Everyone needs to have the reminder sometimes that God is with them if they have accepted Him as Lord and He hasn't left them. Sometimes we can get so into our life and circumstances we start to wonder where God is. I have heard it said before like this, God never leaves us, it is us who distance ourselves from Him. We are the ones that move away. I find this to be true in my life.
Also I started realizing something lately. When I hear other people's God stories, I am inspired and encouraged so much. It stirs something in me that makes me want to run faster and closer to God.
So I want to start Testimony Tuesday. Big or small, all testimonies. Stories of how God intervenes in our every day lives. Stories that may encourage one person who has experienced the exact same thing as you.
I love it!
In the comments feel free to share a testimony or story of something God has done in your life big or small. I will start to share mine as well.
So I can say now, although it is only February 18th, that choosing to go without a certain food was a no-no. I should not do that because it only throws me into diet mentality and my mind goes a bit crazy. So I will say I have drank a lot more water and I like to drink water. I have not drank one single coca cola since January. I have, although, drank several sprite's and I have also had Sweet tea daily the last week or so. So I have learned a little lesson, about what to not choose to cut out, as I don't want to make anything "off limits" in my diet.
I will though press through the rest of February and continue drinking more and more water and it will be good. That is my update for now...happy day to you all!
I am feeling such a sense of freedom today. See I have had myself in bondage for the past few years and did not even realize it. I learned that we can be in bondage in some areas and still grow in others. I used to think that nothing would happen until I learned and had growth in one area. My weakness, my area God is working in, is eating. I was applying eating for hunger/fullness only or intuitive eating to this problem, and making it a diet or a law. I did not realize this completely though I had small nudges about it through the past few years. I never fully grasped why I didn't have peace when trying to read a book about intuitive eating or when trying to apply it to my life.
I sabotaged myself every single time. I don't know why. Last night when talking to an accountability partner in this area of life that I have had a year or so now I realized that what God was teaching me in this area is to take care of myself, to listen to my body and to His Spirit. It seems every day I would think I am to eat only when hungry but let me hurry up and eat something when I'm not hungry to take the pressure off. Hmmm, interesting.
So last night it started with freedom. Taking care of myself. Being gentle with myself. God knows my heart and He knows that I am on this journey to glorify Him..."whether you eat drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God."
Today for the first time in a long time I don't feel the burden of having to eat only when I'm hungry. It isn't a law anymore. It is going to take time, but intuitive eating is going to happen because I am listening to my body, nurturing and taking care of myself, and in the long run I am going to be able to be so much more beneficial in the lives of my husband, children and anyone I am in contact with.
I did find a beneficial app this week called "no more diets" and she says in the beginning of the e-book app DO NOT make this app another diet. So no pressure, intuitive eating is my goal and God is going to give me grace as I walk this out with His help and take care of my body they way that He intends. No rules and no strings attached. There's only grace.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it may leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.
There will be some changes to my goals I made. In one word. Simplify. Get ready as I chop away at my goals, below I pasted all of them I wrote here and I am going to prayerfully evaluate them so that I can have simpler goals that are attainable and recognizable.
Personal goals
Hello Mornings continues. Getting up when alarm goes off. Exercise, Shower, Quiet time, Plan. Leading my group through the Winter Challenge and excited to start next week! 1/16/13
I had planned to read Eden Diet, but I am making too much legalism in eating hunger/fullness so my goal is intuitive eating and taking care of myself.
Use this devotional each morning to start my quiet time and prayer. 1/12/13-loving this so far
Read lots of good books that I have on my Kindle already or that I have purchased, and I'm sure a few more that I know I will find along the way. 1/16/13-need to work on reading through one entire book at a time, feeling a bit scattered because all of the books are SO good!
21 Days to a More Disciplined Life by Crystal-Money Saving Mom
Tell Your Time (for the 2nd time reading) and work on time management plan
Energy Explosion-A 7 Day Guide to Jumpstart Your Energy by Arabah Joy
Complete by Arabah Joy
Found: God's Will by John MacArthur
Let. It. Go. by Karen Ehman
Be Authentic by Warren W. Wiersbe
What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst
Spirit Hunger (halfway through this already) by Gari Meachum
Finish reading, Anything by Jennie Allen
Finish reading, Get out of that Pit by Beth Moore
Blessed Life by Robert Morris
Sheet Music by Dr. Kevin Leman
The Money Saving Mom's Budget
Blogger Behave
From Frumps to Pumps by Sarah Mae
Grace Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel
Chasing Superwoman by Susan M. DiMikele (already halfway through this)
ProBlogger
Living Beyond Your Feelings by Joyce Meyer
Have a New Husband by Friday by Dr. Kevin Leman
Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard
Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer
Cleaning House (will write a review on this one when I am done! excited!)
Desperate-by Sarah Mae
Getting to No How to Break a Stubborn Habit by Erwin W. Lutzer
Really be consistent with T-Tapp doing one workout a week at least, as well as walk at least once a week.
Renew my mind by thinking and saying only positive things about myself.
Financial goals
Make budget for each month before the month starts and spend every penny before the month begins. (Dave Ramsey's Advice) 1/12/13-got Total Money Makeover workbook last week and am loving it!
I have completed a project on my 52 projects in 52 weeks yesterday and wanted to share a little about it. On number 12 I wanted to try to exercise 5 mintues a day everyday to see if I had a habit form and to see how I felt. In this time I also joined T-Tapp 60-day challenge. I did not get many workouts in yet with the T-Tapp but I did do a few moves every day using my 5 minutes. There were 3 days during the month that I did not do anything that I recorded. I didn't beat myself up over this either. I just kept on going.
I have to say it was nice doing this, but I don't "feel" like I want to stick to it because some days I found myself trying to fit it in even if it was right before I went to bed. Now on one hand it could be a good thing because I did lose inches this month. Probably around 4-6 inches. Maybe more because I didn't measure until a few weeks into doing it.
Really I want to exercise on a regular basis forever, there is no ending point. But I would much rather have a regular exercise routine that leaves me feeling like I really worked out and I know I will feel better with more than 5 minutes a day.
That being said though, little changes done consistently do add up. So if that is all I wanted to commit to, 5 minutes a day, and I lost 5 inches a month, that means by Christmas I would have lost 60 INCHES! Now that is crazy!
What I can take away from this is even if I cannot fit into my day a real good workout, even if I do 5 minutes, I will be doing something beneficial for my body and there will be good results.
Thankful that I stuck it out and finished. The February project is drinking mainly water as my main drink and I stopped coca cola and sweet tea cold turkey. Took a few hard hits but I am feeling better and better each day.
So the first day went great not drinking soda or sweet tea. The second day quite different. Though I know it will pass. Today I found myself waking up to a headache, munching on everything in site, a bit irritable and felt like I was craving something all day long that nothing I did would satisfy.
Crazy how just this one change effects me. But makes me wonder what it was doing to my body. Glad I am taking a break to do this.
I make some delish simple smoothies and I am NOT a health maniac person and don't know lots of these recipes, but I love this smoothie and its really refreshing and really nourishes me and I feel a difference in my body and energy when I drink it.
It is simple.
Ingredients:
1 cup ice
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup rice milk (or milk of your choice)
1 tablespoon or 2 of sugar (or whatever sweetener you like)
big ole handful of spinach
(apple juice added to blender as needed if it needed more liquid)
Put all in the blender until desired consistency.
Enjoy!
Learning to live to be the real me and love who I am, a child of God, learning to walk in His ways, is so exciting! Some people may say I'm a nerd, and I love it! It's ok. I love to read, love to blog, love to chat and share and listen to others hearts. I love dates with my husband and goofy times we have together. I love my children and the fun relationships we share with each other. I love our crazy fun full of laughter family times we share together! I love who I am and who God made me to be! I am ok with being me.
