Some of you might have asked me once what had inspired me to start teaching the fitness classes. I've always replied in this way.

"Because I made some poor choices, gained tons of weight –at least 65 pounds over the weight before my pregnancy– got deeply depressed, felt so weak, felt so low in self-esteem, felt no strength, felt so not-beautiful, frankly felt ugly about myself."

Our emotions lie to us.

These facts were so REAL to me, and they were certainly not the "inspirations" or “motivation” but it was my "desperation" along with faith and commitment that had helped me through — I decided to climb out of the PITS and overcame those realities of my own during the tribulation of my life.

"How did you overcome, Eriko?," you may ask. I think you deserve to know the truth, so I will tell you the truth. I hit the rock bottom to the place where I could only come up, and no lower place to go. I was very blessed that many people had encouraged me many times during the period of the fights against the overweight pains. But NOTHING WORKED...till I looked at myself in the mirror, and cried out loud!

I knew the mirror wouldn't tell me a lie how I looked like, but "something" was telling me through my heart with small dose (like the size of a mustard seed) of the inner-power and positive attitude that were all left in me, what I saw in the mirror was not the TRUTH of me. I saw my potentials and hopes BEYOND WHAT I COULD SEE IN THE MIRROR — with HOPE and FAITH. I had to believe I can do everything if I put my faith, trust, and commitment. I decided to climb out of the pits to become all that I can be to see the true ME!

Truth — I was raised in a Buddhist family in Japan, and I've never heard of the word, "Faith" till I came to the United States, and my daughter's grandmother in Wisconsin always taught me by telling me, "Eriko, have faith!" when I douted my abilities. Thank you, Barb! You saved my life.

The HATE towards myself was transformed by the LOVE that tells me to take care of myself, and to renew my strength to carry on that day, which is TODAY.

Then, I MADE A DECISION TO BELIEVE that if I committed myself on regular exercise routines, I would lose ALL my weight that I gained for two years after my daughter's birth. No one knew when I was 5-month pregnant back then, but I gained at least 65 pounds by the time of my daughter's birth, and guess what? My baby didn't weigh 65 pounds, of course! :(

However, the very day had come after two years of taking fitness classes — my FAITH paid off, gave me a great reward!!! I lost the fat-weight from gaining from pregnancy, and gained muscle-weight by fitness classes and weight-lifting on my own. Gaining the muscles and the strengh changed my metabolism to burn fat more efficiently.

So I told you the truth how in the world I got motivated, became passionate about fitness and health, and decided to become an instructor about 18 years ago when my daughter was 4 years old —about 2 years later since I had decided to workout. The only qualification for me to become one was to experience the darkness and weakness at first, to become strong and overcome them before I started teaching about health and fitness — furthermore, physically, mentally, and spiritually. So I lost them once, and I won them back!

There is no such thing as "It's too late!" As long as we have a new day, we have new grace & hope each day while we are alive.
I am so thankful what I had to go through this tribulation, so that in turn, I can provide fitness classes and encourage YOU through my Fitness with Eriko - Blog on my website.

Thank you for reading my Fitness Testimony. Now if you are interested in my Faith Testimony, please read the following messages.

– Eriko

I thank God that I became a new person with renewed strength through the discovery of His teachings of love, faith, hope and the truth. I've never been the same since. The old [Eriko] has gone; the new [Eriko] has come! It was God’s "Extreme Makeover" in my heart, my mind, my soul and my strength that I thank God for every single day.

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." – Philippians 4:13 (The Bible, New International Version)

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." — Isaiah 40:28-31 (The Bible, New International Version)

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable –if anything is excellent or praiseworthy– think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
– Philippians 4:4-9 (The Bible, New International Version)

My purpose of living is to serve people with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul and with all my strength to encourage them physically, mentally and spiritually – through maintaining authentic relationships with people and most importantly with God, by learning and applying the teachings of love, faith, hope and the truth taught by my God, my Savior, my Lord, my Great Master & my Best Friend, Jesus Christ, who said in the Bible that He came to this world to serve and not to be served as He teaches His disciples to follow Him and do the same. The followings are the exact quotes from the Bible. You might be so surprised to read how He teaches His disciples and followers in the firm manners –as a loving father, but with His tough love AND His unconditional love as a mother has towards her baby– because He loves them and cares about them; He has the best interests in them, and He has great plans prepared for them.

Jesus came into my dream despite the fact that I was raised as a Buddhist in Japan, and became an Atheist later—I didn’t think God had existed. But Jesus told me in my dream that He knew I was a single mother, and He had known me very well for a long time. He encouraged me to keep doing the good job, and at the end of my dream, He told me, “I love you very much!”

After I heard His voice, all the sudden, I had overwhelming feeling that filled my chest to stomach—almost like steaming-hot liquid had passed through my body. He also put something special around my neck—a string of necklace with black beads with a sliver cross at the end.

Two weeks after the first dream, I had the second dream that had revealed me about God. I saw the sky was split into a half, and the powerful lightening came through the huge dark-gray clouds. The bright light was striking through the air and hitting over the beautiful and shiny emerald cross on the peak of the mountain range, beaming at me. In my dream, I was up in the air on the place where I could see the top of the mountains, waiting for something or someone to come.

I pondered about both dreams that showed me the cross. I only knew the cross is the symbol of Christians, but I didn’t know the true meaning of the cross.

One day, I had fear that if I didn’t take those dreams very seriously as signs of God revealing the cross, something would happen later that I would really regret for the rest of my life, not finding out the truth about this experience. To tell you the truth, before I accepted God does exit and He does care about me and loves me so much, I really resisted becoming one of them—the Christians. I hated what my Christian friends were doing. Their words and actions did not match at all. I really had resentment over their lives and their God who allowed them to do so many immoral things. I also considered that I was a Buddhist. I wanted to stay in that way.

Despite of all these resistances with my own strength, God revealed me His character, His love, and His power that had conquered everything—my heart, belief, and religions that had built my life. I absolutely had a stubborn-heart and a bad attitude toward God, but finally after those dreams, I took them as signs from God, and I surrendered my life and committed that Jesus is my lord and the master of my life. In turn, I asked God to show me who He is—from the bottom of my heart. That was all I did—simply surrendered my heart!

After that day, I had started seeing God’s beauty, characters and teachings everywhere around me. The rest is a history. I am so grateful that God revealed me that He loves ALL people who even still believe in the other religions or beliefs. His love is much bigger than what we can imagine or what we can believe. His love never fails, and conquers everything—absolutely everything!

“Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” John 20:29

Yes, Jesus came to my dreams because I didn’t believe what I didn’t see in the past. I was a "show-me-the-proof" person, but now I "walk by faith, not by sight." Praise the Lord! Now I have an important purpose of my life to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Savior and the Comforter.

Today, I’m here to bring you a very important message. I want YOU to invite Jesus in your heart as I did in the past. I have never regret the decision that I made, and now I’m here to share the Good News because I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT I BELIEVE IS REALLY REAL!

After all, the most important message that has ever been told in history, that I honestly believe in my heart, is the Good News of Jesus Christ.
You can find it in John 3:16 in the Bible: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." In THIS promise by God, we can be 100% sure to enter His Heavenly Kingdom, and live with Him eternally, hoping and praying that all of my family and friends will come along together forever.

God promises that it is NOT by the good deeds we’ve done in the past that would let us enter into the heaven—neither by how many frequent-deeds-points we have accumulated in our deposit account in the earth. It is only by His mercy and Grace, and our faith in Him. It is only by the Grace of God (His Gift), we will not be perished, but will be saved from spiritual death, which separates us from God eternally.

God promises that the moment that we accept Jesus in our hearts as our Lord and Savior of our lives, He will save us from the judgement of our sins to face the spiritual death. Then, He will give us eternal life with Him, along with the loved ones who also accepted Him in their hearts.

How wonderful would it be if ALL of our friends can stay together and have eternal lives together forever in heaven with God, the All Mighty!

The time is running out, and I may never see you again. But I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT I BELIEVE IS REALLY REAL! Therefore, I will have to take a great risk that you may think I’m crazy! Yes, and you are right; I’m really crazy about God and His Power of Love, indeed! I truly love and have passion in encouraging people in the name of Jesus, as He Himself showed up in my dreams and encouraged me to “keep going, Eriko, and I love you very much!” I want to ask you now, would you like to accept Jesus in your heart as I did in the past to be your Guide, Lord & Savior?

Here is a message to you, my friends, from the bottom of my heart that I hope you know the truth of God in His Son, Jesus Christ who will NEVER forsake or leave you, and He will always love you no matter what. His concern is in you, not in the world that other people live. It’s only you and God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. After you read my testimony, I hope you will be prompted by the Holy Sprit, and filled with the Spirit inside of you.

So, today is the day of salvation. I have NO DOUBT. I KNOW I have 100% confidence in Jesus Christ that I will go to heaven 100% for sure to join Him someday, and I want you to be there everyday with Him, some of your friends, and me. If you are not sure where you are going when your life time is up, I want you to consider reading this, and make a decision for yourself today. I won’t be there for you, but the Holy Spirit does.

I will keep praying that today is THE day! But if this is not the day for you, then someday, other friend of yours or some special person will share with you how to go to heaven to join Him. I posted on my Website (only in English), and you just have to follow this link, and if you have made the decision today, would you let me or the world know you have received Jesus in your heart? Already 4,753 unique visitors have read this Steps to Salvation page online as of January 31, 2010. Please e-mail me privately if you wish, so I can pray for you. I am hopeful in Christ Jesus.

Believe it now and change your life that you will never regret at the end of your life!!
http://www.icandoeverything.com/save.htm

– Eriko Grill

Steps to salvation — how to receive Jesus into your heart and be saved!
Continue to the next page...
http://www.icandoeverything.com/save.htm

Hope of Salvation Updates:
As of June 27, 2009, 1,644 unique visitors have read the Steps to Salvation page.

As of January 31, 2010, 4,753 unique visitors have read the Steps to Salvation page.

As of February 8, 2011, 11,617 unique visitors have read the Steps to Salvation page.

As of March 30, 2011, 13,330 unique visitors have read the Steps to Salvation page.

As of April 25, 2011, 14,203 unique visitors have read the Steps to Salvation page.

As of June 5, 2011, 15,433 unique visitors have read the Steps to Salvation page.

As of January 5, 2012, 26,547 unique visitors have read my testimony, and 18,988 unique visitors have read the Steps to Salvation page.

01/05/2012
(1) Testimony: 26,547 unique visitors
(2) Step to Salvation: 18,988 unique visitors

01/06/2012
(1) Testimony: 27,382 unique visitors
(2) Step to Salvation: 18,988 unique visitors

01/10/2012
(1) Testimony: 28,662 unique visitors
(2) Step to Salvation: 18,989 unique visitors

01/15/2012
(1) Testimony: 29036 unique visitors
(2) Step to Salvation: 18,989 unique visitors

01/17/2012
(1) Testimony: 29,372 unique visitors
(2) Step to Salvation: 19,190 unique visitors

01/28/2012
(1) Testimony: 30,448 unique visitors
(2) Step to Salvation: 19,392 unique visitors

01/30/2012
(1) Testimony: 30,500 unique visitors
(2) Step to Salvation: 19,588 unique visitors