You know, two and a half years ago, I never imagined that I would need “courage” for this journey.  That shows you how much I know!  It would be so easy to just go back to the way things were.  I never put the body, mind, spirit thing together at all.  I never really associated my body as being His temple.  I never even thought about the five essentials of Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus and Friends working together as an overall plan for healthy living.

 You have all listened to me whine about the never ending battle with my weight to know that I was struggling.  What I have learned is that I will probably never be thin, but that is no excuse for being unhealthy when I have the capability to change that.  I have learned a lot about myself in this process.  I have also learned a lot about my relationship with Jesus.  I have learned that while everyone may not love me, I am still supposed to love them and I try to do that.  Maybe most importantly, I have learned that things aren’t always what they appear to be.  I shouldn’t make snap judgements when I haven’t walked in that other person’s shoes. We can’t just change the way we act, because that can just be temporary.  We need to find the courage to change the way we think.

 If you are having a bad day and feel like you have reached your limit, sit down and read Job.  That is a sure eye opener for me every time.  I am so blessed.  Be strong and courageous!

 Pray Unceasingly!

 In His light,

Lois

Finding the Courage to Change

The Daniel Plan

Be strong and courageous. —Joshua 1:6 NIV

God can change your life in ways you haven’t dared to dream of.  Pastor Rick says, “He specializes in miracle makeovers.”

Try to imagine what good changes could happen in your life if you depended on God’s infinite power instead of your own willpower. The key to deep and lasting change isn’t trying harder. It’s relaxing into “the unforced rhythms of grace” (Matthew 11:29 MSG).

Effort is necessary, but it’s effort fueled by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. The Bible says, “Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13 MSG).

God loves you so much that he freely gives his power to work in your life. He wants to be the one who is shown to be victorious. That’s why he works so powerfully in the lives of weak and humble people.

Trusting in God’s power will give you courage to face whatever life brings you. For what do you need his power today?

Food for Thought: In a remarkable, grace-filled exchange, you can bring all of your weaknesses to God and receive from him the power to be strong and courageous.