easily, making the fabric even stinkier after normal use. Skip the fabric softener, too -- it can also leave a residue that will trap gunk.
Finally, for high-performance fabrics, set your load to a delicate cycle with cold water. Hot water can damage the fibers of your activewear, plus most detergents -- like the ones above -- are designed to work better in cold water anyway. For gym clothes that specify you should hand wash only, you can probably get away with including them with those loads.
Cotton workout clothes can handle the normal cycle of your washing machine, though stick with cold water.
Skip the dryer when your clothes come out of the washer. The heat can ruin the fibers and also graphic prints such as on graphic tees, making your workout clothes less stretchy and even misshapen.
It's best to let items air dry, but hanging them up to dry isn't a good idea, either. Hanging them can make the fibers stretch out.
Your best bet is putting your activewear on sweater racks. This will allow the items to lay flat while they dry so they retain their shape.
If your activewear is still funky after these steps, try soaking the clothes in 1 cup of white vinegar for around 30 minutes before putting them in the washing machine. This will kill any lingering bacteria.
Bye, bye smell, and hello long lasting activewear!
If you enjoyed this let us know by getting social with us on Facebook or Instagram (@gloryactive)!
Glory Active Blog
credit: cnet.com, 'How to wash smelly workout clothes'
]]>You've been waiting for this all year. Wait no more, in fact it starts early! Here's our Black November and Black Friday deals! Enjoy them early!
Send us your email or sign up to our email list at the bottom of our homepage, so you get your reminder updates sent right to you AS SOON AS the Black Friday Deals are posted! You won't want to miss out, it's our best year yet.
]]>#faithoverfear #christianapparel #christian #activewear #athleisure #spirituallyfit #spiritualfitness #physicallyfit #fitness #ootd #vscoapparel #vscoactivewear #happyfriday #faith #hope #christianblog #faithbasedbusiness #faithbased #faithbasedactivewear
No matter what sort of obstacle you’re facing today, I want to encourage you to not give up! The challenges you have at work, at school, at home, or in your ministry don’t have to be isolated frustrations to endure; they may actually be setting you up for a leap forward that you never anticipated. You may be on the brink of a breakthrough!
God’s timing is so different from our own. When things aren’t playing out exactly how we want or expect them to, we're often being prepared for what comes next.
But to move forward, you need a plan. To stay on the right track, you’ve got to:
Refuse to give worry a foothold. It not only saps us of our joy, but also moves our focus away from what really matters. As 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Let your faith and sense of adventure be bigger than your fear!
Recognize what you can do. Don’t let today's difficulties paralyze you. Be consistent in the things you have control over: personal obedience, staying immersed in God’s Word, and remaining faithful to your other responsibilities and relationships. These actions may seem inconsequential in the moment, but by being faithful in them, you’re laying the foundation for major growth.
Don’t let your obstacles eclipse God’s goodness. When life gets tough, it's easy to let the negative take center stage. But never underestimate the power of gratitude. Perhaps you have a warm bed to sleep in or a dog who wags his tail at you each time you come home. Whatever it is, thank God for His provision. An appreciative heart will brighten your entire outlook!
I want you to embrace the strength, skills, and wisdom you’re gaining right now. When you do, you may discover that the challenges you’re currently facing are positioning you for a breakthrough—and an abundance—you never expected!
Love you,
Christine
"The Unexpected Leap Forward", Propel Women, www.propelwomen.org
Glory Active, www.gloryactive.com
#faithoverfear #christianapparel #christian #activewear #athleisure #spirituallyfit #spiritualfitness #physicallyfit #fitness #ootd #vscoapparel #vscoactivewear #happyfriday #faith #hope #christianblog #faithbasedbusiness #faithbased #faithbasedactivewear
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Hey Girl, Source: Propel Women | propelwomen.org |
"I no longer allow my heart to be dominated by my situation, but instead by my revelation."
THE MARSHMALLOW TEST
Let's talk about Disney for a sec.
Some of you, like me, just got excited. Anything Disney makes you smile
(And for those anti-Disney enthusiasts, that's another blog for another day).
I want to talk to ya'll about Moana.
I remember seeing the trailer for it waaaay back when and thinking,
"Ew, Disney. Why? A greek god with special, supernatural powers?
A super, scary lava monster?" I was pretty judgmental and close-minded, telling myself that my then, year old son and newborn daughter) wouldn't watch it.
Well, add that to the 163957 words I've had to eat as a parent. I caved and watched it one day and had a lot of problems with it.
I couldn't get over Maui singing, "no need to pr-ay, just s-ay you're wel-come..."
"DON'T PRAYYYY?? OH, MY MERCY, they just had a demi-god tell all these little Disney children not to pray!" And the whole crazy Grandma thing with the reincarnation of the sting ray. Oooook, Disney. Ok. Strike 2.
The last thing that ticked my little goody-goody shoes off was the inevitable, disrespectful, disobedient, strong willed child who defies her parents and instead of seeing the lesson in trusting your authorities, she actually "gets away with it" and is even "rewarded" for her defiance.
Eye roll. A modern day Ariel...the princess I've never been a fin of...fan of.
Anyway, anyway, anyway...some of you are reading and you're like,
"Right on, Carrie! Disney really messed this one up. Boo, Moana."
And others of you are like, "Ew, Carrie. I don't like you and your religious self right now."
But listen.
I watched it again. And then another time. I started to change my mind on a few things and I actually prayed about it...and I felt comfortable letting the babies watch parts of it and they LOVED it. I mean, LOVED.
Here's what I learned:
-Moana, a 16 year old girl who is being called by something i.e., a god - the all powerful, all-knowing, ocean.
-She doesn't disrespect her parents, but rather, her parents are LIKE ME, parenting out of fear instead of faith. Which, ends up deterring Moana from her calling. That's big for me. I want good, godly things for my children. We all do. But what if my good and godly plans are not in line with the destiny God has called them to? MIND. BLOWN.
-So, at the end, Maui (the big o muscle man demi god) and Moana, take on the larger than life, creepy/demonic looking lava monster i.e. THE SCARIEST villain in all of Disney history. You thought Jafar was scary? Ursula? Nope. Nope. This Lava Monster is so scary I forwarded through the parts with it in it because I knew it would give my babies bad dreams...let alone me....of course, I am a big fraidy cat of anything remotely scary looking, so you let me know what you think. ANYWAY! The lava monster.
Moana realizes that the lava monster isn't actually a monster at all. It's the "god of creation", Te Fiti. So, Moana tells Maui, who is trying to defeat the horrible monster with all his might, to stop and "let her come to me."
And then it happens.
Moana, like every Disney princess, begins to sing. And in a beautiful and confident voice, fearlessly sings these words as the lava monster crawls towards her (and you're just certain that he's going to eat her alive).
THIS. GIVES. ME. CHILLS.
"I have crossed the horizon to find you.
I know your name.
They have stolen the heart from inside you.
But this does not define you.
This is not who you are.
You know who you are."
Y'all. Are you crying yet?
Isn't that just like us? We are going through life as best we can and somewhere along the line, we get hurt. We toughen up. Put up a wall. Guard our heart so that it won't happen again. And we march on. And then, it happens again. And again. And again. Before long, we've put up so many walls that our heart is no where to be found. It's scattered all over..a piece here...a piece there. Some pieces given away. Others taken. We've lost sight of who we are. Who we truly are.
I know I can relate. It's so easy to let our circumstances dictate who we are. To let our weaknesses define us. Our sins and mistakes overshadow all our goodness and value.
And then, He calls to us.
"I have crossed the horizon to find you."
(I know this implies that God searches for us, which would imply that He didn't know our whereabouts...when the truth is, He is right by our side. It's US who when we search for HIM, discover that He has never left our side).
"I know your name."
(You're His favorite. I'm His favorite. He made you with a very specific purpose in mind. You are not an understudy or an extra. You're THE main character. The lead role).
"They have stolen the heart from inside you."
(Hurt after hurt. Broken relationships. Abuse. Addiction. Every tear. Every heartache. Every person that made you think you were worthless and invaluable.)
"But this does not define you."
(Your x's opinion about you does not define you. Your dependency on drugs or alcohol does not define you. The number on the scale does not define you. Your childhood does not define you. Your job does not define you. Your education does not define you. the number of likes and followers on your social media account does not define you.)
"This is not who you are."
You aren't just a pretty face. You aren't a overworked husband who feels unappreciated. You aren't a washer woman and a cook 'n clean who walks around your own home invisible and unacknowledged. You are not a disappointment to you parents. You are not a failure. You are not stupid. You are not incapable of love. You are not unworthy of love.
"You know who you are."
(And if you don't, I know someone who does. His name is Jesus. He made you, beloved. He took careful and thoughtful time in creating you. He smiled as He weaved your very heart together, thinking and dreaming of every single chapter of your life. Hoping and praying that in those hard chapters, in those valleys, you'd hold fast to Him and to His promises. Such dreams for you. Such plans. Mighty callings. Not just for people like Chip Henderson or Billy Graham. The Queen of England, Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, The Pope! No. A calling for YOU. Beautiful. Wonderful. Perfect You.)
Scooch on over to youtube and watch the clip where Moana sings to the Lava Monster. Or better yet, grab you some popcorn and nice, icy coke and snuggle up to the whole feature film. And if you need reminding of who you are, I am happy to help with that, too.
"All I can say is, you're welcome..."
Carrie
Glory Active Team Member
Glory Active | gloryactive.com | What You Wear Reflects Who You Are
]]>As we step into 2018, we are entering a new season of growth, influence, and impact. I believe God wants to take us further than we ever imagined. That’s why this is not the time to slow down or ease up, but to step up.
No matter what has happened in your past, choose to give it your all:
If you failed, have another go.
If you were hurt, bounce back.
If you were used, serve again.
If you were betrayed, trust again.
If you were disappointed, hope again.
Don't withhold your hope, prayers, love, faithfulness, or commitment! Let the words of Paul embolden you: “Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:13-14). When your foundation is in Jesus, you don’t have to let your past dictate your future.
Choose to go further in output and effort. The Christian life is an upward journey, not a downward spiral. Yes, it may take you beyond what you know and are familiar with, but you’ll never become who you can be without a stretch!
So press on, mighty woman of God, and propel into your future!
Love you
Christine
Source: "Don't hold back!" | Propel Women | propelwomen.org
]]>Your calling isn’t just a career path—it’s a calling from heaven!
Even though our society admires exceptional achievements and inspiring success stories—and I agree we should!—we ought to value the right things. And I think the most important aspect of our leadership journey isn’t necessarily how much we accomplish for God, but who we are becoming.
As we strive to achieve our goals, we must remember these fundamental principles:
So be a faithful steward of the gifts, talents, and callings that God has given you. But also commit yourself to building His kingdom rather than your own empire. By remaining faithful, you’ll find yourself living a passionate, purpose-driven life—a lifelong adventure empowered by God Himself!
Love you
Christine
Source: "Transformation Over Accomplishments" | Propel Women | propelwomen.org
]]>We hope you enjoy this week's blog pick from Propel Women:
Dreaming big is great, but to achieve your goals you must build a bias for action into your life. So choose a goal, create a plan, work hard, and stay the course. The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do. Those prepared to do the work achieve a whole lot more than those who sit back and wait for the magic to happen!
I want you to find success. This doesn't necessarily mean “success" according to the world’s standard—I’m talking about becoming what God wants you to become, doing what God wants you to do, and having what God wants you to have.
Adopting these core habits and attitudes will help you get there:
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” So keep moving forward, one step at a time. You’ll end up with profound favor and opportunity that you would have never had if you sat still!
Love you
Christine
Source: "Mobilized for Success" | Propel Women | propelwomen.org
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Preparation BEFORE Provision.
God makes the impossible possible. He is the author of life-changing, world-altering miracles! But God’s timeline is different from our own because He’s not driven by hunger, need, or impatience as we are. And more often than not, the best miracles take time.
We so often want everything now, even if we aren’t ready for it. But we can’t outsmart or outmaneuver God’s timing. We can’t skip the preparation that needs to take place.
Even Jesus Himself valued preparation when performing one of His most memorable miracles. Before feeding a large crowd with five loaves of bread and two fish, He instructed the disciples to organize the crowd into groups (Mark 6:39-40). He could have just as easily given them the food right where they were sitting, but He took the extra time to put order, structure, and systems in place. The miracle began only after they were all seated in groups and counted.
In other words, preparation preceded provision.
God has told us this is a time of preparation—more is happening than we know or can see! That’s why we must persist in being about the Father’s business even when we feel like nothing is happening. God wants us to develop the character, wisdom, and structure to sustain His abundance.
So don’t devalue this time of preparation. Through Him, ordinary people with ordinary lives will be given opportunities to step into the extraordinary!
Love you
Christine http://www.propelwomen.org/content/articles/gjea9c
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DREAMS
Remember how God gave Joseph the ability to interpret dreams?
I think that's so cool.
I could have used a Joseph this morning to interpret my dreams last night! They were doozies!!
First, I found myself on a huge cruise ship vacationing with my family and friends...friends who I don't think would ever vacay with us, but that's how dreams work, right? We were enjoying all the activities on board when, you guessed it! Something WEIRD happened! Our ship crashed into not one, but two fairies. Now, in typical dream fashion, the setting went from somewhere in the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic side. Poof. Just like that. Magical.
Anyway, when we crashed, nothing happened at first, but then we began to sink. It would make sense that in the panic and scramble to survive, you'd search for your loved ones and then be first in line for a life boat, right?
No.
Not in my dream.
I frantically searched for my most prized possession (in my dream).
A hot pink, stuffed octopus named Hank. Yes, Hank. From Finding Dory....who's orange. Not hot pink.
So weird.
Long story short, Mike Rowe rescued me. I was separated from most of my family and friends, but I wasn't that worried about it. Harsh. He took me to a safe place... a shark tank in Sea World. He plopped me right in it and basically said that if I make it out alive, then he'll take me home. I woke up at 1:30am with my heart racing.
I stared wondering WHY I dreamed that and then I started wondering WHAT IN THE WORLD it all meant??
I wish I could end this with some super, amazing realization of what the message was behind my cray cray dream was, but... I got nothin'.
Ever been there, friends? Searching for meaning behind all the confusion?
Meeeee too.
Just keep swimming.
]]>
Some may be quick to associate anger with sin. It makes you feel bad, therefore, it must BE bad....maybe. Maybe not. Like I said, only you know the honest details.
There are things in my life that I will probably go to my grave feeling angry about: regrets I've held onto, mistakes I've made, things I've said when I should have
Just. Kept. Quiet.
But you know what? One thing I don't want to hold onto is letting that anger inside me grow. Every time I think about it, I feed it. Every time I lose sleep over it, it towers over me the following day. Every time I make the choice to feed it instead of laying scripture over it, it's dominating me, changing me, stealing precious time away from me. Time that I could be spending feeling content, grateful, joyful, full of grace.
When I lay scripture over any trial in my life, I'm burying it. Im burying it with truth. Nothing overcomes truth.
So, what do you need to bury today? What's stealing precious time from you and weighing you down, precious one?
My suggestion: pop on your running shoes and go for a run.
Release it.
Surrender it.
It may not happen after one day, but it's a start.
So, you've just been browsing through Glory Active's shop. You practiced great self-control and finally decided on those perfect pair of leggings and that cute racer back tank to match....and maybe a couple more items that you decided you needed...for Christmas...but time got away. They're ready to go in your cart and you couldn't be more excited for them to arrive at your doorstep in a few days!
YOUR ACTIONS FOLLOW YOUR BELIEFS
What are your goals?
Are you training for a fitness competition? An iron man? Half marathon? 5K?
Are you on of those who just runs to stay healthy and maybe (gasp) you're one of the ones who finds it (gulp) therapeutic?
That's awesome. Whatever your motivation, applaud yourself for following through.
If you're anything like me, what you're wearing while you're running may also effect your time, distance and performance overall. That's because the way you feel about your self effects your confidence and your behavior follows accordingly. So, it's true. Bad hair days can sometimes mean a bad day overall. 5 unwanted pounds can make or break a person. How we look effects our emotions. It effects our identity, our self worth.
That's what we want to remedy here at Glory Active. We want you to be SO confident in your abilities that your motivated to get out of bed and hit the gym, the road, the treadmill with a smile on your face...and even more, in your heart.
Now, a pair of leggings, flown tank or comfy hoodie can't do all this alone (but it can definitely help make exercise A LOT more fun!) You've got to train yourself to see you the way God sees you...that's the goal.
So what if that scale number just won't come down? He adores you. You're worth your weight in gold to Him!
So what if you can't seem to push past that 12 minute mile pace? You're moving. That's more than a lot of people can say.
So what if you're not an iron man or iron woman?! You're strong, you're valuable.
Keep pushing on toward your goals, friend.
And add this new one: to see yourself through the eyes of God.
What you believe about yourself determines your behavior.
Your actions follow your beliefs.
Jesus loves me.
Write it on you bathroom mirror. Look at it every day. Choose to believe it every day because it's just as important to keep your heart on track as it is your body.
It all starts with the heart, friends.
Now if that doesn't make you want to strap on those running shoes, I don't know what will!!
]]>CHANGES LIKE THE WEATHER
I got up extra early to knock out a short run this morning. Set out everything I'd need: my shoes, socks, shorts, tshirt, sports bra and my iPod, newly loaded with some killer jams. I walked out side, still dark, and noticed it was raining. I thought about just going for it. I'm sweet, but I wouldn't melt. A little rain never hurt nobody, right?
I'd like to tell you, I threw caution to the wind and ran my little heart out that rainy Tuesdaymorning. I'd like to tell you that it was so calm, quiet and peaceful that I didn't even turn on my iPod, I just prayed and listened. I'd like to tell you that I knocked an entire minute off my mile time and that the rest of my work day, I was energized and productive.
I'd like to tell you those things.
I turned around and got back in bed.
Plans change. Sometimes for the better. Sometimes for worse. So whatever life throws you this week, remember that you have a choice. You can push through it. You can keep running. You can choose to see the light when everything around you is dark.
So, set out your Glory Active wear, your best running shoes and favorite sports bra. Have your pod ready, but be ready to listen to His voice, too... because unlike the weather, He never changes.
]]>WHO YOU ARE
Do you know who you are? I mean, REALLLLLY know who you are? Not just what you do, what you think, how you tick…but Who. You. Are.
A very precious mentor asked me this question about a week ago. And for that week, I pondered and truly, truly wondered. Hmm. “Who AM I?” No answer came to mind. I prayed. Those prayers turned into pleads. Three days passed and I still had nothing.
After a solid week, He finally answered me.
I’ve known Jesus for as long as I can remember. I’m very grateful for that. It’s kind of embarrassing, but it wasn’t until my adult years that I realized the huge difference of knowing Jesus and knowing who Jesus is. Does that make sense?
The story of Job is one of my favorite Bible stories. He was absolutely IN LOVE with Jesus. And the enemy knew that. During his lifetime, his family was taken from him. His home. His livelihood. His health. Everything.
The enemy came to Job after each LOSS and said,
“God doesn’t love you. Look at your hurt.”
And every time, Job told the the enemy and his lies to go away.
“He sees me. He loves me. He’ll take care of me,” Job believed.
God knows we struggle to understand His purpose, especially when we are hurting. He knows it might hurt a little, but He also knows, HE KNOWS you'll make it.
He knows this because He knows you.
He knows who who you are.
I’m His.
I’m His beloved.
I’m special.
I’m valuable.
I’m smart.
I’m beautiful.
I’m HIS FAVORITE.
I’m a giant!
I’m SO strong.
I’m precious.
I’m WORTHWHILE.
I’m worth DYING for.
I’m important.
I’m loved.
I’m a daughter of the King.
This is what Glory Active is all about!! I've told you before, starting this business took a huge risk. I still find myself out of my comfort zone, but I know I just have to listen for His voice.
So, tell us! If you could have any of these affirmations above printed on to a Glory Activewear top, what would you choose? What resonates with you most? Maybe you have one of your own that you love! Send them into us! We'd love to hear from YOU!!!
Be patient in your trial. Keep seeking to know Jesus. Not to just know who He is, but to KNOW Him. He always shows up on time.
Hear Him call your name. Let Him tell you who you are.
God is definitely stretching me, but I feel safe in His embrace (like a good pair of leggings)!
Speaking of out leggings, shop the leggings shown using the link below:
https://www.gloryactive.com/products/copy-of-pocket-capri-leggings
]]>
IF IT AIN'T BROKE...
I learned something this week.
I've just returned home from a week long mission trip, loving and ministering to people who don't know Jesus. I'm not talking about knowing ABOUT Him. I'm talking about people who have literally never heard that Name before. Ever. It was a huge shock to me.
During my time with them, I learned that these people don't NEED Jesus. They have everything: beautiful homes, plenty of money, a healthy lifestyle and a breathtaking island to call home. They are, in every sense of the word, comfortable. When approached about church, the Bible or anything Jesus, it's not that they are against it, it's that they have no need for it. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", right?
So, like every one of us, we pray for the Holy Spirit to show them their brokenness, their sin, their need. You and I know that anything without Jesus is a mess. And even though they may not see that mess, He's holding it all together. Why? Because even when we ignore Him, EVEN WHEN WE IGNORE HIM, He pursues us. Why? Because He loves us. Why? Because we're broken. All of us. It's in our broken seasons where some of the sweetest moments take place.
So, as you pray for his week, ask God to help people all around the world to see the potential of their brokenness... in their lives and in yours.
God is the only one never broken and He makes no mistakes. Shop tank inspired by this displayed in image at the top with link below:
https://www.gloryactive.com/products/natural-fitted-tank-he-makes-no-mistakes
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PSALM 23
We all know the 23rd Psalm - or at least some parts of it. It's like the Lords Prayer or John3:16 - we memorized it as a child and it's locked in there for good. Our memorization might get a little rusty as we get older... ("Did I already have my coffee this morning?...Better have another just in case.")
Anyway, I recently was studying the 23rd Psalm with a precious friend of mine. She pointed out something to me that I NEVER noticed!!
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
3 He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for His Name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely Your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Did you notice it?? It happens in verse 4 where David talks about us walking through a valley. Notice he says "through" not "to." God doesn't bring us TO a hard place only to leave us there. He doesn't say, "Okay, this week's gonna be a toughy. See ya when it's over." No!! He doesn't drop us off at the valley, He guides us THROUGH it!
That's why David changes from talking in third person speech to the second person. Go on. Scroll up and take a look at the first 4 verses.
The switch from "He" to a more intimate "You" happens in verse 4 because it's there that something deep happened between him (David) and God. This is the whole reason for a valley - for something deep to happen. For growth to happen. Trust.
It's easy to talk ABOUT God when we are in the green pastures and everything is hunky-dory-do! But are you like me and you find yourself talking TO God when you're in the dangerous ravine, the lonely place, the scary fire?
Wow. So true. Ponder that for a minute. In the light, we feel happy, secure enough to wander off in the nice green grass we find ourselves in. But in the dark?...
Beloved, hug His knee. That's all our Shepherd wants.
]]>Chariots of Fire. It's a favorite movie of mine. Ever seen it? It's a 1981 British historical drama film. It tells the inspirational story of two amazing athletes who compete in the 1924 Olympics: Harold Abrahams, an Englishman who runs to overcome prejudice and Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God.
A favorite quote from the film is when Eric Liddell says, "I believe God made me for a purpose...and when I run, I feel His pleasure."
How amazing is that?? To FEEL God's pleasure! To feel the glory being given to Him!
It got me thinking about what I do to bring God glory. What is my purpose? How do I feel His pleasure over me, my life?
Three BIG questions. And to be honest, I don't believe I have them all figured out perfectly. I'm trying though. And I believe our efforts bring Him both glory and pleasure.
Maybe you're not a runner. Maybe you're one of those people who will only be caught running if you're being chased by something...a dog, a bear, a mob of people dying to know where you got your slimming leggings and super soft tank! The important thing is that we chase after God. I have to be disciplined enough to seek Him daily, to stay in constant communication with Him and what He wants me to accomplish that day, what He wants me to do to bring Him glory.
Isn't that what life is all about? Running the race. Feeling His pleasure in those valleys and peaks, those peaceful seasons and battle seasons alike? It's all about Him.
So, before the summer's over, add "Chariots of Fire" to your watch list. It may not make an Olympian out of you, but it may ignite your passion that is hiding within you. And if you ARE a runner, who knows? Maybe it'll shave a few seconds off your mile time....especially if you're sporting some fabulous Glory Activewear!
"Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within." -Eric Liddell
]]>Any coaches out there? Have a church sports league you're in charge of this Fall? How about competitive cheerleading trip, a fundraiser, your first half-marathon coming up soon?
Some things we believe you'll love about Glory Active is, first of all, our vision, our values. Our quality can compete with the biggest of name brands out there, but our sweet spot is our uniqueness. Every one likes wearing something that is in fashion, but also something that is unique to their own inner self. Who doesn't love a tank that keeps you both comfy AND confident?? We want to do that for you!
WHY CHOOSE GLORY?
We believe what you wear, reflects who you are. That's why we're here. We know the clothes you choose to wear won't magically get you that first place trophy, a new PR or change that number on the scale. But if wearing our apparel gets you fired up about setting the alarm for a morning run before work, then we've done our job!
There are plenty of leggings out there to choose from, but we want to achieve more than just a new fabric on your body. We want to supply you with a deeper meaning, a bigger picture. Just think of the conversation starters that can happen all because of what you chose to wear one day?
We wanted activewear out there that is made and intended to glorify our Creator, not just for ourselves - to make faith-based premium activewear that competes with the biggest brands of athletic apparel, but with a higher purpose made in faith and created for His glory!!
So whether you're an intramural coach with a promising team this season or a stay at home mama who runs errands around town all week, we long to partner with you by designing our premium fitness and leisure lifestyle apparel to connect with your faith.
]]>Try this awesome workout to start transforming your body! This combination of strength, plyometric, and core training is the ultimate way to spike your metabolism. The best part is that it can be done anywhere, at any time! All you need is your body and an awesome attitude.
20 Air squats
20 plank shoulder taps
20 walk-out’s
50 bicycle crunches
20 walking lunges
20 v-sit ups
20 plank press-up’s
10 burpees
20 push-up’s (kneeling, or regular)
20 leap frog jumps
20 ice skaters
20 sit-up’s
*Repeat each round 3-5 times*
]]>Somedays I know for myself I just can't seem to think positively or I'm stuck feeling like nothing is going as planned or should I dare say nothing feels like it's going well for me, and I am all by myself in this. I don't feel like I have any energy to pull on my leggings or strap on my running shoes these days. I don't feel like I can go to the gym by myself today. And I start thinking I can't do this today, I can't keep going, or I feel so alone and discouraged with my path. When I get to feeling so down and discouraged, I just want to give up. You ever feel that way?
On days like these, there is something about being reminded that you're not alone that is so powerful. And you're not, you have a helper with you always, a helper that will give you the strength you need if you let Him. He will also lift you up and comfort you to get you moving again. He will because He is the Lord who promises to be your helper, your strength, your comfort and that you are not alone because He is always around, above, with, and inside us, if we believe God is who He says he is.
Here are the 4 truths to encourage you to get back up and that you are not in this alone:
1. Above you are God's overshadowing wings -- Psalm 91:4
2. Beneath you are God's everlasting arms -- Deuteronomy 33:27
3. All around you is the Angel of the Lord -- Psalm 34:7
4. Inside you is God's peace -- Philippians 4:7
So remind yourself of these verses and be encouraged. God's got you and He is always with you. Because the truth is, you are not alone. :)
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How fitting that we begin our start in transition between seasons. And such is life, a transition of seasons. We started Glory Active, because we saw an opportunity to add faith and a higher purpose to performance and athletic apparel. Athletic Apparel has changed the apparel market and leads the apparel market's growth. Athletic apparel has transformed and is no longer just worn by athletes but now by anyone who wants to be comfortable in what they wear - and as there are so many brands jumping in making just another pair of leggings out there to choose from, now is the time we thought to make something more, to make something much more meaningful out of activewear. We wanted activewear out there that is made and intended to glorify our Creator, not just for ourselves - to make faith-based premium activewear that competes with the biggest brands of athletic apparel, but with a higher purpose made in faith and created for His Glory. Something we find so meaningful, so we had to do it.
Here at Glory Active, we provide faith-based premium activewear to help you live actively in your day and in your faith. So if you love athletic apparel and you love God, we want to partner with you, to create product, content, and communities that sport faith and active lifestyles using premium activewear to it's fullest potential because we think activewear can be much more meaningful to you than just another nice performance shirt to workout in! We hope to serve and partner with you to help you wear what reflects who you are to your core, whether it's working out, going for a run, running an errand, or running a meeting in comfortable clothes - it's faith-based activewear for anywhere you go with the one life you're given. And wherever you go and whatever you do, we hope you do it all in Glory and all for His glory!
What You Wear Reflects Who You Are | Glory Active | gloryactive.com
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There might be a lot out there, but there isn't one that intently is designed to allow premium fitness AND leisure lifestyle apparel to CONNECT WITH your faith values.
What if there was such a faith-based premium athleisure apparel brand?
That's was what I wanted. I wished there was such a Christian athletic and athleisure apparel brand that truly focuses on women of faith that may not necessarily consider themselves athletes, but desire to have an active lifestyle. It's where those women, along with women who do consider themselves athletes can both come together and appreciate a premium line of Christian activewear. A line where the products are made with quality and integrity that competes with the big brands out there, but also has something those big brands don't have: a higher purpose made fully to glorify our Creator.
I wished with all the options out there that I could wear something proudly that makes me feel good about myself, allows me to be free and comfortable, and allows me to support my faith and share words of encouragement to myself and to others. To wear something so positive and so meaningful, means that it no longer just becomes another pair of leggings or another performance tank top, but it holds an intrinsic value of higher purpose and beauty.
Athletic apparel worn makes a statement about you, whether you realize it or not. And it's a pretty bold statement about you, your style, your values, your personality. Think about that. What you wear reflects a lot about who you are. Even Shakespeare eloquently put it in Hamlet, "the apparel oft proclaims the man".
So instead of my wishing of such brand existing, and knowing that apparel reflects so much about a person, I decided to do something about it, and make it happen.
And so, Glory Activewear was created, as it's my desire to create activewear that helps people attain not only their active lifestyle and goals but also to create a beautiful avenue to sport their faith and share the greatest glory there is!
Join the family and be actively living in Glory, for His Glory.
www.gloryactivewear.com
]]>Glory Active is made for those whose faith encourages them to do what they were made to do, and go where they were made to go. So to help them do this, we offer premium performance quality activewear uniquely hand printed with designs of inspiring faith-based messages, allowing them to choose activewear with great performance along with sharing their other most important passion, their faith.
Glory Active is my dream since I was 17 years old, now turned into a clear reality in 2017. As a competitive collegiate athlete now a businesswoman, my heart's desire was to work in a sports apparel company, with athletes and those with active lifestyles where I could lead and build relationships between them and the apparel they wear to help them reach their dreams and use that platform to share my faith. But I never knew how to explain what I wanted the job to be or what it would look like exactly. Those parts of the dream were never clear until now.
My dream of Glory Active becoming reality actually is a story of heartbreak and being an overcomer, fully trusting God to make beauty out of the ashes during my lowest time in my life. Glory Active was born out of a tough season with my faith in God and a shattering of a life I knew. For most of 2017, Its been the most painful year of my life, so many tears from terrible heartbreak, betrayal, deceit, and on top of that job loss. In the midst of my shaken career and deep heartache, I felt no security. I felt no strength. I felt heavy loss. The only thing I could do was surrender, so I surrendered to God, and became completely willing to make my next step in life to be honoring God whatever he would ask me to do. So months of prayers and waiting on God with a tender broken heart and loss of career, God began to answer and gently put the pieces of my heart back together. He started answering me by reminding me of my dream, my passion that has been with me all along, yet felt so distant because of a life I had come to settle for. But that life was not my future, as God was showing me that the rejection I felt from a deceitful man and toxic job, was actually Him protecting me and my future. God reminded me that He wants better for me. He reminded me about that same passion perculating in my heart since I was 17, and so I wrote it down the next morning:
I am passionate about my Savior Jesus Christ, athletes (also those driven to pursue active lifestyles) and sports apparel.
And that late Spring morning in 2017, immediately after writing it down, all my passions came together with an idea. I felt God called me, gave me the idea to start working on a business/ministry of Christian women's activewear and athleisure with inspired messaging, designs or verses from the Bible artistically decorated on each item to glorify Him. And as I wrote down the very first business plan, I realized my background had me well experienced in imprinted apparel & goods and traditional & e-commerce retail industries. When I could see how my eclectic experience connected to this endeavor, I had goosebumps.
And honestly it scared me to take the plunge, but here I am now launching Glory Active soon, fully excited of what's going to happen for His glory with this, amidst the odds and the stats against me. Starting my own business is a risk, and homestly takes me out of my comfort zone, but all I know is I just have to try, especially when I feel God is calling me to do this now. I never thought I'd be an entrepreneur, and that is where this is a total God thing, as He knew what I didn't know I could do. He makes this happen with my willing heart to take the leap. And He makes no mistakes.
God is definitely stretching me, kinda like a good pair of leggings, ha! And as they say, nothing great has ever been accomplished without great risk. I've been amazed at what He has done with me, and my heart can't wait to see what He does with Glory Active for all the women out there.
I have struggled and felt like giving up, but I couldn't quit when I know God is in this somehow, someway, and there is power in knowing He is the driving reason behind this. In the same way I hope Glory Active continues to help remind women, including myself when struggling, feeling like giving up, feeling not good enough, stuck thinking you can't, to let them all know they CAN when God is with you, because all things are possible through Christ who gives us strength.
So finally, after these many hard months, here we are, Glory Active is launching grand opening to all, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH!
CHECK IT OUT, www.gloryactive.com
Those who shared their email with us as of yesterday get a First Access/First Look on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2017!
Thanks,
JoAnna Weaver
Founder/CEO of Glory Active
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