the 4am club
discipline is the highest form of self love
joining the 4am club is more than just getting up earlier. it is a complete lifestyle change and a complete shift in your paradigm. it is a commitment that requires sacrifices. getting up at 4am is just the start, everything else will inadvertantly shift to align with this. do not commit unless you are ready.
click here for more details, but if you are ready, then make the decision and email us at info@4evaluvd.com. welcome to the 4am club.
- your morning starts the night before. prepare everything for the morning the night before.
- sleep early + have a set bedtime
- calm your mind and your soul before you go to sleep. put your phone away. meditate. pray. sleep.
- try get minimum 6 hours of sleep (if you click on my check-ins you’ll note that most nights i’m only getting 5.5 – 6hrs. this still seems to be enough for me but ideally i would love to get 7hrs, but with my current work schedule, extra-curricular commitments, and training i’m not in a position to do so. i highly recommend you still aim for 7 – 8hrs if you are in a position to do so).
- don’t negotiate with yourself. you don’t need that extra 5 minutes. the first time your alarm goes off, you’re up.
- have a set morning routine
- don’t overthink it, just come up with something. you’ll end up tweaking it as you go anyways. the first few weeks will be a testing period till you find what works for you.
- do something for your mind, your body, and your soul. i start with the soul (visualise → bible study → pray), then move onto the mind (write → brain training on nintendo switch → read), and finally the body (mobility/flexibility → calisthenics OR muay thai). Do what works for you.
- eat clean
- stay sober
- still live your life. but you will need to find a balance. you will need to make sacrifices. with time you’ll come to enjoy this new lifestyle more.
- workout regularly
- some form of resistence training
- some form of cardio (could just be playing a sport you enjoy)
- mobility work + flexibility
- bulletproofing
- find an accountability buddy (atleast for the first few weeks till it’s a habit)
- i have a fitbit charge 4 that i got as a present a few years back which i literally just use for the alarm (wakes you up within 30 minutes of your alarm when you are in light sleep so you aren’t so groggy when you wake up) and sleep tracking. worked wonders for me (especially when i started), might be a worthwhile investment for you.
- put your alarm on the other side of the room so you have to get up when it goes off.
- brain dumps before bed – sometimes i’ll have alot on my mind. i keep a notebook in my bedside table and just write whatever is on my mind as it comes to me until nothing else comes out.
- static stretching & massage gun before bed (i use the therabody theragun mini 2.0 – the app is so good and the massage gun itself is the perfect size for travel)
- taking magnesium before bed. helps with muscle recovery and sleep. i personally use pillar performance triple magnesium. i’ve noted my actual sleep quality has improved heaps but not much difference in my recovery (but then again i’m only getting 5.5 – 6hrs of sleep a night).
- tell yourself that you are -, start to see yourself as you are -, and carry yourself as if you are a disciplined individual (even if you currently aren’t). if you tell a lie often enough you’ll start to accept it, after which you will start to believe it, and finally act on it.
- discipline > motivation. don’t rely on motivation. somedays you will be motivated, other days you won’t. you must be disciplined, you must do what you need to do even when you don’t feel like doing it.
stick with it. you may not get it on the first try. understand that you have to pass the persistence test.
if you fail, that’s okay. don’t beat yourself. give yourself grace. discipline is the highest form of self-love, and you can’t hate yourself into loving yourself. still get up – the day isn’t done. do what you can that day. reset. try again, and again, and again until you get it. you are not defeated until you accept defeat. once you get it, keep at it until it just becomes part of who you are.
4:44am challenge rd.1
28/06/24 – 10/08/24 | notes:
- 43/44 = 97.7%
- sleep time
- was getting around 5.5h – 6h of sleep per night. would’ve ideally liked to get 7h – 8h per night but was not possible with schedule.
- 6h seemed to be enough but towards the end of the 44 days was consistently getting up tired and sore
- nutrition
- was eating healthy and nutritious meals. think this allowed me to get away with 5.5h – 6h.
- noticed an increase in my quality of sleep and recovery once i started taking magnesium.
- training
- was able to fit in a lot more as a result of getting up earlier
- felt as if my body was beginning to lag towards the last 2-3 weeks but i also was balancing a lot of other things during this time too.
- training schedule:
- 4-5x muay thai per week
- 2-3x strength training per week (bodyweight, kettlebells, weighted vest)
- 1x hike per week
- daily mobility
- 2x recovery sessions per week
- productivity was alot higher in the mornings, especially as i was getting work done and workouts in a few hours before breakfast. i also think not eating before doing work gives alot more mental clarity. planning to look into intermittent and prolonged fasting.
- towards the end my body was naturally waking up right before the 4:15am alarm.
- will continue to wake up at 4:15am till i go to thailand next month. may or may not continue with 4am wake ups while i’m there till i get back. will definitely go back to 4am wake ups when i get back.
week 7: 05/08/24 – 11/08/24
notes: n/a
wake up time – 4:20am
bed time – 9:58pm
time – 6h 20m
notes – adductor strain is starting to play up again. was thinking about it alot last night. am a bit worried about it in lead up to training muay thai in thailand. was my first thought again when i woke up and put me in a bit of a low mood.
click here for check-in
wake up time – approx. 3:45am
bed time – approx. 10:30pm
time – approx. 5h 15m
notes – came home from a dinner and forgot to set up fitbit before going to bed.
week 6: 29/07/24 – 04/08/24
notes: n/a
- mon 29/07/24
- tue 30/07/24
- wed 31/07/24
- thu 01/08/24
- fri 02/08/24
- sat 03/08/24
- sun 04/07/24
- weekly review/notes
wake up time – 4:14am
bed time – 10:04pm
time – 5h 50m
notes – n/a
[ Seasons of growth and waiting are necessary. Though they can be isolating and frustrating, more often than not they act as the catalyst to mould us and prepare us for God’s plans for us.
Use these seasons as an opportunity to grow in all 3 dimensions of your worldly being: the spiritual, the mental, and the physical. Typically if you make spiritual growth your priority the other 2 will naturally follow suit.
However, it should be noted that these seasons of growth and isolation can also act as an invitation for the enemy to attack you while you remain in isolation. They may plant seeds of doubt in your mind, and once these seeds blossom and we indulge in their fruit we begin to believe the lie that we have nothing worthwhile to offer to this world and the rest of God’s children.
These doubts place us in a state of paralysis which leads to either stagnation or regression, and keeps us from fulfilling our intended purpose.
Do not allow these seeds to germinate. Nip them in the bud.
During these moments we need to take a step back and see ourselves through the lens of God’s vision. Why could you ever doubt yourself when the boundless, all-powerful, all-knowing God of all creation believes in you?
We all have God-given talents and skills which must be realised, accepted, moulded, and then put into action in order for us to fulfill our purpose. But so many of us carry ourselves through life believing that we are not divinely gifted.
The problem is that you are yet to realise your blessings! Realising, as mentioned, is the first step to get the snowball rolling, but it is also oftentimes the hardest step that most never seems to overcome.
But not you. If you are yet to realise your God-given blessings, just ask him (and listen to him). With time and patience he will reveal it to you.
You may need to jump through a few hoops first to find your hoop, but when you finally do you’ll realise that going through those inital hoops were necessary in order for you to come to yours.
Now go bless the world with your blessings.
Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ]
wake up time – 4:14am
bed time – 10:00pm
time – 6h 14m
notes – n/a
[ To live out our God-given purpose is to surrender to him. This idea of ‘surrendering to God’ is often misunderstood and can come into direct conflict with our egos.
When we think of ‘surrendering’, we typically think of it in the context of conflict or battle. It implies laying down your arms in defeat and giving up our rights to an opposition.
While we are still referring to the same type of ‘surrender’ when in the context of surrendering to God, the difference between surrendering to God versus surrendering to an opponent is that God has our best interests in mind.
(Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) – “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”)
THE BATTLEGROUND WE ARE BORN INTO
This world is a battleground of which the enemy rules. It is a world of sin, and being of such it is enivtable that we will get tangled in its temptations. In becoming tangled in the world’s webs, we are inadvertantly on the world’s side.
We create our own plans based on our own desires which were influenced by the world.
It is only once God has revealed himself to us and we reach an age where we can make our own moral choices that we must make the decision whether to continue to follow our own plans or to seek God and his plans for us.
To surrender to God is to set aside (i.e., surrender) our own plans and eagerly seek him, knowing that whatever he has planned for us is invariably better for our soul and our story than whatever we have planned for ourselves.
(Proverbs 14:12 (NIV) – There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.)
WALKING THE PATH
It is important to note that surrendering to God does not mean sitting back and doing nothing, it means continually seek him as we move along our path.
God will make sure the path he sets for us is for our greatest good. But in order for him to direct our steps we have to keep taking them as he reveals them to us, even if they don’t make sense from our limited perspective.
These moments create conflict between our heart and our soul. We naturally want to follow what we believe to be logic and reason, but God tells us otherwise.
It is during these moments that we must step out in faith, trusting in God and that whatever destination he has planned for us is for our greatest good (even if it means you will experience a little turbulence during your flight).
(Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.) ]
wake up time – 4:15am
bed time – 10:13pm
time – 6h 2m
notes – n/a
[ The advent of the digital age has led to our attention becoming the most highly sought out commodity. With an immeasurable amount of resources being funneled into capturing and holding onto our attention, how do we stay connected and aligned with God despite all the seemingly unavoidable chaos, distraction, and noise?
It is so easy to become so caught up with the world that we don’t realise till it’s too late that we haven’t been making God our priority.
We’ve let the physical world consume us, forgetting that spirituality is the only reality, and that physicality is merely a creative expression of it.
You shouldn’t beat yourself up about it, the system is literally laid out to capture as much of your time and attention as possible.
But this doesn’t mean you should stay complacent. If anything, this is your wake up call to make a change.
But how do we actually do that in a world that demands optimisation and results where time seems to become an increasingly limited resource?
We schedule time for him.
This is different to the regular, daily time we set aside to pray, talk to him, or read his word. Think of it more as a weekly catch up with a friend with no specific goal in mind other than to just enjoy each other’s company and reconnect.
It is set amount of time every week (or so) to simply sit in and feel his presence. If that leads to connecting with and conversing with him, so be it. But the main priority should be to just experience his presence and maintain (and hopefully build upon) your relationship with him.
Think of it in the context of working out; it is so much easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape. Similarly, it is much easier to maintain your relationship and connection to God once you’ve built it, than it is to constantly be trying to rebuild it every time you let that relationship and connection fade.
In doing so, when the inevitable tribulations of our walk come into fruition, we will already be positioned in his presence to help guide us through the crashing waves.
Spirituality is the only reality, physicality is merely a creative expression of it. When we are positioned in alignment with the most high, our physical environment must reflect our inner environment (even if it takes physicality a little while to catch up to your spiritual state of vibration).
So, don’t let this physical illusion consume your spiritual reality. Make time for God, and make him a priority.
(John 15:5 – I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.) ]
wake up time – approx. 4:15am
bed time – approx. 10:00pm
time – approx 6h 15m
notes – fell asleep before setting up fitbit. still got up on time.
wake up time – 4:15am
bed time – 10:04pm
time – 6h 11m
notes – n/a
[ https://medium.com/@stay.blessed/how-to-hear-gods-voice-17159a2e0fd2 ]
wake up time – 3:44am
bed time – 10:20pm
time – 5h 24m
notes – woke up with energy earlier and decided to just stay up anyways because i have a busy day and a bunch of stuff to get done.
week 5: 22/07/24 – 28/07/24
notes: n/a
- mon 22/07/24
- tue 23/07/24
- wed 24/07/24
- thu 25/07/24
- fri 26/07/24
- sat 27/07/24
- sun 28/07/24
- weekly review/notes
wake up time – 4:15am
bed time – 10:24pm
time – 5h 51m
notes – n/a
[ why is it that even when we know that God promises abundance we still choose to live in a mindset of lack?
a lack of trust. a lack of trust in God.
this lack of trust leads us to attempt to take matters into our own hands, and so we justify our hoarding and our attempts to put ourselves and our needs before everyone else and theirs.
when we adopt and become accustomed to a mindset of lack, the devil places a blindfold over our eyes through which we cannot truly live generously or sacrificially as God intended us to.
we, as a collective, attempt to secure our lives in ways that seem to make sense from our limited perspectives, but in doing so we inadvertantly end up only bringing harm to ourselves, one another and all of creation.
what we fail to recognise is that this security we so desperately try to create and cling onto is a false sense of security. there is very little, if anything, that we have true control over. the only real security lies in our faith in God.
proverbs 3:5 – trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
when we believe there is enough, we begin to see opportunities for generosity everywhere. and as we step into these opportunities and plant seeds where they are needed, God grants us more seeds to plant.
if you were God, would you give seeds to those who plant them, or to those who put them all away for ‘safe’ keeping?
2 corinthians 9:8 – and God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
so how do we change our mindset from one of lack to that of abundance? actively seek God and with time, persistence, and faith the path will be revealed to you.
matthew 6:33 – but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. ]
wake up time – 4:14am
bed time – 10:13pm
time – 6h 1m
notes – woke up feeling super tired but was fine after sculling some water and having my morning tea
[ the city of Babylon is a symbol that describes human institutions that demand allegiance to its idolatrous redefinitions of good and evil. the society that we live in today, whether we are aware of it or not, is ‘Babylon’.
the very nature of ‘Babylon’s’ existence implies that good and evil are subjective concepts which can be defined and redefined as needed. however, when you walk with God you come to find out that these concepts are objective and the only one who can define them for us is God.
and so we have a choice: do we subscribe to Babylon’s subjective definitions of good and evil, or do we subscribe to God’s objective definitions of good and evil?
as much as we would like to think that we subscribe to God’s definitions, actually abiding by these objective concepts is a lot easier said than done when we take into account the fact that we are forced to live in Babylon.
we are presented with 2 obvious options:
- resist Babylon by revolting and/or withdrawing
- give in by adopting the Babylonian way of life and accepting Babylon’s gods
even though it does not seem practical or realistic, when presented with these 2 options it would seem that option 1 would be the way of God.
however, the bible argues that there is a third option which combines the two presented options: serve Babylon and seek its wellbeing, but your loyalty always lies with God.
the tension we feel when we are told to ‘seek the kingdom first’ is due to the fact that the kingdom is not fully here yet, for that would require our collective conscious to seek the kingdom as a whole.
so, how do we do so in a world where so many of our peers are consumed by ‘Babylon’ and its false definitions of good and evil?
we seek the kingdom within us and allow it to manifest outwardly.
there is no denying danger and hostility are a part of Babylon. and when these factors exist, fear can compel us more than love. and so, we confirm to average patterns of life that value ‘security’ (e.g., possession, income, protection, etc.) above all alse.
the hostile dangerous and hostile nature of Babylon allows us to justify what we have and how we act, leading us to compete with our neighbours for ‘security’.
however, we fail to recognise that this ‘security’ is a lie sold to us by Babylon. in reality, there is very little, if anything, that we (and Babylon) truly have control over. the only real security lies with our faith and trust in God.
to seek the kingdom is to prioritise love over fear, regardless of the Babylonian consequences. it is to receive freedom from fearful self-preservation by giving selflessly.
living according to God’s promise of the reality of his kingdom sets us free from Babylon to love our neighbours (and our enemies) generously. the kingdom on earth begins in heavin; it begins within.
as within, so without.
1 john 3:11-24 ]
wake up time – 4:15am
bed time – 10:14pm
time – 6h 1m
notes – n/a
[ the bible defines righteousness as an ethical standard that refers to right relationships between people. to be righteous is to treat people as we all are; an image of God.
in being an image of God, we act as his representatives in the phyiscal realm and so were given dominion over this world to rule according to his definition of good and evil.
however, we have a tendency to redefine good and evil according to our individual needs and wants at the expense of others in the name of fearful self-preservation.
from when we first enter the physical realm, society ingrains in us the idea that there is not enough to go around. it ingrains in us the idea that we must fend for ourselves and ours at the expense of them and theirs.
some of us actively and knowingly perpetrate injustive, whereas others are the recipients of priveleges from unjust social structures that we take for granted. either way (whether it is actively and knowingly or passively and unintentially), we are all guilty.
the world tells us that it is only once we have ‘safety’ and ‘satisfaction’ that we can serve others. however, there are two problems with this notion.
firstly, the only really safety and satisfaction lies with God. in reality, we truly control very little, if anything, in our lives.
secondly, you can only serve one master. as much as we would like to think we would, we cannot serve the world and ourselves to acquire this false and fleeting ‘safety’ and ‘satisfaction’, and then change our moral grounds to serve God and others. to walk with the world is to become a part of it, to walk with God is to become a part of him. we must pick which master we serve and become a part of.
matthew 6:24
contrarily, God tells us that true safety and satisfaction come only when we love God and others as we love ourselves. and this begins when we commit to actively seek God.
luke 12:29-31
so, seek God and everything else will follow. ]
wake up time – approx. 4:15am
bed time – approx. 10:10pm
time – approx 6h 5m
notes – fitbit didn’t track sleep for some reason. still got up on time though.
[ love thy neighbour
mark 12:30-31 (niv) – love the lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. the second is this: love your neighbour as yourself. there is no commandment greater than this.
i’m sure we have all been told the importance of loving God. However in this verse, while Jesus tells us to love God, he surprisingly tells us that it is an even greater commandment that we must love our fellow humans as ourselves.
God resides in all of us, you and me included. loving a perfect God is a lot easier than loving a flawed human, and we are all flawed. when we begin to see God in others we realise that when we interact with them we are in fact interacting with (a part of) God.
if we choose to treat someone through the lense of love, we are inadvertantly treating God through the lense of love. contrarily, if we choose to treat someone through the lense of hatel we are inadvertantly treating God through the lense of hate.
the concept of love is very broad term and can be used in a variety of contexts in every language. but, what does it mean to ‘love’ in the context of the verse above (mark 12:30-31)?
the vibration of love
the love being referred to here is an action. it is the choice that we make to seek the wellbeing of people other than ourselves.
it is the love that is given without the expectation of any sort of compensation in return, particularly the love that is given to those in difficult situations who cannot repay you even if they wanted you to.
what you need to recognise though is that love, like everything, is a vibrational energy. in fact, it is the highest vibrational energy. when we operate through the frequency of love, we allow God to express through us. when we allow the vibration of love to flow through us to those in need, though we may not receive that energy back from them, it has to flow through them to someone or something.
love ye your enemies
luke 6:35 (niv) – but love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the most high, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
loving God is easy, loving your neighbours can be easy, but loving your enemies is hard.
like you, your enemies are God’s children as well (even if they don’t recognise or acknowledge it). and just like God resides within your neighbours, he also resides within your enemies.
fighting fire with fire only breeds more fire. we cannot expect to find peace when we meet hate with more hate.
we have to at the very least attempt to give love to those we hate. this is obviously a lot easier said than done, especially when they may have inflicted pain and suffering onto us. and so, if it is difficult to give them love, think of it as you are choosing to give God and yourself love. for God resides in you, and in them.
you cannot ever find peace as long as you let the devil keep the fire of hate alive within you, even if it is at a simmer. if the love you attempt to give has no effect, forgive them and collect your peace, pray over them, hand the assignment over to God, and be on your way.
the purpose of human existence
the purpose of our collective existence in this dispersed physical state is to create an ecosystem of others-focused, self-giving love. the only way to do this is to receive God’s overflowing love and allow that energy to flow through you to others.
to seek the kingdom first is to start living right now as if we are already in the kingdome. this means to live as if you are already living in this eco-system of love even if this physical realm does not yet reflect this reality.
if we all continue to live through the lens of the physical now, we will never receive the spiritual promise. the power of love is infinite and will always drown the power of hate as long as it allowed to flow.
but we are the only ones who can allow the energy of love to flow.
so let it flow.
1 corinthians 13:1-13 ]
wake up time – 4:15am
bed time – 10:16pm
time – 5h 59m
notes – n/a
[ It is when we are not purpose-driven that we choose to pursue worldly pleasures to fulfil the void that resides within our soul. And yet, no matter how much of the physical realm’s pleasures we indulge in, it seems like we are only throwing the consequential emotions down an endless pit.
We all come into this world with a God-shaped hole in our spirit. It is only when we actively choose to pursue God that this void begins to fill up.
We were all meticulously designed with a unique combination of gifts in order to fulfill a specific purpose here on earth to allow the love of God to flow through.
Some of us are blessed to figure out what our gifts are early on, but for many of us it takes years or even decades (and some never find out at all). Rather than go through the strenuous, non-forgiving, and time-consuming process of trial and error, we can allow God to show us and shape these gifts for us.
When we choose to actively seek God, love him, and live for him, you will find yourself naturally nudged to your purpose. You may even find that God had been nudging you in the right direction and shaping you before you ever found him and made the decision to love him and live for him.
There is no writer greater than God, and your story has been written greater than you can even begin to comprehend. Your path has been laid out for you, it’s up to you to step out in faith and walk it.
Whatever dreams and desires we carried as children, before the world dismissed them as impractical, did not arise through mere coincidence. These seeds were carefully planted and carefully cultivated to set you on your path, even if it meant you had to take a slight detour to do a bit of growing till you were ready to step back onto the path.
Psalms 37:4 – Take delight in the Lod, and he will give you your heart’s desires. ]
wake up time – 4:15am
bed time – 10:29pm
time – 5h 46m
notes – n/a
[ مكتوب (maktub) – it is written.
Life starts to make a lot more sense when we begin to look at it backwards.
God is an artist; he is the artist. And he has written an interweaving, intertwivining poem of the universe more beautiful than we can even begin to fathom through our limited phyiscal perspectives.
The problem arises through our natural human tendency to focus on the micro rather than the macro.
We are typically focused on a single leaf.
But every so often we look up to realise that there is a whole tree.
Yet we fail to realise there’s a whole forest within which this tree resides.
When we take a step back and try to comprehend the sheer magnitude and complexity of this poem, we it is natural to feel insignificant.
But in doing so what we overlook is that every single stroke of the pen used to write this poem was carefully and scrupulously planned by God. This is not just any other poem; this is THE poem.
This is the poem of existence; of all existence. You were written with a purpose. Without you this poem would not exist. None of this would exist.
You are not a mistake or a mere coincidence of nature. You and your story are a gift to this gift of existence. Your being was meticulously forged to fit into this intertwining web of love, without which the web would break.
It is when you are not aligned with God and your God-given purpose that we begin to focus on singular events or seasons of our lives.
In doing so we miss out on being a part of the poem.
But more, importantly, the poem misses out on you. And there is no poem without you.
Step into your calling. God has gifted and moulded all of us with a specific combination of skills and talents to fulfil our role in this poem.
Ask God with sincerity and humility to show you the way, and he will.
Romans 8:28 (NIV) – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ]
wake up time – 4:13am
bed time – 10:22pm
time – 5h 51m
notes – n/a
[ We have very little, if any control, over the hurdles in our race. However, we do have control over how we perceive and react to these hurdles.
We can choose to either perceive these ‘trials’ through a lense of faith and opportunity, or through a lense of doubt and setbacks.
Either way, however we perceive it always turns out to be true in the long run. How you see the world around you is what it will inevitably become.
To delve deeply into why is a topic of depth within itself but to summarise it very briefly; we act on (or don’t act on) whatever we perceive to be true.
If we let doubt enter and consume our mind, this leads us to feeling anxiety and expect unfavourable outcomes in the future, which leads to inaction or destructive behaviours which make us stay stagnent or regress.
Contrarily, if we let faith enter and consume our mind, this leads us to feel anticipation and expect favourable outcomes in the future, which leads us taking the action towards these favourable outcomes which allows us to grow and move forward.
So understand that everything is happening for you, not to you.
Pain is inevitable in this life. It cannot be avoided. It is a part of the poem. Some of us suffer unspeakable tragedy and inexcusable abuse at the hands of nature and our fellow human beings.
It is a lot easier said than done, but acceptance and/or forgiveness is necessary. Not for the circumstances or for the people who hurt you, but for yourself; for your healing.
As long as you hold onto the pain and let it weigh you down you allow the circumstances and perpetrators to hold power over you. It is only once you forgive them that you can take back that power that was stolen from you and begin to claim the blessings that are rightfully yours and have been waiting patiently for you.
Once again, this is a lot easier said than done. But if you are reading this then your circumstances have not won yet. You are still breathing, and as long as you are breathing you are still in the fight.
Even if you do get knocked down a couple of times, take your time to recollect your breath. And as soon as you’ve got it back get back up and keep fighting.
Nothing has happened in your life that has kept you down. God won’t give you any trials or tribulations that you cannot overcome and overpower.
As much as it hurts, pain is necessary. But even if it wasn’t, it isn’t something we can avoid anyways. So why choose to stay down?
If we didn’t feel pain so deeply we could never experience it’s counterparts as deeply.
If we never experienced grief, we have never truly loved.
If we never experience pain, we have never truly felt joy.
They are all two sides of the same coin. Whatever side of the coin we choose to focus on is the one that it will land on more often.
But even when your coin lands on the side of pain and heartbreak, as hard as it is, choose to see these trials through a lense of faith, hope, and opportunity.
Our pain gives us the opportunity to have a positive impact on others and the world. It can be the catalyst that leads you to and allows you to step into your purpose, as long as you allow it to.
Genesis 50:20 (NIV) – You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
If you are currently experiencing a season of trials and tribulations it can hard to see a way out. It can be hard to carry faith and hope, and to see opportunities. While you’re in the midst of the battle you don’t need to know how God will use your pain, you just need to know that he will when the time is right. Lean on your loved ones. But more importantly, lean on him and surrender to him. Allow him to carry you through the battlefield.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 – Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. ]
- consistently sleeping later than anticipated. still seems to be enough sleep but think it is hindering my recovery as some days i’m just feeling super sore.
week 4: 15/07/24 – 21/07/24
notes: n/a
- mon 15/07/24
- tue 16/07/24
- wed 17/07/24
- thu 18/07/24
- fri 19/07/24
- sat 20/07/24
- sun 21/07/24
- weekly review/notes
wake up time – 4:14am
bed time – 10:10pm
time – 6h 4m
notes – n/a
[ don’t limit your dreams to time, resources, or environment. dream beyond where you are. dream beyond what the world presents to you, for the world is an illusion. spirituality is the only reality, the world is merely an expression of it. God has no limits. all things are possible to those who have faith. nothing is possible for those who have doubt, for doubt is the enemy’s most effective weapon. it is the thief of all dreams. it is the murderer of all potential. until your dreams are recognised you are in a spiritual battle, and this battle can only be won via the word and prayer. | proverbs 18:21 – the tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences ]
wake up time – 4:14am
bed time – 9:59pm
time – 6h 15m
notes – n/a
[ choose to seek joy over happiness. happiness is fleeting, it is dependent on our external circumstances. joy is found through our faith in and our relationship with God. it is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of our lives. it is the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to work out. it is the choice to praise God in every situation regardless of how the situation may seem to us in that moment. it is the satisfaction that comes from selflessly helping others, for when we do so we are also helping ourselves and God. when we choose to walk with God and in the ways of God, joy is a guaranteed by-product. | romans 15:13 – i pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the holy spirit. ]
wake up time – 4:16am
bed time – 10:12pm
time – 6h 4m
notes – n/a
[ in order to bring blessings into our lives we must appreciate the blessings we already have. you attract what you appreciate and more of what you already have.
begin to recondition your mind to attract blessings by making it a daily habit to notice (and list down) anything and everything that you have to be grateful for, regardless of how small or insignificant it may seem (e.g., a knuckle to help wrap a finger around your coffee cup, access to running hot water during winter, the convenience of having a supermarket to buy groceries from so close to home, etc.).
when you begin to condition your mind to view the world through a lens of gratitude, the world itself will change what it presents to you.
1 thessalonians 5:18 – be thankful in all circustances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. ]
wake up time – 4:15am
bed time – 10:10pm
time – 6h 5m
notes – n/a
[ we are creatures of habit. though we may not realise it, the majority of our thoughts are habitual. our thoughts shape what we believe. our beliefs shape how we act. and how we act shapes the reality we experience. hence, if you want to change your experience, you must make a conscious effort over an extended period of time to catch ill-serving habitual thoughts and replace them with god-serving thoughts.
one way to do so is through gratitude. gratitude is a weapon against the enemy. the enemy wants us to give in and give up. he wants you to sink into hopelessness, depression, and despair. but if we keep acknowledging all the blessings in our lives (regardless of how small they may be), and we keep looking towards and seeking God, then our faith can never be consumed by doubt.
the bible tells us to give thanks in all things for this is the will of God for us. note that it says ‘in all things’, not ‘for all things’. when you give thanks ‘in all things’, you are being challenged to be thankful in any circumstance, regardless of how it may seem to our worldly eyes. when you choose to give thanks ‘in all things’, you are choosing to release the reins of your control (or what you think of as ‘control’) and surrender it to God (who actually has control).
for example, the difficulties we face may be put in place to shape us to be more like him. as a result, even in difficult seasons we can be filled with gratitude, knowing that there is a purpose even if we don’t understand it in the moment.
personal anecdote: one of my best friends passed away a few years ago at 19. it broke us, but when i see all the growth and beauty that has come as a result of this loss i get a glimpse of God’s plan. it brought his family back together, so many of us (including me) came to God, we started a charity in his memory (which was a dream of his), and so much more. Despite all the world has gained, for me the cost of losing him will always be too high, but knowing how he was he wouldn’t change a thing.
philippians 4:6 – don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
colossians 2:7 – let your roots grow into him, and let your lives be built on him. then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. ]
wake up time – 4:12am
bed time – 10:01pm
time – 6h 11m
notes – n/a
[ choosing to consistently express gratitude will have a knock-on effect in every area of your life. we receive more of what we notice, acknowledge, and are thankful for.
by expressing gratitude for all your blessings, regardless of how small they may appear to be and regardless of how they may be perceived by our worldly eyes from the outset, we cultivate our subconscious mind to move towards that which will cultivate even more gratitude in our lives (which then brings even more to be grateful for).
as long as this snowball is kept rolling (i.e., you keep choosing to express gratitude) it cannot help but inadvertantly move into all areas of your life (e.g., relationships, health, spirituality, finances, etc.).
1 timothy 4:4 – since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. ]
wake up time – 4:15am
bed time – 10:24pm
time – 5h 51m
notes – n/a
[ switching your internal chatter to that of gratitude and appreciation will inadvertantly bring more blessings to be grateful for. a grateful heart can only lead to more of what God intended for us – more hope, more satisfaction, more joy, better relationships, etc.
it’s not new news that in order to change your life you must first change your mindset. everything starts in the mind and then moves to the body. your mind is the instructor, your body is the facilitator. if your mind says no, your body will comply. similarly, if your mind says yes, your body will comply.
however, of course, switching your mindset to that of gratitude is a lot easier said than done, especially if you are someone who has up until this point conditioned your subconcious through pessimism.
this switch will not happen overnight and will require conscious effort. you have conditioned your subconsious over years (or even decades), and so it will take time and effort to recondition it (however, not anywhere near as long once you understand the subconscious mind and how to recondition it).
a good place to start is ‘the power of your subconscious mind’ by dr joseph murphy. the rest of the path will reveal itself once you start.
gratitude is a daily choice. a grateful heart is a daily commitment. it is something that can only be cultivated and maintained through consistent and conscious effort.
so make the decision, commit, and just start. the rest will all fall into place with time.
psalms 103:2 – let all that i am praise the lord; may i never forget the good things he does for me. ]
wake up time – 4:14am
bed time – 10:30pm
time – 5h 44m
notes – went on a hike and then did a full body workout afterwards. should of slept earlier to aid with recovery but didn’t and woke up this morning feeling sore as. Did some recovery work.
[ it is no secret that the physical world within which we experience the physical body and the physical environment is by no means heaven.
however, if we choose to, we can still experience heaven while we partake in this physical experience for heaven resides within us, in the spiritual.
our outer experience is a reflection of our inner state of being (i.e., the physical is an expression of the spiritual).
by seeking the kingdom of heaven within us, everything else will fall into place. not ‘can’ or ‘may’ fall into place, they ‘will’ fall into place. it is not a matter of ‘if’, but rather a matter of ‘when’. but you must first make the decision to seek the kingdom.
romans 8:28 is a promise that seeks to ignite faith and hope by giving us a glimpse of what will inevitably happen when we choose to seek the kingdom – “and we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
matthew 6:33 – seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. ]
- magnesium finished last week and am still waiting for new batch to come in. noticed that i have been waking up feeling more sore and groggy some days.
- need to sleep earlier on weekends, especially on saturdays where you are hiking and doing a full body workout.
week 3: 07/07/24 – 14/07/24
notes: n/a
- mon 08/07/24
- tue 09/07/24
- wed 10/07/24
- thu 11/07/24
- fri 12/07/24
- sat 13/07/24
- sun 14/07/24
- weekly review/notes
wake up time – 10:30pm
bed time – 4:14am
time – 5h 44m
notes – had a bbq and got home a little later than planned and so went to sleep later than usual. still got up on time and wasn’t feeling tired.
[ God is the creator of all and created us in his image. hence, when we create we are reflecting God’s creative nature and heart. when we prophesy through our creative work, we pave the way for faith to increase and miracles to be duplicated. ]
wake up time – 4:17am
bed time – 10:12pm
time – 6h 5m
notes – woke up feeling quite groggy. was in a bad mood last night before going to bed, was feeling doubtful about the future and indulging in self pity. tried to get myself out of it before bed but i feel like it still impacted my sleep.
[ God should be what guides and fuels us in our creative endeavours. as a creative, our creations should be an offering to God, the universe, and others. in doing so God will usher us into the position we need to be in. ]
wake up time – 4:18am
bed time – 10:28pm
time – 5h 50m
notes – had toastmasters till 9:30pm. didnt get home till around 9:50pm so ended up going to bed later.
[ by surrounding yourself with other creatives who are fulfilling their creative mandate, you too will be encouraged to create. and by choosing to create and share your creations you pave the way for others to create too. ]
wake up time – 4:15am
bed time – 10:25pm
time – 5h 50m
notes – goal bedtime is 10pm but last few days it has been closer to 10:30pm. need to sleep earlier tonight.
[ proverbs 3:5-6 – trust in the lord with all your heart; do not deopend on your own understanding. seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. ]
wake up time – 4:14am
bed time – 9:37pm
time – 6h 37m
notes – was feeling down and exhausted and fell asleep early. woke up feeling sore and tight.
[ you don’t need to know the whole plan, when God shows you the next step, take it. take a step in faith, even when everything seems to be falling apart, trust in him. God is still in control and holding you. ]
wake up time – 4:18am
bed time – 10:02pm
time – 6h 16m
notes – n/a
[ God always intended for us to live in peace. the pressure we feel is self-inflicted. our outer environment is up to us to interpret. when God gives us a promise all we have to do is obey and trust that everything is happening exactly as it is meant to, even if our outer environment doesn’t seem to reflect this to our eyes. there is no sich thing as rejection, only redirection. do not let your eyes deceive you, have faith in your heart that everything is working out in our best interest. God knows better than you what is better for you. trust in him. have faith. without it, we have nothing | philippians 4:7 – then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. his peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Jesus Christ. ]
wake up time – 6:11am
bed time – 10:43pm
time – 7h 28m
notes – got up briefly at 4:31am as indicated in check-in, but then ended up falling asleep again at 4:39am while visualising and waking up again at 6:11am. didn’t have a great day on saturday and had the little cousins over but that’s no excuse. just gotta rest, reset, and restart from today. it’s a new day.
[ during seasons of waiting, don’t try go ahead of God, just follow him. if you’re listening, he’ll guide you to where you need to go. but if you try go ahead of him you’ll just end up getting lost. ]
- 8 weeks left till thailand camp. have been overall locked in but last 3 weeks have been slacking on the weekends. have come up with a plan for the next 8 weeks to make sure there’s no distractions and i make the most of this time.
week 2: 01/07/24 – 07/07/24
notes: n/a
- mon 1/07/24
- tue 02/07/24
- wed 03/07/24
- thu 04/07/24
- fri 05/07/24
- sat 06/07/24
- sun 07/07/24
- weekly review/notes
wake up time – 4:14am
bed time – 9:35pm
time – 6h 39m
notes – have been feeling really tired and sore the past few days. knocked out quick and slept like a baby.
[ be today who you intend to be tomorrow. be brave and courageous. who can be against you if God is with you? ]
wake up time – 4:14am
bed time – 10:06pm
time – 6h 8m
notes – n/a
[ when God tells you to jump, jump. don’t wait till you’re ‘ready’, because He’s already given you everything you need to be who He has called you to be. jump, and the net will appear. He knows you better than you do and knows you are capable of achieving more than you think you can, or (at worst) he has something for you which you can only acquire during the journey. either way, you won’t get the blessing or the lesson without jumping. so jump. ]
wake up time – 3:49am
bed time – 9:52pm
time – 5h 57m
notes – n/a
[ God is the creator of all, and created us in his image. hence, it is in our nature to create. we have a mandate to do so. ]
wake up time – 4:23am
bed time – 10:08pm
time – 6h 15m
notes – n/a
[ God is the creator of all, and created us in his image. hence, it is in our nature to create. we have a mandate to do so. ]
wake up time – 4:17am
bed time – 9:57pm
time – 6h 20m
notes – was feeling more tired and sore than usual after muay thai. fell asleep pretty much straight away and slept well.
[ exodus 31:6 – i have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things i have commanded you to make | partner with God to elevate your divine, creative gifts and use them to reveal his heart to his people. ]
wake up time – 4:16am
bed time – 10:13pm
time – 6h 3m
notes – n/a
[ through our creative gifts we should aim to provide a glimpse of his presence to those who may have never experienced it before. ]
wake up time – 4:14am
bed time – 10:21pm
time – 5h 53m
notes – n/a
[ we can develop our relationship with God by being aware of him, what he wants us to do, and living a life of holiness. in doing so, God equips us with all we need to fulfil our calling. all we need to do is step out in faith and authority. ]
- need to meal prep something quick for evenings training muay thai so i can go to bed earlier
week 1: 24/06/24 – 30/06/24
notes:
- first check-in was 27/06
- mon 24/06/24
- tue 25/06/24
- wed 26/06/24
- thu 27/06/24
- fri 28/06/24
- sat 29/06/24
- sun 30/06/24
- weekly review/notes
n/a
n/a
n/a
wake up time – 4:15am
bed time – 10:12pm
time – 6h 3m
notes – had a really long day and lower body was feeling sore, fell asleep quickly and didn’t wake up through the night
[ chasing failure will take you further than chasing success ever can. what would you do if you remembered that God was with you wherever you go? ]
-
- 10pm bedtime can be justified on weekdays due to busy schedule, but weekend evenings are generally the least busy time of the week. Aim to go to bed earlier on weekends (around 9/9:30pm).
- use massage gun before sleeping on weekends (fri – sun)
- implement light, lower body dynamic stretching before weekly sunday morning hike
- decided to make this a recovery week
- was in a car crash last friday 21/06 and back has been feeling really tight since. have been skipping upper body pull exercises till i see the doctor next week monday (01/07).
- strained a hamstring by not warming up properly before hiking and then training legs straight after on sunday 23/06. pulled back on muay thai and legs this week. focusing on recovery. will ease back into standard training next week.