Help a Girl Out!

I love to write this blog. I love writing, period. I love writing about weight loss, exercise, struggles, transparency, overcoming, spiritual things and really just about anything.  But lately I have had writer's block.

Seriously--I NEED to write to help me with this weight loss thing. Blogging has been so huge! I am praying that God will help me know what to write about and that maybe you guys will be able to help me, too. I would SO appreciate having some reader questions or topic suggestions to go off of.

Can you help me? Pretty please!?

Thank you, friends!

P.S. I feel like this might be kind-of dumb, but oh well.

Fat Heart Healed

I think I'm ready to start this puppy up again. I think. I am eating a bag of Doritos right now. I just had 3 pieces of pepperoni pizza. For a snack.

Yeah. It's time.

I would write this epic long blog post about why I've been gone but who really wants to read that? I will point out one thing. You may not notice unless you are very observant. The tag line under the title of my blog has always been but getting skinnier, everyday. In the beginning of this blog, my only goal was to GET. SKINNY. PERIOD. And so the tag line was pretty appropriate. As the months have gone by, that little line has bothered me more and more.

Last night I was reading the story of Namaan the Leper to my son (from 2 Kings 5). He was a general. A little girl Namaan had kidnapped (and whose family he had had killed) forgave him and had love in her heart for him. She sent him to be healed of his leprosy by Elisha. Elisha told him what to do to be healed by God, but he wouldn't do it. He was too proud. He didn't want to do the simple thing to be healed because it wasn't the way he thought it should or would go. But God knew that Namaan was sicker on the inside than he was on the outside. Namaan thought he didn't need God. His heart didn't work properly--it couldn't feel anything. Naaman had leprosy of the heart. Out of his great mercy and grace, God was not only going to heal Namaan's skin but he was going to heal his heart, too. Namaan finally gave in and did what God said. So it was that a very sick man was healed all because of a little girl who forgave him.

As I sat, today, thinking of what in the world I was going to do about this blog, it hit me. I am Namaan. Jesus is the little girl. And God has healed me. Not only was there fat on my body but there was fat on my heart. In Matthew 13:15, Jesus speaks to his disciples about people with "fat hearts":

For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.

I have been healed from the inside out and I will spend the rest of my days proclaiming this good news. I have a story to tell! 

If anything is ever accomplished through my blog or in my life, Lord, let it be this:

"He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30

And my joy will be complete.

Longest Break Ever!

I've been in freak-out mode for the past 2 weeks. Something changed in my life and it threw me way off. This should never be. When something changing throws me way off that means that something had become a foundation of sorts in my life. The only foundation I should ever have for my life, Jesus Christ, can not be changed. When I put something else in His rightful place as a foundation for my life it is an idol and it will cause me problems. (That's an understatement)

So with that new awareness, yes, things are changing and priorities are shifting. If I am quiet on here that is probably always a good sign that God is working on me. I am just trying to be quiet and listen so that I can be obedient. A couple of posts back I wrote all about what the Lord was showing me about obedience. Yeah--I had no idea why He was showing me all that! Well, I had an idea but it was wrong! Lol.

Anyway, I don't have time right now to explain everything that is going on. My baby starts Kindergarten tomorrow!!!! (Waaaaah!) I just wanted to let everyone know I'm good. I'd certainly appreciate prayers and I look forward to writing a more lengthy update later this week.
If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one." For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 1 Corinthians 8:2-6

I am known by God. Exciting! (Another understatement.)

What Joplin Taught Me

Piles of stuff. That is what I saw the most of in Joplin this past weekend. Not piles of whole things but piles of pulverized things. It felt strange to sift through belongings, things that had probably taken years to acquire. All of it was literally rubble. Things people had worked so hard to get. Tiny little pieces of things that we were once whole. Things that people had dreamed of, things people had used in their living. Not just smashed and scratched things but fragments, pieces...trash.

What I have wanted probably more than anything in life, as far as material things go, is a house. My dream house is one that I would plan and design and draw the details of. It wouldn't be too big or fancy, but it would be just right. I would stand with my hands on my hips trying desperately to make the builder understand my vision and my dream. I would search high and low (and all over Canton) for the perfect things. A house that has special little things around every corner and a house that is comfy.  A house that is beautiful and has beautiful things.

After a weekend of raking through demolished things, I remember that I don't need the things...or the design or the plans or the special little touches. All of that is destined to be debris. No matter what, that stuff will eventually become fragments and pieces and trash--that someone else will be sifting through.

And when they are sifting, I so want them to realize what Joplin taught me:

What will survive the literal and metaphorical storms of life are the things that relationships are made of. Things like stories shared, help extended, lessons learned, games played...laughter and tears, conversations over coffee, hugs, jokes, prayers, high fives, and encouragement. Simply--time spent with one another.  All of these kinds of things, when built upon a foundation of Christ and held together with His love, form something that is very strong and indestructible. Relationships built on Truth, things of eternal value, are what we need to be working at, searching for, pouring our time and our talents and our hearts into.

Relationships based on truth do not turn to debris.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Pray for the people of Joplin. It is such a special place. If you would like to serve or donate, please contact Mission Joplin.

Resisting Temptation

Temptation is so difficult. I hate it. I really do.

We can overcome temptation though. I believe it. I really do.

1 Corinthians 10:13 is great to memorize:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

What this tells us is that:

1. We are not alone in our struggles.
2. God is faithful.
3. We will be able to survive making the right choice.
4. We always have a choice.

Verse 13 is helpful, indeed. But don't forget it's sidekick, verse 14:
Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

Don't go anywhere near the things that tempt you. In fact, go the other way. Turn away from idols (objects of extreme devotion) and run toward God. Accept His help, His love and His grace.This is the ultimate "Way out."

A few other favorite tips:

*Trust and believe the verses above. Truly believing there is always a choice and I have the strength, through Christ, to make the right one is essential.

*Tell the Lord that I desire to overcome temptations, daily. This puts me in a position of humility and dependence.

*Look for patterns--what leads to temptation? Thought patterns, Social situations, certain emotions, etc. Awareness is the first step toward change.

*Draw a line at the root of temptations. Establish what I WILL NOT do before the situation arises. Ex: I will not even entertain the thought of having a snack after dinner or I will not even consider shopping for groceries while hungry. Do not even let the mental "should I or shouldn't I" conversation take place. Shut it down. We do this "line drawing" in many other areas of life (possibly without even realizing it) and should be able to apply the same principle here.

*Believe that I can begin again. Because I can. Often, quitting is the strongest temptation we face. Overcoming this temptation is the secret to success. Because if you never quit...