Author Archives: VALGOOD

Apr 04 2013
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Saying Grace – the ‘Blessing’

Have you ever wondered why we sit down at meal time and bless our food?

I recently read an article that denounced meal time “blessing” with a good point that we’re often more focused on what we’re about to consume than the God who provided it for us. The article was worth reading and can be found here:

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/whole-life/why-food-matters-faith

Yet, I don’t think it’s wrong to pray before we eat. First, Jesus gave thanks before He broke bread with His disciples (Matthew 26:26). Likewise, we should thank God for providing for us the food we need to sustain our bodies. Food isn’t the ‘enemy’ in our desire to be healthy and thin. Our over-indulgence and self-gratification is really the culprit rather than the gift of God of something He gives us for our enjoyment and energy. Meal times can be a wonderful time of bonding with family, a reminder to come together and love on and talk to one another. Giving thanks to God for this incredible blessing is an important part of this ‘ritual.’

But, truly, the author wasn’t asserting that we shouldn’t be thankful. He was saying that there was no “magic” in blessing our food. And here is where I think the author is wrong (or maybe misguided is a better word). We ask God, the giver of all good gifts, to bless our food because of His promise in Exodus 23:24-26: “Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.” I think it’s wise to ask God to bless our food and water and make us healthy. He alone has the power to take sickness away from us.

The verses start, though, by reminding us to WORSHIP the Lord Your God (and no other idols). We can’t worship the food and expect God to bless it.

I agree wholeheartedly with the author’s assertion that we were created with a hole in our heart that can only be filled with God. Instead we try to fill it with any pleasurable alternatives we find, including eating food we don’t need, for sheer enjoyment. Yet, if we think about our actions long term, we certainly don’t enjoy the effects – the tight clothes, the muffin tops, the obesity and eventually for some the fall into diabetes or even death. Maybe if we take the time to pray before meals, we can search our hearts and ask God if we truly need the food we’re about to partake. We can give thanks that we live with plenty. We can also ask for Him to be our all in all – our center of worship and adoration as the One and ONLY true God – and that He will fulfill His promise to bless our food and water and take sickness away from us.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your truth in Your Word. Lord, we want to take the opportunity to pray to You at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:17), with thanksgiving in our hearts. Thank You For blessing us with an abundance. We have so much wealth in our country that we struggle with eating too much. Please forgive our sin and help us fill the hole in our heart with more of You rather than the food we don’t need. We desire to worship You only, and we ask that You bless our food and water and make us healthy (and thin!) and give us a full life span. May we live to glorify and honor You in all we say, do and consume. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

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Apr 01 2013
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What’s the Point?

Have you ever come to a place in your weight loss journey where you wonder “what’s the point?” After all, working out is taking time away from your family, friends are asking you to eat out, and you wonder what is the purpose of denying yourself something that you enjoy in this fleeting life.

It’s at these exact times that we need to reflect on why we started losing weight in the first place. What motivated us? And if all the reasons were selfish, chances are this is where we give up, go back to our old habits and gain the weight back that we’ve lost. For truly if we ‘re losing weight to please ourselves, we can also convince ourselves that the food we’re missing is also pleasing and start gratifying our sinful nature. There has to be something more that compels us to keep going when the going gets tough.

This morning my reading included Isaiah 58:4-11, which says:

5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.

So, when you are fasting (or denying yourself something you crave), why do you do it? I would encourage you to list the reasons and see if there are more you can uncover from the above verses. For me personally, here is a list of why I began and hope to continue on this journey:

  1. To Untie the Yoke and Be Set Free – I want to be able to say no to food and not feel like I am a slave to my eating habits. I want to be set free from a body that holds me back from being able to run and jump and play with my kids. I want to be able to live life to the fullest and part of that is feeling good about myself and feeling healthy in general.
  2. To Not Turn Away from My Own Flesh & Blood – I want to be the wife that my husband desires. I want to be the mom that my kids aren’t ashamed of. I want to be there for all the important moments and not having to sit on the sidelines to catch my breath while they keep going. I want to be able to have fun with the people in my life who matter the most.
  3. To Do Away With Malicious Talk and Pointing Fingers – I want to clean up what’s going into my body and what’s coming out. This may be seem selfish, but generally speaking, I want to be more like Christ and seek ‘perfection’ (while unattainable) and hope for ‘excellence’ in all areas of life. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to God!
  4. To Share Food With the Hungry, Clothing With the Naked and Shelter to the Poor Wanderer – I’ve been praying lately about how I can be the hands and feet of Jesus. After reading a book where two children were orphaned and a woman took them in and raised them, I began to wonder if I had the same open home and open heart that God desires. Would I share what I have with those who need it? What does that mean or even look like? And if I’m too self-conscious about how I look or too exhausted and out of shape to be helpful, am I really serving God in the way He would desire? Can I be “fit for service” and offer my body to the Lord to be used by Him to help others? Literally, with Jesus in my heart and the Holy Spirit guiding me, I am the physical presence of God on earth, if I’m taking the time to get my eyes and focus off myself and rather onto loving God and loving others as we are called to do.
  5. And sure, I want to look good. I want smaller clothes to fit. But, I also know that beauty is fleeting and charm is deceptive. If I’m only seeking selfish gain in my looks, I probably will again seek selfish gain in food. For being self-centered only leads to more selfishness.

If you’re feeling tired, if you’re wondering why even bother, maybe it’s time to reflect on WHY you felt called to try in the first place. Remind yourself of what being healthy will mean for those around you and even God’s future plans for you. It’s going to be worth it! After all, God promises to meet our needs and strengthen our frame.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word and Your love. Thank You for reminding us to not only humble ourselves for the sake of ourselves but for the sake of others. What does it look like to loose the cords of injustice? What does it mean to share with those in need? How can we best serve you? Please renew our minds and strengthen our spirits as we seek ways to please You and love others. Are there people in our sphere of influence who need to see You? Show us how to be obedient in answering Your call to help. May we be healthy and thin and fit for service. May our healing come through You! And may You be honored as we fast and seek Your will. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

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Mar 21 2013
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How Big is God?

Lately I think I’ve forgotten how big our One true God is. I went on vacation and came back weighing more than I wanted to. But, more than that, I came back with the desire to overeat just as I had when I was away. As many times as I would tell myself that I’d start fresh in the morning making healthier choices, the next day I would give into temptation again. What was wrong with me?!?!

Last night, I was watching a Veggie Tales video with my kids called “Larry Boy and the Bad Apple.” In it, the bad apple (representing temptation) tried to render God’s people useless by tempting them with areas they struggled with, including vanity, electronics time and overindulging in chocolate consumption. As each one was giving in, I became a little more discouraged as I thought about my own inability to overcome temptation recently. I eventually left the room to put my youngest son to bed. When I came back to my older boys, the video was ending with an important lesson – no one can stand up to temptation on our own, we need God’s help!

How had I missed that? I’ve been on this journey for years, and yet I was once again trying to say no to food on my own and out-exercise my bad eating habits, as if my own works could save me from my own sin. This morning I had to repent of my pride and I once again humbly laid my struggles before God.

This morning my devotions were in Isaiah 36-37 when a king from Assyria threatened to utterly destroy Judah. Showing his previous triumphs against other kings, Sennacharib asked what god could save this people? When looking at just the circumstances, Judah didn’t stand a chance against this king. But, Hezekiah, king of Judah, humbled himself and prayed to God. The Lord’s answer included these verses:  “‘He [Sennachrib] will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. He will not come before it with shield or build a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came he will return; he will not enter this city,’ declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 37:33-34). The passage goes on to tell us that “Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning – there were all the dead bodies! So Sennacharib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Ninevah and stayed there” (Isaiah 37:36-37).

God, with his all-powerful nature, displayed His mighty hand and fixed the situation that seemed hopeless. Did He act because of Hezekiah’s worthiness? No, as we see later in Isaiah how Hezekiah was selfish and full of pride (just as we are all sinners). The Lord acted for the sake of His glory and renown and because of the covenant He made with His beloved (Isaiah 37:35).

Friends, God can fix absolutely any situation you are in. He is a BIG God! I know friends who are struggling with physical ailments, the search for a mate, infertility, obesity, financial disaster, feelings of isolation, and other situations that seem downright impossible in the natural. But, no matter what the situation, our God is bigger. Our God is stronger. Our God is all-knowing and all-powerful. If He commands it, it is. Period.  And this all-powerful God is also loving. He is a compassionate and gracious God.

Let’s invite God into our situations to fix them as only He can for only His glory. I couldn’t lose weight on my own. I felt absolutely hopeless and absolutely ridiculous that I struggled with a temptation that many people don’t face. But, I’m giving it to the Lord. I’m proclaiming His victory in my life. I can’t take any credit for it’s God alone who helps me each step, each day. The more impossible your situation seems, the more we know that God is working a plan for His glory. Then we can only say, “Now that was God!”

How big is God? SO big! He is the One and Only true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the miracle Maker, the salvation Provider, the holy and awesome loving Father. Let’s turn to Him today!

Dear Lord, we believe that You are holy and righteous, the One and only God and worthy of our worship alone. We confess that we’ve allowed our focus to be on our problems rather than You, our solution. We can’t defeat temptation alone. But, we know that You can. We can’t overcome our problems no matter how hard we’ve tried. We ask that while we’re in the boxing ring, we can tag out and let you come in and do throw the knock-out punch. Then we’ll shout YOUR victory, for Your glory. We love You and long to honor You with our lives and even our problems. May You be magnified today! We ask that You make us healthy and thin for Your glory alone. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

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Feb 05 2013
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The Ability to Heal

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

As a child, did you ever cut a doll’s hair and wonder why it didn’t grow back? Throughout your life time, have you ever broken something important that you simply can’t fix?

As I think about how God created our bodies, I’m impressed at His workmanship. Our hair does grow back (thankfully!) from bad haircuts and typically our bodies heal from breaks and injuries.

In the same way, when we’ve “ruined” our body from overeating, we still have hope. So many people (myself included!) feel like once we’ve reached a certain point, there is no return. But, God has created us with the ability to lose weight. And the first step is believing that God can change us and that we are indeed able to change. We have to trust in God’s perfect will for our lives and allow Him to transform our thinking, our feelings and our behavior. And just as “Rome wasn’t built in a day” most times this overall life change comes in the form of small steps in the journey of life.

I’ll be honest and say that I’d hear of or see people who had lost major weight and while I’d be happy for them, I was often jealous too. As I was overcome with feelings of hopelessness and despair, I’d see someone else looking fantastic and bragging about all the weight they’d lost. But, I realize now that none of us has any room to brag. Anyone who has lost significant weight has started out having significant weight to lose.  They have also struggled in the same areas that I have. And God has given them the same ability to start fresh – to heal, to lose weight, to be set free.

I love the reminder from the verses in Ephesians that say that it is by grace that we have been saved, not by works, so that no one can boast. Truly, being saved is a gift from heaven. We have no room for pride when we realize that it is God who is transforming our lives each and every day when we hand Him over the reigns to do so.

If you are currently struggling in any area of your life – but especially with being overweight – I would encourage you to start by praying. Ask God to teach you and recognize that He is faithful to answer when we call on Him! Read His Word to you and know that He has given you a body that will heal, unlike my old doll baby who will forever have short, choppy hair.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for the bodies You’ve given us. I praise You that we heal, that You have provided a way to be set free from bondage. Thank You that hair grows, that bones mend and that somehow we are able to burn fat from our bodies. It is truly a gift from You! Lord, I pray for all those reading this blog – help them learn the truth in Your Word and help them on their journey to losing weight and being set free. I humbly ask that You would make us all healthy and thin for Your glory. And, may we recognize that it is not by works so that no one can boast but truly Your blessings and salvation are a wonderful and treasured gift. Thank You and praise You! You are holy and worthy of praise! In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

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Jan 21 2013
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Praise the Lord, Who Satisfies Your Desires with Good Things

“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.2 Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1-5

This Psalm reminds me of a Matt Redman song (which I put below) but it also reminded me of a moment I had this past Friday. My son had asked me to buy him cinnamon sugar pretzel sticks as we were leaving the mall, and I agreed to the special treat. But since they are a mess, I asked him to not eat them in the car and to wait until we got home to enjoy them. They were next to me then, and as we were driving home, I took one to eat. Just then a lovely worship song came on the radio that I love to sing along with. Only my mouth was full of something I knew I shouldn’t be eating. One, they were for my son. Two, I read later there are 99 grams of carbs and 500 calories per serving! YIKES!!! I knew I shouldn’t have them, but I had grabbed it anyway to indulge my own craving.

Sadly, though, as I listened to the song, it occurred to me that I couldn’t do both. I couldn’t eat and praise the Lord with singing at the same time. This became a good picture for me – at least in my life, praise and self-indulgence in an area I know to be sin in my life can’t go hand in hand.

Then this morning after reading this, I thought the reverse might actual be helpful. The next time I’m tempted, instead of giving in, I should give praise to the Lord! I love worship music and praising the Lord. If I choose to do that with my time rather than eat, I think the cravings will go away. Even if not, I’m sure my soul will be much more satisfied.

I love that these verses tell us that the Lord benefits us – He’s not asking us to give up something that is good for us or truly pleasing. In the end this sin is a killer! Instead, God forgives our sins and He heals our diseases (verse 3), He redeems our life and crowns us with love and compassion (verse 4) and He SATISFIES OUR DESIRES WITH GOOD THINGS (verse 5)!!! He renews our youth like the eagle’s (verse 5). Later on in Psalm 104, we are reminded that the Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love (verse 8); His love for those who fear Him is greater than we can imagine and He has compassion on us like a father has compassion on his children (verse 13).

God is not asking us to give up things that are good for us. He has our best in mind. He’s not in heaven looking down with anger because I have my son’s cinnamon sugar pretzel stick in my mouth. Instead, He’s calling us to BETTER things. He says to lay down our desire for food that isn’t meant for us and instead come to Him who satisfies our desires with GOOD things instead! When we do, we’re healed and our youth is renewed. He loves us! He is compassionate! To even think about it brings tears to my eyes.

Instead of eating, I should be praising! I need to remember all that God is and all He has done for us. I need to satisfy my soul longings with some good honest worship time. And the end result will make me feel better anyway – what a God we serve!

Father God, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your compassion and grace. We thank You for Your love and that You want what’s best for us. Sometimes it feels like we’re giving up so much when we aren’t eating what our sinful nature craves. But, in reality, we need YOU to satisfy our desires with good things. We need You to renew our youth like the eagle’s, heal our diseases, redeem our lives from the pit and forgive our sins. We confess that we struggle with overeating. But, we long to please You, God. Please forgive us and allow us to start fresh. Guide us with Your Holy Spirit into a life of self-control and discipline. We thank You for all Your many benefits, and we ask that You receive the praise due Your Name. Let our souls praise You! Thank You, God. You are so deserving. Please make us more like You. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

Jan 16 2013
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Open Wide

“You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” Psalm 81:9-10

Have you ever tried to fast for a day from food? While there are some days that I can skip eating breakfast and lunch and think nothing of it, the minute I say that I’m going to fast I feel like I’m starving. I get shaky and my head begins to ache and I feel downright awful.

But, have you ever had a day where you haven’t touched the Bible? I don’t think we feel nearly as physically awful as we do going without food. And yet we truly need God so much more than we realize!

As I began the process of losing weight, I realized that food had become a “god” in my life. I didn’t want to go without it, I wanted to eat what I was in the mood for (even if it wasn’t the best thing for me) and I used food to try to fill a void – whether it was in celebration, sorrow, anger or boredom. It had begun to rule my life. I planned my days around meal time, I was cranky when I had to do without, and my thoughts were filled with what sounded good and what pinterest recipes I should try to make, etc.

I’ll admit that I still struggle with these things. God says we are not to bow down to them. And He shows us in the above verses that it is God alone who leads us out of slavery to them and into a life set free for His glory. We don’t have to have food rule our lives. We can go without it! When I was sick a few weeks back, I didn’t eat for a couple days in a row. And I didn’t die! Most of what we feel I think is our mind playing tricks on us. Yes, we need food for energy and sustenance. But, we can go without it if necessary and if that’s what we’re being called to do. We can do without our favorite things for a time if we are supposed to do that to show God He is more important to us than any other things we’ve allowed to become our ‘gods’ or focus.

I love that the Lord knows our struggles. Just look at the end of the verses above – He says “Open wide your mouth and I will fill it!” What a promise! He will give us what is good for us. He will become what sustains us. He knows how badly we crave things that aren’t in our best interest. But, if we admit our sin and our struggles to Him, He’ll be our Lord and fill us with what we need.

These last couple days have been hard, I’ll admit. I’ve been eating once again like I’m never going to get a solid meal again and must fill up now. YIKES! I can’t seem to give it up. So, I go back to the goodness of God’s Word and ask Him for help. Since I read these verses, I have continually been praying “You fill me up, God, please. Fill me with something better than I would choose on my own.” The food that I’ve been ingesting is not filling me. I could keep going and going and going! I need Him to fill me and to let go of this stuff that is only going to make me feel worse in the end.

Are there things in your life that consume your thoughts? If so, may I humbly suggest that you also lay aside anything that has become a foreign god and ask God to fill you up instead. Open wide!

Dear Heavenly Father, You are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you (Psalm 86:5). You are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God (Psalm 86:10). Thank You for being merciful (Psalm 78:38). We know that we can trust You, that You love us even when we don’t deserve it, You are good and holy based on who You are and not based on what we do. We know that we can’t earn Your gift of salvation, we simply have to believe that You are a forgiving God and have made the way for us. We long to please You and ask for Your forgiveness for stubbornly going back to old habits and ways. God, this struggle to lose weight isn’t always easy. But, we believe that it’s right. And we believe that it is You who are helping us, for Your Name and for Your glory. Please help us. Please fill our mouths with good things and keep out anything that is not good for our bodies or honoring to You. We need You! We confess that we have let ‘foreign gods’ consume our thoughts – please take them away from us and let us bow down and serve and worship You alone. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be pleasing to You. Thank You for understanding our struggles and helping us through them. May we please be healthy and thin for Your glory. We thank You and praise You for being faithful, awesome and amazing. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

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Jan 01 2013
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Resolutions Take Resolve

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Dec 06 2012
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A Christmas Miracle

“For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

My boys and I have been making crafts each day surrounding the story of Christmas (if you’ve never heard of it, check out www.truthinthetinsel.com). Yesterday as we were reading about Mary, my boys and I said over and over again “For NOTHING is impossible with God!!!” I’ve blogged about it before, but I felt compelled to write again that God alone is the One who can change us. And while we may feel hopeless in our situations, NOTHING is impossible with Him.

Before thinking of your situation, take time to ponder the miracles of the Lord today and His amazing deeds. He separated the darkness from light; He created man in His image; He rescued the Israelites from slavery; He parted the sea so the Israelites could cross on dry ground; God shut the mouths of lions for Daniel; He saved Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace; He saved Esther and the entire Jewish nation that was about to be annihilated; He granted David victory over the giant Goliath; and He brought us a Savior in the form of a virgin birth.

Friend, if you think God can’t rescue you, I think you are sadly mistaken.

The first step in real life transformation is believing that God can do a miracle in your midst. During this season, trust in His power, walk in His grace, choose to think about His truth and believe that He wants the best for your life. The message of Christmas is GOOD news!!! For ALL people!!! We have a Helper, a Redeemer, a Restorer, a Gift from God to save us from our sin!

I look back over this past year of losing over 50 lbs, and I give all the glory to God. I looked at my life and thought it was impossible to ever change. After all, I love to eat and I am lazy by nature. But, when I turned my eyes to Him, I realized that NOTHING is impossible with God.

So, now as we face new obstacles and new changes in life, I’m trusting on the same promises that God is GOOD, God is FAITHFUL, God is MIRACULOUS and God is RIGHTEOUS. Let’s praise Him together. No matter what you face today, think of the angel Gabriel saying to Mary “For NOTHING is impossible with God.” Say it again out loud this time…over and over again! Say it hopping on one foot, say it holding your tongue (my boys’ favorite), say it turning around as fast as you can. But, keep saying it. Keep believing it. Keep GOING!

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You for being Almighty! Lord, as I’m reading Job I realize that sometimes circumstances in our life might seem tough but we have no idea what glory awaits us just around the corner – YOUR glory! We want to take our eyes off ourselves today and look to You and Your majesty and praise You for Who You are and the precious Gift You’ve given us in the form of Your Son; His blood has covered our sin and made us new before You. Thank You, God! It is in this hope that we know You can change our lives, our habits, our appearance and most importantly our hearts. Help us obey You today and trust in Your miracles and believe in Your blessings. Thank You for being faithful to us! Thank You for loving us even though we don’t deserve it! We glorify and honor You! Please help us as only You can – please make us healthy and thin and financially well off. May Your will be done in our lives. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

Nov 06 2012
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The Bread of Idleness

“She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:27

Yesterday I began the section of study again on the ‘perfect’ woman in Proverbs 31. We were reminded that this was the king’s mother telling him what kind of wife to look for. And this morning as I continued to think about this chapter, I wondered why exactly the phrasing was used that she “does not eat the bread of idleness.” To read into it that the perfect wife wouldn’t eat bread would be wrong, and yet I was still contemplating the word choice. Why not just say “she’s not lazy”?

Then I had that “ah-ha!” moment that I thought I’d share. Maybe it wasn’t why the author chose to speak in this way, but it gave me something to ‘chew’ on all day.

Have you ever eaten because you’re bored? I think one of the reasons people struggle with overeating at night is because they are busy all day long. But, after dinner as the day is winding down and folks want to relax, the first thing we do is start to feel empty or bored. Many folks unwind to the television or curl up with a good book or even begin to look at social media like facebook, twitter or pinterest. But, whatever the activity is, this is when a majority of people begin to snack, even without feeling the ravenous hunger pangs.

It struck me that idleness can lead to eating. If I have a day when I’m running around, speeding from activity to activity, eating becomes something I squeeze into my schedule based on necessity and energy levels. But, take a rainy day at home when I’m feeling lazy, and I could consume way more calories than any one person should need in a day; and while I call it “hunger” I think “emptiness” would be a better word.

If my time is too empty, I fill it with food. Am I suggesting piling on the activities – enrolling the kids in more athletics or taking on more jobs? By no means! What does the ‘perfect’ woman do with her time? She manages the affairs of her household! Could I fill my empty time with praying for my children, reading or playing with them more, planning our meals, or cleaning our house? Yes, I confess, I could spend more time doing those things than filling my emptiness with random snacking or idle time on the computer.

Have you ever noticed that many extremely obese people seem downright lazy? It’s not a fit for every single person, but more of a general stereotype. Part of me wonders which comes first – when you’re overweight, getting the energy to move and do activities  can be a challenge in and of itself. But, a lazy person should be careful because gaining weight can be a result of not breaking free of this bad habit.

If you’re trying to change your habits, I would start with not eating the bread of idleness. If your time is empty, what productive things could you do to manage your household better? Even if you’re not married or don’t have children, there are better ways to spend your time than others.

I think the wording of this verse was purposeful. We shouldn’t be lazy! And we shouldn’t eat whatever comes from being idle. As I was going about my day, I said this verse over and over again. I hope it helps you too!

Dear Heavenly Father, we are grateful for Your Word. We believe it is God-breathed and each word was chosen on purpose. Lord, we thank You for teaching us how to live and be better people. Please make us holy like You. Please forgive our sin and enable us to overcome our old habits. May we manage the affairs of the household where You have placed us; and please keep us from eating the bread of idleness. May we not be lazy but rather intentional with our time. May we not eat out of boredom or emptiness but rather when we need sustenance or energy. May we please You in all we say and do. And God, we humbly ask that You would make us healthy and thin for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

Nov 01 2012
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Profanity…in the Form of Food

“Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.’ Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day.’ And Esau said, ‘Look, I am about to die, so what profit shall this birthright be to me?’ Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.” Genesis 25:29-34

Can you imagine purchasing something so valuable for so little? I’ve seen a commentator liken it to exchanging a wedding ring for a $1 cheeseburger from the value menu. According to John W. Ritenbaugh (2001) in his online commentary Eating: How Good It Is! (Part Two), Esau’s major character flaw was that he valued immediate, sensual satisfaction over his birthright. He carelessly gave up the things of God to satisfy his appetite.

The Bible says Esau despised his birthright, meaning he treated it scornfully or with contempt. Hebrews 12:16 says “. . . lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.” Profane (unlike what you may think it to be) simply means being irreverent toward what is sacred. Esau treated his sacred God-given birthright carelessly, thus profaning it. After this exchange, Esau’s younger brother Jacob would have his name changed by God to Israel, the father of the Israelite nation.

In a camp as wealthy as their father Isaac’s, there are good chances Esau could have found something else to eat if he was willing to wait rather than go for immediate pleasure. He wasn’t really close to death or starvation, I don’t think, even though he dramatically said this to get his brother to give him some food. Rittenbaugh (2001) notes that Esau is unconcerned about God, the things of God, and the future; instead he is worldly. And too many of us are like him. We as Christians need to get out of the immediate gratification mode when dealing with life’s present circumstances and instead look toward the kingdom of God and what’s important to our Heavenly Father.

“God’s Word depicts Esau’s worldliness through the medium of eating. Eating something he desired at the moment meant more to him than a tremendously valuable gift of God” (Rittenbaugh, 2001). Finally, he comments and I wholeheartedly agree, “It is worth meditating upon how much satisfying immediate cravings and yearnings, perhaps even for food, presents a stumbling block to our pleasing God.”

When I read this commentary on these verses, I knew that there were times I had given up God’s good and pleasing will for my life to satisfy my immediate cravings…yes, even for something silly like food, which doesn’t feel so silly when you’re hungry. But, my desire is to please the Lord in every aspect of life and my prayer is to always consider God’s kingdom before making a rash choice.

Dear Lord, we praise You and thank You today for this word of God and for John Rittenbaugh’s commentary on it. Please forgive us where we have profaned what’s important to You by treating it as common or insignificant. Help us to always focus on the future and the good plans You have for us. Help us say ‘no’ when immediate sensual satisfaction in eating pleasure takes over our good judgment. May we always please You and value things that are valuable to You instead. Help us, Lord Jesus! We can’t do this without You! In Your Name we pray, AMEN!

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