Becoming A Living Sacrifice On Your Weight Loss Journey

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Happy Monday!

If you are one of those rare people who can eat anything, and as much of it as they want, with no negative effects, congratulations!  I know I can’t and I have a hunch that I’m not alone!

This reminds me so much of when we first started The Daniel Plan.  We talked about being a living sacrifice often.  This has been a long-time goal for me.  And yet, I still want to reach for the chips instead of the veggies.  Sometimes, even though I have a good exercise routine that I enjoy, I would still rather curl up on the couch doing nothing.  Last, but not least, it is MUCH easier to eat without tracking my food, then I can pretend it didn’t happen, right?

Unfortunately, if I do that, it did still happen.  The result of each of those actions appear on my body and definitely in the way that I feel.

That kind of summarizes the physical.  But what about the spiritual?  Why is it so easy to tuck the spiritual away “in a safe place” until later.  Until desperation calls our name, or until suddenly, it’s too late.

I hate it but I still go through it sometimes.  Life gets in the way. (Totally on me)  The saddest part of this to me is that it is truly my loss.  When I sacrifice “me” and depend on God, that is when I gain my freedom.  Yes. I still struggle and yes, I still may crave those chips instead of veggies, but it is through that small sacrifice that the bigger scheme of things proves that the reward is tremendous!  Just to know that God is with me through every struggle, to know that He loves me through every failure is a victory!

So, collect your rocks, load your slingshot and face your Goliath!  Face every challenge with the confidence and peace only God can provide.  Instead of crying “poor, pitiful me, claim victory!  You have faced your giant and conquered!

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 

Becoming A Living Sacrifice On Your Weight Loss Journey

Becky at So Very Blessed

The verse in Romans that talks about being a living sacrifice is a pretty popular one.

​Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.

Romans 12:1 NIV

One of the places we get tripped up in weight loss is that we expect it to feel comfortable.

We want to want to eat vegetables but we don’t so we keep reaching for the chips.

We want to feel motivated to exercise but we don’t so we stay on the couch.

We know that tracking our food helps us to lose weight but we don’t want to give up our time scrolling through Facebook to make it happen.

The thing about offering ourselves as a living sacrifice is that it requires sacrifice.

It’s uncomfortable. It challenges us. It requires growth. It will uncover inadequacies that we don’t want to admit are there.

Sounds fun, right?

Remember there is an eternal perspective here.

God doesn’t ask us to sacrifice as a way to punish us or take away the things we love.

He asks us to sacrifice the things that are getting in the way of us experiencing wholeness and walking in freedom.

Those healthy choices that don’t feel good in the moment will ultimately end up satisfying you more than any French fry or Netflix show ever could.

My hope and prayer for you is that all of your healthy choices are made, not out of a place of obligation, but as an outpouring of your love for God.

That your sacrifice would be giving up something you love for something you love more.

 Blessings,

Becky

 

You Are Not Alone

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Happy Monday!

Wow!  What a past 18 months or so it has been!  We have been up and down and all around.

For a year or more, we were pretty isolated, seeing very few people outside of our own household.  For quite a while, we were even missing our church families.  Children couldn’t attend school in person.  The people in nursing facilities were in lockdown for months on end, never seeing their loved ones.

I get that, to a certain extent, but when you start looking at the traumatic effect of that kind of isolation, you have to start weighing the pros and cons.

I know in my home, we tried to be very careful.  We still got the virus.  I can see both sides.  I know I hope to never see those effects on our senior population and children ever again though.  I can’t help thinking of all those parents/grandparents who passed away or suffered for so long, all alone.

After a year and a half, I know my comfort was knowing I was never alone.  Not just my husband, but my personal Savior, Jesus Christ.  When I was very sick, I could feel His presence.  That was what helped me get through it.  I feel His presence every day and that is an amazing comfort!

And so it is with each of you.  Once you accept Him as your personal Savior, you never have to be alone again!  Thank you, Jesus for your constant love and presence!

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

You are not alone.

Right now, many of us are navigating how we can re-establish connections with friends and family we haven’t seen in a while.

This process takes time, and it can seem frustrating. But even when we feel alone and disconnected, we can seek connection with God through prayer, and ask Him to help us reconnect with the people around us.

God is always with us, and He loves it when we seek out honest conversations with Him.

A Prayer for Connection

 God, for many of us, this past year was filled with isolation. Despite technological advances, we watched relationships change and drift apart—and we grieved the loss.

But God, we know You can redeem what’s broken. You care about community, and You created us for connection. And, You also gave us Your Holy Spirit who understands what we are facing and prays on our behalf. So, when we feel alone, please remind us that You are near—and that You’re not done working.

Re-establish our relationships and show us how to make meaningful connections—even if it feels uncomfortable at first.

Ultimately, we want our loneliness to lead us closer to You and to the people that You’ve called us to love and support. So, take our isolation, our disconnection, our social anxiety, and our fear—and turn it into something beautiful that draws the world closer to You and to each other.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Memorial Day

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It’s Memorial Day.

I know it’s a day off from work for many, a three day weekend, just calling for a camping trip and a perfect day for having friends over to grill hamburgers and hot dogs or barbeque something.  I don’t blame you!

I do, however ask you to take a little time and contemplate what the holiday really means. Here’s a few statistics to ponder on:

 

War                                                        Time Period                                                  American Deaths

Civil War                                                 1861-1865                                                    620,000

World War 1                                          1917-1918                                                    116,516

World War 2                                          1939-1945                                                    405,399

Korean War                                            1950-1953                                                      40,000

Vietnam                                                   1965-1973                                                     58,209

Gulf War                                                  1990-1991                                                        1,143

Iraq/Afghanistan                                    2001-2018                                                        7,000

September 11                                               2001                                                            2,970

Law Enforcement                                         2020                                                               264

1,251,501 deaths in the line of duty.

All gave some.  Some gave all.

Obviously, this is an abbreviated list of the wars Americans have fought in.  It was enough to make me step back and really think about why I was grilling those hot dogs though.

There are many other unsung heroes that have been lost in the line of duty too.  The armies of God, including missionaries, pastors and ordinary people doing extraordinary things to serve others.

All gave some.  Some gave all.

While we are contemplating, we need to remember the most famous sacrifice of all, our Lord, Jesus Christ.  He willing gave His life for all of humanity.  For you and for me.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

Forgiveness

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Happy Monday!

As we come to the final run of yet another month, I pray that each of you end it with a clear conscience and a grateful heart.

I came across something a pastor friend wrote some time back.  It serves as a very good reminder of just how easily we can get off track in our lives.

When we receive forgiveness, it’s like a breath of fresh air.  You can breathe again and it feels really good.  What about when we need to turn that scenario around and give forgiveness?  That may be a little more difficult.

I have heard someone say “I will never forgive them for what they did!”  And each day, the anger and the bitterness grows. The irony is that when we can’t forgive, it doesn’t affect the unforgiven nearly as much as it affects the one who can’t offer that forgiveness. It’s like a cancer that soon will consume your life.

All blame is focused on the other party.  We really want to gain peace by seeing them hurt the way that we do.  You know what though?  That just isn’t the way it works. No matter what happens, our peace can only come from within and for that to truly happen we need to acknowledge the forgiveness that has been given to us so freely through Jesus Christ.  That is where our true peace comes from.  It’s like a warm blanket on a cold night.  He wraps His arms around us and we feel safe and secure in His love.  That’s the peace I love.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

Forgiveness by Dan Sites

Forgiveness is a two-edged sword. When it is received, it can bring much relief and joy to our lives. When it needs to be given freely to someone else forgiveness can be difficult to offer.

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven [could possibly be translated as seventy times seven”] times.’” (Matthew 18:21–22 NIV)

Peter thought he was being very generous. After all, forgiving someone seven times can try one’s patience and get on one’s nerve. Let’s see; let me get out my ledger and look to see which number I’m on. And when I get to number seven, I’ll finally be able to proudly say to God that I did what was required and now I can really get tough and not have to worry about that rascal any more.

Jesus had another lesson in mind. Seventy-seven times? That’s too extreme, Jesus! I might forget as I try to keep track. Or seventy times seven? Oh, come on Jesus! No one can keep track of forgiving the same person that many times!

But then I’m forced to look in the mirror. How many times have I confessed my sins to Jesus and asked for forgiveness? Often, it’s for the same sin that I have not been able to completely eradicate, even with the help of God’s Spirit in my life. Over and over again I have to admit my failures and sins. Seven times? I surpassed that number a long time ago! I’ve probably even blown right past the seventy-seven times. It might even be that I’ve had to ask close to seventy times seven!

“Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all my sin.” These are the wonderful words of a grand old hymn (Grace Greater Than Our Sin). Powerful words! Comforting words. Assuring words.

Father, thank You for your continuous grace and mercy. Help me to be as forgiving and full of mercy and grace as You. Help me to lose track of how many times I forgive others just as I have lost count of how many times You have forgiven me.

Righteous Indignation

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Happy Monday!

This may sound familiar and if you’ve been with me for a while, it should.  I wrote it a few years ago.  Because of a current news article, this was brought back to mind.  And it still holds true. Perhaps we can be more observant.  Maybe help support those who work so hard to bring these horrible things to an end.   God help us!

And once again, here I go down the rabbit hole.  I was reading something a few days ago and came across an article on sex trafficking.  Usually, I am a “headline” reader.  That way I can kind of keep up with what is going on without the outrage I sometimes feel when I read the entire article.

In this case, I read on and fueled the outrage I feel when I run across this topic.  I think we’ve all heard the various situations that feed this “business” and that isn’t what I am here to talk about.  I want to talk about my reaction.

As the hairs stood up on the back of my neck and the steam began to come out of my ears, God put a question in my heart.  Do I have the right to outrage?  In that same question came the answer of, that is God’s job, not mine.  Following that thought, came the words “righteous indignation”.  At that point, I’m like “ok God, I’m not sure what you are saying!”  The last thing that crossed my mind was “love”.

I don’t believe God is asking me to go out and feed the criminals who do these things to our children and young adults.  I do believe He wants me to show love, to everyone around me.  When someone meets me, what impression will they have?  Outrage or love?   What can I accomplish with my outrage, other than to possibly put the question in someone’s mind of whether that’s the way Christians act.  On the other hand, if I channel that outrage into love, what might that love accomplish?  Maybe hope, to someone that had none?  Maybe peace, when all they were feeling was loss?  Hopefully, a desire by them to feel that same love?  Maybe it’s time to reassess our lives, our attitudes and our faith.   So, do you feel outrage or do you show love?

I started trying to put all of this together and realized I didn’t really understand righteous indignation, so I called on the doctor.  Dr. Google, that is.  The following article says it all.  There are things we can do in justifiable righteous indignation that can actually help.  And above all,

Pray Unceasingly!!

In His light,

Lois

Righteous indignation

Question: “How can I know for sure that my anger is righteous indignation?”

Answer: We can know for sure that our anger or indignation is righteous when it is directed toward what angers God Himself. Righteous anger and indignation are justly expressed when we are confronted with sin. Good examples would be anger toward child abuse, pornography, racism, homosexual activity, abortion, and the like.

The apostle Paul gives clear warning to those who anger God: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19–21). Jesus expressed righteous anger over the sins of the people (Mark 3:1–5; Matthew 21:12–13; Luke 19:41–44). But His anger was directed at sinful behaviors and unmistakable injustice.

However, we are also taught to be careful in our anger, that we do not sin. “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26–27). We should check our attitude as well as our motive before becoming angry with others. Paul gives us some sound advice on the appropriate approach: “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:19–21).

James also gives us good instruction when it comes to righteous indignation: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19–20). The apostle Peter echoes this advice especially for those times when we face those antagonistic toward God and the things of God: “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:14–17).

Believers can also channel their anger into constructive action by becoming involved with Christian organizations that combat the influence of evil in society. The key is that, if our outrage results in bringing others into a loving and restorative relationship with God, it’s righteous indignation.

If You’re Feeling Overlooked and Unappreciated

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Happy Monday!

Please forgive me for going off the grid last week.  For the first time in eight years, I allowed life to beat me down a little.  I lost one of my brothers.  It wasn’t a surprise.  I have known it was coming for almost two years.  But it hurt.  I call it a gut punch blessing.  It was a miracle that he survived that two years, but God knew it was time for him to go home.  No more pain, no more sorrow.  And when the time comes, we will see each other again.

I think I have mentioned that I have become a big Lysa Terkeurst fan.  She is so down to earth and sincere and her writing hits me right where I need it to.

I may have been waking up a little grumpy lately.  I may or may not have looked at the dust and the dirty laundry and thought no one notices anyway.  I go to the grocery store and have to do it again next week, and the week after that.

I noticed though.  And you know what?  I believe God noticed.  Not the dust or the laundry, but He noticed my attitude.  And to me, that’s what it is about.  I don’t want to disappoint my Father.  I want to glorify Him in all I do, even if that is dusting, laundry and continuous grocery shopping.  As a Christian, I want others to see HIM in me.  Not my poor attitude  about menial tasks.  How can I be a true servant if I can’t even do the little things with a good attitude?

If we perceive that someone might have missed all of our wonderful qualities, we are HANDPICKED BY GOD for His purpose!

Open my eyes, Lord and let me see your leading and guidance for my life!  Let me glorify you!

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 

If You’re Feeling Overlooked and Unappreciated

Lysa TerKeurst

 “After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'” Acts 13:22 (NIV)

Sometimes I wake up in the morning feeling a little grumpy. Time to do it all again. I’ll buy food that gets eaten. I’ll wash clothes that get dirty again. I’ll sweep floors that will somehow need to be swept again before the day is even done.

Is there more to all this than just doing the tasks of everyday life?

One day before I jumped into the normal routine, I sat with Jesus. And I found some big Truths as I read my Bible and took a little glance into David’s life. Despite his tendency to sin, his lack of position in his own family and how others viewed him, David had the sweet reassurance of God. And that was enough.

Overlooked by everyone else. Handpicked by God.

To his older brothers, David was young — possibly even a pest. To his father, Jesse, he was just another son. To onlookers, he was a mere shepherd boy. But to God, David was the one destined to be king of Israel. And not just any king. He was from the bloodline from which Jesus would come.

Overlooked by everyone else. Handpicked by God.

Even the way David was anointed to be the future king is a telling story. In 1 Samuel 16, God revealed to Samuel that He had rejected Saul as king and chosen one of Jesse’s sons to be the replacement.

Think of the list of qualifications that must have run through Samuel’s mind for such a position: tall, smart, articulate, brave, groomed, well-mannered, a natural-born leader. Samuel saw some of these characteristics in Eliab, David’s brother. “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV).

Samuel had Jesse line up all of his sons. All of them were to be considered. Yet, Jesse didn’t call David in from tending sheep. Was this an oversight? An assumption? A judgment call? A deliberate choice?

Overlooked by everyone else. Handpicked by God.

Samuel passed on each of Jesse’s sons and then asked, “… Are these all the sons you have?” I imagine Jesse with a quizzical expression replying, “There is still the youngest … he is tending the sheep” (1 Samuel 16:11a-b, NIV). Surely one who spends his time taking care of animals is not the one to take care of a nation.

Overlooked by everyone else. Handpicked by God.

As soon as Samuel saw David, he knew he’d found the one. David was anointed to become king. But he was not immediately ushered to the throne. It would be many years before David was recognized by the world. So, where did he go after being anointed as king? To a refining school? A government academy? Military training? Nope.

He went back out to the fields and continued to shepherd his flock. A king-to-be doing lowly tasks. A future king whose character was refined in the fields of everyday life to prepare him for his calling.

How like us. In the midst of smelly laundry, dirty dishes, snotty noses, misplaced keys, overdue library books, bills and that birthday gift that still needs to be mailed — there is training there. There is character building. There is attitude shaping. There is soul defining. All of which must take place for us to become what God intends.

Do you ever feel overlooked by the world? Take heart — we are handpicked by God.

We aren’t just doing tasks. We are building a legacy. We are shaping God’s Kingdom. We are in the process of not only discovering our calling but that of our family as well. And I don’t know about you, but it sure does make me look at my everyday tasks (yes, even the smelly laundry) in a whole different light.

Dear Lord, I’m grateful that even when I feel overlooked, I can rest in the fact I am handpicked by You. Help me see purpose in even the most mundane moments today. And help me live my life for an audience of One. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Loss. Trauma. Disappointment.

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Happy Monday!

Sometimes, life gets tough.  Sometimes it cuts to the core and can seem overwhelming.  We sometimes need to work through worry, anger, disappointment and grief.

Fortunately, as Christians, we know that these are things we don’t have to face alone.  Our Heavenly Father is right there with open arms.  He WANTS to take our worries, anger, disappointment and grief!

Please don’t misunderstand me.  There are times that we all feel these things and I believe that’s just a normal human reaction.  The problem develops when it takes over our lives and we can’t get passed it.  It steals our joy, our hope, and even our faith.

Turn to our Father and let him lift the burden from our shoulders and our hearts.  You can feel His arms around you and the wonderful comfort He brings.

Philippians 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 Loss. Trauma. Disappointment.

YouVersion Devotional

We all go through hardships in life…situations that take us by surprise…circumstances that attempt to keep us awake at night with worry, heartache, or despair.

A natural disaster. An unforeseen betrayal. A sudden illness. Finding out your spouse has been unfaithful and/or wants a divorce. A horrible car accident. Job loss. Loss of a home. Marital and family problems. Extended family and in-law difficulties and conflicts. Blended family challenges. A child’s rebellion. Mental illness (yourself or a loved one). Divorce. Life struggles, difficulties, and PTSD from serving in the military. Assault. Abuse. Rejection. Financial devastation. Disabilities. Keeping your head above water as life tries to drown you.

The list of losses can go on and on…and even though they can be numerous, EACH situation is extremely painful to the one who is going through a heart-shattering situation at the present moment. Sometimes the heartache from a past loss is so deep, that years later, life is still an ongoing struggle.

How can God bring healing in the midst of loss, trauma, and disappointment?  What about after the loss? What about when the event has passed…but you are still struggling with the shattered remnants of the aftermath? Can God truly bring healing and restore a person’s peace and joy? What if your situation never changes? Can you still find the peace and joy and the ability to live a good life you so desperately crave?

Life can be incredibly painful but God is the final authority in and over our lives. He has the ability to work mightily in our lives…no matter the situation.

The bad news is: there is an enemy who has stolen from you, killed your peace, joy, and life, and attempted to destroy your hope and faith. The good news is: there is a loving God who wants to not only give you life…and bring you back to fully living life…but to also give you life abundantly. The deeper you dive into finding God’s heart and purpose, the greater He brings His ultimate good to the surface in your life. Seek God’s heart through every trauma, disappointment, and loss you face.

1 John 4:4 “Dear children, you belong to God. You have not accepted the teachings of the false prophets. That’s because the One who is in you is more powerful than the one who is in the world.”

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible way.”

Spring Cleaning

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Happy Monday!

We have been talking a little about healthier eating and healthier living.  Last week, a friend asked me to remind her this week to clean out her pantry again.  Here’s the reminder for us all!

As we clean our pantries, look for things that are loaded with Trans Fats, MSG (monosodium glutamate) and HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup.)  These are the top three most damaging things for our bodies and they hide in almost any processed food.

As you will see in the following article, there are many other things we are better off avoiding.  You may be amazed in how much better you feel when you eliminate these items.  You may even be amazed with how happy your doctor might be after you eliminate these things!  It will show up in testing!

While we are “spring cleaning”, you might want to consider cleaning out are our minds, our hearts and our spirits. 

Sometimes, my mind gets cluttered.  Cluttered with day-to-day activities, things I need to do, things I want to do and even some things I shouldn’t do.  If I neglect my Bible studies to watch a television show that is of questionable content, what am I doing to my character?  If I forget to say no, EVER, and my mind and schedule become so cluttered that nothing gets done, what have I accomplished?  Something that always stuck with me in the Daniel Plan was “garbage in, garbage out.”  What we fill our minds, bodies and souls with is going to be what we harvest.

I’m sure you have all heard the term “hard hearted.”  Maybe while cleaning, we need to throw out some anger, bitterness or even an unforgiving nature.  These things can destroy your happiness, your marriage, your children and your future. They also, just like the “big three” pantry items mentioned   above, can destroy your health.

Finally, is your spirit in need of a good cleaning and polish?  If your mind is cluttered and your heart is hardened, that’s a good sign that it is.   If you are not spending time in the Word and not spending time with God, that’s an excellent indication that a good cleaning and polish is overdue.  What do others see when they look at you and listen to you?  What if YOU are the only Bible they ever see?  What if they are looking and don’t see it in you?

Perhaps it’s time for a thorough spring cleaning, inside and out.

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 Creating a Daniel Plan Pantry

The Daniel Plan

Out with the old and in with the new! The first step in creating a Daniel Plan pantry is to clean out the stuff that is not serving you well.

This means reading labels, checking expiration dates, tossing or donating the bad stuff, then refilling with healthy new items.

While we want you to focus on the abundance of delicious whole foods, we also want you to know what harmful foods to remove from your pantry and shopping lists for good. Simply getting rid of these foods from your eating life will make a tremendous difference in your health and eating habits.

Do this with your dry pantry, where you store canned goods, whole grains, and nonperishables. While you are at it, go through your refrigerator and freezer too and toss things that have harmful ingredients.

Having good foods in your pantry will support healthy eating and save you time. With a well-stocked pantry, you will never be at a loss for something healthy to eat.

Choose a weekend to clean out the pantry, and make it a group project. Or choose a friend, and help each other do a pantry clean-out.  Have a pantry clean-out party!

You might even treat yourself to a few new storage containers for bulk items you will be adding like brown and black rice, quinoa, dried beans and more. Keep a pen and masking tape handy to label containers, or use a label-making tool. Be sure storage containers are clear so you can see inside and that lids fit tight.

Foods and Ingredients to Avoid

-White Flour

-White Sugar

-White Rice

-High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)

-Trans fats, partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated fats

-Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

-Regular and diet sodas

-Sports drinks and other sweetened beverages

-Sodium and calcium caseinate

-Phosphoric acid

-Artificial sweeteners (except stevia)

-Artificial flavors

-Artificial colors and dyes

-Sulfites

-Nitrites and nitrates

-Carrageenan

A few pantry clean-out tips:

-Read labels and check for unhealthy ingredients.

-Say good-bye to the “white menaces,” as well as the things hiding in your pantry that are made with them.

-Banish processed foods like sugary breakfast cereals, unhealthy cookies and crackers, fried chips and junk food.

-Exile high-sugar or high-sodium condiments (read that ketchup bottle, you might be surprised). Shop for healthier versions, comparing labels for ingredients.

-Evict unhealthy oils, like standard mass-market “vegetable” oil.

Aim for labels with five ingredients or less or at least ingredients that you recognize as real food. If you don’t understand what something is and your grandmother would not know what it is, probably not what you want in your pantry.

Those jars of dried herbs that look like they have been around since the Stone Age? Toss them. Same for old spices. When you open new containers, be sure to date them.

Grace Changes Everything

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Happy Monday!

You may have noticed before that I have become a fan of Becky at So Very Blessed.  She has an amazing insight from her own personal journey.

For those of us who have battled the weight loss journey, this may sound familiar.  You beat yourself up with guilt and shame and when that doesn’t work, you do it again.  No matter how often you do it though, it still doesn’t work.  Maybe it’s a cop out.  Maybe it helps us avoid the real issue, that we need to change our hearts, our minds and then our actions.

I totally understand how difficult that is.  I have done it many times and I’m sure you realize that when we do something over and over, you have created a new habit.  This isn’t a good habit.

What if we could finally accept God’s grace and see ourselves through His eyes?  He sees our hearts and spirit, He knows our every struggle and still loves us.  He still offers His grace freely.

Maybe when we learn to accept that, we will be able to throw away all of the diets, the guilt and blame and finally love ourselves enough to nourish it properly and give God the glory for His wisdom and unconditional love.

Grace truly changes everything!

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 Grace Changes Everything

Becky at So Very Blessed <becky@soveryblessed.com>

I know you know the cycle well.

#1 – Make a choice you know isn’t good for you.

#2 – Beat yourself up and berate yourself over it.

#3 – Determine to do better next time.

#4 – Do better for a while then end up right back at #1 again.

Most of the time, women email me telling me that they feel like failures because they just don’t have enough willpower to stick with their plan to do better.

I get it! I used to do the same thing.

What do you think would happen if you focused more on changing step #2 than #3?

I know beating yourself up feels productive.

It feels like you can punish yourself into making the right choice next time.

It feels like the best way to prove that you really are sorry.

It feels like you have to carry some shame before you can allow yourself to move on.

So….How’s that been working for you?

Can I suggest another way?

God’s grace is the most powerful weapon there is in breaking the cycle of sin.

That includes overeating…​and that’s not the only part of weight loss where His grace is needed!

 

Instead of beating yourself up for your mistakes, trade your guilt for God’s grace in these 6 times on your weight loss journey.

I can’t be trusted around food. I’ll never be able to do this. I’m such a failure. I have too

much weight to lose. I just overate…again. I could never run a mile. I’m fat so who would ever love me?

On my 100-pound weight loss journey, all of those thoughts went through my head at one time or another. And they weren’t just fleeting thoughts. They were thoughts that dictated my happiness, my self-worth, my confidence, and my insecurities.

Of course, it takes practical steps to lose weight, but you have to change the way you think before you will be able to change the choices you make.

The first step to accepting God’s grace in your weight loss journey is recognizing when the lies, the thoughts that do not line up with God’s Word, creep in.

Whenever you hear a voice whispering to you that you aren’t good enough, that voice isn’t God. You will notice a common theme in all of the topics below – the overriding voice is one of shame.

I’ve written about the difference between guilt and shame before. Guilt can be great for guiding your behavior, like your conscience telling you what choices are right and wrong.

But very quickly, that guilt can spiral into shame, which no longer tells you your action was wrong, but instead tells you that there is something wrong with who you are that you should be ashamed of.

It’s so hard to recognize it when it’s happening, but if you can start noticing when those lies creep in and start replacing them with God’s Truth, it could change the entire course of your weight loss journey.

Because, well, grace changes everything.

It Is Finished.

/in /by

It is finished.

That sounds so final, and it was.  How difficult it is for me to accept that though.  The past, the shame, the sins just seem too overwhelming.  How can it be finished?

It is finished because He said so.  He paid the price, He bought our freedom with His life.

But then, Sunday came!  He arose!  Just as He promised!  Just as the prophets prophesied!

When I think of all of the times that I have taken that for granted, I grieve for Him all over again. That is on my back.  He fulfilled His purpose for us but it is still up to us to accept it.

Praise God!!  Sunday came!

Pray Unceasingly!!

Lois

 

It Is Finished – Dayspring

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. John 19:30 CSB

I had read this Scripture in John 19 so many times—the last words Jesus spoke on the day He was crucified. I knew that in those final moments as He was there on the cross, Jesus simply said, “It is finished,” closed His eyes, and died.

There’s such gravity in that moment. Imagining the Son of God, our Savior, with His battered and broken body nailed to a cross, stirs up a sense of both sadness and shame. He endured such terrible things that even thinking about them leads me to close my eyes in sorrow. Most every time I heard or read the story, my focus was on what happened, the events themselves, and less so on those three simple words He spoke at the end: “It is finished.” What did Jesus mean when He said “it is finished?”

A few months ago, my friend and Pastor Rodney Holmstrom spoke on this Scripture before a large Celebrate Recovery congregation, and he challenged each of us to really consider those words. In that moment, he said, Christ was not simply stating the obvious—that His earthly life was over. He was declaring that our sins were forgiven once and for all, their price paid by His sacrifice.

I knew this in my head. Of course I did. But had I taken it into my heart?

Rodney asked us, could we say these words out loud? “When He said, ‘It is finished,’ He was talking about me.” Could we write those words in a journal and mean them? Could we look into a mirror and speak them?

I tried, and I was surprised by how difficult it was for me to say them, how easy it was to shy away from them, as if my mistakes were too great for His forgiveness. It was simultaneously painful and humbling to realize the truth in that statement, and the truth was this: In that moment and by His death, Christ paid the price for every sin no matter how great—even for mine. Every wrong I had ever or would ever commit was forgiven, the debt for it paid in full, before I ever drew my first breath. I only had to accept it. How could that be?

I left that service that night with the weight of those words still clinging to my thoughts: When He said, “It is finished,” He was talking about me. At home, I tried saying them aloud again and again. And while it was still difficult, I found that each time I spoke them, my heart had a harder time rejecting them. The truth began to win. Later, I spent some time writing and creating around John 19:30 in my journaling Bible, and I found that with each moment that I lingered there, those words became further etched onto my heart.

It’s fascinating how we can spend years knowing something without fully accepting it as certainty. Since childhood, I had believed that Jesus died for our sins and accepting Him meant we were forgiven. But isn’t it often easier to think that applies to everyone else?

I came to recognize that the shame and guilt of my own mistakes had clouded my understanding. I had believed the lies in my head (as so many of us do), like: I’ve made too many mistakes. Maybe I’m different. How could He really forgive me? My sin is just too great… I had let those lies sink deeply into my heart. But speaking and writing that simple, declarative sentence began to destroy the lies by covering them with his truth—that no sin is too great for his mercy, not even mine—and it brought me immediate peace and joy.

Today, as you consider the events from the day Jesus was crucified, as you consider Jesus’ last words, as you ponder that weighty moment when His spirit passed, try speaking those words aloud (even if you have to whisper them to get them out): When He said, ‘It is finished,’ He was talking about me.

Then say it again. Accept this truth—that Jesus died to grant the forgiveness of sins for all who accept Him—and annihilate the lie that your sins are too great or too numerous. Try writing it down or reflecting in the pages of your journaling Bible. How does it feel to know that every mistake—past, present or future—is covered and the debt is paid in full? When Jesus said “it is finished,” He was talking about me. He was talking about you.