Thursday, January 30, 2014

1 Peter 5:7-8


Okay, so I have had better starts to diets in the past. I am not exactly sure what has been my hang up...other then my own stubborn self that is. Perhaps that it is the knowledge that this time it has to be a complete lifestyle change...it means forever, it is admitting that I have been making poor decisions in my eating habits and my exercise habits. Poor habits that have to change.

There is anxiety for me in the idea of change.  I know that I am not the only one....never really talked to anyone who says they like change.  If you do, drop me a line, I would like to get to know you better.

So as I eat my Lean Pocket and Carrot sticks instead of those BBQ chips in the kitchen calling my name...

Let's take a closer look at 1 Peter 5:7-8.
I was curious about a few of the key words in the verse.

1. Cast- defined by the dictionary in terms: to throw; to throw with force, hurl; to shed; to throw forth, drop; to throw on the ground; to deposit; to turn or direct (as in eyes); and in Nautical terms to turn (a ship) change to the opposite tack.
2. Anxieties- defined by wikidictionary as "an unpleasant state of inner turmoil a feeling of fear, worry and uneasiness, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation.

So just the first few words spoke volumes to me:
I am suppose to throw, even hurl my anxieties, which are: my feelings of fear, worry and uneasiness (note they are usually unfocused and an overrection, hum).... It implies to me that I need to turn in the direction on God (turning my eyes toward), even turning "my ship" around to head a different direction (towards him) .  I was surprised bit as I looked at John Gills's Exposition of the Bible entry for this verse: (didn't see this coming) " ; the care of the body, and of all the affairs of life, concerning which saints should not be anxiously thoughtful, but depend upon the providence of God,.... as also the care of the soul, and the spiritual and eternal welfare of it, which should be committed into the hands of Christ, on whom help is laid, and who is become the author of eternal salvation."
Now on to the second half of 7- "for he careth for you;
for the bodies of his people, and their outward concerns of life, for food and raiment for them, and for the preservation of them, who will not suffer them to want, nor withhold any good thing from them, or ever leave them and forsake them; and for their souls, for which he has made provision in his Son, and in the covenant of his grace has laid help upon a mighty Saviour; and who has obtained an eternal redemption for them, bestows his grace upon them, and gives every needful supply of it to them, and keeps them by his power through faith unto salvation."
Hello!!! it talks about the body, food.......In the commentary!!! God cares not only, per this scripture reference about my spiritual well-being, but my physical one as well.

Humbling and a bit disconcerting too.
So....moving on.....
vs. 8a: "Be self-controlled and alert" 
Self-controlled is defined as "control of one's emotions, desires, or actions, by one's own will."  
Alert- "vigilently attentive; watchful (alert to danger); mentally responsive and perceptive; quick, brisk or lively in action." 
So I need to be in control of my emotions, desires and action and watch for the dangers to which I might befall quickly, lively....not slowly!

So in terms of my dieting......this verse tells me that I need to throw my fears, worries (about never having a dish of my favorite foods again) ...to my Lord who does care for me and every thing about me.  My body and food included. Then......I need to learn how to be control my cravings by my own will and be always on the alert for dangers to what I am trying to do by changing my lifestyle.

Believe it or not, I this really helped me in terms of my struggle against food choices.


Thursday, January 16, 2014

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

When I read this scripture, I hear the voice of God.  It's promise has carried me through the deepest valleys of my life.  Our God has plans for us. It doesn't matter what has happened in the past or what we are in the of...His plan is one of hope and holds the future....

Often in my life I have felt that whatever muck I was stuck in was all that there was for me.  The same issues, the same situations, the same for my future as was in my past...things would never get better. I often wondered, why!? Why was I always doomed to live this way, what had I done to be punished.  When others around me were getting blessings and success. 

It was then that I find myself looking at Jeremiah 29:11...a reminder that he is in charge, that his plans for to prosper me, not to hurt me, plans that promise a hope and a future. So I held on...clinging to that promise.  

One day I was reading on and discovered a nugget of truth that I had conveniently missed before. 

 "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you" declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity....." Jeremiah 29:12-14

Did you see what I missed for way too long? 
I have to call upon him, come to him and pray...he will listen to me.
I have to seek him with all my heart...I will find him. 
When I find him...he will bring my out of the captivity that I am living in..

I have discovered the truth of surrender..it is only when I surrender myself to God, when I humble myself to call upon His name and pray that I find him when I look with all of my heart.  I can't give him half of me or half of my situation. I have to surrender all of myself and all of my situation..

In this scripture Jeremiah was talking to the captives in Babylon, giving them the word from God.He a plan for them and after a time he told them that he was going to give them a new beginning and a new purpose. Just like for the people in Babylon, God used my time in unpleasant circumstances to prepare me for the blessings that he was going to give me in his time with his purpose.  

Are you experiencing a time of hopelessness or frustration? Take Jeremiah 29:11-14 to heart and see what he does with your obedience. 


Thursday, January 2, 2014

Happy New Year!

All I can say is goodbye to 2013 and......HELLO 2014!

I am so ready for the new year and what blessings are in store for my family in the new year.  This year, in just a couple of more days, my husband will technically be a Full Time employee for the first time since we started on our journey serving God 6 years ago.

I know that God is in charge of our ministry and we had spent a lot of time in the last few years wondering what He was doing...waiting for fruit to appear. His timing is perfect even if I don't understand it. And believe me, I don't....

During our time of waiting, I have learned a few things worth sharing...
1. Just because you don't feel God's presence in your life, doesn't mean He is not there.
2. If you think that He has abandoned you,  check to see how far you have strayed from Him.
3. Sometimes it is good to just let God have his mysteries...we don't always need to know why things happen..

Here is my verse and word for word for 2014...

The verse is: "See, I am doing a new thing, Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wastelands." Isaiah 43:19

While I am not exactly sure what this verse will mean for my life, I do know that it is a promise for all of us..A promise and a warning.. make sure that you pay attention to the blessings (new things) in your life.

The word is "Generosity" - with new blessings comes a new responsibility to help others with what we receive in his provision and blessing. My heart's desire is that my family can begin the process, with our financial blessing to hope others in the same way that others have helped us over the last decade.

To everything there is a season....

God's Blessings in this New Year as we get to know our Savior and Lord better in this 2014!