VALGOOD

“Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.” Romans 14:20a

Yesterday as I was continuing to read Romans, this verse jumped off the page at me. Literally before I ate anything yesterday, all I kept hearing was this verse over and over again “don’t destroy the work of God for the sake of food.” Is that not powerful?

If you’re trying to lose weight, before eating, say this verse. It will help you make better decisions. Allow God to transform your habits and don’t destroy His mighty work in your life for the sake of food.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You that Your Word is truth and meets us right where we’re at. I’m overwhelmed when I think that You are speaking directly to us! God, we confess there are times that we do destroy what You’re doing in our lives for something so meaningless as food. Please forgive our sin and change our habits. May we not go against Your will for something that is less satisfying in the long run. May we keep pressing on for You! We ask again that You make us healthy and thin for Your glory. We praise You and thank You. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 3:22-24

This morning as I was reading Romans, I came to chapter 12 verse 2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Would you like to know what God’s will is for your life? Have you ever asked Him, Lord show me what You’re doing here? What’s next? According to this verse, the way to be able to test and approve what God’s good, pleasing and perfect will is, we need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Last week, part of my devotions (Ephesians 3:22-24) also dealt with this same principle. It says that we need to put off our former way of life (just like Romans says to not conform any longer to the pattern of this world). Then it talks about what our old self looks like – one that is corrupted by deceitful desires.

There’s an old expression that says “I think therefore I am.” But, really, “I think and then I act” would be more accurate. My old pastor said that thoughts fly into our minds like birds. We need to open the window and force them back out rather than allow them to stay and build a nest. When we think about things and desire things that are deceitful – like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, they look good but will hurt us in the end! – we eventually give into the thoughts and put them into action.

I’ve seen this take shape in the form of someone just occasionally allowing themselves to look at pornography on the Internet and then taking it to the next level of a full-blown affair. 😦 😦 😦

For me, when I think and think about unhealthy food and how amazing it sounds, eventually, I’m going to give into my cravings. But, it can be almost anything.

In my undergraduate thesis, one theory I used was Jackson’s behavioral model, which says that people’s actions come from their knowledge or thoughts. It’s so true! So, what can we do? First, we put off our old self. As the woman speaking at Study & Share said “we need to take off our old way of life like they are nasty, sweaty gym clothes.” Would we put them back on after we got a shower? No, we would want new, fresh clothes!!! Like the shower that we need to take, we must renew our minds after taking off our old selves. This is the key to a transformed life. How do we renew our minds? We read the Bible. It’s that simple. Nothing can transform our mind like renewing it with God’s Word.

Then, as we are “made new in the attitudes of our minds” we can “put on the new self, which is created to be like God.” I’m not sure how you picture Jesus, but I never once pictured Him as fat. Not ever. And since He was without sin, we need to try and be like Him. Our new self – clothed in Jesus’ robes – is supposed to be holy and pure and righteous like God. We’ve gotten rid of the old and washed in the blood while renewing our mind.

So, for anyone who struggles like I do with being overweight (although truly this principle can apply to trying any habit changes), the next key step is reading your Bible. Every day. I think this is a crucial step alongside praying. I’m not challenging you to a work out or telling you to quit eating. I’m simply saying that you can change if you allow your mind to be transformed. You can know God’s will for your life. You can be set free of your former ways of thinking and old habits. You can live an abundant life.

I’m giving you a challenge – start this week and read your Bible every morning. Before you eat, before you turn on your computer or television, before you even get dressed, take a moment to read something. You decide how much time you have – it could be as little as a couple verses or chapters and it could be a long, sweet time with the Lord. Don’t get bogged down in the details, just open the Bible and read. God is faithful! He will speak to you through His Word right where you’re at. You will see real life transformation – starting from the inside and reflecting to the outside.

Will you accept this challenge? If so, you can leave a comment. I’m excited to see what God will do in and through you if you’re willing to take this step!

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your holiness. God, we thank You that we can discard our old selves and put on Your likeness. Please renew our attitudes, transform our minds, help us be more like You. God we long to know You. We’re seeking You wholeheartedly. Help us be faithful to spending time with You every day. Will You please transform our hearts and make this life change from the inside out? Will You make us healthy and thin for Your glory? May we never look the same again! In Jesus’ Name we pray, AMEN!

Psalm 17:14 b “You still the hunger of those You cherish; their sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.”

Lately in my quiet time with the Lord, I’m realizing how I have sought satisfaction from food. I didn’t use to believe it when I’d hear people say that overweight people were eating to fulfill their inner desires, etc. I would think “No, I eat because I’m hungry.” But, my recent Bible study challenged me to fast. And I realized that I eat many times when I’m not truly physically hungry. Instead, there are times that I’m bored or stressed, etc; but more than that, really, I’m looking to be satisfied. If I’m not feeling satisfied, I think a full belly will help me achieve that feeling.

But, I felt fairly convicted when I read Psalm 4:2 that says “How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?” God is the one who created a longing inside of us to be satisfied so that HE can fill it. When we look for other things to fill that void, it can be a form of idolatry. I didn’t mean to worship other things than Him, but I see over and over again how I turn to food when I feel empty.

When I’m busy or among friends, I find that I don’t eat as much. But, maybe I’m not feeling that same void that makes me want to dive into something tasty? Then I read the above verse: “You still the hunger of those You cherish…” from Psalm 17:14. And I’ve started asking God to still the hunger within me.

I can work really hard at the gym, but I’m not going to lose a pound unless I can get my eating habits under control. I remember hearing that two slice of pizza can wipe out an entire hour of an intense work out. 😦 How often I’ve done just that!

And, honestly, I want more than just weight change. I truly need a heart change. When I fasted, I felt downright awful. I was HUNGRY. But, I don’t often feel that hungry, honestly. I’m often eating mindlessly and on-the-go. I eat when I feel down, when I feel that it’s time (hungry or not) or when I have the moment and something looks good or I have a craving, etc. But, I’d rather be mindful of what I’m eating and why. If it’s not for physical sustenance, I’m praying that I’ll be able to stop and seek God first.

Can I find even more satisfaction from spending time with the Lord than with the food I’m about to partake? If the answer is yes, then that’s the direction I should go.

My current Bible study suggests reading a Psalm at meal times. It’s interesting how much more satisfied I feel when I actually read my Bible first. God longs to fill that place in our lives that we’re filling with other things. He tells us that He will still the hunger of those He cherishes. If you are in a relationship with Him, you are the apple of His eye. He will still that hunger within you if you’ll let Him. Please pray with me that we can both follow His lead in this area of our lives!

Dear Heavenly Father, we confess that we have been putting food as an idol in our lives. We didn’t even realize it, but as we really look and see that we’re eating beyond just to satisfy physical hunger, we know that we’re misusing a gift you’ve given us. We’ve tried to satisfy our cravings with something other than You. Please be our passion. Still the hunger within us. Help us eat only to sustain us and give us a satisfaction that comes through deepening our relationship with You. May people see a change within us that shines from the inside out. Help us be healthy and thin for Your ultimate glory. We ask forgiveness for our sins and for You to free us from the chains of our addiction. Break the cycle and help us move forward in living a life sold out for You! May we grow in our relationship with You, Father. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

Have you ever tried to gain traction on ice? I once was the passenger with a friend who had a sporty car and bald tires. As he was trying to impress me by letting his car do donuts in a snow storm, we ended up firmly planted in a snow bank on the side of the road. The laughter ended, though, when he tried to pull out and his tires simply spun and spun on the ice beneath. It was after midnight on Christmas Eve, and getting the car moving was going to be no easy task…

When someone who struggles with addiction or losing weight thinks about a major life change like being free and healthy, it often feels like my friend and I did that night. We try something small (with our own power) and our tires just spin, unable to gain traction and really break free and move forward. At this point, most of us give up.

But, Luke 18 begins “Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Let me pause here and say if you’ve struggled with your weight or changing your life style in any way, I believe this is one of the keys to start gaining traction.

Going back, picking up in verse 2, Luke 18 continues “He said: ‘In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, “Grant me justice against my adversary.” 4 For some time he refused. But finally, he said to himself, “Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!” 6 “And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?'”

So, here’s the key: be persistent in prayer. For awhile, I thought “Is it really justice to ask God to help me be healthy or is it His mercy since I’ve done this to myself?” Either way, ask God to make you healthy and thin. Every day! I often wondered what the last verse had to do with the rest of the story – does it seem strange to you to ask about the Son of Man finding faith on earth to end the parable of the persistent widow? I no longer think it a weird ending. Will God find us faithful in prayer? Will God see faith within us, true faith that HE can change us even if we have no ability to gain traction on our own?

For the average overweight person, even if you think that you have no will on your own to eat healthier or stop overindulging and no energy or time to work out, you still believe that you can pray. Start there! Commit to praying everyday to being healthier. Don’t fear asking God for help. After all, if He wanted to, I believe He could make us all wake up healthy and thin overnight. But, if you don’t wake up looking like you want to, don’t give up praying! That’s the whole point of this parable. Keep asking. Be persistent.

The start to any successful life change is consistent, persistent prayer. Ask God, and let Him give you traction as He fulfills your desires. If, over subsequent days, you find a moment to work out or are able to say no to an overindulgence, make sure to give Him credit for enabling you to make good choices. So often we ask God, He answers, and we forget to praise Him rather than ourselves for what’s happened. May it never be! As God answers your prayers, make a mental note to share your testimony with others. May God be glorified in our life changes!

To end my story from above, my risk-taking friend and I prayed that we’d make it home that night without having to walk in the freezing cold temperatures, and a family who was just coming home from their Christmas Eve festivities saw our stuck car and came down to help us push the car out and also put something under the tires to help them grip. It was enough to get us rolling. They wouldn’t accept our offer of money and simply smiled and waved as they went inside. They seemed like angels that night.

God will send the help. He will provide the traction. Don’t sit and spin your wheels and give up! Ask God and see how He delivers you.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for being amazing, all powerful, righteous and merciful. We confess, Lord, that we are in a place that we don’t want to be yet can’t seem to get traction in moving from here. Father God, in Your gracious mercy, with the blood of Jesus covering our sins, we ask that You would set us free from our habits, enable us to make wise choices, and You would provide the traction we need. Give us that push, put something under our tires, help us in any way you see fit. May we glorify You, God, with our bodies. Please make us healthy and thin, to serve You and to honor You, in the very temple where You live. We praise You, God, for answering our prayers. We believe, we trust You, and we KNOW You are faithful. Help us remain in You today. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

I started my weight loss journey a few years back after completing Beth Moore’s Bible study called “Breaking Free.” In it, I learned about generational bondage and how sin can entangle us like a literal yoke on our neck. I’ve been struggling with weight issues and eating my entire life. I had all but given up the struggle, figuring that I have been fat for a long time and will probably die obese.

But, after this study and realizing that God can do ANYTHING, I decided that I can’t ever quit – I must continue to to be free from this bondage, focusing on God’s strength to free me rather than my own. And, I’ve decided that I want to cut off this sin and its power to enslave before I pass it along to my children.

What people who are thin don’t understand is how much of a struggle it is lose weight. While people can say “just eat this and not this,” in the moment it feels like it’s next to impossible. And I don’t think you can workout enough to counter bad eating habits. I literally have felt like I was in chains. As much as my mind said one thing, my body and impulses were going another. I can’t seem to break the cycle!

But, I KNOW that God can. If I am ever truly healthy and thin, then it will all be to God’s glory. For this is an area of true struggle for me – to have Holy Spirit discipline and self-control. I continually pray for His power and help!

This morning as I was reading my Bible, I came to Acts 12. Peter was in prison, literally held captive in chains. BUT, the church was praying to God for Him, the Bible says (verse 5). So, an angel came to free him, and the “chains fell off Peter’s wrists” (verse 7). These verses stood out to me. If chains can literally just fall right off in this physical world, couldn’t God free me in the same sense from my struggles?

I noticed that this happened while the church was praying to God for him. So, I’m asking anyone who reads this to pray for me. And, if you struggle with the same area and would like me to pray for you, simply leave a comment and I will add you to my prayers as well. I KNOW God is faithful! I know He has the power! I’m believing I can be changed for Christ!

Dear Heavenly Father, we ask you to drop the chains of addiction off us. Please help us with discipline and self-control – give us the fruit of the Spirit and help us to obey You in every area of our lives. I feel like I have no power to change, but I thank You that YOU do have the power to change me! Please help us, Lord. May we be healthy and thin for Your glory! In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!

As I was reading my Bible the other day, I saw a little devotional on the sidebar that said hospitality has the word hospital as its root; both of these bring healing to someone hurting. Think about it for a minute.

I’ve been thinking about it ever since I read that passage – hospitality truly does soothe the soul. I know how much I’ve appreciated it! We even went to a friends’ house for Superbowl last Sunday, and it felt so good to be with others who we love to hang out with. Jesus said in Matthew 25:31-45 that when the Son of Man comes in His glory, He will divide people into two groups (the sheep and goats). Among other things that He said the first group did right was “I was a stranger, and you invited me in” (Matthew 25:35).

I remember one of my closest friends and I talking when we first had kids about how it becomes more and more difficult to meet friends as you grow older. There’s no longer school forcing you to meet new people, there’s not new folks walking through the doors of work, and online media makes us feel more isolated than ever because we have lots of facebook friends without people that we can really share and connect with. We talked about ways that we were going to try to meet other moms.

A women’s Bible study I started going to has been great for fellowship (praise God for His answer to my prayers!). In a meeting recently, we were discussing the first chapter of Ephesians, and somehow the conversation turned that we are to live for God and not ourselves. We need to humble ourselves to serve others, and one way we do that is by making it a point to interact with others and not worry about how our house looks or things appear. This is something I’ve been feeling rather convicted about.

You see, we don’t have a dog. While that means we don’t have hair to clean up, it also means that any crumbs that fall to the floor stay there until I sweep them up. I hate to sweep (not sure why?) so that’s the last chore I get done when I make my to-do list. But, if I know someone is coming to our house, the first thing I do is get out my swiffer and get to work on our floors. I also make sure that there’s no dust to touch on any surface anywhere. If no one’s coming over, I let the dust settle while I spend time doing other things like laundry or writing.

That said, I honestly like to have a clean house. Truly, it makes me feel good to have everything in its place. But, I also have three young boys who need my attention. When I think about having friends over, I calculate how long it will take me to scrub everything and factor that into the timing of when I put things on my calendar. (Not to mention what food I’m going to prepare since I feel my cooking skills are much less adequate than most of my female friends.)

But, with all that said, the places I feel most comfortable going to are the cozy houses where there are some toys strewn about, crumbs under the dining room table, and random socks in the corner. So, why do I think my house needs to look pristine to have fellowship with others? It’s ridiculous, and it’s a form of pride in and of itself. My own sense of guilt if my house doesn’t look perfect has inhibited me from inviting others in to connect, have fun and spend quality time together. I’ve been more concerned about what others think than about offering healing to those who need friendship. I want to be a mom that says “hey, stop in anytime!” So, I’m asking God to change my heart.

Dear Lord, help me, invite strangers, friends and family in. Allow me to look into the souls of others and see what they need rather than look at my own house and wonder what people might say if they see Cheerios in our dining room or lint on our carpet. Help us all humble ourselves and truly connect with others face-to-face rather than the texting, facebook and email that has taken over this modern life. Help us serve You by loving others. In Jesus Name, AMEN!

“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” Colossians 2:20-23

Sometimes we take a godly principle like treating our temples or bodies as holy and therefore try to be healthier and then turn it into self-worship. This can be accidental (oh, Lord, take away our pride!), but it’s something we should be aware of and change. Why do we submit to the world’s rules of what we can and cannot have and eat rather than to the Holy Spirit’s? Why have we read more weight loss theory than books of the Bible?

What are some diets you have tried to lose weight? I lost a good bit of weight on the South Beach Diet where I severely restricted myself on carbs. BUT, I put it all back on and then some when I stopped dieting. While most diets do produce some results, when people choose to end the diet plan, they gain even more weight back than what they lost. The following verses remind me of this truth: Luke 11:24-26: “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” Have you ever dieted and then gained more weight back, ending up worse than you began?

I hear people talk about food being the issue (why does it taste so darn good?). BUT, I’m discovering that food is not the problem or the enemy. We need food to sustain us, and God tells us that we are to enjoy His gifts with a thankful heart. The problem is actually our focus on the food (or gift) rather than the Giver. This morning I read in Luke 12:22-23 “Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.” Instead, we are to seek His kingdom (verse 31). For where our treasure is, there our heart will be also (verse 34).

Are we treasuring food more than God? When we’re dieting, I think we spend so much time focusing on healthy recipes, planning our meals, counting our calories and examining carbs that we forget to focus on allowing God to satisfy our soul hunger with knowing Him more! He alone is worthy of my time, thoughts and concentrated efforts. Does that mean I keep on sinning and overeating or doing whatever I want? By no means! That simply means that my focus has to be on Christ, who was my original motivation anyway. Moreover, He alone is the only One who should be worshipped because of our weight loss.

As if God were writing to us (oh, yeah, He is!), my favorite verse was “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their HARSH TREATMENT OF THE BODY BUT THEY LACK ANY VALUE IN RESTRAINING SENSUAL INDULGENCE.” Why don’t diets work? Because they don’t get to the heart issues where we overindulge ourselves in food rather than running to God when we feel empty.

Dee Brestin (2007) explains in A Woman of Moderation that “You can restrain the flesh for awhile, but when it is let out of its cage, it rushes to its prey. Our real problem is not food, but that we have made it an idol. We worship it instead of God. That is what our sin nature is bent on doing.” Then later “What is it that makes me want to eat an entire gallon of ice cream or want to have a late night snack that turns into an all-you-can-eat buffet? The answer is, I want to indulge my flesh. My flesh cries out to be gratified, and I, lacking self-control, indulge it. That is the problem. Food is not the problem.” “We allow ourselves to be deceived into thinking that indulging the flesh will satisfy us…[but] only God can meet our deepest needs.”

The bottom line is that God’s Word is the ONLY thing that can change our bodies. I’ve come to the end of myself on this weight loss journey. I’ve tried going about it the world’s way, and I only ended up heavier, more hopeless and well on my way to being morbidly obese. When I finally have had enough of ‘me’ and put my faith, hope, trust and love in God, I know He will make me healthier for His glory because I am His workmanship, created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10).

Some day I’ll get a new heavenly body. If I’ve only focused on the one I’ve got now, my journey will have been in vain. But, if I try my best to follow God’s commands for this current body while focusing on getting to know the Lord more and more, I’ll get more out of this life and the one to come.

So, my advice would be to read the Bible and forget dieting. It’s not bad to know what’s healthy for you, but allow God to be your focus rather than things of this world. He’ll reward you… and isn’t that what we’re looking for?

Dear Heavenly Father, please take these words and make them what You desire to be read. God, it’s only Your Word that is life changing. May we not be focused on ‘self-worship’ or things that seem to have some form of wisdom but rather on Your Word, which can save us from sensual indulgence and make us more like You. Father, please forgive us and rid us of pride and sin. Make this journey about more than just weight loss. May we know You more, seek Your kingdom, be more like You and glorify You with our bodies, where Your Holy Spirit dwells. We love You and worship You alone. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!

My husband surprised me with beautiful roses before my first night of class this semester. I was genuinely surprised and delighted. As we’ve been talking about Valentine’s Day coming up, I told him it was unnecessary to spend money on flowers. I realize that we have other needs right now, and we’ve been talking about buying some furniture for our boys’ bedroom. He said, “Furniture will last a lot longer than flowers, yes. BUT, I’m investing in a marriage that will last a life time. I’m investing in a happy wife, which has more meaning to me than stuff.” Tears sprang to my eyes at the sweetness of his comment.

He’s right. When we buy each other gifts, we’re not investing in ‘things’ that are here today and may be gone tomorrow. We’re investing our lives into one another.

I saw a joke posted on the facebook page of an old colleague recently that cracked me up. It said “A successful gym membership is like a marriage: if it’s good, you show up committed and ready for hard work. If it’s not good, you show up in sweatpants and watch a lot of bad TV.” I had a good laugh, but I’ve thought about how good our marriage has been, and I would attribute a lot of that to the hard work of my dear husband.

So, how should I respond? What can I do to bless him back? I began thinking about ways I can be a better wife. Several places in the Bible it talks about how awful it is to live with a quarrelsome wife.  Twice it notes that a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping (Proverbs 19:13, 27:15) and twice it notes that it’s actually better to live on the corner of a roof than to live in a house with a quarrelsome wife (Proverbs 21:9, 25:24). The one that stands out to me, though, is the following verse: Proverbs 21:19 “Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.” I had to think about it – have I been a quarrelsome wife? Maybe at times. This is one area I can immediately work on.

A recent devotion from my Bible also gave me more ideas. In talking about the ‘golden rule’ of treat others as you want to be treated, the author said to apply that to your spouse. When interviewing husbands, some ideas of how to treat them better was “Do my to-do list for me, really listen after you ask me how my day was, get a babysitter and take me on a date, take the kids to the park to give me some alone time, etc.” While the entire list may not speak my husband’s love language, I know that there are some ideas in there that would bless him. He also says that me taking good care of his kids is extremely meaningful to him.

In this season of love, how can we model Christ and be a servant of each other? How can we express sincere love to our spouses and invest in them? I’m praying each day to be a better wife! With God’s help and grace, hopefully I can be a gift to my husband as much as he is one to me.

What are ways that you’re trying to speak your spouse’s love language? What’s one thing you can do today to be a better partner and say “I love you?” Remember, with each moment and thoughtful idea, you’re investing in a relationship that will last a life-time!

^“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” Deuteronomy 8:3

Yesterday morning as I was reading my Bible, I read about the temptation of Jesus from the book of Luke. Jesus fasted 40 days and nights (can you imagine?!?!) and then when He was really hungry, Satan tempted Him by saying “Turn these stones into bread.” Jesus answered by quoting the above Scripture that “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Then in my devotions last night, the same incident was quoted from Matthew. I would say God was making a point to me! Satan continued to tempt Jesus, and Jesus continued to be free from sin by refuting those lies with Scripture. It dawned on me that we must resist temptation with Scripture. I’ve known it all along, but I don’t think I realized before how prepared we must be! I wrote that in the margin of my Bible.

Then as I saw in my devotional, author Dee Brestin took it one step further. In her book A Woman of Moderation, she gave the following exercise “Answer these lies from the devil with Scripture references” and gave some general ones like “Eating just one chip isn’t that bad; I need to eat to be happy; I’ll just have a small second portion even though I’m not hungry; I’ll start tomorrow.” These are all thoughts I’ve had, and I realized how important it was to be prepared IN ADVANCE for these attacks.

How do we prepare? By being in the Word. Knowing Scripture and being able to say it when we need it is a great way to help resist temptation. God made His own people hunger to show them that what’s most important is His Word. Jesus is our perfect example and he demonstrates how to overcome temptation. This applies to beyond just the temptation to overeat – anything we’re trying to overcome can be handled in this manner.

The purpose of this blog is to share God’s Word with other people who need it, and to encourage those who are struggling with the same sins that I do! Feast on the truth contained in the Bible, hunger for God, and resist the devil. You can do it. Stand strong today in the power of Christ!

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word. God, thank You for being the perfect example for us. We ask that You keep us from temptation and equip us to say no when we need to. Empower us with Your Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) and give us the words to say at the right time (Luke 12:12). Please make us healthy and thin for Your glory and break our bonds to slavery and addiction. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN!