Happy December, everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got your fix of your favorite festive foods! (Say that five times fast!).

I cannot believe there are only 21 days ‘til Christmas! Have you bought any gifts yet? I took advantage of the post-Thanksgiving sales to purchase a few, but there is still a handful of people for whom gift-getting is a Herculean task! If you know anyone whose tastes are hard to nail down, I hope today’s gift guide will be a help to you!

I’m going to share six gift ideas for the Christian fit chicks in your life, items that I believe will motivate, encourage, and inspire them to work out and honor their bodies for the glory of God throughout 2017! (And if you want to treat yourself to one or two of these as well, that’s okay too ;-).)

I. Awesome Etsy Tank Top #1

It’s easy to let fitness be all about us: our health, our physique, our waistline, our strength. But working out should ultimately be about others. (Do you remember the JOY acronym from Sunday school? It stands for “Jesus, Others, Yourself.” I learned it in second grade and still think of it often!) Being fit helps us better serve those God puts in our path, be they spouses we have for a lifetime, or strangers we encounter at the store. This top is a wonderful reminder of what fitness, and our faith, is all about.

II. Awesome Etsy Tank Top #2

“So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!”

That’s the verse (Psalm 31:24) this tank top references – one of my favorites! I love how versatile this tank is; you can wear it to the gym with leggings or shorts, or even dress it up with a jacket, jeans, and jewelry! And its message is versatile, too, providing us with powerful words of strength for whatever obstacle we’re facing or load we’re carrying. Whether you feel weak at the gym, at home, or in your job or school, this tank top helps restore courage to our souls as we let Almighty God be our captain.

III. Awesome Etsy Hoodie

You don’t have to be an avid runner to love this hoodie! All of us are runners, by the way – if not literal ones, then metaphorical ones, as Paul compares us to runners in Hebrews 12: 1 and 1 Corinthians 9:24! The race we run is the one of faith, the one known in Old Testament times as The Way (Acts 9:2). It’s a narrow road we run upon with few other athletes running beside us, and it is undoubtedly filled with bumps and valleys, but it is beautiful, rich, life-giving and sweet, and leads to heavenly reward.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. – 1 Corinthians 9:25, NIV

We need strength for this run, as it is a lifelong marathon that never ceases to test our endurance. Darts of temptation continually whiz by and life’s afflictions threaten to derail us at every stage of our journey. Without hope, we would cease our running far too soon and thereby miss out on God’s invaluable blessings and soul-purifying lessons.

IV. Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst

I received this book a few years ago at a writer’s conference for which Mrs. TerKeurst was a speaker, and I cannot tell you what a blessing it has been to me! As many of you know, I have struggled with disordered eating and exercising for nearly half of my life, so refreshing my spirit with godly wisdom from Christian women who have stood in my shoes is a regular part of my spiritual journey.

Made to Crave gets to the heart of our eating hang-ups and frustrations and reveals that what we trulycrave is not physical food, but spiritual sustenance. We were made to crave the goodness of God and to be satisfied by Him and in Him. When we are walking closely with Christ and are daily seeking to honor Him with every decision – “whether eating or drinking”[1] – we naturally feel more motivated to reach our fitness goals…and to do so the healthy way.

V. The Perfect Fit Books by Yours Truly

Okay, so I’m a little biased, but I promise I’m only recommending my own books because people have told me they’ve enjoyed giving them as gifts!

Perfect Fit: Weekly Wisdom and Workouts for Women of Faith and Fitness is, as the title states, a book exclusively for women looking to become fitter in mind, body, and soul. It features 52 devotionals written by Christian women and 104 workouts you can do in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Its sequel, Perfect Fit Couples Edition, is for men and women who want to team up and strengthen their marriage on a physical and spiritual level. It contains 31 devotionals and 24 partner workouts you can do with your hubby at home!

If you know anyone who regularly makes fitness-related New Year’s resolutions, these books will inspire them to view their goals from a new perspective and to pursue each one with Christ-centered intentions.

VI. Sadie Robertson Journal

I’m including this link to a plethora of gorgeous journals, but I personally really love this one! While there are tons of apps for tracking food and activity, isn’t it nice sometimes to grab an old-fashioned pen and piece of paper and just write?

When women come to me for advice on how to lose fat, gain muscle, increase their energy, etc., I always encourage them to log their nutrition and workouts every single day. Doing so not only helps keep them accountable but also serves to show them how they’re progressing and where they can improve.

And if recording food and workouts isn’t your thing, or if you already have a method that works for you, having a journal nearby is handy for simply releasing any frustrations and fears, jotting down aspirations and ideas, and even penning a personal psalm or prayer. There is something extremely therapeutic about writing, even doodling, which is why a simple journal is one of my top picks for a Christmas gift!

I hope you’ve found this gift guide helpful! Are there any items you would add to this list? Let me know by tweeting me @dandersontyler! I’d love to hear from you!