Thank you for the encouragement and support, Jacqui 🙂

I have been secretly following you for a few years now off and on, and I just happened to click back on your site after saying to myself “you need to get out your kettle bells” tomorrow. Then I saw only the first paragraph of what your wrote, and I knew exactly what you were going to say, I just knew it…and I struggle the same way, and I want to share the gospel through fitness too. I’ve totally neglected my ACE studies to become a certified trainer, but I’m getting my books back out, and my bells.

I’m glad you wrote this Marianne 🙂

I have been visiting your website regularly for the last year and only now felt the need to comment.

I am not in the slightest bit religious. I don’t believe in a god, I don’t read the bible and I believe that rigid religious beliefs cause more conflicts (of various proportions) than anything I can think of.

However, that said I do believe in faith.

Every time someone buys into one of your exercise program’s it is an act of faith that it will produce a response, do no harm (if performed correctly) and be a positive experience. There are no guarantees, no testimonials than can assure everyone that it is right for every viewer, there can’t be.

The only indication there is is you. You have put yourself out there, led by example and conveyed yourself as a very genuine kind person. No mean feat on a media such as the Internet.

I am a physiotherapist working in NHS hospitals following on from a career in the fitness industry.

A year ago I began to work as a locum for a variety of reasons but primarily due to feeling inhibited from expressing myself and doing the best by my patients. Somehow stepping out of the confines of being an employee and instead being a “a contractor” has allowed me to work in a way that puts patient care, progression and quality of life (by optimising rehab improvements) first and “getting through the numbers” (I despise that term) a thing of the past.

It has also allowed me to be me a bit more and less of the “corporate image” expected of me when working as a permenant employee. This recently led to a ward manager trying to put my name forward for a care at work award prompted by the patients I was treating (it my latest position). I only found this out on my last week.

Throughout my 10 years as a physiotherapist I have continued to improve my knowledge and continue my fitness knowledge along with my other passion for martial arts. I have dreamed of making the leap from working in the hospital to training others incorporating the fitness element which I believes ties nicely to prehab or rehab. It will allow me to express myself more freely.

But like many these ambitions are mixed with doubt and the belief that staying where I am is the “safest”
option.

I say none of this to impress you but to try to impress upon you that you are making a positive contribution not only in your fitness endeavours but your struggles/doubts expressing who you are and your brave attempts to clear each doubt hurdle at a time. This in itself is an act of faith, strength ( though it may not feel it at the time), personal integrity and prioritising of your life goals, reciprocal in that they will bring you happiness and inspire others to do the same.

So, religion ain’t my bag (I am sure it is not everybody’s), but good people doing good things whilst following their own path is, and I will be back for that for sure.

Keep it up Marianne I think you re great.

Best wishes Stuart

Thanks, Heidi 🙂

Perhaps I will write a post on this!! Great topic and something I have struggles with too.

I agree completely, Keith! In all points – even the “spirituality” 🙂 The worst thing that can happen to us while exchanging different opinions in a respectful manner: we can grow.

I see your point, Squirrel, but we all choose our own philosophies, religions, political affiliations and values. Talking about these things is not, by itself, offensive. If it were we couldn’t function as a society.

It doesn’t offend me if someone has a different view on life than I do. I may disagree with their view, but I’m hardly going to be offended.

There is not one example of an atheistic society anywhere. None has ever been found among early human tribes and states. Not one. Every known culture in human history has had a religion. That’s healthy: to have religion is to recognize that humanity is not the top of the mountain.

Now if someone is pushing you to convert, that can cross the line from enthusiasm to pushiness. But that’s hardly what’s going on here. And frankly I’m not even that fussed by a little evangelism. Christian, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim: all the major religions are worthy of our respect. It takes guts to practice in a formal religion. Lots of people call themselves “spiritual”–what does the word even mean?–but usually “spirituality” seems to be nothing more than meditation, lighting scented candles, dwelling on themselves (self-obsession), and seeing Tarot readers and fortune-tellers. I’ll take organized religion over that lazy narcissism any day of the week.

I was raised Anglican but am fascinated by Jewish and Muslim theology. I also enjoy the works of Lewis, Sayers and Kreeft. And recently I was at a Hindu wedding and it was an impressive and profound experience–you realized you were watching a tradition that must be over three or four thousand years old. Fantastic.

So yeah, I’m cool with MK’s blog having a Christian side. And I think her readership will only grow because of it, since religious belief is, absurdly, an unspoken taboo in most fitness blogs. MK’s appeal is that she presents herself honestly, and her faith is part of the package. You don’t have to adopt that faith, but it’s hard to be offended by her love for it.

Keith, I think it’s not up to the faith, it’s up to the people. Religion itself might not be offensive, but a certain kind of people can be offensive. If they had other arguments they would hurt people they consider to be worthless with these, but if they do have religion, unfortunately they often use it. (Does that make sense?) Huge difference to me.