I am so very grateful that through the birth of Shazzy Fitness God has brought so many new friends into my life - over the summer I've decided to introduce a few of them on this blog and hopefully give you more insight into who we are and how you can just never tell how or when God is going to bless you through the kindness of others. ~ Kristy McCarley

When I sit back and think about all the friends I've made over the past few years - friends that I met through email or social media - it is simply, quite amazing to me.

I must confess, I'm not really much of a social person. Those who know me well, can attest that I am a classic introvert, so introducing myself to so many new people at such an accelerated pace, is a BIG thing for me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE meeting so many new like-minded souls. It is a blessing that I could have never imagined years ago when I first created Shazzy Fitness. But on the flip side, as my own personal time gets less and less, I am constantly trying to find ways to feed my own spirit, which I usually do by finding a quiet place, where just me and God can chat.

But the one thing that most people don't know about introverts, is that although we constantly crave our alone and quiet time, there is always a part of us that looks forward to conversations and friendships with those who understand us or those with whom we've found a connection with.

Velda Chapman is one of those people in my life. I met Velda when she ordered one of our DVDs awhile back. We were virtually unknown then - not like we are household names now LOL - but back then hardly anyone knew about us and I personally was checking every order because every dollar in was a miracle in itself.

Velda was one of the first orders from a ministry - I could tell by the name on the order that she was a ministry leader - so I reached out to her, just to say thanks and learn more about her and her organization.

Velda leads a ministry called Fabulous Grace and she also leads a class called, Fit and Faithful. She created the fitness ministry to bring people together to honor the Lord’s greatness through physical fitness and fun. I guess given that we both had similar interests, it's no wonder that we immediately hit it off.

So she and I have kept in touch over this past year and I now consider her a good friend.  She's been a guest on my radio show, where I have a recurring segment, "Fitness over 50" - where she shared her what motivates her to stay fit and healthy, and why her ministries are truly a calling from God.  She has been a great inspiration to me personally, sending me supportive messages and texts, just when I need an encouraging word.  Unlike other organizations and businesses - leading a Christ-centered operation brings a unique set of challenges - there are so many barriers and unknowns, so having a supportive circle of other women leaders has become more and more important to me.

The mission of Fabulous Grace is to make women aware of "how God's Grace blesses them in a fabulous way" and to "experience God's love as they realize His favor through His Fabulous Grace".

For the third year in a row, as part of Fabulous Grace, Velda will be hosting her "Ladies Cupcake Brunch" on June 27. The brunch has grown in popularity and attendance every year and if you are in the Cincinnati area, I strongly encourage you to attend.

Unfortunately my crazy schedule won't permit me to go this year but I'm prayerful that next year I can make it. In the meantime, check out the video of our friend Velda showing us some love and getting her Shazzy on :)

Be well & Be Blessed.

Romans 1:16