When local banker and youth minister Mitch Stone hears from God, he listens.
Four years ago he decided to follow God’s will and be a good steward of the vessel God gave him and get serious about his health.
That was the early beginning of what has evolved into a personal journey to health and a ministry to help others do the same.
Pops Strong is Stone’s social media outlet to share his journey to a healthier life with those around him, including his wife Rhonda, their family, and now people all around who have decided to follow his journey, and learn from it.
Stone starts his days at 4:30 each morning to insure that his training time is peaceful and uninterrupted by normal daily life.
Stone says he realized at his season of life that he could do better, feel better and encourage others to do so.
For about the last year, Pops Strong has been his tool to not only share his workout regimen and keys to healthier living, but it has also become a way to minister. He says it all ties in with faith.
The name came naturally, as “Pops” is what he is known by his family, his children, and his grand-children. With a little help from daughter Brooke, who works for the City of Texarkana, the social media account began to gain momentum.
Stone says that followers and fans have never been the incentive to the mission is in on, but rather, his motivation comes simply from trying to live a healthier life and helping others do that as well.
He says to those hesitant about changing their lifestyle, “You just have to start. When I first started, I had the normal aches and pains but I felt the need to see what was possible. Getting strong starts with faith. Being strong in the Lord comes first. Then it just has to be sustainable.”
He uses scripture to guide all that he does and says that 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 has been a guiding verse for his health journey. Those verses read, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
Stone does not use a lot of fancy or high priced equipment but sticks to resistance bands and a few weights. He stresses the need to keep it simple to work for him and other men his age.
Stone’s journey to better health evolved into working with a faithbased fitness coach from Lubbock. Gary Walker and Stone are now good friends though they have never met in person. All of their fitness efforts are met online through Zoom calls.
He says that God made even that part of his journey fall into place.
The youth minister at Austin Chapel shared that the journey has become contagious.
About six months ago his wife, DeKalb teacher and singer extraordinaire Rhonda, started working with Gary Walker’s wife, Katrina, and now says that she feels better than she has in a long time.
The Stones couple their workouts with a high protein diet that not only helps build muscle, but is simply healthier for you.
Stone sums up all of the effort by saying, “You never retire from having a purpose for God. Just never give up. I am just trying to be faithful to God. I’m not chasing followers; it’s not about that. But if I am able to encourage one person, I consider that a success.
God is still using me. If He wants to grow it, I am willing, and if it -if it opens up other opportunities to spread the Word I am willing to follow that leading too.”
Follow Stone’s journey and learn more on his Facebook page by searching “Pops Strong.”
