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!

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!

What Two Weeks of Being Lazy Does to Your Body

While checking the email this morning, I ran across an interesting article.

"What two Weeks of Being Lazy Does to Your Body," published by Yahoo! Health.

It was interesting to say the least, and confirmed what I already had witnessed in my own experiences. Basically, when you don't use your muscle, you lose it.

It also reminds me of our spiritual lives. When we don't interact with our Savior, lack of prayer, lack of Bible reading, our spiritual strength is diminished. We may feel overwhelming anxiety where peace used to reign. We may be easily frustrated, contrary to when we were walking closely with God.

Summertime is easy to slack off of church attendance, filling our calendars with other exciting things to do. But God is still there, and our souls still need feeding.

To read the actual article:

https://www.yahoo.com/health/what-two-weeks-of-being-lazy-does-to-your-body-124665219252.html

Pity Party

I'm blogging again today at Joy From Grace! You can check it out at www.joyfromgrace.com

Self-Sufficiency

I'm blogging today over on Joy From Grace!

Check it out at www.joyfromgrace.com

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.

Heritage

Deuteronomy 11:19 “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” ESV

Today is my parents’ 40th anniversary. It doesn’t seem possible in many ways, the chiefest of being that it means they’re getting older. To me, my daddy has always been strong, able-bodied, and steadfast. The fact that they’re getting older pains me. I have to confess, the following thought has crossed my mind more than a few times: When they die, who will pray for me? From my earliest memories, I recall family prayer time, prayers around the table, prayers by the bedside of our sick family members (including me), and a confident assurance of their faith in God. For whatever need we are/were facing, they always have complete faith that God will come through. The spiritual heritage I have is incredible, and I strive every day to pass it on to my children. 

I love the direction given in our Scripture today. We often joke that kids don’t come with instruction manuals, but in a way, we already have the instruction manual. All we have to do is take every available opportunity to teach them about Christ, live it out in our own lives, and trust God to lead and guide them. 

From the time my husband I realized we were going to be parents, we have tried to live out Deuteronomy 11:19 with our children. We talk about our faith, trust, and hope in God every chance we get and are careful to give God glory for all that He does in our lives. Our home is filled with reminders of His Word, music that exalts Him, and opportunities for them to learn about Him. Let me be clear before I go on. NOTHING in this world is more important or can substitute for a spiritual heritage. God designed our society to live in families from the beginning of creation. And He has been clear in His Word that spiritual training is of utmost importance to our children’s upbringing. We only get one chance to raise our children; there are no do-over’s, and we’ve got to get this part right. They desperately need to know that God’s Son died to save them and that His blood will give them strength for whatever they may face in life.

As I’ve grown in my relationship with Christ, and He has confronted me with my need to care for the body He created, I realize that my children also need a physical heritage. The culture in which we live pushes its agenda upon our children to make themselves happy. Whatever feels good, tastes good, looks good, and is comforting must be good, right? Wrong. Our children will not exercise or choose to eat healthy on their own. Let’s face it. When faced with the decision to eat a iced, sprinkle-topped cupcake or apple slices, which one looks more appealing to a child? When faced with the decision to play video games on the couch or ride their bicycle on a hot day, which would you choose? We’ve got to take opportunities to encourage them to care for their bodies, secondary to their souls.

If we are going to raise our children to follow Christ, they need good vehicles with which to minister. I ministered for many years in a broken vehicle, and it was hard. The funny thing about it is, I really didn’t realize how hard life was until I was no longer overweight. How much more I could’ve done for the cause of Christ if I had the energy I have today! How much more I could’ve done for the cause of Christ if I had felt this good all of those years I wasted. 

So as we walk along the walking trail at the park, ride along on our bicycles on the bike trail, and eat healthy dinners together around the table, we talk of God’s goodness. We talk about God’s protection before we get much-needed rest at night, and we pray together, trusting God for our future and praising Him for our past. All the while, we endeavor to model healthy living. I think God is pleased.

Encouragement for Today

Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward.” ESV

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” ESV

Identity

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you might declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” NIV

I was a pretty smart kid. I always made good grades, and I typically got awards, being recognized and rewarded for my academic achievements in my school. I was pretty confident too in my intellect, owning my identity as a smart kid and always being capable of catching on when others may have struggled. I was good at art too, and music, but there was one area where I didn’t excel....P. E. I loathed P. E. 

Looking back, I realize that P. E. must’ve not been much of a priority at our school because we only had to go once a month! Oh, but that dreaded once-a-month P. E. class was torture. With a fast heartbeat and a slow trickle of sweat, I stood on the sidelines, always hoping that today, this day, I wouldn’t be picked last. Kickball was always the sport of choice, mainly because, that’s all the equipment the school owned. But that once-a-month kickball session was enough for me to decide that sports just wasn’t my area of achievement. I wan’t good at it, I didn’t feel confident, and I certainly would never be picked as a team captain. That one 45-minute game was enough to ruin my entire day and my self-confidence. Just the thought in the morning before school that I would have to go to P. E. that day was enough for me to fake sick and beg to stay home. 

In our Scripture, Peter is encouraging Christians who are undergoing incredible persecution to remember whose they are. While they are enduring these times of insult and ridicule, they are tempted to retaliate, or worse, turn their backs on their Christianity. Peter knew that their frustrations were discouraging, so he encourages them to view their treatment as an opportunity to testify for Jesus Christ. Peter reminds them of their identity in Christ...chosen, royal, God’s possession. And because of their status in God’s sight, they can declare His praises, the one who has redeemed them from darkness to light. They have been set free from the old meaningless life, where they wandered day in and day out, just surviving. Now they thrive, knowing that this life on earth is only temporary, but given to us to prepare us for what’s to come.

As I look back on those times of embarrassment and nervousness in fifth grade P. E., I wish I could’ve talked my 10-year old self into understanding that this stage was only temporary and that my identity didn’t lie in my inabilities. I wish I could’ve assured that little girl that sometime in the future, that awkward stage would go away and that God could turn something of uncertainty into a testimony of what God can do. 

There are still times when I feel awkward, as I attempt new physical endeavors. Most of the time, new exercises don’t come naturally, and I have to work harder than other coordinated people. But the fact that I’m not naturally gifted in the physical exercise area only adds to my testimony of how God can work in a person’s life. He gives me strength, encourages me daily, and gives me the desire to honor Him with my body. Because of His work in my heart, my desire now is to please Him in every area. That’s my identity in Christ. I’m so glad that my identity isn’t wrapped up in my intellect, my lack of success on the kickball field, or my physical capabilities. It’s the fact that I am chosen, dearly loved, and a part of a royal priesthood. I have been called to declare His praises to has brought me from darkness into His truly marvelous light!

Encouragement for Today

Hosea 14:7 “My people will again live under my shade. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines. They will be as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon.” NLT

Romans 5:10-11 “For since our friendship wit God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” NLT

Comparison

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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

FitFaith

I am thrilled to introduce my new devotional book, Fit Faith, a 7-Week Devotional Journal for a Healthier Life. Right now you can purchase it from Amazon by clicking below

Buy FitFaith here

Breathing

John 20:21-22 “He spoke to them again, and said, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ then he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven.” NLT

Acts 2:2 “Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” NLT

Genesis 2:7 “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.” NLT

I’ve always had a tendency to hold my breath. Whether I’m waiting on something exciting to happen or I’m moving heavy furniture, for some unknown reason, It’s a natural instinct for me to hold my breath. But anyone who exercises regularly knows the importance of breathing deeply.

When I first started cycling, I realized quickly that if I simply focused on my breathing that I would be rejuvenated and energized. When I start to feel fatigued while running and lifting weights, if I remember to even out my breathing, I can keep going. It’s always amazing to me how much more physical activity I can perform if I’m simply focused on breathing. I can do things better, longer, and perform at a deeper level when my oxygen level is just right.

When God formed Adam, the Scripture says he took the dust of the ground and formed man with His very own hand. And then, God breathed into Adam the breath of life. I’ve always had sort of a CPR position pictured in my head, but nevertheless, it is only then that Adam comes to life. It is only when God’s air, His very breath runs through Adam that he begins to live. 

In pretty much every single instance in Scripture, both the Old and New Testaments, every time the word breath or Spirit is used, we can trace them back to the same Greek and Hebrew original words. It’s as if the word “breath” and “Spirit” are interchangeable. Think about the instances of the Holy Spirit coming in John 20 and Acts 2. In John 20, we read that He breathed on them the Holy Spirit, and then in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came like a mighty rushing wind. 

Our very lives come from God. We know this in the physical sense, and also in the spiritual sense, but have you stopped to consider that the very air we breathe is spiritual in nature? What this means for us is that our physical breath is but a symbol of our real lives in Christ. Every time we breathe in, and breathe out, we should be reminded of the Holy Spirit’s work in and through us. He’s here.

I never really started living until I met Jesus. It’s a well known fact that the human body can only go around 40 days without food, 3-4 days without water, but only 3-4 minutes without breathing. Why do you think God designed us that way? It is but a reminder that we cannot go through life without God working through us.

The other fact I want to point out is that only when the disciples received the Holy Spirit did their ministries really take off. Jesus tells them in John 20 that they are being sent out to preach the Gospel, and then in Acts 2, the same is true. When they begin to minister by the Holy Spirit, they can do more for the Kingdom of God than they ever thought possible. Thousands were saved, and we are here too because of their obedience and commitment to serve Him.

When we are filled with and led by the Spirit, we are empowered to serve Him in a supernatural way. He can work through us to accomplish His mission, works that are greater than we could ever dream of.

In our physical sense, when just simply breathe, we can go further and be stronger than we ever thought possible. God is up to something; we must simply breathe.

What’s God trying to do in and through your life? In what ways can you allow Him to work through you? Take a deep breath and listen to what He has to say to you today.

Encouragement for Today

Acts 2:41 “Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day--about 3000 in all.” NLT

Job 34:14-15 “If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust.” NLT

Permanent Weight Loss

2 Corinthians 5:17 “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” NLT

“How’d you do it,” people typically ask when they find out I’ve lost weight. This question has always been sort of perplexing to me, though. “How else would I do it,” I think to myself. I know what they mean, though. Everywhere you look, fad diets scream to be heard and adopted. Gluten-free, vegan, paleo, low-carb, low-fat, calorie counting, sugar detox, mediterranean, Adkins, South Beach, raw food, Volumetrics, Weight Watchers, juicing, and when all else fails...surgery. Most of them have actual merit, some are even dangerous, and all of them promise to help you reach your weight goal, easily and quickly. None of them are a sure thing. 

When we accept Christ, there is a total transformation that takes place. Don’t get me wrong, there are slip-ups and times when God reveals His work in a particular area of our life. God is always working to bring about a complete change, but when we come to know Him initially, initial change does occur. That’s why in John 3:3, Jesus bluntly tells Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” The only way to inherit eternal life is to be completely renewed through the power of God. If no change occurs in your heart and life when you accept Jesus as your Savior, something is wrong. When Jesus comes into our heart, He makes changes, cleanses us from past sin, and empowers us to walk a new life with and in Him. Eternal life isn’t for the future when we die; it’s for the here and now. The old way of living is gone, and He gives us newness of life. We can’t continue living the old way we once lived and expect God’s favor to rest upon us. He’s holy and accepts nothing less than change and a heart bent towards serving Him.

Just like our spiritual lives, our physical lives must change if we were going to be remade. I am of the opinion that there are severe drawbacks to having surgery to treat obesity. Very rarely are there circumstances that warrant surgery. Only when there’s a medical reason for the obesity am I in favor of it. In order to make a transformation in our physical bodies, something must change in us mentally and spiritually as well. Very rarely is our physical challenge merely a physical one. Most often, it’s a mental and spiritual battle that makes itself evident in our physically overweight bodies. Fad diets and trendy ways of losing weight rarely work long-term. I’ve seen countless instances where people lose weight, but then quickly regain it once they reach their goals. There must be a total lifestyle change if we’re ever going to be victorious in our physical lives. The old life is gone, a new life has begun! We can’t expect that once we reach our goals, we can go back to the old standard of living. The patterns and behaviors that we once lived will drive us right back to where we were before. But the new set of standards by which we live will reward us with healthy bodies and newness of life. 

In my own life, I found that living a healthy lifestyle is the only way that I can be successful. Actively working out, eating a balanced diet, and staying in the Word has been the way I have and continue to maintain. The joys of living a healthy life, both physically and spiritually, far outweigh the time that it took to get this life that I wanted for so long.

Jesus is just waiting to help you transform into a new creature. Allow Him to work, and He will bring your transformation to completion!

What diet plans have you tried? What pros and cons can you attribute to them? What steps could you take today to make your new lifestyle permanent?

Encouragement for Today

Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” NLT

Timing is Everything

2 Corinthians 6:2 “For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.” NLT

Every year on New Year’s Day, millions of people make New Year’s Resolutions. Without a doubt and without much debate, the #1 resolution made...I’m sure you can guess it...is to lose weight. I’m also positive that if you’re reading this, either you or someone close to you has also made that same resolution. We all know that as God’s creation, our health is important to Him, yet sometimes it’s a difficult aspect of our lives to consistently maintain.

“Tomorrow, I’ll start,” I’ve heard people say. “After the first of the year, I’m going to lose weight,” others have said. And still others I’ve heard say, “On Monday, I’m starting my diet.” When I’ve talked with others who are on a weight-loss journey already, they feel horrible when they stray off of their plan. They may have caved to temptation and then feel as though all hope is lost, at least for the rest of the day. I’ve thought all of those same things too. When I “fall off the wagon,” I feel like I can then just keep failing for the rest of the day because, well, the day is spoiled! “I’ll start again tomorrow,” I’ve thought. It’s those thoughts though that led me to obesity and prevented me from living a healthy lifestyle for 32 years. Putting off until tomorrow what I should’ve been doing today kept me from ever fully realizing the healthy lifestyle that God had designed for me. Tomorrow came late. I’m thankful that the “tomorrow” or “Monday morning” I so often mentioned finally did come, but it came so much later than it should have!

In this second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul discusses the ministry of reconciliation that we have in pointing others to Jesus. He has given us a task, but for some reason, we often ignore this wonderful calling of God. For some reason, we often neglect telling others what God has done in our hearts. But Paul states very plainly, “Indeed, the right time is now. Today is the day of salvation.” There’s no need to delay accepting Him as Lord of your life or telling others about Him. Delaying in witnessing the cleansing work of God is cheating others out of eternal life. What precious time we waste when we procrastinate in telling others about Him. We are not promised tomorrow. One woman who shaped my Christian mind as a child used to pray, “Lord help us to remember that today is the day of salvation; tomorrow may never come.” Hearing that prayer set in my heart an urgency to see others saved.

Like our spiritual lives, our physical lives are nothing with which to play around. There’s no need to delay. First of all, we need to remember that wasting precious time that we should be spending living healthy lives is simply cheating ourselves of what God wants to do. He desires to give us so much more energy and good health so that we may serve Him longer. Secondly, even when we are sincerely trying to live in a healthful way, there will be times of failure and temptation. But when those things do occur, we need not feel like the entire day is wasted. We can get back up and keep going. Why make a bad situation worse by piling on more guilt and more things to simply drag us down? We must remember that imperfect progress is better than zero progress. Even though the path we’ve mapped out may look different than the one we’re walking, doesn’t mean that we’ve eternally failed. 

Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow may never come.

What will you do today? How will you handle possible failures and setbacks? The entire day is not wasted. There’s no time like today!

Encouragement for Today

Ephesians 5:15-17 “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” NLT

Proverbs 27:1 “Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.” NLT

Beauty

Song of Solomon 4:7 “You are altogether beautiful, my darling, beautiful in every way.” NLT

My parents always told me I was beautiful. My daddy especially made it a point to build my sister and me up in every way so that as we grew older, we had confidence. But as I grew, kids were mean. As mentioned before, I have a birth defect that affects my eye alignment. It’s unnoticeable to some, but to others, it’s glaring. At every chance, kids would point it out, and sometimes, even adults. As I journeyed on in life and grew obese, I felt ugly and unsightly. Despite my best attempts at hairstyles, makeup application, and nice clothing, I still felt ugly. My husband tried his best too to make me feel loved and commented regularly that I was beautiful. Still, I didn’t feel it. I struggled too with the thought that there are so many bible verses that speak of a woman’s outward beauty as something that wasn’t necessary. I knew that soul beauty was more important, but I still struggled with the desire to like what I saw in the mirror. All I needed was to lose weight, I thought. 

Song of Solomon is a book about the love Christ has for His bride. Much debate has been discussed through the years as to whether this is really about King Solomon or Christ Himself. I happen to believe that it’s both. While the story is true for Solomon, it’s applicable to how much Christ loves us, his beautiful bride, and in turn, how much we should desire relationship and intimacy with Him. If you’ve never read through Song of Solomon, buckle your seatbelt for some interesting reading. It’s much unlike any other book in the Bible. In it, the man consistently tells the woman how much he loves her and how much he adores her. She is beautiful to him, and despite her insecurities, he insists that he loves her and finds those flaws beautiful still.

Whether we want to admit it or not, the desire for outward beauty for women is there. But like the Apostles Paul and Peter and the author of several proverbs, I agree that our truest desire should be that we are beautiful for our Bridegroom, Christ Jesus Himself. No other person’s opinion matters. We as women struggle with this desire to be beautiful, but yet Christ Himself sees who we really are. Without our makeup, on bad hair days, and even when we feel gross and ugly to the outside world, He still sees what’s on the inside. With that said, though, we can be beautiful on the outside, yet have hideous souls on the inside.

It was only when I began my healthy lifestyle change that I began to feel beautiful. Some reading this may say that it’s because I was losing weight. Sure, my self-confidence was boosted a little as I grew stronger, but the truest transformation was when I gave total surrender to every aspect of my life totally over to Him, my Bridegroom. 

There are those within the Christian realm that believe that women shouldn’t care at all about their appearance. However, I believe that the Bible contains several instances where husbands take note of their wives’ beauty as well as other instances where a woman’s beauty is mentioned. There is nothing wrong with taking pride in our appearances if it’s done with the right motive. Whom are we striving to please? Remember also, though, that with age, beauty fades. It’s a natural course in the circle of life. 

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? What do you feel that others think about you? Who’s opinion matters most?

Let me tell you today that no matter who you are, YOU are beautiful. No matter how you may feel or what others may have told you, YOU were created in the image of God with a plan and purpose for life. Living in the way that God has designed you is nothing less than perfect.

Take some time today to soak in the verses listed in the “Encouragement” section. They are transformational and breathe beauty into our souls.

Encouragement for Today

1 Peter 3:3-4 “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” NLT

Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.” NLT

Ecclesiastes 3:11a “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time.”  NLT

Psalm 139:14 “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--how well I know it.” NLT

Further Reading: Genesis 12:11; Song of Solomon 1:5; Esther 2:7; Song of Solomon 4:1; Genesis 29:17; 

Sabbath Rest 6

Matthew 27:50-51 “Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in town, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart.” NLT

Much of my life was spent feeling like an outsider. I was younger than the other kids in my neighborhood, and while I desperately tried to keep up, I was just smaller. As I grew older, I was always a little different. My artsy, introverted personality kept me from making many friends, and as I grew into adulthood, my classification as a woman clergy automatically labeled me as “different.” In mind though, I just thought I was on the outside because I was obese. The theme throughout all of those circumstances, though, was that I was an outsider. People were generally nice to me, and things weren’t all bad, but most of the time, I just wanted to blend into the wall. To this very day, I don’t enjoy calling attention to myself, which makes preaching pretty tricky. There are still times that I think to myself in the middle of a sermon, “These people are looking directly at me!”

The account of the death of Jesus as recorded in Matthew tells that at the moment Jesus releases His Spirit, the veil of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. In short, this veil that it speaks of served as the barrier between the Holy of Holies, the place where the Spirit of God dwelt, and the place where the Israelites worshipped. This curtain’s ripping from top to bottom was important because no one but God could’ve done that. And secondly, we realize that now we have access to worship Him, in His very presence. Now we can go into the Holy of Holies and make our own petitions known. When the Temple veil was ripped, we knew that Jesus is our High Priest, who has made the final and ultimate sacrifice for our sins. We gained the right to worship, and we are no longer outsiders. He accepts us, just as we are because we have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus.

As we face another week, let’s remember that because of Jesus, we don’t have to feel that we are outsiders, alone, or less-than-desirable. His sacrifice opened the door for us to be able to worship, in the presence of Almighty God. He accepts us, and He makes us worthy.

What characteristics have you used to label yourself in the past? Whether they’re good or bad, think more of what God thinks of you. Chosen, loved, saved, creation, child...all of these are what Jesus made us by dying on the cross and defeating the grave.

Encouragement for Today

Hebrews 13:15 “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.” NLT

Ephesians 1:4-5 “Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” ESV

Stress

Philippians 4:6 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” NLT

About the time I was winding down my weight-loss journey with only 10 pounds to go, my husband was transferred with his job out of state. We were moving 400 miles away, and we had to find a house, buy it, wrap up our jobs, say goodbye to strong friendships, and move, all within 4 weeks. It was stressful to say the least, especially considering our mortgage lender and our realtor’s staff seemed not too concerned with our tight deadline. What was quickly promised as “totally doable” when we communicated our moving date, suddenly was “highly unlikely,” the closer our date came. Every day, and sometimes multiple times a day, during that four weeks, I had to call the lender and the realtor to find out where we were in the process. And sure enough, when the day came to load the moving truck, we still weren’t sure of the exact closing date. We were driving our entire lives across that 400 miles with what was actually, nowhere to go. We were homeless. The closing date came and passed without signed papers, and I was stressed to the max. We ended up closing two days late, and I was livid. Everything we owned sat in a truck in my parents driveway for days until we signed those papers.

During that time, I gained 5 pounds. What was supposed to be a very delicate time of losing the last 10, ended up stress-filled. Even though I closely monitored my activity and nutrition, it was to no avail. The stress hormone had won, and I was its culprit. Stress keeps us from losing weight can actually cause us to gain it.

As a very high-strung person, stress is my weakness. I always feel like I have broad shoulders, and I can handle most problems myself. That personality trait tends though to harm me and actually, hinder my relationship with Jesus. He desires to handle our stress for us, but when we refuse to let it go, it does nothing but hurt us.

In this section of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he addresses a small conflict that has arisen in the church. He encourages them to work through their disagreement and to allow God to free them from their worry. We must rejoice, he says and to be full of the joy of the Lord. Further, he says not to worry, pray, and be thankful. There it is. It’s the formula for less-stress living. 

Troubles arise, and there are seasons of life that natural stress bringers. Any change in life whatsoever can bring about stress, even in small amounts. But God doesn’t want us to live this way, and He can alleviate it, if we give it to Him. God loves us, His children, and doesn’t want us to worry about anything. He cares about our needs and invites us to talk to Him about everything.

What’s troubling you today? What causes stress in your life? Take some time to read through this chapter and pray about those things. He can handle them!

Encouragement for Today

John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” NLT

Psalm 55:22 “Give your burdens to the Lord and he will take care of you. he will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” NLT