Internal Thoughts

Philippians 4:8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” NLT

I’ll never lose this weight. I just wasn’t meant to be thin. It’s genetic, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m just not good enough. If I had more faith, this would be a breeze. I’m just a failure, and that’s all there is to it. Who am I kidding? People will just think I’m trying to be something I’m not.

All of these thoughts ran through my head on a daily basis. If I’m honest, I’ll admit that they still run through my head from time to time. I heard a pastor say one time, “God convicts; Satan condemns.” That quote has changed my entire thinking process when it comes to myself. The bad thoughts that come to mind when I’m feeling down are only whispered to me by Satan, but I choose whether or not to believe them.

See, Satan is the author of lies. Therefore, whatever he says to us, we can be sure, is a lie. Jesus, however, speaks truth, life, love. How do we know the difference? When Jesus speaks critically in our lives, it’s out of love and always offers a solution and an offer of forgiveness. When Satan speaks critically in our lives, the message is always ultimate failure and leads to depression and even death.

In this chapter of Philippians, Paul is closing his letter but offers them this encouragement. He says that if they give up worrying, pray about all things, they will experience true peace. Therefore, he says, to think about things that are good. 

Our thought process drastically affect us. I believe that the trail of my thoughts affects how I make decisions, how I treat others, and ultimately, my relationship with Him. If I’m not careful, my joy is stolen, my peace is gone, and I’m filled with anxiety. But Jesus offers peace, contentment, and fulfillment. How I longed for a life with those things...in every area of my life. He brings them all! And He wants you to see yourself just as He sees you, with love.

When it comes to my physical fitness, I’m still a little awkward. I don’t have as much coordination as others do, I can easily get embarrassed and frustrated. But I have to keep my focus on the purpose of my exercise. And I have to keep my focus on being as healthy as I can possibly be so that I can serve Him longer.

What are your internal thoughts about yourself? Do you see yourself as God sees you? Read the entire chapter of Philippians and remember what encouragement that Christ gives us.

Encouragement for Today

Titus 3:10 “If anyone is causing divisions among you, give a first and a second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with that person.” NLT

2 Corinthians 10:5 “With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ.” NLT

Discipline

Hebrews 12:11 “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” NLT

I use coupons like a mad woman. If fact, I’ve held a few couponing seminars to teach others the methods that have proven effective for saving my family thousands of dollars a year. Some call me a cheap skate. I call myself smart. Coupons are a wonderful way to save money, and to me, it’s totally worth it. At one point, I was saving my family over $500 a month just by spending about 4 hours a week working on my strategies and plans. 

But there’s a catch. You can’t stop. When you first start, you don’t save as much because your bank of coupons/rebates have to get stocked. There’s not as many coupons in your stash as when you’ve been collecting them for a few weeks. If you miss a week of the Sunday inserts, you’ve messed up, and it’s sort of like starting over. Missing just one week of those precious legal counterfeit dollars is detrimental to your success. And it’s crucial that you are disciplined. If you just toss them all in an envelope and race off to the store, you will find yourself in a mess. Hours have to be spent preparing your plan, making lists, and reading coupon blogs in order to see the best deals. You may save some money with this method, but you will in no way see the same results as someone who has put in the time to prepare for shopping trip.

The author of Hebrews speaks in chapter 12 of God’s Loving Discipline. I was shocked to learn that there are at least eight definitions for the word “discipline.” While it can be used as both a noun and a verb, the indication is that discipline is used to make us better. Leading a disciplined life, receiving discipline in the form of punishment, and disciplining ourselves to learn a new skill all point to bettering ourselves for something else to come. It’s important, and the Bible speaks very clearly that discipline is a good thing, although painful. But Hebrews’s author is clear. The purpose of discipline is to make us more like Him. And it brings about a “peaceful harvest of right living.” Isn’t that a beautiful term? 

When we are lazy and unintentional in our spiritual lives, we need to expect the same results. Not devoting our time to prayer, Bible Study, and worship will only lead to a relationship that is stale and lacking in fervor. Where our time is spent will become the treasure of our hearts. 

Likewise, healthy living requires discipline. If we are intentional in our nutrition and exercise, we will see a healthy body. But if we are lazy and sloppy in taking care of His Temple, we will only see likewise results. Only exercising occasionally will not help if we are not disciplined in our routines. Slipping in junk food also does detriment to the good that we are trying to do when we prepare healthy food. But the painful discipline that we adhere to will only produce a wonderful harvest if we only persevere.

Do you need to cultivate discipline? The Scripture says that He will help us if we seek it. The Bible also says that discipline is the mark of a Spirit-filled life. 

Encouragement for Today

Proverbs 3:11-12 “My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you.” NLT

Proverbs 25:28 “A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.” NLT

Proverbs 12:1 “To learn, you must love discipline, it is stupid to hate correction.” NLT

1 Corinthians 9:27a “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should...” NLT

Satisfaction

Psalm 107: 6-9 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live. Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” NLT

Every day was cause for celebration, and everyday was cause for grief. One would think that if they knew my eating habits before. Judging by what I consumed, I was either celebrating or grieving...every. single. day. I ate when I was glad, sad, mad, proud, angry, hurt, happy, and bored. Bored. Most of it was boredom. Some of it was recreation. Parts of it was just to drawn the problems away by distracting myself with food. I have eaten to the point of pain on several occasions, and I never could get a handle on it. Another problem is that I’m a pretty decent cook and prided myself on making true southern dishes from scratch. Biscuits, gravy, chicken and dumplings, fried pork chops, fried squash, homemade mashed potatoes, and if I happened to be tired one night...fried bologna. You get the idea. Not only was the food unhealthy, but the portions were bad too. What’s more, I would even eat stuff that I didn’t even like. I don’t like chocolate, yet, on the very day that I realized that I had to change, I was eating Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. 

I hope all of this hasn’t made you hungry but see the common thread here. Self-destruction seemed to be my end game. From the outside looking in, others saw a strong independent woman that served God. Parts of that statement were true. I am strong, independent, and I served God, but there’s more to my story. Way more. Inside I was a scared, frightened, embarrassed, lonely little girl that had been rejected by far too many people that claimed to love God too. They didn’t like me, and quite honestly, I didn’t like me either.

Like the Psalmist here, I cried to the Lord in true distress. He alone would have to help me. “Lord, help!” I cried too. And like Israel, He rescued me. He led me to safety. What I had always classified as a physical problem was actually a spiritual one. The physical aspect of my life was just a symptom of what was really going on spiritually. I felt that if other Christians couldn’t love me, then I must be unlovable, and therefore, God must not take much stock in me either. I wouldn’t have admitted it to anyone, but in my despair, that’s how I truly felt. I was unlovable. Even in my service to Him, I always felt that I had to apologize to certain groups just because of my calling and my gender. It was only when I allowed God to take total control of my life that He satisfied my thirst and filled me with good things...both spiritually and physically. I no longer turn to food for comfort. I turn to Him. He has truly delivered me from my distress. And I will praise the Lord for His great love and the wonderful things He has done for me.

When we turn to anything or anyone else other than God for comfort and fulfillment, we will always come up empty. And when we turn to anyone or anything other than God to soothe our souls and find satisfaction, we will only find death and destruction. 

As I do my best to live a healthy life, I remind myself that it is only in Christ that I will find true satisfaction. Cravings are hard. But God is good. When I’m hungry, I eat healthy food. When I’m bored, I read His word. When I feel rejected by other people, I turn to the one who always accepts me.

What about you? Where do you turn for comfort and satisfaction? Do you separate your physical life from your spiritual relationship with God? He created our bodies, and He loves us extravagantly. Let Him fill you with good things!

Encouragement for Today

John 6:35 “Jesus replied, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” NLT

A Commitment is Not Enough

Galatians 6:7-9 “Don’t be misled--you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” NLT

The commitment was there, but the eagerness...not so much. Every morning, I arose and laced up my sneakers to work out, and I completed it. But I didn’t really want to. In fact, a year went by before I became fully eager to embrace my new lifestyle wholeheartedly. That’s the truth. It was a year. The results, however, those I was eager to reap. 

Today, if I must miss a day of working out, outside of my typical day off, I miss it. Working out has become a sort of therapy for me, working off stress, and working through things that I’m sure to face in the day ahead. I don’t like missing a day because I feel out of sorts when I do.

We turn to Galatians 6 where Paul is exhorting them regarding hard work. In our culture, we believe in the American dream and that with hard work, anything is possible. The sky’s the limit, and the Bible also teaches the same thing. We can truly accomplish anything with God’s strength and by working for it. 

Paul assures them that they will reap a harvest of exactly the thing they have planted. We don’t plant apple seeds and harvest oranges. We pick the fruit of the tree we have planted. Paul further urges them to live to please the Spirit rather than simply doing whatever we wish, pleasing the flesh. When we live to please self, our harvest is decay and death. But when we live to please the Spirit, we inherit everlasting life! Paul then goes a little further by encouraging them, “Let’s not get tired of doing what is good...” (v. 9). 

While commitment will take us a long way, it cannot take us forever. Spiritually speaking,  our love for God is what pushes us further into a deeper relationship with Him. We must grow into an eagerness to love Him, to pray to Him, and to serve Him. 

As we press on in our commitment to working out and eating healthy, at some point we’re going to tired of it and get bored. The nostalgia of laziness and fat-laden food will creep back in eventually. But remember, we harvest what we plant. The day I embraced that this journey was for life, those torturous thoughts stopped. As we live healthy lifestyles in a culture that loves the unhealthy, we may be tempted too easily and fall away if we rely solely on our commitment. At some point, as growth occurs, we must become eager to embrace all that it entails. 

How about you? Are you eager? Have you grown further than commitment to embrace a healthy lifestyle and all it involves? Lean on Him. He will help you fulfill your commitment but to fall in love with pleasing Him! And in due time, you will reap a bountiful harvest.

Encouragement for Today

2 Corinthians 8:11 “Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have.” NLT

Acts 17:11 “And the people of Bereawere more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.” NLT

Failure

Proverbs 24:16 “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.” NLT

Everything I’ve ever been good at, I’ve had to work extremely hard to conquer. I’m a failure. It’s true. I’ve failed at it all. I wish that my failures had been great learning moments. I wish they hadn’t been so sloppy, so ugly, so dramatic, but the truth is, I didn’t take failure very graciously. When I fail, I fall hard...very hard. Anger, tears, and frustration blow up and threaten to blow away any poor soul that happens to be in my path at that moment. 

That’s why the first day I tried to ride my bicycle on the bike trail was so hard. For starters, it was at the end of June, and it was hot. Strike one. Secondly, there was a little incline coming back. Strike two. Going down it was a breeze, literally, going down hills on a bike is glorious! It’s the coming back up part that stinks. My family had been riding a whole 15 minutes when we decided to turn around and go back to the house. Everything was going okay. I was determined to make it, marking 30 minutes of bike riding down on my activity log. And then I saw the incline (not even really a hill) looming before me. Already sweating, drops trickled in my eyes, and it stung. My legs were like rubber bands, gasping for air, I was determined that I would. not. quit. It wasn’t going to happen. I was going to make it up this hill, and I would be victorious. Half the battle was mental, right? And I was going. to. make. it. But I didn’t make it. I was about 3/4 of the way up when the nausea took over, and it was out of my control. Strike three. There was nothing I could do. I sat there on the side of the bike trail in the tall grass, so frustrated and embarrassed. “How many people saw that,” was the first thing I said to my husband when he got to where I was kneeling. He assured me that it didn’t matter who saw it, but it sure mattered to me! I recovered a little, walked the rest of the way up the hill, and then rode my bike on the flat part of the road back to our house. When would my new strength take over and my weakness end? I had failed. Again.

In these few verses of Proverbs, the writer gives us a bit of wisdom. Everybody fails from time to time. What separates us from others is how we handle that failure. The godly won’t allow a setback to keep them down, while the ungodly only need one difficulty to knock them out. Just like fitness, times will come in our spiritual lives that threaten to knock us down. The test is whether we will get back up and keep going. The writer of Proverbs uses “seven times” in this verse to represent the many times that a person must rebound from difficulties in life. Times like these will come, be sure of that, but we must keep pressing on.

Have you failed yet? I’m sorry to put that question so bluntly, but we sure that it’s going to happen. I’m not saying to go looking for failure, but don’t be so hard on yourself when it does. Embrace the experience, learn all you can, and get back up. 

Encouragement for Today

Psalm 73:26 “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow wek, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”  NLT

Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” NLT

Dining Out

Proverbs 23:1-3 “While dining with a ruler, pay attention to what is put before you. If you are a big eater, put a knife to your throat.; don’t desire all the delicacies, for he might be trying to trick you.” NLT

After a few weeks of healthy living, the point came where my family was going to have to go out to eat. I had avoided this at all costs so far, because the thought of not being able to totally control my food selection was scary to me. And what was more, I wasn’t even able to control where we were going. My good friend’s birthday was today, and she had invited our family to her party at a local steakhouse. I thought to myself, well, they have salads...I can just order a salad. So to the steakhouse we went. The only problem..they didn’t have any meal salads...only small side ones. I ended up eating a bowl of lettuce and tomatoes with no dressing because there was no fat-free ranch! I felt like everyone was staring at me, thinking I had taken this whole weight loss thing to the extreme. I was certain they were planning my intervention right then and there. After we got home, I was able to eat a little more, meeting my nutritional needs of the day. But I was frustrated and wondered if my family would ever be able to eat out ever again. If I had just spent time doing a little research, I could’ve avoided the problem and had a much better time.

Our wise proverb today speaks of dining in unfamiliar territory. While this Scripture probably is referring to a young man’s manners and test of self-control, this truth still applies when trying to live a healthy life. We must pay attention to what is served to us. We are not always going to be able to control the things that we eat, especially in today’s society. Just because something “looks” healthy, doesn’t mean it is. Condiments, sauces, and oils hide tons of calories/fat that we would otherwise not even notice. Birthday parties, family celebrations, holidays, church potlucks, and work luncheons serve to put a dent in our well-planned food choices. But we can still be faithful to eating healthy, even in all of those situations. 

The main thing that helps me stay on track is paying attention to restaurants’ nutritional information. More and more restaurants are posting their calories/fat/protein calculations on their menus/menu boards. Also, more restaurants realize that more people have dietary restrictions, therefore, they are attempting to meet the demand by adding more healthy options. My best advice, to be totally prepared is to try to view the entire nutritional information online before you even go to the restaurant. Have your order in mind before you go, so as to better fight temptation once you arrive and the aroma hits.  

Secondly, don’t be afraid to ask for substitutions. I am a people-pleaser, and I hate to inconvenience people. I hate to ask servers to specialize my meal, and I hate even worse, sending an order back. But I’ve learned to do it. Substituting that baked potato for grilled vegetables, or simply taking the processed cheese off of my chicken tacos has saved a TON of calories, simply by asking. Restaurants customize meals all the time...why not do it for you too?

Thirdly, my family avoids fast-food altogether...unless it’s Taco Bueno or Chick-fil-A. Fast food typically is calorie/fat laden, and the sodium content is out of the roof! Taco Bueno and Chick-Fil-A have healthy options that our whole family enjoys, and they don’t break the bank!

The best advice I can give someone is to simply eat at home. It’s cheaper, it’s honestly faster, and you know exactly what you are putting in your body. When you find yourself in a situation where you have to dine out, put some time in first doing a little research. It will pay off!

Encouragement for Today 

Proverbs 17:1 “Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting--and conflict.” NLT

1 Corinthians 8:8 “It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.” NLT

It's My Birthday!

Isaiah 6:8 “The I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Who shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me.’” 

Today is my birthday. I’m 35 years old, a nice, round number. Last night my husband took me shopping to get some new clothes, since this is the first springtime I’ve been this size. I needed some new clothes. Birthdays are funny, though. Typically, in our culture, birthdays are filled with cake, ice cream, relaxation, doing fun things, and birthday wishes from Facebook. They are certainly rarely seen as a time to get healthy. Holidays in general always are times that mark another year’s passing. Sometimes they come quickly, and sometimes they seem to creep by, depending on the year you’ve experienced. There may be an empty chair for the first time, or there may be a new addition to the family. One thing is common though. They’re usually filled with food. 

Over the past couple of years though, my husband and I have tried to find new ways to celebrate birthdays and holidays. This year, on my birthday, I choose to mark the anniversary of my entry into the world with reflections and goal setting for the next 35 years. You see, today is also the anniversary of my calling to ministry, 19 years ago. Almost two decades have passed, and I look back with a mixture of emotions from joy to pain. Lots of years were spent preparing for ministry, but a huge chunk of it was spent serving. So I have to beg the question, “What will I do in the next 35 years?”

Isaiah 6:8 has been my life verse since that day I dedicated my life to Christ for His purposes. Isaiah is seeing a vision of God, exalted on His throne, and even the seraphim are proclaiming His Holiness, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty! The earth is full of His glory.” Isaiah feels overcome with his sin, and is certain that he is doomed because here he is, sinful, in the presence of a Holy God. But God in His holiness, cleanses Isaiah from his sin, and makes him acceptable to be the presence of the Almighty God! The Lord then asks who will go for Him. Isaiah volunteers. In all of Scripture, we only see one prophet of God volunteer. So enamored with God, and in appreciation of His cleansing Isaiah proclaims, “Send me! Send me!”

How in love with God are you? Are you so appreciative of what God has done in your life that you may be willing to be used of Him to spread His message? 

Today instead of indulging in putting myself in a sugar coma, I will choose to be faithful to the God who created me. What better way could there be to celebrate the anniversary of my birth? I will thank my parents for giving me life and for raising me to know Him. I will reflect on His purposes for my life, and take care of the vehicle He’s given me to spread His message. God has a unique calling and purpose for every one of us if we will let Him. His plans for us far surpass any plans we could ever dream for ourselves. He is faithful, loving, compassionate, and has extravagant love for us, giving us the perfect gift, salvation in His Name! Walk in that love, accepting His gift, His best for you!

Take some time today and read the entire chapter of Isaiah 6. It’s quite the vivid picture and will give you a chance to say too, “Here am I. Send me!”

Encouragement for Today 

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” NIV

James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” NIV

Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” NIV

Ideas for Healthy Celebrations

• Peruse the internet for healthy dessert recipes. Skinnytaste.com is my favorite foodie blod.
• Run your first 5k or mark another fitness milestone.
• Take that fitness class you’ve always wanted to take. Kickboxing, dancing, spinning, and yoga are all great fun.
• Have your birthday party at a park instead of a restaurant. It’s usually free and will provide great encouragement to be active.
• If you let yourself indulge in cake, just have a cupcake. The portion is controlled, and you won’t feel deprived. And there won’t be an entire cake sitting on your kitchen counter waiting to tempt you tomorrow!
• Have new professional photos taken.
• Treat yourself to new workout gear.
• Do something that’s fun and active like bowling, skating, or golfing.
• Work out! Be sure to work out today. You’ll have more energy to celebrate!
• Go get a new "do"
• Buy a new outfit to show off your new curves!