Christmas Is Over

Ecclesiastes 3:1-6 "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to search and a time to quit searching; a time to keep, and a time to throw away..." ESV

Today, I took down the Christmas tree and put all of the seasonal decorations in the attic. What a chore. I dread this day every year. I love putting up all of the festive garnishments and then looking at its beauty throughout the Christmas season. But the day of taking it all down is just depressing, and what a chore it is! Usually, I delay it because I just hate it so much. My kids' birthdays are in the middle of February, and one year on their birthday, there was a birthday cake/ice cream photo taken with the unlit Christmas tree in the background. But no matter how quickly I remove all of the decor, I'm always shocked at how bare the house looks when it's done, and things have returned to their normal places.

A wise person recognizes that everything has its own season, both in our physical life and in our spiritual life. We should be able to determine the appropriate time to engage in or stop an activity. But unfortunately,we as humans would just like to live our lives in the fun times. No one wants to go through trials and storms, but such is life. Someone once told me that if I were going to thank God and enjoy the good times, then I needed to accept the hard ones in order to appreciate the good ones. Such wisdom.

The remaining two days that we have left of this year are short. Much has happened in our lives, in our country, and in our world this year. I saw a meme on social media yesterday that said "2015: The Year Everyone Got Offended." Tis true. Our world is different now. Heartache has happened, people have been taken from us, we've relocated to another part of the country, and my ministry role has changed. But through it all, God has been good.

Things may look a little different in your home, in your heart, or in your family after living through 2015. The question is, how will you end it? Make the most of these last 2 days. It's the season for organizing, for cleaning out, for taking inventory of those Christmas lights that quit the third week of December. But's it's also the season for realizing that 2016 is coming, and it's a blank slate. What will happen this coming year? None of us know the answer to the question, but we can embrace the new season upon us and clean our hearts and homes for its arrival.

Interested in reading more devotions like this one? Check out my book Fit Faith: A Seven-Week Weight-Loss Devotional Journal, available on Amazon!

Happy New Year!

Ecclesiastes 5:4-7, "When you make a promise to God, don't delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. Don't let your mouth make you sin. And don't defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved. Talk to cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead."

The new year is just a few days away, and Christmas is only 3 days in the past. Already, some people are talking about their New Year's Resolutions to lose weight and get healthy, but far too many others are still sleeping in their cozy Christmas Cookie Coma.

I don't know about you, but when I indulge in the holiday sweets, it seems like the rest of the day goes downhill. I don't know exactly the science behind it, but when I eat sugar, I crave it for the rest of the day even though it's making me sick to my stomach. That's the honest truth. What makes me sick, I crave. The entire time I'm indulging, I don't really enjoy it like I used to. My healthy lifestyle has made me a different person, and I don't really want to go back to where I was. The physical sickness isn't really the whole issue either. Inside, I can't enjoy what I know will eventually make me unhealthy.

Ecclesiastes is a hard book. It's deep, honest, and straight to the point. Oh, but the wisdom it conveys to us. Chapter 5 is no different. In this section, Solomon teaches about approaching God with respect and care. We shouldn't just flippantly make promises to God and then when those promises are broken, try to justify them with excuses. It only makes the situation worse. I had to laugh at verse 6, "Don't let your mouth make you sin..." Of course, Solomon is talking about how we talk and justify our lack of follow-through. But in thinking of healthy lifestyles, our cravings can cause us to cave to temptation. When tempted with unhealthy food choices, we need only to ask the Lord to help us honor our commitments. It's that simple. Talk is cheap; buying workout clothes...not so much. We can make a decision to be healthy, and we can even invest in new yoga pants and running shoes, but the true test is the follow-through.

I think all too often we make promises to God like we make New Year's resolutions. Do you know that 85% of New Year's resolutions are broken in the first month? Solomon says we aren't to live this way. And by the power of His Spirit, we can succeed.

The day after Christmas, someone posted on Facebook the following status: "Do you wait until January 1 to start your diet, or will you start on Monday?" The overwhelming response was, "January 1." A couple of people said that he should start on Monday, and my thought was, "Why not today?"

Why not today? Why do we need to wait to be healthy? Go put on those new yoga pants and break in those new running shoes. Go wash your new blender bottle, and get after it. Carpe Diem!

Interested in more healthy devotions like this one? Check out my book, Fit Faith, a Seven-Week Weight-Loss Devotional Journal available on Amazon!

The Struggle is Real

1 Samuel 17:32 “David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’” ESV

Today I struggled on the elliptical. My husband was leaving for an overnight business trip, and have I mentioned….I’m bored here? I wanted to see him off, yet I knew that in order to get everything accomplished for the day that I needed to get my workout done early. I did my running, lifted my weights, did my cycling, and all I had left to do was 20 minutes on the elliptical. Around minute 2 though, I started the bargaining in my head…

”I’ve done enough.”

“I can make it up tomorrow.”

“I’m tired.”

“Last night we jumped for an hour at the trampoline park. That had to have burned off some calories.”

The struggle was real. Every day it seems that I have bargaining conversations with myself. Some days it’s a physically challenging for me to keep on keeping on with my workout. Every day a new excuse pops into my head, telling me that I really don’t need to complete this. And even when I’m feeling on top of the work physically, a mental battle ensues telling me that I just don’t have enough time to complete this. There is just too much to do. When I start a new challenge or a new exercise, I tell myself that I just am not strong enough to do this. I just can’t do it. When I’m side by side on the treadmill line with an athletic jock sprinting while I’m jogging at my comfortable 4.5, I tell myself I’m not good enough and I must look completely stupid. The struggle is real…but it’s only mental.

I’ve often thought about the story of David and Goliath and what made David so much better than the other thousands of Israelites who could’ve done the exact same thing as David...and much more quickly. Every day for 40 days, the Israelites would line up to face the Philistines only to hear Goliath taunt them every single day. The Israelites were afraid. Saul was afraid. Every day it seemed that their confidence was fading just a little bit more.

And then comes David. David wasn’t really there to fight. He was just sent on an errand by his father and realized what was happening. He had confidence. He knew that if he could fight a bear and a lion in order to save his sheep that he could face a mere man. But the true source of his confidence was revealed in v. 37, “The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

The Lord was able. And because the Lord was able…David was able.

The struggle is real when we face challenges of life. They may be physical challenges. But they may be financial challenges. They may be relationship challenges. They may be vocational or educational challenges. But God is able. And because God is able….we are able.

The same God that’s delivered us time and time again will deliver us now. He’s still the same God today that delivered the giant Goliath into the hands of a little shepherd boy.

What challenges do you face today? Are you focusing on the circumstance while your fear deepens day by day? Or are you focusing on the track record of Almighty God?

Encouragement for Today

2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’” ESV

Phillippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” ESV

Interested in reading more like this? Check out my new book: Fit Faith: A Seven-Week Weight Loss Devotional Journal, now available on Amazon!

Waiting

Isaiah 40:31, “…they who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” NIV

I’ve heard it said, “Until God opens the next door, praise Him in the hallway.” Well, I’m in the hallway. The fact is, I’m waiting outside the door that He’s already revealed that He’s going to open. I have confirmation, and steps have been taken. Now that I think about it, in reality, the door is already open, but we’re just not through it all the way…yet.

My husband has been promoted, we’re moving to Arkansas, we’ve sold our house in Mississippi, and we’re living in corporate housing while my husband trains for his new position in Alabama. Yes, it’s confusing to me too.  My husband’s time is filled with appointments, conference calls, meetings, business trips, and general stuff I don’t know anything about. But the kids and me…we’re pretty bored. We don’t know anybody here, and it’s sooo incredibly hot. It’s so hot that it’s miserable. The last thing any of us wants to do is go outside.  The bright side, though, is the gym in this apartment complex. I could go on and on for days at the luxury of having a gym on site! It’s so incredibly nice, and apparently, no one else here is concerned about their health, because I typically have it all to myself!

But I’m lonely. Loneliness is just that…lonely. While I’ve been disciplined with my exercise and for the most part, with my nutrition, I’ve been depressed in my spirit. It’s not healthy. If my emotions and spiritual life isn’t on track, I’m not healthy.

And so we wait. At this moment, we’re on day 9 of a 30-day arrangement, and time seems to be only creeping by. We’ve exhausted all of the appropriate movies that are playing in the theatre, and we’ve visited a few free museums in the area. But we’re running out of options. We’ve attended a local church for worship both Sundays we’ve been here, but it seems utterly pointless to put forth much effort into building any sort of relationship because we’ll be leaving soon. What’s a girl to do? How do I stay healthy, both in body and spirit while I’m waiting in the hallway?

I’m a person that thrives in a fast-paced environment. I make quick decisions, and I’m a quick learner. I like to keep busy too, because it seems to give me a feeling of accomplishment. When I’m not busy, I tend to get depressed, feeling that I’m not being productive and contributing anything of value. But when it gets too hectic, I get frazzled easily and cave to stress.

Today, I told God all about it. And He responded. He’s faithful to do that. He brought to my mind Isaiah 40:31. In this chapter, Israel is complaining. They’re, in a way, accusing God of not listening too. And He responds to them as well. Wait. It’s very simple, but He reminds them of who He really is, and His power that He provides to us. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. But those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength.”

Could it be that God has given me this time to simply rest? It’s a time that I normally would never take on my own, and so God has purposely provided a time for me to simply soak up His goodness and prepare me for the next chapter of life.  The last few weeks before we sold our house were so frantic that I would go to bed at night and cry from the stress. God has given me this time to force me to be still, and all I’m wanting to do is join the fast-paced world once again.

But God wants to provide new strength. His purposes for me are perfect, and this new chapter of life promises to reveal His plan in my life. Instead of struggling against the God-given reign, I choose to joyfully walk in line with it. When life throws its stressors and frantic times my way, which it always does, I can face it with renewed energy and strength, knowing that He has equipped me.

Where are you in life right now? Maybe you’re like me and are praising Him in the hallway. Maybe you’ve just started a new chapter and need His renewed strength. Or maybe you’re at the end of a chapter and need fresh wings on which to soar.

He has promised to help you.

Encouragement for Today

Psalm 27:13-14 “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” NIV

Lamentations 3:25 “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” NIV

Interested in reading more devotions like this? Check out my new book Fit Faith: A Complete Seven-Week Weightless Devotional Journal, now available on Amazon!

Maintaining

1 Corinthians 3:17, "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred. And you are that temple." NIV

Every Sunday, my family and I pass these buildings pictured in the photos. Driving through the Mississippi Delta has always been intriguing to me for many different reasons, mainly images such as these. Sprawling southern plantations, miles of crops, very few bends in the road, and abandoned buildings largely make up the landscape. You never know what's coming up next.

But the intrigue of these two buildings captivated me for months. Finally, one day, we stopped to take a photo. Every time we would pass the buildings, I wondered what could've happened. The barn surely was at one time alive with activity. I could only imagine what kind of animals this barn could've housed, providing shelter and safety from the elements. And what happened to this building below? Someone surely spent a lot of money constructing the frame of this building, with aspirations of a profitable business. But somewhere along the line, both structures faced abandon. The reasons? One can only speculate. The barn just simply wasn't maintained. As one can visibly see, it's obviously been left to itself for quite some time, judging by the height of the debris that's grown around it. The metal building? Maybe the owner ran out of money...there just simply wasn't enough to finish the job?

I can only imagine what could've been. I love old barns. If the rotting wood could've simply been replaced, and if the land around it could've been maintained, it could still be a viable shelter for farm animals. If the metal building could've been completed, it could've been a sustainable business, providing options and jobs for locals, and providing a great income for the owners.

Either way, their journey wasn't complete. The barn and the metal building are both still standing...but they're in bad shape.

Paul writes in this section of Corinthians again about how we are God's temple. And he speaks also about the Corinthians' lack of maturity. He starts them off "with milk," but still, they haven't grown to the point where they can receive the more solid "food" of the Word. They are still babes, having not grown past the infant stage. Here in this chapter, Paul continues on that just because time has passed, doesn't mean that they've grown in their spiritual maturity, and they haven't grown in wisdom. But in verse, 16-17, he reiterates that as the temple of God, meaning God lives in them, they are to care for themselves spiritually, seeking to grow in maturity, and to grow in wisdom. Therefore, they can't stop where they are! They must press on. Their journey isn't complete. No matter what...their journey isn't ever complete.

Likewise, in our physical journeys, we're never done. I know that's not fun to hear. When I was in the process of losing 90 pounds, all I could think about was my goal number. I naively thought that when I reached that goal, everything would be so much easier. Oh, but it isn't. I'm not trying to be a downer, but it's the truth. Once we reach the goal, we have to maintain it.

Think about the barn pictured above. I'm sure when it was newly constructed, it was beautiful, strong, and lovely to see from the road. But over the years, the neglect took it over. The metal building never really got completed. The owners just stopped somewhere along the way. And look at it now.

Whether we're in the middle of a journey to become healthier than we are at the moment, or whether we've reached our goal and are now maintaining, we can't stop! We must press on.

Where are you? Are you in the middle of a journey, struggling with the attitude of complacency? Or have you reached your goal and are now struck with the realization that maintaining is just as hard as losing it to begin with?Let me reassure you that it's worth it. As someone who has struggled with both concepts, I can reassure you again...it's worth it!

Where are you spiritually? Have you become complacent? Press in to Him. It's worth it!

Interested in more devotions and encouragement like this? Check out my new book FitFaith, a Seven Week Weight-Loss Devotional Journal, now available on Amazon!

Fit Faith

I have been absolutely overwhelmed with the success of my new Book Fit Faith. I wrote it with the desire to share Scriptures and truths that helped me through my weight loss journey, in hopes that it would inspire others as well with what God can do. You can order your's too through the link to the left on Amazon.

Distractions

Psalm 119:15 “I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.” NLT

The day had finally come. My husband and I had embarked on a road trip...without our kids! What luck! We were driving to Little Rock for a long weekend to ride our bikes on the Arkansas River Trail, something that we hadn’t been able to do for two years. We had always ridden the bike trails around our home and in this area with our children, and today, we were anxious to see what we could do, and how far we could go on our own. He drove, and I navigated us to a parking area where we could park the car and mount our bikes, but about a mile before we arrived, he was flagged down by a motorcycle cop. What did we do wrong, I thought.

Speeding. He evidently was speeding. He had no idea what the speed limit even was, and I honestly, didn’t even care. He got a ticket, and the guy was a little snotty about it too. Tensions were high in the car as he rolled his window up and drove away. I didn’t say a word, just looked straight ahead, and held my breath for what I thought he was going to say. 

You see, my husband is a brooder. I despise brooding. Why can’t he just go ahead and state his feelings and get it out of his system! But no, he’s a brooder, and when things go wrong, he likes to contemplate all of the facets of the situation...for days! I honestly thought in that moment that he was going to say that he didn’t feel like riding his bike and that we should just go to the hotel. But he didn’t! Shocked, I just sat in the car while he unloaded our bikes and got our water bottles ready to go. 

Distractions come in all shapes, sizes, situations, and even satisfactions. Usually, they are things that keep us from doing the things we want to do, the things we know we should be doing, and the things we must do. That day, I’m glad that my husband decided that, instead of brooding over a situation that he could do nothing about, we would go on our bike ride as planned and let nothing stop us from enjoying our day.

Satan loves to throw curve balls when we least expect it. It may come in the form of a speeding ticket, bad news at work, an unexpected bill, or an illness that keeps us from working out longer than we really needed. Distractions turn our desire and focus from the Lord to the situation at hand. Instead of focusing on walking on the path that God has laid out for us, we get sidetracked by the flowers on the side, the roadkill in the middle, and flat tires on the way.

But the psalmist here pulls our attention back to God. He will think upon, ponder, keep his thought process focused on the Lord. He will continuously ponder the Word of God. Satan will try to distract us, but we must intentionally direct our thoughts back to Him. 

How do we do that? 

1. Memorize Scripture. His Word will not return void!
2. Make sure you spend time in the Word and in prayer daily, preferably in the morning so that your thought process is set for the day ahead.
3. Pray that He will remind you and make you aware that you have become distracted. He is faithful!
4. Rebuke Satan. The Scriptures say that he will flee!

What distractions have pulled your focus away from the things you are trying to accomplish? What areas of your life is God trying to work? Focus your thoughts, contemplate His Word, and renew the vision for your life.

Encouragement for Today

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established.” NKJV

Matthew 24:13 “But those that endure to the end will be saved.” NIV

Comparison

Click below to view my blog posted today on Joy From Grace

Comparision...The Fastest Stealer of Joy

Weight Lifting is Boring

1 Peter 5:10 “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” NLT

There’s one aspect of physical fitness that I have not yet learned to embrace. Running, cycling, endurance, sit-ups, calisthenics, and nutrition in general were all struggles, but with time, I’ve conquered and learned to love them. However, weight lifting...I don’t like it. It’s hard. It’s boring. And it hurts....for days at a time. I just don’t understand it, I guess. I mean, you just stand there, doing the same thing over and over again, and there’s nothing to do to distract your attention from the fact that your internal flesh is ripping at that very moment. It hurts too. Sore muscles are a good thing when I think of how my workout must’ve really been a great one. But when it hurts for days at a time, and it’s already time for your next weight building session, I despise it. In fact, I’ve neglected that part of my fitness journey more than I’ve actually performed it because, in case I didn’t mention...it’s hard, it’s boring, and it hurts. 

Strength building in our spiritual life is kind of the same way. It’s hard, it’s boring, and most of all, it hurts. But how do we get stronger in our spiritual life, and how do we learn to trust God? It’s only through trials that we learn how to trust. It’s only when I face hardship in my life today that I get to experience the faithfulness of God. Oh, it’s good when I remember all of the times God’s been faithful and all of the times that He’s brought me through the storms of life. But today when I face new obstacles that I hadn’t anticipated, I have a greater strength in knowing that the same God who has always been faithful is the same God that stands with me today. 

In our Scripture, Peter reminds the church as a whole that sufferings on this earth are only temporary, and in fact, are only momentary compared with the span of eternity. We can rest assured that after we have “suffered a little while,” that He will place us then on a firm foundation. It’s only through the hardships of life, holding to the faithful hand of God, that we become stronger in Him. 

As I lift weights, I can trust that this hard, boring, hurting exercise is necessary if I want to grow and stay strong. It’s not enough for me to simply run or ride my bicycle, simply burning calories, but if I want to be physically strong, I have to go through some strength training. Yes, it is hard, boring, and painful, but it’s only momentary, and will provide me with strength.

Are you facing a hardship today? What trials are you facing that seem so painful right now? Remember, they’re only temporary. And from these trials, you will get stronger!

Encouragement for Today

Proverbs 31:17 “She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.” NASB

James 1:12 “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” NLT

Romans 8:18 “Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” NLT

Endurance

Romans 5:3-6 “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance, develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” NLT

I couldn’t wait to try out my new toy. My husband and I had just embarked on a new adventure of becoming healthier in our bodies and creating a healthier environment in our home. We scoured the area thrift stores and sales ads, carefully buying used exercise equipment so that we could build our own home gym. Our latest find from the used sporting goods store was a new-in-the-box row machine. What luck! We brought it home, set it up, and I quickly jumped on to try it out. It was smooth, the tension was just right, and I could feel my heart rate rising almost instantly. Suddenly, the temperature in the room shot up, and I was breathing heavily. “Wow, this thing really works! Those fitness experts really know what they’re talking about when they recommend rowing! I’ll try this out for 5 minutes today. After all, this is only my first day” I thought. 

I didn’t make it through the first five minutes. After only three minutes, my legs and arms felt like stretched out balloons, and I literally fell on the floor beside the thing in a heap, breathing heavily, sweating profusely, and convinced that this thing was created by Satan himself as a torture device. “I hate it,” I told my husband in a breathless wail. I didn’t touch the thing again for a week. When I got back on, my goal was 5 minutes again. This time, I only lasted 2 minutes. It was worse the second time around!

Romans chapter 5 begins a section of Scripture, where Paul expounds upon the theology of assurance and hope. Starting in verse 3 of chapter 5, Paul explains that endurance is developed through problems and trials. If we are ever going to experience salvation, newness of life, we must initially go through some problems and trials. 

No one wants to face problems, heartaches, relationship failures, illness, or financial ruin, but all of the things we face here on earth can be used by God to bring us into a greater trust of Him. Our text today says that when we go through these times, they produce endurance. And endurance produces a strong character. And then building on that, a strong character develops a “confident hope of salvation” (verse 4). 

Whenever we face problems of any kind, we can rest assured of two things. First, God is with us. And secondly, we read in our text that we can rejoice in our sufferings because they produce valuable qualities in our character. Then in verse 6, we read that Christ comes at just the right time, when we were utterly helpless. 

When we feel that problems are overwhelming, we can rest assured that God Himself will come at just the right time, but meanwhile, we can journey on, developing that endurance, strong character, and the confident hope of salvation.

The days of struggling with the despised row machine have long passed, and I’ve even been able to build up some endurance to put in a full workout. Being consistent in performing the exercise needed to build up my endurance was all it took to build the strong character I needed. 

When we start a new workout routine, things are just that...new. But we can rejoice in the new obstacles we face, confident that it will bring about endurance. And the endurance will make us strong. 

Encouragement for Today

Hebrews 10:36 “Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” NLT

James 1:2-4, 12 “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing... God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” NLT