The Best & Worst Hour of Your Day...

I ALWAYS HATED GOING TO THE GYM. I WAS NEVER MOTIVATED ENOUGH TO MAKE IT A ROUTINE. SO I TRIED TAKING A COUPLE FITNESS CLASSES INSTEAD AND I NEVER SEEMED TO BE ABLE TO STICK TO THEM UNTIL OBX! 

MY GOOD FRIEND, CHRISTINE, LEADS THIS WORKOUT CLASS THAT SHE USED TO CALL "BOOTCAMP" AND HELD IT AT FORTIN PARK IN ONEONTA DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. MY SISTER, AMY, ALWAYS TRIED TO GET ME TO GO AND FINALLY LAST YEAR I DECIDED I NEEDED TO COMMIT TO GOING, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I COULD HAVE DONE! NOT ONLY ARE THE WORKOUTS INCREDIBLE, BUT CHRISTINE IS JUST SUCH A GREAT CLASS INSTRUCTOR! SHE IS ENCOURAGING BUT ALSO FIRM WHEN SHE NEEDS TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE DOING YOUR PUSH-UPS PROPERLY. I GET YELLED AT ALL THE TIME! HAHA. IN ADDITION, THE OTHER BOOTCAMPERS ARE SO ENCOURAGING AND MOTIVATING! 

SO THE COOL THING IS THAT EVERY YEAR CHRISTINE HAS REALLY ONLY BEEN ABLE TO HOLD HER CLASS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS BECAUSE FINDING AN INDOOR SPACE IS EXPENSIVE, AND THE PARK IS FREE. BUT, THIS PAST WINTER, CHRISTINE GOT HER PERSONAL TRAINING LICENSE AND FOUND A BUILDING SO SHE COULD CONTINUE HER CLASS OVER THE WINTER MONTHS! 

AS SHE STARTED TO GROW EVEN MORE AND HAD HER OWN INDOOR SPACE, SHE WANTED TO BECOME MORE PROFESSIONAL WITH A REAL NAME, LOGO, AND BRANDING. SO, SHE ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP HER WITH ALL OF THIS AND OF COURSE I WAS SO HONORED AND EXCITED TO DO IT! SO WE BRAINSTORMED AND CAME UP WITH THE NEW TITLE FOR HER CLASS, ONEONTA BOOTCAMP XTREME FITNESS. WE DECIDED SHE NEEDED TO KEEP "BOOTCAMP" IN THE NAME BECAUSE IT HAS ALREADY BEEN BRANDED THAT WAY AND IT ALREADY PERFECTLY EXPLAINS THE TYPE OF CLASS IT IS. HAHA. 

ABOVE IS THE LOGO I CREATED AND BELOW IS THE COVER PHOTO FOR THE FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE. I WILL ALSO BE WORKING ON T-SHIRTS, BUSINESS CARDS, AND FLIERS. THE LOGO WAS FUN BECAUSE I TRIED MAKING IT LOOK LIKE THE "X" WAS A PERSON LIFTING WEIGHTS AND THE WEIGHTS ARE THE "O" AND THE "B". HAHA, MAYBE THAT IS KIND OF CORNY BUT IT WAS FUN DESIGNING AND VISUALIZING!

FOR THOSE OF YOU WONDERING, IT REALLY IS "THE BEST AND WORST HOUR OF YOUR DAY"- PHRASE COINED BY JESSICA SOBERS =) OBX IS AN HOUR-LONG WORKOUT CLASS THAT COMBINES HEART-PUMPING CARDIO, INTENSE PLYOMETRICS, AND TARGETED STRENGTH TRAINING TO GIVE YOU A TOTAL BODY EXPERIENCE. IT IS TOUGH, BUT SO MUCH FUN! BUT EVEN THOUGH IT IS TOUGH, CHRISTINE NEVER WORKS YOU MORE THAN WHAT YOU CAN HANDLE. THERE ARE WAYS TO MODIFY EACH EXERCISE AND SHE IS GREAT WORKING WITH YOU AT YOUR OWN FITNESS LEVEL! SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE HEAD ON OVER TO THE NEW FACEBOOK PAGE AND BE SURE TO LIKE IT! YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE TIMES, PRICE, AND MESSAGE CHRISTINE IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! HER CLASSES ARE SO REASONABLY PRICED TOO! ALL YOU NEED TO BRING TO CLASS IS A PAIR OF WORKOUT CLOTHES, A PAIR OF SNEAKERS AND WATER! (SEE PICTURE BELOW- THAT IS MY FAVORITE SHIRT TO WEAR TO BOOTCAMP BECAUSE WE DO A LOT OF SQUATS! HAHA)

God loves a cheerful giver.

I am so excited for my long time friend Stephen Novellano for starting his very own business at the ripe age of 26! He hopes to have the

grand opening by the beginning of April- less than a month away!

I was given the privilege to make his logo/sign for the business and it was such a fun experience creating it with the help of his lovely sister, Abby. Below are the pictures of the logo and the sign. Things are coming together and I can't wait to see the end results! 

When I think about my friend Stephen and his wife, Dusti I'm reminded about the scripture passage of a very simple and true Biblical principal and often used phrase..

You reap what you sow  

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.

Stephen and his wife, Dusti have been such good friends to Ryan and me. They have had us over several times making us delicious meals and not letting us bring a single thing! Not only that, they also support Ryan in his campus minisitry and even give extra when we hold fundraisers for conferences, etc. They have purposed in their hearts to give their finances over to God and let Him be in control and they know when they give to others that God will give to them in return. I am not surprised in the least when I think how they have their own business at such a young age. God is blessing them because they bless others. What a wonderful example of being Christ-like. I pray that this business reaps bountifully and brings forth an abundance of success and more importantly gives God the glory and is a testimony of how God's Word is true.

Let's purpose in our hearts to be more cheerful in our giving!