bambi's story
When my friend invited me, about 25 years ago, to try her Body & Soul® Cardio Strength & Flexibility™ class, I just knew I wouldn’t be able to do it. I had some health issues, including fibromyalgia, and felt strongly that I couldn’t handle a workout class. I was overwhelmed by the idea of a fitness class, but I went ahead and ordered a Body & Soul® DVD (remember those?) so I could check it out at home. I used the DVD sporadically, but, to be honest, I think it was only a half-hearted attempt to try something. I knew I wasn’t in good physical shape and the fibromyalgia diagnosis had kept me from thinking that exercise was a good thing. I hurt all the time and didn’t want to make things worse. God had other plans for me.
In the summer of 2001, I got a postcard invitation about a new Body & Soul® class called “Fit For Life.” I thought… well, maybe THIS is something I could manage, so I joined. To my surprise, I enjoyed the class, especially the ladies, the great music and spiritually-centered focus. I could feel myself getting stronger each week and even pushed myself beyond what I thought I could ever do! That class eventually “morphed” into the Cardio Strength & Flexibility™ class my friend was in. Over the years, the class has changed Instructors a few times and I have met other Instructors in other classes. They have each taught me different things and shown me how to push through when I wanted to give up. In 2012, I felt strong enough to train for a Half Marathon, something I never would have done without Body & Soul® already in my life! Body & Soul® saved my life by showing me that I could do what I thought I couldn’t. I still deal with pain, but as I age, I realize how important it is to have a good cardio workout and to continue to work on balance and bone strength. I shudder to think what kind of shape I’d be in if I hadn’t taken that leap of faith and jumped into Body & Soul®. I will be forever grateful to this ministry and what it brings to my life “Where Faith & Fitness Meet™!”
Bambi has been a faithful Body & Soul® student since September 2001 and has taken a variety of classes over the years with several different Instructors. She has been active in her church for over 40 years, serving in many ministries and is currently helping to lead worship as a member of the choir. She loves to travel, read, and knit in her spare time and especially enjoys spending summers at her family home on Cape Cod. She lives in Maryland with her husband and near to her three grown sons, their wives, and her 7 precious grandchildren.
