One of my newest purchases on my Nook is Made to Crave by Lysa TurKeurst. The sub-header of the book is possibly (in my opinion) the true core of what this book is truly about ...
Satisfying Your Deepest Desire With God, Not Food.
And it's in that statement where I have been finding my deepest conversations with God. I have been on a conscious endeavor over the past few weeks to not only be aware of what I put in to my mouth and body, but also to be aware of what I put in to my mind and my actions.
I have experienced some victories in some areas ... as well as some defeats.
I have made some progress in some areas ... as well as some regression in other areas.
I have taken up my determination ... and I refuse to set it aside.
The first couple of chapters of this book have been quite challenging to me. I've had "good intentions" over the past several years to improve our nutrition and health, but I've allowed some of life's challenges to defeat me in completely giving in to our life-style of healthy habits. Seeking "comfort" from food is simply not as satisfying and beneficial to my overall health as seeking comfort from God's Word and His promises.
As I was driving home this afternoon I began thinking of this post. I knew I wanted to start postings during my reading, so why not start now? In her introduction to this book, Lysa gives the example of the rich man who tells Jesus that he has kept all "the rules" but there was something that he knew was still missing from his pursuit of God. (Matthew 19) Jesus then tells him to sell his possessions and give it all to the poor. And then (in Lysa's words) the "rich young man then goes away sad because he won't give up the one thing that consumes him."
And so ... Lysa's healthy-lifestyle journey continues ...
"If we want to conquer our cravings, we'll have to redirect them to God."
And so, in 2015, I want to not only pursue a healthy lifestyle of feeding my body ... but also a healthy lifestyle of feeding overall self ...
my thoughts ... my actions ... my non-actions ... my reactions ... my relationships ... my everything.
(Just an aside note of an extra dose of encouragement/ support/ challenge -- our future generations are watching ... they learn from us ... we are their role models whether positive or negative)
One verse that she expounds on that I have been filtering into my mind is I Corinthians 10:23 ...
One verse that she expounds on that I have been filtering into my mind is I Corinthians 10:23 ...
Everything is permissible -- but not everything is beneficial
This verse can be used in other areas of our lives as well ...
the things I fill my mind --
the way I treat others --
the things I watch on television --
the music I listen to --
the stuff I buy --
the things I count as priority --
the way I spend my day --
Do you see where I'm going with this concept? I am on an enormous endeavor this year ...
not only to get on a healthy eating track, but also to get my whole-self on a healthy track. I know it certainly won't be easy (I've already seen defeats along with a few victories) ... but it's a road that God will lead me down and pick me up when I fail and carry me when I can't move forward on my own.
If anyone has ever "walked a mile in our shoes", it's been the apostle Paul. And if anyone could give us an ounce of encouragement that we need to press forward, it would be him. He tells us in his letter to the church at Philippi (Philippians 3:13) ...
... I do not count myself as apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead ...
Each day ... each moment ... each blink ...
is a new beginning to set our eyes on the prize of all that God has in store for us to be.
I look forward to continuing my journey of developing a healthier lifestyle for me, Dan and our family ... not only food-wise ... but in every aspect of all we are to be for His glory.
{{If any of my readers would like to come along with me on this journey, your can either leave a comment or go to my profile to send me a private email. I look forward to what God has in store for all of us in His year of 2015 ...
this post will be continued throughout the year.}}
{{If any of my readers would like to come along with me on this journey, your can either leave a comment or go to my profile to send me a private email. I look forward to what God has in store for all of us in His year of 2015 ...
this post will be continued throughout the year.}}
Have a blessed week, dear friends!
