Today is day 6 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 167 pounds
BFI: 28.7%
Today found me much about the business of getting work done. The Lord spoke to me through the support of many people, and I felt strengthened by it. Even though my cat was less than supportive I managed to find my way.
Tomorrow is the Lord's day. Which means I get up early to do preschool bible study, and then attend church. We are starting a new sermon series and I am anxious to hear it. This obedience to God has given me a desire to have eyes to see and ears to hear from Him.
1 Samuel 12:16 NIV
"Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!"
Mark 8:18 NIV
"Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember?"
I want so much to receive God's word. To receive his living word and have it renew my spirit. Through renewal I want to be on fire for Christ, and I yearn to be his obedient servant. I pray that God use me as his will would have it.
-M
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Day 6 AM
Today is day 6 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 164 pounds
BFI: 28.1%
This is the third time I have attempted to write this blog. I find that I don't have that much to say. I feel tired, and unmotivated. Perhaps it was staying up till 1 in the morning, or the obstacles in life that tend to trip us up. Like this morning the cat, climbed into the open dryer to pee on my clean clothes, while I carried an armful of them to my room.
This morning I am praying to God for something uplifting. Something to go well. A phone call from a friend or just some unexpected smile or a laugh. Being a teacher in the summer is difficult because I just don't have enough to do.
It's times like that this that faith is really tested. When you don't feel like being faithful. When your tired and you don't want to be obedient. That is why this is the most important time to turn to God's word. I surrender my will to your will, Lord.
Joshua 1:9 NLT
"This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
-M
Friday, June 5, 2009
Day 5 PM
Today is day 5 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 166 pounds
BFI: 28.5%
Friday night I periodically attend Celebrate Recovery a scripture based program to deal with the hurts, hang-ups and habits of your life. It is based on the 8 Beatitudes found in the gospel of Matthew. However, I don't need to go every week because I don't have any serious problems right? Nothing I can't handle, right? Wrong.
There I heard a woman give a stunning testimony, that had a great impact on me. It was if someone had held up a mirror in front of me and all my sin was laid about before me. This woman was giving a public testimony of the things that had kept her from Christ, and I had all of those.
I realized tonight that I had forgotten that a fast is a show of obedience to Christ, and that I am to humble myself before him. I haven't been humble. I believed myself to be in control. I believed that I could do this, and I would only turn to God in my need. The truth is that all people are in need of God at all times.
Tonight, privately, I will be taking an inventory of my sin, and I will repent before God. I am a sinner. I sometimes forget that part when I praise my savior. I sometimes get stuck on the promises to the righteous. I forget that it is by His grace that I am among the righteous and not that I am truly a righteous person. The promises in the Bible are for me. Christ died for me, but not because I am righteous. I am a sinner, washed clean in the blood of Christ.
So if you should participate in a fast, remember that you are to be humble before God. Take an inventory of your life, find your sins. Not just the obvious ones, all of them. Lay them down before the cross and repent. Kneel before you king and ask forgiveness. That is humility. Not Bible study or fasting. That is just a show of obedience. Give your king your true humility.
Allow yourself to be taken down and rebuilt as a grateful believer in Jesus Christ. Heck...we got 35 more days to recover from the deconstruction of previously held beliefs. Surrender your will, your lifestyle, and become someone new in Christ. He died for us, and that is Amazing Grace.
-Meredith
Day 5 AM
Today is day 5 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 164 pounds
BFI: 28.1%
I cannot believe that it is already day 5. I feel like I am almost done. That is incredible. Praise God!
I have noticed, as you might of as well, that my morning posts are a lot more positive and optimistic than my evening posts. Part of that is that my morning posts come directly after my Bible study and my quiet time with God. How could any one feel negative after some one on one time with our most glorious creator?
Secondly, I wait entirely too long to write my evening posts. Most of them come after 11 PM, when my body has been telling me since 9 to go to sleep. I am not always a good listener. I know that when the sun comes up I will be up, which is usually 6:30ish. Doesn't matter how late I stay up, I am up with the sun. The curse of the early riser, or the thin curtains.
Yesterday I finally finished Deuteronomy in my study Bible. The Pentateuch is a hard read. It starts out all exciting with Genesis and the early chapters of Exodus. Then we have pages and pages of animal sacrifice, tent dimensions and reiteration of the covenant. This morning I get to start Joshua and it was all I could do not to dance out of my room this morning.
Don't get me wrong, all of the Bible is important. It is God's living word, and every time you read it you learn something new and relevant. All of it leads to the renewal of your spirit and a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. However, I find some pages incredibly tedious to get through. Lord forgive me.
Yesterday I went to the grocery store, forgot to post this in my exhausted state last night. The grocery store is a very dangerous place for those of us fasting or dieting. Each package jumps off the shelf into your cart. Your favorite foods force you to linger slowly past them as if saying goodbye to long lost friends. I know that Mr.Digourno has missed me. So here are some tips to keep to the narrow path.
1. Eat before you shop. A lot of the bad food gets into our cart because we are so hungry that everything looks good.
2. Make a list. Only buy what is on the list. The list is made at home when you are still rational and focused.
3. Avoid the candy aisle, the cookie aisle and the chip aisle. Regardless of what diet you are on, you don't need anything down there. As much as we would like to believe it, there isn't a display of health food in between the chips. They didn't suddenly move the apples next to the Oreos. Don't even tempt yourself.
4. Read the label. Whatever diet or fast you are choosing to follow all the information is on the label. If you are not sure if you can have an item, then read the label. It's all there.
Have a great day! Stay Strong in Christ!
-Meredith
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Day 4 PM
Today is day 4 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 164 pounds
BFI: 28.1%
Do not be alarmed that the weight is coming off so fast. There are two things that contribute to the rapid weight loss at the beginning of a diet. The first is that you lose water weight. I am still drinking water, but that's what the book says. Go Figure. Secondly, it comes from not eating when you aren't hungry and stopping when you get full.
I think I carry a lot of extra weight from wanting to keep my plate clean. So I pack the food in, even after I am full. Or it tastes so good, I just don't want the meal to be over. Then I end up feeling too full, and not ready to eat at the next meal. Which I do anyway. Now that I am fasting, I just don't do that.
Today I learned that strawberries are a low-carbohydrate food. A small strawberry has 1.97 carbohydrates. So they are back in the fast. According to Atkins I can't have this for two more weeks. However, fruit is healthy and good for you, and I am going to eat it. It's not over my 40 carbohydrate limit, so there you go.
Today was a tough day though. It seems that the more determined you are to be obedient to God, the more the devil shakes up your life. It's like living in a snow globe. Every time I go to pray the devil shakes that globe and I find myself in a blizzard of drama. Not fun.
However, I persevered and did not order a pizza. Because we all know that pizza will fix everything.
With that thought, I will wish you good evening and pleasant dreams. May God keep watch over us all as we sleep...because I think the devil is reaching for my snow globe again.
-Meredith
Testimony
Share your testimony with me. Type it in the comments. There is a lot of power in speaking God's word. Write it here, and be liberated. Use the links provided to find more information. I have a couple of great pastors marked, and an online bible tool. Start renewing your body and spirit. We can do it together.
Leave a comment, share your testimony.
Leave a comment, share your testimony.
Day 4 AM
Today is day 4 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 166 pounds
BFI: 28.5%
During the first stage of Atkins your body is still in a state of detoxification. You body is slowly weening itself off of the carbohydrate addiction. You feel lousy, you want to quit. You may have trouble sleeping. You may feel like absolute crap. I know that the first time I did it, I thought I was losing my mind. For example, this morning I wanted to eat a clipart of a pizza.
However, you have to remain strong. You have to find something to satisfy your desire to eat, the flavor of sweet, but isn't going to start you back on your addiction. Once you get through this first crazy stage, then you start to feel strong and energized. You have less of an urge to eat, and if you do cheat and eat something not on the diet, you actually feel sick. It was this experience more than anything that showed me that we just weren't meant to eat processed flour. I love it, it just doesn't love me back. -sigh- such sweet sorrow.
The trick with the first phase of Atkins is to induce Ketosis. What is that? According to About.com Ketosis is – "a situation where fat metabolites show up in the urine where they can be detected with Ketostix." And why is this important? "ketosis (is) a sign that people are using fat for energy" How will I know that I have reached this crucial stage? "When people are in a state of ketosis, their appetite tends to diminish. They also may have changes in their breath as extra ketones are expelled from the lungs as well as the urine."
So yes, the beginning of the end is bad breath. Once your breath and your urine start to smell strange you have almost reached the end of the hard part. The blood sugar roller coaster that has you so tired at 3 PM, as advertisers like to show on commercials, will stop. The mind fog that you try to function through will stop. It all gets easier from there.
What this means for me is that I need to hold fast to scripture. BTW, I never found the scripture on pickles. So let's look in the bible for something on temptation...
Matthew 26:41 NIV
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
That's a good one. Watch and pray. So get out your Bible and find a scripture that will lift you up. I like this one because it is a promise to those with faith.
Matthew 17:20-21 NIV
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. "
Today will be a good day for us. Praise God!
Weight: 166 pounds
BFI: 28.5%
During the first stage of Atkins your body is still in a state of detoxification. You body is slowly weening itself off of the carbohydrate addiction. You feel lousy, you want to quit. You may have trouble sleeping. You may feel like absolute crap. I know that the first time I did it, I thought I was losing my mind. For example, this morning I wanted to eat a clipart of a pizza.
However, you have to remain strong. You have to find something to satisfy your desire to eat, the flavor of sweet, but isn't going to start you back on your addiction. Once you get through this first crazy stage, then you start to feel strong and energized. You have less of an urge to eat, and if you do cheat and eat something not on the diet, you actually feel sick. It was this experience more than anything that showed me that we just weren't meant to eat processed flour. I love it, it just doesn't love me back. -sigh- such sweet sorrow.
The trick with the first phase of Atkins is to induce Ketosis. What is that? According to About.com Ketosis is – "a situation where fat metabolites show up in the urine where they can be detected with Ketostix." And why is this important? "ketosis (is) a sign that people are using fat for energy" How will I know that I have reached this crucial stage? "When people are in a state of ketosis, their appetite tends to diminish. They also may have changes in their breath as extra ketones are expelled from the lungs as well as the urine."
So yes, the beginning of the end is bad breath. Once your breath and your urine start to smell strange you have almost reached the end of the hard part. The blood sugar roller coaster that has you so tired at 3 PM, as advertisers like to show on commercials, will stop. The mind fog that you try to function through will stop. It all gets easier from there.
What this means for me is that I need to hold fast to scripture. BTW, I never found the scripture on pickles. So let's look in the bible for something on temptation...
Matthew 26:41 NIV
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
That's a good one. Watch and pray. So get out your Bible and find a scripture that will lift you up. I like this one because it is a promise to those with faith.
Matthew 17:20-21 NIV
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. "
"Today will be a good day for us. Praise God!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Day 3 PM
Today is day 3 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 169 pounds
BFI: 29%
Today was a tougher day. It was longer and harder than the previous days. I think it mostly has to do with the amount of time I am currently spending on the computer combined with my overwhelming distaste for wearing my glasses. The Yo-Yo weight doesn't really bother me, I think it is more the time spent on the Internet trying to advertise my blog.
Today I had lots of veggies and green food. Although I realized two things. 1. I need to have pickles at my house. 2. I should have been taking multivitamins. Today was my last day with no exercises. Tomorrow I get to do STEP aerobics combined with an abdominal workout. If I am going to start dropping weight then I need to tone up. Don't want flaps of skin hanging off of me.
Today during the hardest part of the day I did what God always wants for his children to do. I reached out to another believer. She is a great spirit with a strong and intimate relationship with Christ. The advice and comfort she gave me was based on God's word and it filled the emptiness that had felt so overwhelming only moments before.
God never meant for us to be alone. He wants us to fellowship with other believers and then go out and spread His love to everyone we encounter. In the morning I pray for a person I can help. Yesterday I got to run an errand for my sister. Prayer spoken, and answered. Today I haven't gotten to help anyone. My hope is that someone visited this blog and felt something. Perhaps someone came and clicked on the Prayer for Salvation link.
We can't always see the way God works or how he affects those that we bump into during the run of our day. But we need to trust that He does. Praise be to God.
-Meredith
Weight: 169 pounds
BFI: 29%
Today was a tougher day. It was longer and harder than the previous days. I think it mostly has to do with the amount of time I am currently spending on the computer combined with my overwhelming distaste for wearing my glasses. The Yo-Yo weight doesn't really bother me, I think it is more the time spent on the Internet trying to advertise my blog.
Today I had lots of veggies and green food. Although I realized two things. 1. I need to have pickles at my house. 2. I should have been taking multivitamins. Today was my last day with no exercises. Tomorrow I get to do STEP aerobics combined with an abdominal workout. If I am going to start dropping weight then I need to tone up. Don't want flaps of skin hanging off of me.
Today during the hardest part of the day I did what God always wants for his children to do. I reached out to another believer. She is a great spirit with a strong and intimate relationship with Christ. The advice and comfort she gave me was based on God's word and it filled the emptiness that had felt so overwhelming only moments before.
God never meant for us to be alone. He wants us to fellowship with other believers and then go out and spread His love to everyone we encounter. In the morning I pray for a person I can help. Yesterday I got to run an errand for my sister. Prayer spoken, and answered. Today I haven't gotten to help anyone. My hope is that someone visited this blog and felt something. Perhaps someone came and clicked on the Prayer for Salvation link.
We can't always see the way God works or how he affects those that we bump into during the run of our day. But we need to trust that He does. Praise be to God.
-Meredith
An Invitation to Salvation
Do you need to be closer to your savior? Do you want the peace that comes from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Jesus wants you in the Kingdom and you can have it. All it takes is a confession of faith.
Romans 10:9-10
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
Romans 10:13
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
You can have the relationship with Christ that your spirit longs for. He is waiting for you to reach out to him.
Find out more about the Prayer of Salvation. For your convenience part of this site is posted on this blog.
Romans 10:9-10
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
Romans 10:13
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
You can have the relationship with Christ that your spirit longs for. He is waiting for you to reach out to him.
Find out more about the Prayer of Salvation. For your convenience part of this site is posted on this blog.
Prayer of Salvation - Our First Real Conversation With God
The "prayer of salvation" is the most important prayer we'll ever pray. When we're ready to become a Christian, we're ready to have our first real conversation with God, and these are its components:
- We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God; that He came to earth as a man in order to live the sinless life that we cannot live; that He died in our place, so that we would not have to pay the penalty we deserve.
- We confess our past life of sin -- living for ourselves and not obeying God.
- We admit we are ready to trust Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
- We ask Jesus to come into our heart, take up residence there, and begin living through us.
Day 3 AM
Today is day 3 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 166 pounds
BFI: 28.5%
In my study of scripture I always try to find a way to be obedient to the word of God. So when I found this one, I felt the need to clarify what I am doing on this blog in accordance to what the Word says.
Matthew 6:16-18
"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
I will start by sharing the fact that none of the names in the blog are true. They have been changed to protect the innocent. This includes mine. I am sharing a journey of obedience, not a display of my own sacrifice or glory. This is all for God's glory and that is why I am posting under a pseudonym.
I want to share how great our God is through testimony of what he has done for me, and not what I have done for myself. In the past Atkins was extremely difficult. What you are doing is going through detoxification from a carbohydrate addiction. Within 72 hours your body will start craving food it doesn't need.
However, with prayer and keeping this as a God-centered fast there have been no cravings. This is day 3 and I don't feel like a desperate crazy woman driven to eat junk. That's God's power, not mine. If I were doing a fast on my own with no scripture to support and guide me I would not be this successful.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
However, there is a personal gain to this. Some might say that the numbers at the top are shrinking and that I will get to look great in that bikini. I say to you that this is for God's glory. My body is a temple that houses the Holy Spirit. It has been against God's will that I allowed his temple to fall into disrepair. This shell is also temporary, because I am in the world not of the world.
As my pastor once said, this body is like a vacation home that I am borrowing from a friend. Would I stay in his house and tear it up, or would I care for it and leave it looking nice and clean.
Keeping oneself fit and healthy is obedience to God's will for us. It is not vanity, although it can be. It is not pride, although it can be that too. God wants us to be healthy so that when he calls on us to serve him we can say, "Yes, Lord" Not so we can tell him we are too big to fit on the airplane, or that we have a health condition brought on by gluttony.
So today is day 3, which means it is the last day without exercise. The Atkins regime recommends that you relax for three days from exercise while your body adjusts to the new diet. Some people feel sick, tired or just plan out of sorts. However, within the first few days you should start some form of physical exercise. I looked it up and typing doesn't count. (shoot!)
Diet - Exercise = Not healthy.
All for God's Glory! Praise be to God!
Weight: 166 pounds
BFI: 28.5%
In my study of scripture I always try to find a way to be obedient to the word of God. So when I found this one, I felt the need to clarify what I am doing on this blog in accordance to what the Word says.
Matthew 6:16-18
"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
I will start by sharing the fact that none of the names in the blog are true. They have been changed to protect the innocent. This includes mine. I am sharing a journey of obedience, not a display of my own sacrifice or glory. This is all for God's glory and that is why I am posting under a pseudonym.
I want to share how great our God is through testimony of what he has done for me, and not what I have done for myself. In the past Atkins was extremely difficult. What you are doing is going through detoxification from a carbohydrate addiction. Within 72 hours your body will start craving food it doesn't need.
However, with prayer and keeping this as a God-centered fast there have been no cravings. This is day 3 and I don't feel like a desperate crazy woman driven to eat junk. That's God's power, not mine. If I were doing a fast on my own with no scripture to support and guide me I would not be this successful.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
However, there is a personal gain to this. Some might say that the numbers at the top are shrinking and that I will get to look great in that bikini. I say to you that this is for God's glory. My body is a temple that houses the Holy Spirit. It has been against God's will that I allowed his temple to fall into disrepair. This shell is also temporary, because I am in the world not of the world.
As my pastor once said, this body is like a vacation home that I am borrowing from a friend. Would I stay in his house and tear it up, or would I care for it and leave it looking nice and clean.
Keeping oneself fit and healthy is obedience to God's will for us. It is not vanity, although it can be. It is not pride, although it can be that too. God wants us to be healthy so that when he calls on us to serve him we can say, "Yes, Lord" Not so we can tell him we are too big to fit on the airplane, or that we have a health condition brought on by gluttony.
So today is day 3, which means it is the last day without exercise. The Atkins regime recommends that you relax for three days from exercise while your body adjusts to the new diet. Some people feel sick, tired or just plan out of sorts. However, within the first few days you should start some form of physical exercise. I looked it up and typing doesn't count. (shoot!)
Diet - Exercise = Not healthy.
All for God's Glory! Praise be to God!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Day 2 PM
Today is day 2 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 170 pounds
BFI: 29.2%
Today I came face to face with temptation. Under the name of Hand-Spun Milkshakes at Chick-Fil-A. I went to get some chicken, perfectly acceptable, and all of the fast food choices seemed to leap off the menu in 3-D effect. However, I focused on God and my commitment of obedience, and I walked out of the restaurant with only my chicken.
However, I am putting that on the top of my list for foods I want to have on July 11, the day after my fast. I am adding to it Real Heinz Ketchup. For the fast I have low-sugar ketchup that only has one carb per serving. It will do, but it's not like the real thing.
Went to dinner with my sister tonight. They were having hamburgers. Found out that pickles are low carb, so while they had their cheetos, I ate a pickle. Could have had chips and no one would have judged, but I love my heavenly Father so much, I ate a pickle. I think there might be a scripture about love being a pickle, I will get back to you tomorrow.
I can confess that doing Atkins this time has been so much easier. Perhaps because this is a God-centered fast, and not just a diet. My motive is to glorify God and not to fit into a bikini. This has nothing to do with my pride or my vanity and everything to do with becoming closer to the one whose grace saved me.
Ezra 8:21 NIV
There by the Ahava canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, and all our possessions.
I want my spirit to be renewed and sanctified in his word. I want to show God my love with forty days of obedience. I am not miserable. I am not unhappy. I am not suffering or doing without anything that is that important. I am full of energy and joy. Even waking up at 5 AM to anxiety, I still feel well rested.
Praise be to God!
-Meredith
Weight: 170 pounds
BFI: 29.2%
Today I came face to face with temptation. Under the name of Hand-Spun Milkshakes at Chick-Fil-A. I went to get some chicken, perfectly acceptable, and all of the fast food choices seemed to leap off the menu in 3-D effect. However, I focused on God and my commitment of obedience, and I walked out of the restaurant with only my chicken.
However, I am putting that on the top of my list for foods I want to have on July 11, the day after my fast. I am adding to it Real Heinz Ketchup. For the fast I have low-sugar ketchup that only has one carb per serving. It will do, but it's not like the real thing.
Went to dinner with my sister tonight. They were having hamburgers. Found out that pickles are low carb, so while they had their cheetos, I ate a pickle. Could have had chips and no one would have judged, but I love my heavenly Father so much, I ate a pickle. I think there might be a scripture about love being a pickle, I will get back to you tomorrow.
I can confess that doing Atkins this time has been so much easier. Perhaps because this is a God-centered fast, and not just a diet. My motive is to glorify God and not to fit into a bikini. This has nothing to do with my pride or my vanity and everything to do with becoming closer to the one whose grace saved me.
Ezra 8:21 NIV
There by the Ahava canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, and all our possessions.
I want my spirit to be renewed and sanctified in his word. I want to show God my love with forty days of obedience. I am not miserable. I am not unhappy. I am not suffering or doing without anything that is that important. I am full of energy and joy. Even waking up at 5 AM to anxiety, I still feel well rested.
Praise be to God!
-Meredith
Day 2 AM
Today is day 2 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 170 pounds
BFI: 29.2%
Day 2 started really early. This morning I was awoken at 5 am by anxiety. I had been having a dream where I was fighting with someone. This dream got my brain thinking, and I was unable to shut it off. What this tells me is that I am not resting at peace in the arms of My Lord.
The hardest thing for me to do is to not think. The bible says do not worry. Yet, I worry. The bible says do not be anxious. Yet, I am anxious. It is against scripture to worry, and I then begin to worry that I am not being obedient to God, and it begins a cascade failure of stress.
After 30 minutes of tossing around worrying about everything from money to my relationship with God I get up. I surrender my mornings sleep, with the hope of having a nap later. I know what scripture says, so I immediately go to my Bible and look to His Word, and I am brought to Matthew 6:25-34.
Matthew 6 tells you not to worry, for your father loves you. Look at the birds, they do not worry, yet they always have food to eat. They never go without. Joyce Meyer says they also don't sit there feeling sorry for themselves. John McArthur says that you never see a lazy bird either. Then we look to the lilies of the field, how they clothe the grass which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace. Not even Solomon in his glory was clothed this grandly.
How much more will your Father give to you, his beloved child? When your child asks you for something are you not willing to give it? Are we more than our Father that we can provide for our children but he can't?
So I come to this scripture, and with it a sense of peace...
Matthew 6:31-34 NLT
So don't worry about these things, saying, "What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? " These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.
This means that whatever I accomplish today it is not nearly as important as my motive while accomplishing it. My motive from the moment my eyes open to the moment when sleep finds me is to be God. I need to look for God in all things that I do today. Today I need to find a way to bring glory to my Father. Today my focus needs to be greater than the things of this world, and I need to begin storing up my treasures in heaven.
I cannot say that I will not worry today. I cannot say that I will not fear for tomorrow. However, I can say that my focus today is learning more about my Father. My focus today is to do whatever I need to do righteously. If it is something small, then I will do that something small for my Father. If it is something grand then I will do that something grand for my Father.
Today I get out of bed, drop to my knees and praise God! Joy be upon me that I have the love and support of my creator. I may not stop my brain from thinking, but I will change the words that the devil would have me hear to the words my Lord gave me. Through thinking on his word I find wisdom and I find righteousness. Praise to God!
Today I will meditate on this scripture...
Philippians 4:6-9
Romans 10:9-10
Weight: 170 pounds
BFI: 29.2%
Day 2 started really early. This morning I was awoken at 5 am by anxiety. I had been having a dream where I was fighting with someone. This dream got my brain thinking, and I was unable to shut it off. What this tells me is that I am not resting at peace in the arms of My Lord.
The hardest thing for me to do is to not think. The bible says do not worry. Yet, I worry. The bible says do not be anxious. Yet, I am anxious. It is against scripture to worry, and I then begin to worry that I am not being obedient to God, and it begins a cascade failure of stress.
After 30 minutes of tossing around worrying about everything from money to my relationship with God I get up. I surrender my mornings sleep, with the hope of having a nap later. I know what scripture says, so I immediately go to my Bible and look to His Word, and I am brought to Matthew 6:25-34.
Matthew 6 tells you not to worry, for your father loves you. Look at the birds, they do not worry, yet they always have food to eat. They never go without. Joyce Meyer says they also don't sit there feeling sorry for themselves. John McArthur says that you never see a lazy bird either. Then we look to the lilies of the field, how they clothe the grass which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace. Not even Solomon in his glory was clothed this grandly.
How much more will your Father give to you, his beloved child? When your child asks you for something are you not willing to give it? Are we more than our Father that we can provide for our children but he can't?
So I come to this scripture, and with it a sense of peace...
Matthew 6:31-34 NLT
So don't worry about these things, saying, "What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? " These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.
This means that whatever I accomplish today it is not nearly as important as my motive while accomplishing it. My motive from the moment my eyes open to the moment when sleep finds me is to be God. I need to look for God in all things that I do today. Today I need to find a way to bring glory to my Father. Today my focus needs to be greater than the things of this world, and I need to begin storing up my treasures in heaven.
I cannot say that I will not worry today. I cannot say that I will not fear for tomorrow. However, I can say that my focus today is learning more about my Father. My focus today is to do whatever I need to do righteously. If it is something small, then I will do that something small for my Father. If it is something grand then I will do that something grand for my Father.
Today I get out of bed, drop to my knees and praise God! Joy be upon me that I have the love and support of my creator. I may not stop my brain from thinking, but I will change the words that the devil would have me hear to the words my Lord gave me. Through thinking on his word I find wisdom and I find righteousness. Praise to God!
Today I will meditate on this scripture...
Philippians 4:6-9
Romans 10:9-10
Monday, June 1, 2009
Day 1 PM
I have gambled much and lost much during the course of my life. The consequences of the choices I have made cost me more than I thought I could ever pay. I have taken a life started well, and financially I have driven it into a hole in the ground. I can’t answer the phone for fear of the creditor on the other end.
I feel like I lose two paces for every one that I gain. I have spent the last three days working on social networking so that I can earn enough money to move to a town where I don’t even have a job. How does that sound for wisdom?
The decisions of my past I take wholly and completely on my own shoulders. They were my bad choices, and I cannot regret them, because they brought me the most wonderful little girl I have ever wished for. Shortly after the sky fell, I found Christ. He had been there the whole time, but I had done everything on my own.
Since then, I have looked to His Word. I am committed to being obedient to His will above all things. I am doing what I believe is His will even if it sounds ridiculous and unfounded. Once a year my church holds a fast. They do it in fellowship as a symbol of obedience to Christ and His word. At the time of their fast I wasn’t in a position to participate.
Now, with so much change in my future looming in front of me, and so much uncertainty I need my savior more than anything. I am spending the next forty days in devotion to His will. I am studying His scripture and arming myself with the wisdom of His Word. When I go forth into the future I will be protected by the armor of God.
In the Bible it is written again and again how Jesus devoted himself in prayer to have time to spend with his father. It is also written that he started his ministry with a forty day fast. Jesus also spent a large portion of his life studying and teaching scripture. What better model for a servant than to follow their Lord.
The first day of the fast has come and gone. I stayed true to the rules of the fast. I have eaten the right foods. I have done a low-impact workout. I have spent time in prayer, and I have studied his word.
I have no fear of an uncertain future. The promises of the Bible are clear and easy to understand. Our Lord loves us and wants to provide the things that we need. I don’t need to see the entire path to take the first step. I will proceed in faith. Faith in the promises of the Bible. Faith in God’s love for me. Faith that all can be accomplished through Him that strengthens me.
Numbers 23:19 NIV
“God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
I feel like I lose two paces for every one that I gain. I have spent the last three days working on social networking so that I can earn enough money to move to a town where I don’t even have a job. How does that sound for wisdom?
The decisions of my past I take wholly and completely on my own shoulders. They were my bad choices, and I cannot regret them, because they brought me the most wonderful little girl I have ever wished for. Shortly after the sky fell, I found Christ. He had been there the whole time, but I had done everything on my own.
Since then, I have looked to His Word. I am committed to being obedient to His will above all things. I am doing what I believe is His will even if it sounds ridiculous and unfounded. Once a year my church holds a fast. They do it in fellowship as a symbol of obedience to Christ and His word. At the time of their fast I wasn’t in a position to participate.
Now, with so much change in my future looming in front of me, and so much uncertainty I need my savior more than anything. I am spending the next forty days in devotion to His will. I am studying His scripture and arming myself with the wisdom of His Word. When I go forth into the future I will be protected by the armor of God.
In the Bible it is written again and again how Jesus devoted himself in prayer to have time to spend with his father. It is also written that he started his ministry with a forty day fast. Jesus also spent a large portion of his life studying and teaching scripture. What better model for a servant than to follow their Lord.
The first day of the fast has come and gone. I stayed true to the rules of the fast. I have eaten the right foods. I have done a low-impact workout. I have spent time in prayer, and I have studied his word.
I have no fear of an uncertain future. The promises of the Bible are clear and easy to understand. Our Lord loves us and wants to provide the things that we need. I don’t need to see the entire path to take the first step. I will proceed in faith. Faith in the promises of the Bible. Faith in God’s love for me. Faith that all can be accomplished through Him that strengthens me.
Numbers 23:19 NIV
“God is not a man that he should lie, nor a son of man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”
Why am I here?
I am a devoted Christian and a grateful believer in Jesus Christ.
I am a 35 year old woman.
I am a single mother.
I am forty pounds overweight.
I have a body fat index of 29.6%, less than .4% from being officially obese.
For the next forty days I will take you with me on my fast. I will disclose the emotions and revelations I endure while bringing myself closer to my Creator. I will pray and study the Bible. I will share how my spirit is renewed by obedience to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
For the next forty days I will be subscribing to the Atkins diet, and I will maintain a diet that is below forty carbohydrates per day. During a fast people can give up any number of things, but for this fast I am giving up my carbohydrate addiction. Within the limit of forty carbohydrates, I am further restricting my carbohydrate intake to healthy green vegetables and fruit. I will not eat bread, pasta, or other processed flour for the next 40 days. This also includes food that is high in sugar.
I cannot say that I will always be positive. I cannot say that I will always be strong. What I can say is that I will always be faithful, even when I feel broken and small. I don't know all the answers, and the path is not always clear. However I am faithful to the truth that God knows all and that through His Word I will be successful.
In All Things Let Your Will Be Done!
I am a 35 year old woman.
I am a single mother.
I am forty pounds overweight.
I have a body fat index of 29.6%, less than .4% from being officially obese.
For the next forty days I will take you with me on my fast. I will disclose the emotions and revelations I endure while bringing myself closer to my Creator. I will pray and study the Bible. I will share how my spirit is renewed by obedience to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
For the next forty days I will be subscribing to the Atkins diet, and I will maintain a diet that is below forty carbohydrates per day. During a fast people can give up any number of things, but for this fast I am giving up my carbohydrate addiction. Within the limit of forty carbohydrates, I am further restricting my carbohydrate intake to healthy green vegetables and fruit. I will not eat bread, pasta, or other processed flour for the next 40 days. This also includes food that is high in sugar.
I cannot say that I will always be positive. I cannot say that I will always be strong. What I can say is that I will always be faithful, even when I feel broken and small. I don't know all the answers, and the path is not always clear. However I am faithful to the truth that God knows all and that through His Word I will be successful.
In All Things Let Your Will Be Done!
Day 1 AM
Today is day 1 of my 40 days - 40 carbs - 40 prayers.
Weight: 172 pounds
BFI: 29.6%
This is the beginning of my diet, but it is also a fast.
I will break a diet in a minute. I will cheat and sneak in foods because being thin isn't that important to me. I would like to be thin, and I enjoy wearing small cute clothes, but when it gets tough...I fold.
However, I am not starting a diet this time, I am starting a fast. Whatever happens at the end of the forty days happens. In the mean time I am devoting my body and my spirit to God for the next forty days.
My body is a temple that houses the Holy Spirit. I need to care for it as a testimony of my obedience to the Lord. So for the next 40 days instead of picking up candy, I will drop to my knees and lift up prayer. Instead of reading labels I will lose myself in God's word.
If I lose weight and get healthy, it is all to His Glory.
Praise Jesus!
Weight: 172 pounds
BFI: 29.6%
This is the beginning of my diet, but it is also a fast.
I will break a diet in a minute. I will cheat and sneak in foods because being thin isn't that important to me. I would like to be thin, and I enjoy wearing small cute clothes, but when it gets tough...I fold.
However, I am not starting a diet this time, I am starting a fast. Whatever happens at the end of the forty days happens. In the mean time I am devoting my body and my spirit to God for the next forty days.
My body is a temple that houses the Holy Spirit. I need to care for it as a testimony of my obedience to the Lord. So for the next 40 days instead of picking up candy, I will drop to my knees and lift up prayer. Instead of reading labels I will lose myself in God's word.
If I lose weight and get healthy, it is all to His Glory.
Praise Jesus!
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