Jim taught me how to lift weights

He taught me the correct form to use, he taught me how to warm up, increase the weights safely, and how to outperform my yesterday's self.  He laughed with me at my mistakes, challenged me to overcome my natural inclination to do the minimums, shamed me when I spoke words of failure, and cheered for my successes.

Now RLB paid Jim a good amount for training me. A well deserved payment to be sure. There were no promises made, however the results of the training are obvious. I am stronger than I was.

In addition to increased muscle mass and the ability to lift heavier things than I previously could, I have experienced internal benefits as well: a pleasant attitude, happiness, a spirit of overcoming, a positive self image, a peaceful disposition, a calm mind.  I pray a lot. I find great comfort in talking to God so I do it often. Quite often I would pray before I'd lift and always during challenging workouts. I was listening to Jim about technique and procedure. I was being instructed and encouraged by him but when it came down to it, I was going to the source of my inner strength, God, for the rest. I'd thank Jim for his help and I'd thank God for His help.

RLB and I have a lot of respect for Jim. He's a dedicated trainer who can be trusted to do what RLB paid him to do. He's an honest man. He told me the truth. He saw when I was being a quitter, he knew when I wasn't giving my best, he told me the truth of why I wasn't accomplishing my goals faster and what I'd need to change to achieve my goals.

Jim was introduced to us by a Christian. Jim is an atheist.

How is it that an atheist could teach me things that are true? It's a stupid question. Isn't it?

Now it is possible to experience all of the positive internal benefits I experienced by reading God's Word and praying to Him. This fascinating body that He created contains hormones that are the physical component to emotional expression. God created them, they are good. He created them in such a way that they are influenced not only by reading the Bible and prayer but also by external stimuli like lifting weights. Good nor bad, it just is. It is true. God sees the hearts of His people and the truth of their motivation is between Him and the Christian.

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand:  Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Matthew 15:10-11

Keep this in mind as you hear Christians deriding other Christians (whose hearts are known by God) for their use of techniques they have learned to positively benefit their interpersonal relationships.

Update - Dalrock wrote this over a year prior to when I began reading his posts. It is excellent and quite relevant to the point I'm making here: She felt unloved