Such a Time as This

"Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died." Esther 2:7


As I've been reading the Old Testament, I've taken notice of how many times the Bible talks about the beauty of women. Abraham's wife Sarah was depicted as beautiful (Genesis 12:11, 14), Isaac's wife Rebekah was also 'beautiful' (Genesis 26:7), and Jacob's wife Rachel was described as "lovely in form, and beautiful" (Genesis 29:17).
 
As I did more research and I came to Esther, I thought of the importance of her looks. She was described above as "lovely in form and features" meaning that she obviously had a nice body to go along with her pretty face. Most of you know the story of Esther, but in case you need a quick review - when the Babylonian King of the time decided to look for a new wife to replace the one who dishonored him, a search was formed to find the most beautiful young virgins; after 12 months of beauty treatments (Esther 1:12) , these women were allowed to approach the King; and the King was most attracted to the Jewish Hadassah (Esther 1:17), who had become known as Esther. When the King's 'chief of staff' (my term, not the Bible's) Haman plotted to kill all the Jews, Mordecai, the girl's cousin and caretaker (see verse above), said to Esther "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther saved her people and the day by using her position as Queen to convince the King (in a nutshell).
 
Now, I will preface this entry by saying that we as a society can get too caught up in looks. I also believe that beauty comes from the inside out. That said, God never once said there was anything wrong with being beautiful. Some of the first wives in the Bible were described as such. Asking God to make you beautiful both on the inside (your heart) and the outside (your looks) wouldn't provoke His wrath, I don't think. In fact, I think there are times that God can use our looks for His benefit (after all, He created us!!!).
 
Hadassah was lovely in form. She didn't have a problem with obesity or laziness, evidently. She was also lovely in features and had 12 months (that would translate to one year for us) of beauty treatments before seeing the King. Can we commit to a healthier lifestyle for 12 months? Can we prepare ourselves for meeting our King, the one true God? If we were going to meet someone very important, I bet we would do what we could to make ourselves presentable from brushing our hair to putting on some make-up and a nice, clean and attractive outfit. How much more should we prepare to see our God? We are, after all, the bride of Christ! Or, for that matter, what about our earthly husbands? There are times that I think "wow...he means so much to me and yet he's seeing me at my very worst." I think 12-months of beauty treatments seems like a lot when you see what it was Esther and the others were going through - yet I think losing weight doesn't happen overnight. I think a year to lose some serious pounds sounds like a good start. And who knows what our reward will be?
 
Could God use our looks for His glory? YES! The King was attracted to Esther, he took her as his wife, and God used the appointment to save His people... she looked her best for 'such a time as this.' I think there is something in society that allows more attractive people to have more influence. I think better-looking folks get better jobs. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it happens. God can use our obedience to be the best we can be to give us appointments that He can ultimately use.
 
The Lord gave us the "lovely features" - we're each a unique and beautiful person the way we were created. Now it's time for our beauty treatments. It's time for us to step up to the plate and try to be 'lovely in form.' I think it's time that we are the best we can be so that we can be used in a mighty and powerful way. And, when we are beautiful, it's not for our glory. All the praise and honor belong to God alone. He alone can transform us and use us - we are simply His vessels waiting to be used for His purposes. May we be His beautiful bride!
 
Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that You would take the above passage and bring it to life and say what You want revealed. God, we long to be beautiful like the wives of long ago. We desire to be 'lovely in form and features.' God, we don't want to ask for things that are wordly or selfish; but, we ask that you cleanse our heart, purify our mind and give us holy desires, that we would be set apart for Your glory. Lord, we want to be Your beautiful bride. We want to be used for such a time as this. Please take our lives over these next 12 months and transform us with your beauty treatments - inside and out. Please penetrate our lives with Your holy Word. May we be living sacrifices, beautiful, and used for Kingdom purposes in such a time as this. In Jesus' powerful and precious name, AMEN!

Eating Enough

At mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar." When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over. As she got up to glean, Boaz gave orders to his men, "Even if she gathers among the sheaves, don't embarrass her. Rather, pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don't rebuke her."So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah. She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gathered. Ruth also brought out and gave her what she had left over after she had eaten enough. Ruth 2:14-18

I love little reminders in God's Word where He tells us He remembers us and our struggles. I've been reading the Old Testament, and in Ruth, a couple of these verses stood out to me as reminders from God. First, verse 14 tells us that Ruth ate all she wanted and had some left over. So, it's not a 'sin' to not eat everything put in front of you. Unlike the generation of cleaning your plate, it's okay to eat and have some left over. Then we see in verse 18 that Ruth was able to bless her mother-in-law and give her 'what she had left over after she had eaten enough.' We are to eat 'enough'... no more, no less. The Holy Spirit will teach us what 'enough' is and we need to listen to His promptings. Hopefully we will be able to bless those we love when we listen to Him. May our 'left-overs' be blessings to us and our family!

Dear God, thank You for Your Word and the constant reminders that You know our struggles and love us amidst them. God, You are amazing. I'm enthralled by Your Word and Your love. May we come to know You more deeply and learn how You would like us to behave. May we have 'left-overs' and bless others by eating just enough. Please help us! Please make us thin, beautiful and self-controlled for Your glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Blessed Are You Who Hunger Now

"Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh." Luke 6:21

I remember going out to lunch with skinny friends or my mom, and I would be all-but appalled when they would cut their sandwich in half and not eat very much (in my eyes). I, in the meantime, could have eaten my entire foot-long sub, the entire bag of chips, all three cookies and downed my drink and still had a snack later that afternoon if offered. I didn't understand how they could eat so little and not be starving. I didn't really grasp the concept that eventually your body gets used to eating less and you become satisfied with what you've eaten.

In fact, I read somewhere that our stomachs are only supposed to be about the size of our fists. People can eat small portions and feel completely full when they've treated their bodies correctly. It takes the rest of us some getting used to, though. I also remember hearing a girl say that when we're full, our bodies naturally let out a big sigh. So many of us eat beyond that point (where our bodies have let out air to try and make room for what's coming in). I've eaten to the point of physically not feeling well just because something tasted good. I'm having to re-train my thinking into realizing that if the food goes to waste, it at least isn't going to my waist. I have to get out of the 'clean-your-plate' mentality and think in smaller portions, taking less when at home or taking some home when possible to share with others or allowing it to be tossed, realizing that it will be 'waste' either way at that point.

If you're accustomed to overeating, though, when you first say no to that extra, you feel hungry. It's half mental and the other half is physical. Your body is used to consuming a lot of calories and has become used to that lifestyle. But, God tells us we're blessed when we're hungry, for we will be satisfied. I think we'll eventually be satisfied with what little we're eating, I think we'll be satisfied with our bodies and how they look, and most of all we will be satisfied with God and not need to get our satisfaction from earthly food. Get ready to be satisfied and laugh! :)

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for teaching us how to eat. Thank You that You realize it's not fun to be hungry, but thank You for promising blessings along the way. Please help us to be satisfied. We love You and long to glorify You in all we say and do. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

With God ALL Things Are Possible

^"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" Matthew 19:26

Jesus' disciples had asked Him who can be saved, and He noted that with God ALL things are possible. There are so many times that I feel like losing weight is impossible - it's not in my genes, I haven't developed good habits, it's difficult to take off weight, etc. But, I need to rid myself of this thinking. In fact, I was just talking to my husband about this very thing this morning before reading this verse. I talked about a series of pictures I had seen on Facebook of a woman who had some sort of surgery to help her lose weight and she was standing there in a size 4 jean and looked amazing. I told him that I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to wear a size 4 anything. He told me that I won't with that kind of thinking, which is true. I need to focus on this being the Lord's battle. With God, ALL things are possible. If it were just me on my own, I wouldn't have lost this much weight already. Instead, it's been Christ in me and God's Word that's been transforming my mind and body for His glory. With Him, ALL things are possible, including a new healthy, thin me. AND YOU!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this reminder that with You, God, ALL things are possible. Lord, please save us! Please help us! Please make us thin and healthy for Your glory. We love You, Lord Jesus. In Your name we pray, AMEN!

Drink from the river of life

"Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart." Psalm 36:5-10

These verses were part of my Bible study the other day. Of course, "they feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights" jumped off the page at me. The basic premise for the inclusion of these verses was that we, as Christians, may know God and yet still long to do worldly things because they seem more fun, fulfilling or satisfying. I remember the analogy of doing the Christian-thing because it's good for us like bran but we desire the chocolate malt of what we mistakingly perceive people have who are not living according to Biblical principles.

How far that thinking is from the truth! God wants us to feast from His abundance and drink from the river of His delights. Beth Moore noted that in Christian circles, there are times that we're just simply doing what our parents did or what our church has taught us rather than trying to intimately discover who the Lord is and what He has for us. She discussed the Garden of Eden where God told Adam & Eve that they could eat of any tree except for one, and He had created an abundance for them to enjoy. Beth Moore said we've been living on apples & bananas and we're getting bored, but God has created all sorts of other things for us to consume and enjoy like mangos, papayas and pineapples. We're living off of sermons we hear and a strict diet of the same ol' thing when there's so much more that God has for us if we'd wholeheartedly follow Him! Within the confines of His authority, there are the greatest pleasures we could know! And, He doesn't withold good things from His children. He wants the best for us! He created love, marriage, family, and all sorts of other things for our enjoyment because He loves us.

God's love is unfailing. He will satisfy our deepest cravings. I'm learning that eating - while it may feel satisfying at the moment - does not really get to my deepest longings. I remember the feeling of being absolutely full and yet craving something to eat or munch on. Boredom or dissatisfaction was one of my biggest challenges. It's not certain types of food that will bring me delight - it's a relationship with the Creator of all sorts of delights. A river of them, in fact!  He encourages us to drink! He is the living water! And He is the giver of life. May you be encouraged to fall more deeply in love with Him today and feast and drink on what He has for you, which will make you healthier and thinner.

Dear Heavenly Father, first I must say how grateful I am that Your love reaches to the heavens and Your faithfulness stretches to the skies. Thank You for giving us refuge beneath Your wings and allowing us to feast on the abundance of Your house and drink from Your river of delights. Lord, I ask that You would take our breath away (well, not literally, but You know what I mean). Make us yearn for more of You. May we be satisfied in our relationship with the Creator of every good and perfect gift and not try to find some would-be-satisfaction from worldly pleasures that only make us feel more empty inside and fatter on the outside. Keep us in step with You and focused on You - show us the treasures You have for us. And, Lord, please make us healthy and thin for Your glory. We love You! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Present Your Requests to God

"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 mind in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Are you anxious about losing weight? I admit that I have been. It's easy to see the holidays around the corner and start to worry about losing more now to make up for the times we'll be eating more or think we won't make it through this next season. But, God tells us not to be anxious about anything. In EVERYTHING - which includes weight loss! - by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, we are supposed to present our requests to God. So, we need to be praying... and we need to be thanking.

The other night as I was tucking my son into bed, he was thanking Jesus for everything, from triangles to trains to people. At first I was blessed, and then I was hoping to rush him along since it was time for lights out. But, God doesn't tire of our prayers, especially when we're thanking Him for His blessings. I think being thankful keeps us focused on the things that are noble, pure, just, etc.

What else I find special about these verses is that God promises to guard our hearts and minds with His peace. What an amazing thought! If it's true that the war will be won in the battle ground of our minds, we've found a key in guarding that area of our lives. God's peace, which is a result of bringing our petitions to Him. So, let's do that now!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for helping us lose weight. Thank You for each and every pound that has been shed. Lord God, help us not be anxious about this journey or the weight we need to lose or the time of year. Jesus, with thanksgiving, we come to you with the following petition: make each one of us healthy and thin. May we be transformed with new physical bodies for Your glory, prepared to do the good work that You've called us to do. We also ask that You guard our hearts and minds with Your peace. And, we thank You for it! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Challenge

We've had 56 days together on this journey of losing weight. I'm not sure how many people even read this blog, but I'm enjoying writing it. Writing is a passion of mine, and I love to journal, so this is just a public diary where I'm trying to put to practice Scriptures that I feel the Lord has given me in this weight loss journey. But, each person is on their own individual journey, I realize. And, if I've learned nothing else, it's that it's God's Word that is really going to transform us from the inside out.

So, my challenge to you is this, has God given you any Scripture verses along the way that you would like to share? You've listened to me, and I'd like to listen to you. Feel free to post a comment with one! If you're not actively searching the Lord in His Word for Scriptures to help you along your path, then I'd like to encourage you to start today! There's nothing like it... when you're reading the Bible and seeking God's direction for your life and lo and behold, there is a verse that God wrote directly to you to motivate and strengthen you for that day and the coming weeks. If you ask God to give you something, He is gracious and generous with His portions! So, don't wait. Start reading the Bible and seeing what God says about weight loss and healthy living in there. Then comment here. I'd love to hear from you.

May you be blessed in this journey beyond measure!!!

Transformed With Ever-Increasing Glory

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

I actually read the Amplified Bible version of this verse today in my devotions, which words the verse as follows: "And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified Bible)

I immediately was humbled at the thought. I read several versions, and some noted that when God removes the veils from our faces, we see God with nothing in between us; and like a mirror, we radiate His awesome beauty. But, what was a distinction for me in the Amplified Bible version was that we are reflecting on (or contemplating) God's glory through His Word. I believe there is a distinct value that comes from meditating on God's Word every day and applying it to our lives. If we want to be transformed into His likeness, display His splendor and radiate with His beauty, we need to spend time with Him, learn from Him and have a 'real' relationship.

I believe God's holy Word is the only thing that can change my life and make me thin. I've tried other things that don't work. I need Him for my strength, my motivation and my saving grace. Without God's Word grounding my life, I'm left open to temptation, I'm left hopeless thinking there's no way that I can beat this struggle, and I'm left feeling alone in an uphill battle.

But, when I contemplate God's glory in His word, when I leave nothing untouched by my Savior or closed off from Him, when the veil is removed in this life (after all, the verse says with 'ever-increasing glory' and 'being transformed' as though it's a process here on earth rather than an instantaneous thing like when we die) and we are able to mirror our Savior's radiance, I believe the end result is true beauty and nothing less. May my life be a true reflection of God's glory and may He receive all the honor and praise for it.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word, which says that we are being transformed into Your likeness with ever-increasing glory. God, I want my life to mirror You. I give you the key to every area of my life and offer You the veil that comes between us. May we reflect Your glory. God I pray for each person reading this... may they come to know You in a mighty way through Your Word. And, Lord, I pray that we would all become thin and beautiful for Your utmost glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Prepared to Do Any Good Work

"In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." 2 Timothy 2:20-21

More and more I see how being overweight can inhibit your activities. From not being physically capable of doing whatever it may be that we're called to do to not having the burning desire or motivation to keep going, there's just something about obesity that can weigh us down from doing the work we're called to do at times. My desire is to be an 'instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.'

Therefore, I should follow the instructions in these verses to cleanse myself from ignoble purposes. When I looked up the word 'ignoble' I found the following synonyms: "dishonorable, shameful, immoral, base, low, reprehensible, dastardly." Are we doing anything with our bodies that could be classified in one of these categories? If so, we need to be sanctified through the forgiveness and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I decided also to look up 'noble' and found synonyms including "righteous, good, splendid, decent, dignified, gracious, gallant, upper-class and...self-sacrificing!" Are we dignified, gracious, upper-class and self-sacrificing? Um... I think I could use a good refining like the gold mentioned above.

I'm asking God to make me His instrument, holy like Him, used for noble purposes, useful to the Master (which I would take as a HUGE compliment!) and prepared to do any good work. If we're going to be prepared to do good work, I think we're going to have to have the physical bodies and stamina for what God calls us to do. May this weight loss journey have a higher purpose in your life than you even recognized when you first started. May you be called useful to the master and ready to do ANY good work!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for these verses. Thank You that You can cleanse us from ignoble things. Please refine us like gold and make us Your instrument for noble purposes, holy, useful to You, and may we be ready to do ANY good work. Father, please make us healthy and thin for Your glory and Your kingdom purposes. We love You and long to be useful to You. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Think On These Things

"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." Philippians 4:8

This is one of my favorite verses. I remember writing it on an index card and hanging it in my room when I was in high school, along with many other favorites that I didn't want to forget. And, while you may think it has nothing to do with weight loss, I'm learning that it has a lot to do with every temptation in our lives.

I've personally discovered throughout this journey that if I focus on food and I start thinking about it non-stop, I ultimately give way to overindulging in something that is not necessarily good for my body. (After all, it's not often that vegetables overtake my thoughts!) On the other hand, I've found the same to be true on the opposite end of the spectrum. If I think about healthy things I can have and plan out my meals, I can usually stick with them. I somehow convince myself to be in the mood for them. For example, one day I decided I was going to eat veggies for lunch. Now, these are veggies I like, mind you (in fact, on a side note, I would highly recommend the 'immunity blend' frozen steamer veggies at Giant). But, steamed vegetables was what I decided I wanted for lunch in the morning and when I ate them that day, they were extremely satisfying.

Likewise, I met a friend for breakfast the other week who also is trying to lose weight. Breakfast is an easy meal at home for me but a tough one out at restaurants. She told me that she visualized her plate before getting to the buffet, sectioning out what part was going to be fruit, what part would be reserved for eggs, etc. I thought it was a wise move that kept her focused so she didn't overdo it. I think it's good to have a game plan of what you're going to eat for that day so that you're not starving or overindulging and so that you're getting enough good stuff to be healthy. After all, that's the point of this journey, right?

That said, we can't just focus on food or we would eat far more than we need. We should focus on that which is "noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy" like the verse above says. When I think about God's goodness, when I'm thankful for what He's done in my life, when I listen to worship music, when I hear a testimony about His faithfulness to someone else, when I look around and see the beauty of His creation, when I choose to intentionally focus my thoughts on things from above, the battle seems easier. When I allow myself to start craving things I shouldn't have or think about negative things going on around me, it's instinctive for me to want to eat my sorrows away.

And while we think that it's okay to 'lick the plate clean' from chocolate cake in our mind so long as we're not doing it physically, I think that we are setting ourselves up for failure if we continue to focus on such things.

It's more than ironic that my devotions were on the same thing. I had written this entry out in my mind, and then the book I'm studying had the exact same focus. I'll give you bits and pieces that I found interesting from Beth Moore (2003) "When Godly People Do Ungodly Things":

• "Many of us may not be committing grievous sins with our bodies, but we are entertaining them in the recess of our minds..." Beth likened the mind to the most secret chamber of our temple (our body). We read Ezekial 8:1-12, which I would recommend you read, too. She notes "we kid ourselves in thinking that sin is safe in the secret places."
  
• The mind is the biggest battlefield we have on which our Spiritual battles are fought. [If you're losing this battle right now, I challenge you to search your heart and your mind...that seven pounds was a wake up call for me that something needed to change on the inside of my heart. And, thank God, the scale is starting to go the other direction!]
• My favorite quote: "The redeemed of God who are inhabited by the very Spirit of Jesus Christ weren't bought by His blood to be typical" (p. 70). Wow! If you think that you are 'normal' or 'typical' in what you're feeding your mind or thinking about, this is truly an OUCH moment. "Much too often we have adopted a relative standard based on the wickedness of the world rather than the holiness of God."
  
• If we don't allow God to sanctify our thoughts, our minds will taint our hearts and ultimately affect our actions. "But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ" 2 Corinthians 11:3. This verse shows that even those who are sincere and pure in their devotion to Christ can be lead away through  the serpent's cunning their minds!
• Christ tells us the greatest commandment was to "Love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:28,30). We need to love God with our minds and make our thoughts obedient to Him.
• "We must apply the principle of feeding what we want to live and starving what we want to die. We need to start feeding the Spirit and starving the flesh." While these are Beth Moore's words and not Scripture, I'm amused by the analogy. She talks about what we're feeding our minds - is it junk on TV, R-rated movies, trashy magazines or books or are we conscious of the choices we're making to feed ourselves good things that make us focus on what is right, noble, pure, praiseworthy, etc.
• Romans 8:6 tells us that the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. If we practice not thinking about sinful things but rather on the good, Beth notes "then our feelings start changing and improving. We often feel better all over. We start feeling full and satisfied." Again, I love that God can use a simple workbook to let me know that He's thinking of our struggle to lose weight. After all, when we feel "full and satisfied" we're not as tempted to go over-indulge in something that will harm our goals!

This week, start empowering the Holy Spirit to allow you to focus on "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable...anything that is praiseworthy or excellent."  Practice controlling your thoughts, being intentional about your choices and allow God to make your life holy, pure and altogether thin and lovely!!!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for showing us the way to victory. It is only by Your Spirit and the work You've done on the cross that we have any hope for our future. We know that You want the best for our bodies, and we thank You that You've come right alongside us in this journey. Lord, please help us focus on that which is pure, noble, right, true, admirable, lovely, excellent or praiseworthy. Keep our thoughts high above and may we honor You with our choices. We love You, Lord Jesus. May our lives be a pure reflection of that... we live for Your glory. In Jesus' powerful and precious name, AMEN!

Strengthen Your Walls

"Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control." Proverbs 25:28

My devotions this morning were on building up walls to protect ourselves from the attack of the enemy. First, Beth Moore (2003) talked about a fence that had fallen down between two properties due to tree roots, which seemed harmless when the trees were planted but had grown to the point of uprooting the soil and knocking down fences on both neighbors yards. One neighbor had exotic animals while the other raised miniature horses. Neither neighbor had noticed the fence coming down due to the acreage until one day, a property owner went out to see her favorite horse being torn apart by a hungry lion. To quote a paragraph from the study: "Tragically, we often don't realize part of our fence is down until Satan, the roaring lion, is devouring something precious to us right on our own property. Mind you, he has no right to be on our property, but all he needs for a written invitation is a weak spot in our fence" (Moore, 2003, p. 64).

Next, she recalled that God is a believer in walls, noting places in Scripture where God had placed walls or boundaries around his beloved things (like the Garden of Eden, the Old Testament tabernacle and the city of Jerusalem). We did an exercise where we drew a temple and then labeled it our bodies based on 1 Corinthians 6:19 (so cool that these Scriptures keep coming back as we seek God's direction!). Next, we looked at how the Holy Spirit is inside of us and that there is a wall that God has built with His seal of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).

Finally, the above Scripture was referenced, and it stood out to me above all else in the lesson. For one, I must admit that I've read it dozens of times before (in fact, it's in one of my son's favorite books on being a godly boy) but I never really understood the analogy until today. Maybe I'm just thick-headed, but I didn't think about the seriousness of a broken-down wall to a city. City walls represented protection at the very least. All I keep picturing is a lion ripping to shreds something very loved like the little horse she described, and I want my walls to be fortified rather than broken down. Self-control is that important!

And I've been lacking it lately. Just like planting trees didn't seem like a big deal they day they went in, the tree roots continued to grow until they were a BIG problem (I can relate since we've gotten rid of two big trees since moving into this house and had to have some of our plumbing re-done because of the roots that had gotten into the pipes!). We sometimes think giving in here or there isn't a big deal, but we're tearing down the wall between us and the roaring lion when we don't practice self-control. Think of those fences and fortify your walls!

Dear Heavenly Father, first of all, we thank You that You have sealed us with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that You are more powerful than any devouring lion. Lord, we don't want to do anything that opens the door to an attack or worse, lose something important to us. Please help us maintain the walls of safety and practice self-control. Help us! Remind us! Strengthen us! Motivate us! May we be ever focused and alert so we don't give into temptation. We love You and fear You alone. Thank You for protecting us and keeping us on the straight path. May our temples - our bodies where Your Holy Spirit dwells - be made pure, holy, healthy and thin for Your glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Controlled by the Spirit of God

"You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." Romans 8:9

This verse jumped out at me. I don't know why it seemed like such a revelation this morning, but we are not controlled by the sinful nature that I always seem to blame for my actions. Instead we are controlled by the Spirit of God who lives inside us. So, we don't need to say "oh, it's that sin nature I'm struggling with." Remind yourself that God's Spirit is in control. And He wants the best for your body since that's His dwelling place. I'm feeling the victory dance of crushing Satan underneath our feet coming on... anyone want to dance with me?

Dear God, thank You that Your Holy Spirit controls us, not our sinful nature. May we keep that in the forefront of our minds as we make choices regarding our bodies today. Lord, may You alone be honored by the 'victory dance' we do... obviously, You alone deserve the praise and recognition for crushing sin and evil and making us healthy, thin and holy! We love you. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Early Will I Seek You

"O God, you are my God, early will I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings." Psalm 63:1-7

One thing I've been learning recently is the importance of seeking God early. There is just something about getting up and starting your day off with what matters, which I think is time with God and His word. Making time with God a priority in your life, to the point of losing a few minutes sleep over it, is of significance. I can't necessarily explain it, but I know for myself that God has told me that He wants to be FIRST. That first includes being the first part of my day. We're to seek Him first, and these verses talk about seeking Him early.

In addition, I'm finding it helpful to get up in the morning and do my exercising before my children wake up. While this is no easy task to roll out of bed before the dawn's light, I believe that it is helping me get my workout in (whereas there are some days that I assume I can take advantage of nap time or another slot in the day only to find that it gets filled with other needs). If I want to be completely unselfish in the time I'm taking to do my exercising, then waking up before my family is key, at least for me.

What these verses offer is a soul satisfied as with the richest of foods. God understands our struggle. He knows what rich foods taste and feel like, and He promises to satisfy our very soul just like that. The thought of being satisfied by God keeps me going. It's not always easy...or, more like it, it's rarely easy to wake up early to do devotions and exercise, but I know God rewards us for being obedient to what He asks us to do. May He bless you richly today!

Dear God, help us to seek You early. Help us seek you FIRST in both timing and in motivation. May we honor and glorify You with our choices. Help getting up early seem more like a privelege than a chore. We thank You and praise You. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Guarding Our Lives

"May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

This week in the Bible study I'm doing, we've been looking at guarding ourselves against the destruction of the enemy. I can honestly say that I've had the most struggle this past week with eating temptations than I've had for over a year. I've been struggling. And I mean REALLY struggling (to the tune of gaining seven pounds!!!) And, I have no one and nothing to blame but me! I need to "seduce-proof" my life with God's Word. So, I will share the lesson with you, giving credit to Beth Moore (2003) and her study on "When Godly People Do Ungodly Things." I wholeheartedly see overeating as an "ungodly thing" that godly people are doing, myself included.

First, we backed up a bit to start with my very favorite Bible verses (1 Thess. 5:16-18) and continued on from there to the verses listed above. I'll write them out here for you:

"Be joyful always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophesies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it. Brothers, pray for us." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-25

Next, we went point by point to look at what Christians who are guarded against both the enemy and his trap of seduction to do ungodly things look like. The profile is broken down as follows (only I put my list in order of the Scripture appearance, which was not the case in the workbook - FYI):

1. She is joyful always (1 Thess. 5:16). Be happy in your faith! So many times people think of Christianity as a drag when in reality it is the best way to experience true joy. Beth Moore likens it to people thinking it's good for us like bran when we really want it to be a chocolate malt. Sooo funny that food comes up over and over again as I study. A relationship with God is good-for-you chocolate that I just know exists in heaven!!!
2. She prays continuously (1 Thess. 5:17).  Beth Moore notes "a pray-without-ceasing relationship with God keeps communication lines open" and she also cautions that "loneliness and insecurity open a soul to seduction." We need to be constantly talking with God, listening to Him, thinking of Him, etc.
3. She gives thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess 5:18). Live 'active gratitude' since "dissatisfaction is a stronghold waiting to happen." We live in such an overindulgent society that we think we always need more, more, more. Have you lost any weight so far? Thank God for it! I've found myself constantly sorry that another pound isn't gone when I haven't been overly gracious for the ones He's taken away. List 10 things in your mind that you are thankful for and go ahead and give God thanks right now!
4. She doesn't put out the Spirit's fire (1 Thess. 5:19). Beth Moore says, "Nothing will be more important to us in seduce-proofing our lives than practicing the Holy Spirit-filled or controlled life." Don't quench the Spirit's fire, which is refining you and making your faith pure. You'll need to listen to the Holy Spirit and heed the warnings to overcome this battle!
5. She doesn't despise instruction, exhortation or warning (1 Thess. 5:20). I thought it was amusing that she noted that sometimes instructions we need don't always come from a source that we like.  But, we need to be "desperate for humility to receive instruction." This is an area where I fall short and need God's grace. We need godly counsel, and we need to listen to it if it lines up with God's Word.
6. She tests all things, holding on to what is good (1 Thess 5:21). We need to recognize what is good by testing and proving it. The only way I personally know how to test whether or not something is good is by aligning it with God's Word. Does it contradict what God specifically says or does it go along with Scripture? What do your godly counselors say, etc? Beth Moore says that in most people, this is an area where the muscles of us Christians tend to be weak and that God will probably fortify them through exercise and repetition. For me personally, my area of weakness is separating feelings from the true 'facts' in testing all things and holding onto what is good.
7. She stays away from every form of evil (1 Thess 5:22). We're reminded that God's promises are Yes and Amen (2 Cor 1:18-20) and that God has a purpose for our lives (1 Corinthians 2:9). We don't need to indulge in evil to get the most out of life; in fact, the opposite is true. We need to rejoice in our Savior on this earth and enjoy the good things He has in store for us by abstaining from sin.
8. She allows God Himself to sanctify her (1 Thess 5:23). This is allowing God access to all parts of us with nothing off-limits. Everything - thoughts, emotions, bodies, every area of our lives - "surrendered and under the safekeeping of God's dominion. Safekeeping basically means set apart." 
9. Her whole spirit, soul and body are kept blameless (1 Thess 5:23). We can't be perfect in this life. But, we can keep our whole spirit, soul and body blameless. Psalm 19:13 says "Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression." Beth Moore writes "living out from under the dominion of willful sin is not only possible; it is our God-given right, our Holy Spirit-empowered reality, and the absolute will of our Father in heaven." Wow! This is another area that I need help in! I want to be blameless and not allow willful sin to rule over me!!!
10. She knows the One who called her is faithful and He will do it. (1 Thess. 5:24). I'll quote right from the workbook for this one: "The seduce-proofed woman has no confidence in her flesh. Nor does she dream that either checking off a list of characteristics or performing a catalog of spiritual disciplines has any power to protect her. She knows that God is faithful, and He will do it. The seduce-proofed believer simply realizes that obedience places her in a posture God delights to bless. Obedience invites Christ to show His incomparable strength in our mortal weakness." God is faithful! He will do it! He's the only One who can, and we just need to be obedient to Him. What a relief!
11. She knows she needs prayer (1 Thess. 5:25). We were asked to list prayer warriors who are interceding for us on a consistent basis. I confess, I couldn't write a single name down. Beth Moore noted that we need to be praying for each other and intercessing for one another with Scripture. She said that we need to enlist others to pray for us and then begin praying for them as well. This will be key in our battle. So, pray for one another. If you're on a team, pray for the other people consistently, using Scripture to strengthen the power of what you're saying. Pray for your family and friends and let them know that you are. And, please pray for me, too. I need it! I've really been struggling lately with losing weight, and I want to be obedient in the above list so that I can be 'blameless' before my God...which includes my body!!!

I know this is a longer post than normal, but I so enjoyed this devotion that I thought you might, too. Let's fortify ourselves against temptation and enemy seduction and live a pure life before our God. And, in the process may we become gorgeously thin and healthy!!!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for providing steps for us in this journey. God, I'm so grateful we don't just have to take a stab in the dark at the enemy but instead You empower us to live godly lives. Please help every person reading (or writing!) this to be joyful always, pray continuously, give thanks in ALL circumstances, fan the flames of the Spirit's refining fire, test everything and hold onto the good, stay away from EVERY form of evil including overeating or indulging in the wrong types of foods, allow You to sanctify Her through and through and keep her entire soul, spirit and body blameless through not allowing willful sin to rule over her life. Father, we thank You that You are faithful and You are able to do it. You are the only One who can save us and make us healthy and thin. Please help us enlist prayer warriors for this cause. We love You and want to be obedient to Your Word, Lord. Your love is better than life. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Ask Whatever You Wish, And It Will Be Given to You

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you." John 15:7

I think it's so important that we incorporate Christ into our weight loss journey. It's the only way I've had any success. I had to read God's Word and apply it to my life. I had to see what the Bible said about eating, discipline, working out, and being thin. It's the only way I'm staying even somewhat motivated.

I absolutely love the above verse and the hope it gives us. If we remain in Jesus and His words remain in us, then we can ask for whatever we wish and it will be given to us. This verse doesn't say "ask for more of me and you'll get it" or "ask for anything related to spiritual pursuits and you got it" it says WHATEVER we wish and it will be given to us! And I wish to be skinny! And healthy! And I'm gonna go ahead and ask. Jesus is in my heart, His word is life to me, and I'm believing He is true to what He says and is faithful to fulfill His promises. Hallelujah!

Dear Jesus, thank You for allowing us to remain in You. And, thank You for giving us Your word to remain in our hearts. Lord, we wish to be  thin and healthy, beautiful and financially secure. God, I'd love to be skinny and gorgeous. And, I thank You that You tell us we can ask for whatever we wish. Father, I thank You that You say that our requests will be given to us. God, I can't thank You enough for fulfilling Your promises. The hope that this verse gives me makes me want to jump for joy and cry all at the same time. You are amazing, and I believe in You. Thank You, thank You, thank You. Be glorified today! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Resolve

^"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, 'I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.' Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 'Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.' So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom." Daniel 1:8-20

One of the best Bible studies I've completed to date was Beth Moore's "Daniel." I got so much out of God's Word - I would highly recommend it. First, we see in verse 8 that Daniel RESOLVED not to DEFILE himself with food. In the beginning of Daniel (not posted here), the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, with permission from God, had taken some Israelites captive. These were good-looking, intelligent and royal young men (Daniel 1:4). They were to be trained in Babylonian culture (which was far different from the Israelite, or God-worshipping, culture these boys were used to) in preparation for service to the king. Daniel and his friends (who were re-named Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego by the king) chose not to defile themselves with royal food and wine and instead ate and drank healthy.

They were tested in this for 10 days and were better nourished and healthier than the others who ate whatever 'choice' foods were presented to them. And, God honored their resolve and gave them knowledge, understanding and wisdom. When questioned, they were 'ten times better' than the others throughout the kingdom.

In the next chapter, Daniel and his friends were put to their first test when the king had a disturbing dream and they not only had to interpret the dream, they also had to guess the dream first. They prayed, and God answered them. Most of the book of Daniel is about end-time events, and Daniel was given so much information on what was to come and wisdom for his present time. Beth Moore noted, and I wholeheartedly agree, that Daniel might have missed the important call on his life had he not chosen to walk in the way of the Lord from the very beginning. Instead of choosing to blend in with Babylonian culture, he RESOLVED. He chose not to defile himself. And, I think it no coincidence that the very first issue revolved around food. He had to say no to choice foods and wine and stick with water and vegetables. He had to keep his body and mind pure so the Lord could use him.

We know about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace, and how the only thing burned up was the chains that bound them (Daniel 3:25). And, we've heard of Daniel and the lion's den. Some of the other information was new to me, though. Had Daniel not been obedient in the 'small' things of life like his diet, God may not have used him for the bigger things.

If we are going to lose weight, it's going to take RESOLVE. We are going to need to press on when the enemy is tempting us. We're going to have to make up our minds to eat healthy. We are going to have to say no to choice food if we want to see the bigger things God has for us. How I pray that we can meet this challenge! Test yourself for 10 days and see what God can do!

Dear Jesus, I am so honored to learn about You through Your holy Word. There is nothing I enjoy more than receiving new wisdom. We see in this Scripture that You gave knowledge and understanding to these men who resolved not to defile themselves with food. Help us do the same! Give us resolve! Help us withstand temptation. Help us say no to 'choice' food and eat and drink that which is healthy for us. And, may we bring glory to You in the process. We love You, Lord God, and we praise You! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Enough for the Day

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.'" Exodus 16:4

I smile when I think about how well God knows us. We think we can hide things from Him, but our all-knowing and loving Heavenly Father knows even our thoughts. In this verse, we see that God understands our need to eat. He created our bodies, and He knows that we need fuel. Eating is not sin. But, eating too much is. The Israelites in this passage were commanded to gather 'enough' for that day. Each person was told to gather "as much as he needs" or one omer per person (Exodus 16:16).

Not all of the Israelites listened. Some folks decided to keep some until the following morning, but it began to smell and was full of maggots (Exodus 16:20). I think of this as a 'scarcity' mentality (which we heard an excellent sermon on at LCBC). We hoard all that we can so that we won't be without. But, we are being disobedient to God when we behave this way.

Growing up in a house of over-eaters, we would often take seconds or eat dessert even if we were full because we knew that if we didn't, it would be gone the next day. And, it really would be gone...but looking back, who really cares?!?! We have to get out of the hoarding mentality if we're going to live godly lives. I started the South Beach Diet right before Thanksgiving one year. My sisters were aghast when I didn't eat potatoes, homemade rolls or pie. I didn't think I could get through it either, but I did. And you know what? I'm still alive to talk about it. The fact that pumpkin pie is only around once a year doesn't mean we have to eat a whole one (which believe me, I could do!).

We need to learn to eat just enough for the day. If that yummy food is gone the next day because another member of our household ate it, that won't kill us. (In fact, in reality it will probably help us in the long run.) We don't need to hoard food. We need to obey God's instructions and take just enough to be a reasonable portion for one person. God created food and even good tasting food (manna was described as tasting like wafers made with honey). But, His instructions were clear...gather enough for each person for the day. He didn't say fill 'er up and keep on going. He tests us to see if we'll be obedient to His instructions.

I will pray that you are able to do this! And, if you don't mind, please pray for me also. I've been falling short of His glory in this area of my life. If you're reading this today, please hold me up in prayer that I can learn this very important life lesson. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You know our struggles. Thank You for creating food for us and also for teaching us how to eat. Please help us take just enough for today. Help us eat proper portions and not hoard food. Help us live generously and eat just enough to be healthy and re-fuel our bodies. May we follow Your instructions wholeheartedly. Thank You for Your Word. We love You, Lord Jesus. In Your name we pray, AMEN!

Every Promise Fulfilled

"Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled." Joshua 21:45

This has not been a good week in my weight loss journey, I'll admit. In fact, as I was telling a friend, I don't even feel like I'm worthy to write this blog with the failures I've allowed myself to experience over the past few days. But, then I remembered - and my friend reminded me - that what these entries are truly about is God's Word. What I have to say doesn't really matter - it's the Holy Bible that has the ability to change our lives.

It's ironic that I recently wrote about Satan's attempts to cast doubt into our minds (see Genesis 3:1). Again, do you feel that God is with you and for you on this journey? Do you feel like He's leading you? Just like the Israelites, God's chosen people, were led on a journey, I feel like this time in my life has been a season of going through the 'wilderness' where God provides for me in the form of manna (is what He gives me "good enough" for me?) and a cloud by day and fire by night (or His Scripture). I'm fully expecting to reach the 'Promised Land' that I've asked God for - a healthy, thin body. And, even though there were many bumps in the road for the Israelites (oh, God, please don't take me round the mountain for 40 years - help me learn my lessons quicker than that!!!), every one of God's promises to them was fulfilled.

If you believe that God led you here, if you believe that you are walking hand-in-hand with the Lord on this weight loss journey, if you know in your heart that God is calling you to a healthier lifestyle and has promised to give you the desires of your heart, then we need to get rid of any seeds of doubt the enemy is casting our way and stand firm on the promises of the Lord. This verse above all but jumped off the page as I was reading my Bible. Not even one promise of the Lord went unfulfilled. God told us that whatever we ask for in the name of Jesus, we'll receive (John 14:13-14). We've asked, and we've believed. Now, we must hold tightly to the promises of God. He is faithful to His Word! Praise Him for it! Tell others what He's doing in your life!

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You that You are faithful. Lord, please forgive us where we have not been. God, we ask again in the name of Jesus to have healthy, thin bodies for Your glory. We thank You that You keep Your promises. Lord, please continue to lead us on this journey. Please don't leave us or forsake us. Please help us realize the 'Promised Land' without having to wander for 40 years. Help us worship You alone. We love You and praise You. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Full Redemption

"...put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption." Psalm 130:7

There are days I wake up feeling hopeless, I'll admit. As the weather turns colder, I'm seriously fighting the urge to pack in the food and burrow under the blankets. I'm feeling the heaviness as the season is changing...(and I normally LOVE Fall!). This morning to combat these feelings, I knew it was time to worship. I played my piano and sang to the Lord, "putting on a garment of praise" and singing hallelujah. He reminded me that my only hope is in Him.

God's love is unfailing. Even if we fail - or when we fail - God's love is still there. He will always love us. It's a pretty amazing thought since our love tends to be conditional. Not only does the Lord offer us His unfailing love, but this verse tells us that with Him is full redemption. I looked up the word redemption, and synonyms include: salvation, deliverance, rescue, release, liberation, emancipation and recovery or exchange, conversion and trade-in. Full redemption! Full salvation, we know...but full liberation? Full emancipation from this bondage? I could cry! Full conversion...yes, yes, yes! I want to be converted! I want to 'trade-in' this body for a newer, healthier model. I want to exchange my yoke to sin for Jesus' light and easy yoke. I want to be freed, rescued and delivered! How about you?

So, we put our hope in the Lord. He can do it...He loves us enough to do it...let's believe He will do it!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You so much for the Bible. Thank You for Your unfailing love. God, I confess I don't always understand this love, especially when I screw up. But, I'm grateful for it. Please show us Your full redemption...please save us, emancipate us from this bondage to over-eating and laziness, please liberate us to live the godly lives you've called us to, please grant us full recovery so that our bodies are better than we even expect them to be at the end of this journey. Please convert us and allow us to trade-in what we currently have for the best, i.e. what You planned for us from the beginning. God, we love You. We put our hope in You. We can't do this on our own strength. We need You! Please help us! Please allow us to glorify You in the process. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Physical Training & Godliness

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." 1 Timothy 4:8

Have you ever wondered if people in Biblical times had to work out? I've always thought that most people were physically fit before the invention of cars and other modern day conveniences. But, the Bible shows us that God knows both the struggles of the past and those of our present (and even the future!). 

God tells us that physical training is of some value. He cares that we work out our bodies! There is value in it - it is worth our time and efforts. But, what's most important to Him is godliness. It's most important that we focus on His Word and maintain godly character. For me, this includes saying no to ungodly passions like over-indulging in food. Godliness - or obeying God's Word and applying Biblical principles to our lives - is important for this life and also "holds promise" for the life to come!

So, know today that the efforts you are making in physical training and in learning God's Word are valuable to you and to Him. May you be encouraged in this journey to stay focused for the right reasons!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You understand our needs and desires. Thank You that Your Word tells us that physical training is of some value. We also thank You that You direct us to focus on godliness. Lord Jesus, make us more like You! Help us say no to ungodliness, including over indulging in food we don't need to eat. Help us say yes to learning the Bible and applying it to our lives. Give us motivation to keep going on this journey. Help us not lose heart and give up. You are our prize and treasure that we seek. Make us healthy and thin for Your ultimate glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Hope & a Future

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares to the Lord, 'and I will bring you back from captivity...'" Jeremiah 29:11-14

The Lord never ceases to amaze me. I've loved the beginning of these verses from the time I was a small child. Isn't it great to know that God has plans to prosper us and give us hope and a future? Sometimes we lose that hope as we go through life, I'm afraid. But, God knows what's in store for our future, and He plans good things for us!

These verses show us that we need to call on Him, pray to Him and seek Him with all our hearts. When we do, God will listen to us and be found by us. But, best of all, He will bring us back from captivity. While we may not be living in Egypt or Babylon, we are still God's chosen people being held captive by the outcomes of the sin we chose to tango with. I believe an addiction to over-eating is like any addiction to a drug of choice - we feel so bonded to it, so overtaken and entangled by it, so overwhelmed by it that it's become a very real part of our life - it's what we do and think about on a daily basis.

Even now that I've been on this journey for awhile, as the weather gets colder, everything in me is crying out to hibernate. I'm in the mood to cook, bake, eat and sleep! But, I have to seek God to break old cycles, habits and behaviors to free me to accomplish His good plans and purposes for my life. Now, I'm not saying that baking, planning and napping are bad for other folks - but, I know for myself that if I make something, I'm going to eat it...ALL of it. And many times, eating too much just makes me feel lazy in general.

God can free us from this captivity. He promises He will in these verses. Continue to seek Him with your whole heart and mind. Dive into the Bible like it's the best food you've ever tasted. Don't give up! You will find Jesus...your prayers will be heard... you will have the future you're looking for!

Dear God, thank You for freeing us from captivity. Thank You for wanting to prosper us even when we don't deserve it. I'm so thankful for Your hope and the future You have for me. I don't want to miss any part of the good things in store, so please free me from sin. Bring me back from captivity! Restore us to You. We ask for more of You, oh Lord. We seek You with our whole hearts. I pray for everyone reading this, that we would all have healthy bodies for Your glory. Beyond that, give us the future You had originally planned for us. Prosper us, oh God. And may we enjoy You in the process. We love You, oh Father God! Thank You for loving us, too. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Little by Little

"I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land." Exodus 23:28-30

I think everyone would like to miraculously wake up skinny one morning. Isn't it our dreams to go to bed overweight and wake up completely transformed? I believe God could make us lose 100 pounds overnight if He thought that was best for us. But, I believe our Heavenly Father is all about the process...and He's all about us and our protection.

I was thinking about my own weight loss journey and the process it has been, and these verses from Exodus came to mind. Similar to the reasons God had for not delivering the entire Promised Land into the hands of the Israelites all at once, there are reasons for us not experiencing drastic overnight weight-loss. For one, I'm not sure our skin could handle it. As we lose weight slowly, our skin has time to shrink along with our body. More than the physical reasons, though, I think there are Spiritual reasons we haven't thought about.

Can we handle it? Being blatantly honest, if you thought you looked 'good' or 'smokin' hot' (my favorite!), how would you handle it? Would you be more likely to sin in another area of life? Would you be an easier target for the enemy in some area? Would you be quicker to judge others going through similar struggles? Is your heart guarded to worship God alone and not think too highly of yourself? Would you struggle with pride? While these are tough questions, you can answer them honestly for yourself. I've had to lose weight via a journey with the Lord so that my heart, motivations and desires were more pure than if I had done it on my own. I needed to guard my heart and my mind with the Bible verses I've been studying. God knew that if I woke up one day looking extraordinary, I may not handle it well. Instead, He's allowed me to walk the path with Him, and I get to learn from Him in the process!

While my journey is far from over, I'm glad that God has driven back the 'fat' little-by-little so that I have no room for pride. It has been Him producing this change in me. All I can do is bow on my face in worship of the Most High God. I pray that He continues to take us (me and those of you reading this) to the Promised Land of a healthy body for His glory. May we drive back the enemy and come to a place in life where we can fully handle the responsibility that comes with this new territory. Praise be to the Lord!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You know best. Thank You that You won't give us more than we can handle. God, we ask that You would prepare our hearts and minds for the next step in our lives, where we are healthy and thin for Your glory. Keep us humble, keep us alert against enemy deception and keep us in holy communion and worship with You, our only God. May we glorify You with all we think, say and do. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Clay in the Potter's Hand

"Yet, O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." Isaiah 64:8

I love that the Lord is shaping us and molding us, literally. Just like I am on that potter's wheel, I can picture where my shape got a little awry and our Lord's loving hand re-working His creation. I'm so thankful to know that He is the one who is molding me into His image! I don't have to stress about my body - the Lord (our loving Father) is taking care of it. I just need to allow Him to work on me.

I've lost over 70 pounds with God's help. I don't say this to boast by any means (Lord knows, I still have weight to lose) but I want to give glory to God. I am the work of His hand. At one point, I remember feeling hopeless... I didn't believe I could change and I feared that I would get all sorts of diseases that come from obesity. I remember feeling an overall despair about the situation I had gotten myself into. But, God hears our cries. He sees our struggles. And when we ask Him for help, He lovingly breaks back out the potters wheel, gets His Living Water, and begins to work on this big ol' lump of dirty clay...removing the excess and giving us His artistic touches to transform us into something beautiful.

We are all in progress...this life is a process. And with God in charge, we are going to be the beautiful piece of artwork we were meant to be. And when we are finished, may we honor and glorify God and praise Him alone!

Dear God, thank You for being our loving Father. Thank You for taking the time and having the patience to work on us. Lord, I remember trying to do pottery at a wheel when I was young and it all fell apart. But, Lord, I know You are the master. I've seen a potter transform a mound of clay into a beautiful piece of artwork with his touch, cutting away the excess and creating beautiful curves. Lord God, we ask that You do that for us. Mold us into Your image and likeness. We thank You that You are the potter and we are merely clay in Your hands. There's no where else I'd rather be. Thank You that You are doing the work. We are in awe of Your creation and touch. There is no one like You, God! We praise You, thank You, honor You and glorify You. We bow down before You and lift up Your holy name. May You receive our praise and adoration. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

I Will Be Healed

"Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are the One I praise." Jeremiah 17:14

This past week during Bible study, we looked at Genesis 3 where Satan is first introduced. In Genesis 3:1, the serpent asked Eve "Did God really say..." to introduce doubt into her mind. We see in this Scripture that doubt is one of the first attacks of the enemy. Did God really say He would heal you? Did God really say that having a healthy body is important? We were reminded that we have to have knowledge of God's word and faith to believe that it's absolute truth.

The above verse tells us that if God heals us, we will be healed! If God saves us, we will be saved! It's a done deal. He is the only one worthy of our praise. Focus on Him today and His healing power in your life. Get rid of all doubt. You are healed..you are healthy! You will be saved.

Lord God, we thank You that You give us Your Word so that we may have knowledge and discernment. We ask that You erase all doubt in our minds...we stand firm on the knowledge that You want us to have a healthy body for Your glory. We rely on You to heal us and save us and make this life change. We know You are able to accomplish this in us through the power of the resurrection and the blood that was shed for our sins. Forgive us, heal us, make us more like You. In Jesus' name we pray, AMEN!

Saying No

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:11-14

I was talking a little bit with my husband's step-mom today about my weight loss journey. She & I were sitting at Friendly's with my kiddos chatting about our lives. As a background on her, she is incredibly thin and lost around 50 lbs on Weight Watchers while I didn't think she needed to lose weight from day one. I told her my biggest area of struggle is saying no to eating. I'm doing the work outs, I'm trying to get enough rest for my body to recuperate each day, but when it comes to eating just enough calories to lose weight, I'm still falling short on many days. For example, my salad today came with a free happy-ending sundae. And while I knew the salad in and of itself was more calories than I needed to consume at lunch time, who can give up free ice cream? I rationalized with her that I want to make this a life change and I'm not going to give up dessert forever... however, I'm not sure that that's the attitude I'm meant to have.

I confessed to her that I really struggle when we go out to restaurants. I can't seem to order the healthy options when the delicious unhealthy favorites can be made-to-order and brought right to my table. At home, I just don't buy the stuff I can't have so it's not a temptation in my cupboards. But, at a restaurant even the salads can be devastating to your diet! I don't know how many of you watch the show "The Biggest Loser" but my mother-in-law told me (I don't watch a lot of TV in general) that this week was about that very same issue. Many of the contestants didn't lose a large amount of weight even though they were working out because they were eating out.

As I read this passage, I see that God's grace gives us all that we need to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions. For me, overeating is a worldly passion. I can't seem to say "no, thank you" when I'm ordering off a menu; but God's Word tells me I can. I have all I need. What I need to do is rely on Him and make the effort. The Bible tells us that we have all we need to "live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age..." God knew in this present age, we would be on-the-go eaters, restaurant frequenters, etc. And He still gave us His grace to be self-controlled and godly.

And, these verses end with what should be our motivation...Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us and purify us as a people who are His, ready to do good. We need to be fit for service! We need to be holy & pure as Jesus' own people. Thank God He redeemed us and purified us! We don't need to dwell on our past choices but instead remember that by His Word and by His grace and by His blood, we can say NO!

Dear Heavenly Father, help us say no to ungodliness and wordly passions. Instead, help us be self-controlled, upright and godly. Thank You that You purify us and redeem us. Lord, I specifically pray that when we need to go to a restaurant that You give us wisdom on what to eat and how much. I ask that You help us eat healthier things even in our homes. Help us say "NO" to things that You want us to say no to. Help us win this battle! May we glorify and honor You with our bodies today and every day. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

God Disciplines His Children

"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: 'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.' Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:5-11

I think this is a season of my life where I am enduring discipline from God. The true definition of discipline is not punishment, but rather teaching. However, these verses go on to say that the Lord punishes everyone he accepts as a son. There are times that I deserve far worse, I fear.

But, these verses start off reminding us of encouragement from the Lord. God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. What an awesome thought! 


Do you know someone who lacks discipline in their life? It permeates into everything they do, I think. I can name several. In thinking of them, though, I believe we often can judge others but fail to point the finger at ourselves. Do we lack discipline in an area of our lives? There are many times that I see young children and think, "If only their parents cared enough to discipline them when necessary, life would be easier for them...and for the parents!" Discipline is no easy task, though. We as earthly parents screw it up far too often with our sin nature. But, God gets it right every time. And He loves us more than we love our kids (which is hard for me to even fathom!). 


The last two verses really struck me. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Is eating healthier a pain to you? It feels like it to me right now! Is exercising fun to you? I'll admit that I'm sore and tired of waking up early just to put on my sneakers! But, we see a promise of God here...later on, it will produce what? A HARVEST of RIGHTEOUSNESS and PEACE for those who have been trained by it. What is producing this righteousness and peace? God's Word. If you've felt the rebuke from His Holy Spirit or His Word, He's showing You how much He loves you, child. He wants you to be the best you can be...like a parent only a far better one than any earthly relationship we have. Don't lose heart! You are a loved child of the Most High! You will see a harvest coming...and you can praise your Heavenly Father for it!


Dear God, forgive us when we've grumbled about Your discipline or felt rejected. Help us remember that You only train us because You love us. Lord, we need Your punishment in our lives if we're going to see the harvest come. Produce in us righteousness and peace...make us holy like You. Lord, help us make wise choices, practice self-control and learn to focus on You as part of this journey of losing weight. May our bodies be dwellings of the Holy Spirit, glorifying to You, Father God. May we feel loved today as Your precious child. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Throw Off the Sin That So Easily Entangles

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

I love these verses and think of them often. Let's throw off EVERYTHING that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us. I picture in my mind the times that I've been jogging in a sweatshirt and get too hot and I just throw it off... may my addiction to overeating be like that (only I tend to pick the sweatshirt back up and tie it around my waist...okay, maybe it's not a good analogy!). But, if something is holding you back - if you feel that yoke around your neck, it's time that that bondage is broken in the name of Jesus! Be rid of it so that you can run with perseverance!


We have a race marked out for us. God knows our every path, and what do we need to do? Fix our eyes on Jesus! He is our finish line! How can you race if you don't know where the end is? But, if your eyes are ever on the end, you'll get there by the straightest means possible. 


When we think of all the suffering Jesus did on the cross, it's easier to "not grow weary and lose heart." Last night I was searching for the song "He's My Son" by Mark Schultz and saw some clips from the Passion movie...it gave me the strength and motivation I needed to get up early this morning and continue on this weight loss journey. For if He gave His life up for me, I can glorify Him with my body. I can press on in this race. And, with His help, I can get rid of the sin in my life that is holding me back from finishing this thing. To God be the glory!


Dear Jesus, thank You for Your sacrifice. May we never forget how much You've done for us. Please help us run this race...may our eyes always be fixed on You. And, we pray that You would break the chains of our bondage and the sin that is entangling us and keeping us from victory on this journey. We desire to glorify You with our bodies. Help us race! Help us run! May we know that we're working toward getting to Your loving arms at the finish line. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Run to Get the Prize

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

This weekend was beautiful, and I decided to go for a jog since the sun was shining. I kept thinking of the verses on 'running the race' and this one seemed most appropriate for today. When you're exercising, even if you're by yourself, run in such a way to get the prize...a crown that will last forever! While this exercising isn't always easy, our suffering is giving us a crown to lay at Jesus' feet.

Some of you are in a race against each other to lose weight. Give it all you've got to win the prize, but remember our real prize is eternal... may we glorify God in all that we do and all that we are.

Dear Father, we thank You that Your word is truth. Lord, I don't believe for a second that the metaphors You used in Your word were "by chance." You knew we'd read them and smile in our current 'race.' Help us train in such a way that we receive the eternal prize, and may we honor You in the process of running. We love You, Lord Jesus! In Your powerful and precious name we pray, AMEN!

Be Holy

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" 1 Peter 1:13-16

I read these verses this morning as I was thinking about what to write about and had self-control on the brain. Then, on the way to meet some friends for lunch, I heard it again in a sermon on the radio. So, I assumed that it was God telling me it was time for this one to be highlighted.

First, in looking at this passage, I think it's important to know that the battle is often won in our minds. We must prepare our minds for action. If we're constantly thinking about food, chances are we're going to slip up. I know that if I'm going to get up early the next morning, I need to make up my mind the night before that there will be no hitting the snooze button on my alarm. If I entertain thoughts of sleeping in, I do. Every time.

Next, as obedient children, we aren't to conform to the evil desires we had when we lived in ignorance. Instead, we are called to be holy in ALL that we do. Holiness isn't just for Bible reading or worship...it also permeates into all areas of our life.

And, while I can write about it here, I'm far from perfecting it in my life. This morning I heard the sermon on being holy and set apart, not conforming to everything the world thinks is 'normal.' Plus, I read this Scripture this morning. Yet, when I got to the Cheesecake Factory, I hadn't made my mind up not to have dessert. When my friends all insisted on having cheesecake since that was the name of the restaurant, I felt funny not getting a piece. After all, I told myself, that decision would set me apart as 'abnormal' or worse, as the 'fat girl.' So, I got dessert and coffee like the other girls, hurting my physical body and my wallet. I felt immediate conviction. I could have used the opportunity in not being normal to be holy instead as God commanded. I could have given my testimony to these college friends that I hadn't seen in ten years about the wonderful work God is doing in my life. Instead, I desperately wanted to blend in and cared more about their approval rather than God's.

Once again, I had to come home and confess that I am only a sinner in need of God's grace, love and compassion. Once again, I had to remind myself that this is a battle that will be won only by the blood of Jesus. If I thought on my own I could just eat better and exercise (things that we know will produce results) and keep the weight off forever, I would be kidding myself. Instead, I know that it is only through the mighty power of God that this addiction to unhealthiness will be overcome. I am only a humble vessel to be used for His purposes.

In the meantime, with His forgiveness, I must pick myself back up and ask the Holy Spirit to give me self-control and prepare my mind. I also set my hope on Jesus!

Dear Jesus, we cry out to You. We are sinners! We have failed to set ourselves apart as holy even though You tell us to be like You, holy and righteous. Please forgive us! Please have mercy on us! We praise You that You are loving and compassionate. We don't deserve Your grace, but we thank You for it. Please don't give up on us! And help us not give up, too. Please help us continue on this path of losing weight and glorifying You with our bodies. Help us not conform to the world but instead may we only honor You with all we do. We fall on our face before You and ask that You change us and break us free from this addiction forever. We worship You alone. In Jesus' name we pray, AMEN!