Full Armor IV: Testimony
This guest article was written and submitted by Rebecca Wong, a graduate of the Full Armor Leaders Course IV in the Fall of 2021. A fitness enthusiast and faith-seeker, she joined this community to grow in both to lead, manage and exercise with full strength. The following is her testimony of her experience.
In 2020, I participated in a virtual seminar where Sarah Loogman served as a guest speaker and coach. Her testimonial was authentic and connected with me. When she spoke of nasal breathing, I had never heard this kind of information before. It was all so intriguing and confusing at the same time! I wanted to learn more about the role of breath as it relates to functional fitness, conditioning and intentional movement. The following year I enrolled in Point One’s Full Armor Leader’s Course. I knew that I wanted to be a better leader at work and was open to additional tools that could help equip me to better serve people I interact with on a daily basis.
Now as we begin 2022, I wonder how often we forget that our Father God is with us. How many times do we hear about the importance of being in the moment and being “present” with our loved ones? Reflecting back on the year there were moments where I did not choose God’s comforting presence. God is present with us every moment of every single day, from the regular “grind” to exceptional days. Taking the Full Armor Leader’s Course was a true highlight for me in a year full of uncertainty and lack of community. Several of the lessons I’ve learned were the importance of nasal breathing, a framework to discover truth and the beauty of “exercising joy”.
Nasal breathing has been a game changer! Before taking this course, I was definitely a mouth breather. My breaths were shallow and I found myself battling with anxious thoughts most of the year. Nasal breathing has helped release my earthly worries to the cross. Some of my inhales include praise, peace, clarity, joy and patience. When I exhale, I release feelings of anxiety, anger, confusion, grief, sadness and hurry. There is a divine power in the breath of God or “ruach” in Hebrew. In Genesis 1:7 it says, “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living creature.” Ruach reminds me that God created each one of us in his image and that we each have a divine purpose to fulfill.
I also learned a key framework to discover truth, which is revealed by our creator and through the Holy Spirit. The framework is a cycle that starts with awareness, observation, attention and intention, then leads into direction, purpose, and truth. At first this seemed complicated, but when I gave this process a chance I learned many things about my body, habits and how God can walk step by step with me to live out his eternal truth. Practically speaking, I have been able to continue several of the practices I’ve learned from the course which includes the diaphragm opener and cold showers. The diaphragm opener has improved my sleep and allowed the release of muscle tension in various parts of my body including my hip. These openers were painful at first since my body was very tense, but now it’s no longer painful! Cold showers have been another game changer. I’ve noticed my recovery from workouts is quicker and I’ve noticed less “injuries.”
I’m really grateful for this course because it has allowed me to intentionally “exercise joy”. As someone who is a high performer and takes pride in my fitness and other areas of my life, I strive to do well and exceed expectations. There is nothing wrong with wanting to do well, but I let performance and the spirit of “striving” consume my life. It’s been a humbling experience to take inventory of my priorities and ask God to help me be content. Each time I work out, I am reminded to exercise the JOY that comes from within my soul.
