Happy New Year, beautiful girls!
Sorry it’s taken me so long to get on here and wish you a Happy 2014…We had a crazy start to our new year with being snowbound in another state and then, once home, battling the flu—TWICE! But life is back on track again now, thankfully!
Over the holidays, I watched a video in which the speaker shared some interesting research regarding body position and its effect on the body chemically. She gave a lot of information, but what I took away most was this:
Body position can alter your body chemically, both positively and negatively.
This researcher found that the test groups members who (upon request) sat in a chair for two minutes making themselves physically small, close, and withdrawn:
1) Did poorer in the job interview that immediately followed.
2) Tested lower in testosterone (the get-it-done hormone) and higher in cortisol (the stress hormone)
The researcher also found that test group members who (again upon request) sat for two minutes with their arms raised in a victory pose:
1) Did better in the job interview that immediately followed.
2) Tested higher in testosterone (the get-it-done hormone) and lower in cortisol (the stress hormone)
She urged viewers to take just two minutes before important events (like a job interview, important test, etc.) and strike that victory pose. She is convinced it will make a real difference in the outcome.
Instantly, I thought of the different verses in the Bible that encourage us to raise our hands to our Heavenly Father.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. Psalm 63:3-5
God, come close. Come quickly! Open your ears—it’s my voice you’re hearing! Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising; my raised hands are my evening prayers. Psalm 141:1-2
While we may think of worshipping God for who He is as benefitting us spiritually and emotionally, according to this research, it even helps our body work better! It actually reduces stress and equips us to succeed.
So let’s lift our hands to Him this year, even if for two minutes at a time, trusting Him to take care of our hearts, our minds, our bodies, and our dreams.
With God, nothing is impossible. And that victory pose is ours.
Believing with you for a great new year,
Lisa