Waiting and Jewels of Learning
Why Me Lord?
Celebrate Mother’s Day Without Sabotaging
Insecurity Hinders What God Wants To Do
FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE
This weekend was exceptionally exciting for me. I had my cousin and her new husband down for a visit and we had a blast. During that visit, I received revelation knowledge on a scripture I knew for so many years, but the scripture dropped from my head into my heart (so to speak.)
Resolve!
Make Your Plan Specific
I hope and pray that everyone had a wonderful Easter! The Easter season is a wonderful time to renew our goals, or perhaps focus on new ones. Jesus made it possible for us to be “more than a conqueror” by hanging on that cross, giving His life as a sacrifice and rising again three days later. Only because of His death and resurrection can we experience God’s true freedom from sin.
With so many holidays before us like Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, and Fourth of July (just about one holiday per month), we must refocus, and/or set some new goals. Maybe your goal is ‘not to eat so much during the 4th of July BBQ this year’, or just to make it through Mother’s Day without eating the entire box of See’s chocolates. Whatever it may be, you must first plan how you will accomplish your goals and make that plan specific. Remember, your goals are just wishes unless you set a plan for execution. Instead of just saying that you ‘don’t want to eat so much at that BBQ on the 4th of July’, make a list of three things you can do to ensure your success. Your list may look a bit like this:
1. I will prepare a smaller breakfast so that I can have one special treat at the BBQ.
2. I am going to go for an extra walk during my lunch hour this week so that I can earn extra points or calories.
3. Once I am successful, I am going to treat myself to a pedicure.
The truth is that holidays can present us with legitimate challenges when it comes to our weight loss journey; but with some prayer, careful planning, and goal setting, we can and will be successful. Just remember, obstacles are the things we see when we take our eyes off of our goal. You CAN do this, because God through His Son provided you a way to freedom!
May God continue to enrich your life with the truth of His great love for you, and may that truth set you free!
In Him, Cicely
Make No Provision for the Flesh
Pound cake, cookies, Rice Krispy™ treats, Doritos™ and cream cheese, these are a few of my favorite things. I find that not only are these foods “red light foods” for me, but that they are things that I crave when I want to be comforted.
The truth is, God wants to be the one who offers us comfort. He doesn’t want us to run to a substance; whether it’s food, smoking, drugs, etc. He wants us to run to Him in our time of need. You see, substances only provide temporary relief from our pain. God wants to have the opportunity to heal us from the inside out. However, He can only do this if we let Him.
Romans 3:13-14 says Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
The scripture above says that we should not make provisions for our flesh. So why do we bring our “red light foods” home from the grocery store? Yeah I know, sometimes they seem to do a long jump from the shelf into our shopping carts, but we must take a stand! DON’T MAKE ANY PROVISIONS FOR YOUR FLESH TO OVERINDULGE. Though it may seem like it, your children and spouse won’t die if they don’t have those Oreos™ in their lunch box.
This week, focus on de-cluttering your pantry. Get rid of those items that seem to hinder your success; it’s okay if the package is still half full! Remember, it’s better to waste it now, instead of wearing it later on your waist. Before you go to the grocery store, make a list of just the items you need and don’t purchase any extras. Finally, before you go shopping ask yourself if the items on your list are healthy choices; if not, cross them off your list.
When we depend on God for comfort rather than substances, only then can we truly experience God’s healing. Furthermore, let’s not tempt ourselves by bringing items in our homes that would cause us to sin. After all, just as we wouldn’t allow a ouija board in our homes, we shouldn’t allow foods that would cause us to sin in either.
May you continually run to God’s open arms for comfort rather than food. May you experience His healing touch as you bring your pain to His feet and not the fridge.
In Him, Cicely