Reflections on 10 Years of Fitfish
As I sit at my relatively new ‘alcove desk’ (created in hundreds of homes in 2020 I am sure) with the sun shining through the window and the birds singing outside it seems an ideal time to pause, reflect and capture some of my thoughts at this time of celebrating Fitfish’s 10 year anniversary.
Firstly I’m wondering, can I believe it’s 10 years? Like many of these milestones we have in life in some ways it feels like yesterday and in other ways it feels like 15 or 20 years!
55 face to face retreats, that is astonishing! It seems so amazing that each retreat is still as enjoyable and as God filled as the first! As God has brought more and more people through our retreat doors, the love and passion to help hasn’t been diluted, but instead ignited and the flame further fanned. I care very deeply for our Fitfish guests and all those involved and really Fitfish is like a family to me. I hope that if you have been involved it feels like a kind of family to you too. I cannot imagine life without Fitfish, simple as that!! It is very dear to me!
I remember calling a friend from our first retreat in April 2011 and I just couldn’t put into words how I felt. I felt like I was in my sweet spot and using all of my gifts and passions in one hit to serve God. I know that many of the team feel like this when they are involved in Fitfish too and that leads me to my next point!
The team are unbelievable and such gifted and talented people who despite being super busy in their own work and lives make the time to come on retreat and online events and give, give, give. They have a secret though, like me they also receive, receive, receive!! God blesses an abundant giver and when you are in God’s calling and using your gifts and talents to serve him it is just awesome!!
As time has gone on God has revealed more and more to me about the ‘niche’ that I am serving and this has led to lots of research, study and I believe God’s heart and process for setting people free from dieting for good and for God! The Healthy, Whole & Free course wasn’t in view at all when Fitfish started and came much later and I am super grateful to God for his leading towards this area where I can really help people.
There were some moments that really weren’t from God and were quickly squashed…..I wonder if any of the team can remember me getting logos designed for ‘Sporty Stags’ and ‘Healthy Hens’ as I desperately tried to clutch at very brittle straws to make some more money to survive!! They must have nodded politely and then prayed hard!!
I have learnt that God’s maths is just not our maths and if I went on ‘Dragon’s Den’ with the Fitfish finances I would very quickly get sent home with zero offers I am sure. From an earthly point of view Fitfish is ‘not investable’ or ‘not for me, I’m out’ One of my previous accountants asked me if I wanted to carry on! Now I am delighted to report that Fitfish has been able to pay me back all of the money that I have put in over the years and I am really celebrating and rejoicing in that!!
I can tell you many stories of when I needed a specific amount of money and that the exact amount comes through from a very unexpected angle!
Once I was paying back a cancellation fee to a venue monthly and the exact same amount was donated monthly by a Fitfish friend for that period of time.
I even once prayed for a vacuum cleaner and someone knocked at my door seconds later with one!
I have had to trust God more than ever before in my life, and try to see the bigger picture, even when I don’t know where he is, what he is saying or whether I will ever hear from him again!! In those bleaker times words of encouragement have always come through and stories of lives changed keep me going every day.
I am so grateful for technology, and particularly zoom, that we started using in 2019. I am an extreme extrovert and I do feel that I have had my needs met online more than I would have had in normal times between retreats. I love seeing people on a very regular basis and the HWF and exercise community has been great for that. I have cancelled my own gym membership now as I don’t need to go back to classes when I have all of these Fitfish folk in my house each weekday. Thank God for Zoom!
So these are just a few ramblings really but I want to encourage you that anything is possible with God and that with a searching and a yearning and a trust you can find your ‘sweet spot’ and live with God in it.
It won’t always be easy but it will be worth it.
You can watch our ’10 years of Fitfish in 10 minutes’ here and also listen to ’10 minutes of testimonials’ here
Comments
MARILYN HANSON says
Gaynor
You are truly inspirational and God has blessed your perseverance and dedication over these last 10 years x
I am sure God has got lots more to lead you into, may you bless even more people over the next 10 years as you continue to listen to Him and be blessed
Love and Blessings
Marilyn x
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ADMIN says
Ah thanks Marilyn, thanks for your encouragement, support and prayers! x
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VICKY says
Totally wonderful
So so glad you hung on when things were tough
I’m on my journey, it feels like the beginning as it’s taken this long to get diet mentality gone oh and, treats Food is not treats it’s food
I’m creating a list of real treats like a coffee sitting on the seafront!
I’m excited to see where I’ll be in six months, a year, 5 years time and how different that will be to all other attempts at freedom (totally failed, it just didn’t work) True realisation the Freedom around food is possible
God bless you all
Love in Christ
Vicky
xoxox
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ADMIN says
Thanks Vicky, I'm looking forward to seeing your journey! x
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