Why is this time so different?

What a beautiful Sunday! Praise God for this day!

Ok so I've been asked this question by many & I've really been pondering the answer. The almighty question is "Why is this time so different?" "What makes this time so different?" "How or why did it click for you?" Ok ok so that was three questions but they all relate. I honestly couldn't answer the question on the spot for anyone that has asked. The only thing that came to my mind was that I was so miserable I needed change but then I sat down and watched this week's dvd lesson and ladies this week's word is going to be PEACE and this lesson is what clicked for me...

Let's back up a few years for me... ...so I have always felt a special calling on my life I wish I could explain it but I just have. I was always the one daydreaming in school infact I came up with a different career every year in high school it was funny but I guess I just believed I could be anything I wanted. I also have always been very outspoken about my faith in God. I remember a day in Elementary School when the kids stood around me and tried to get me to say a swear word. They picked on me so badly but I wouldn't give in. Fast forward to a few years ago and all of a sudden my life just became a blur. I went from little miss goody goody to little miss thang who didn't give a crap about anything. It didn't happen overnight but little by little I just hit this funk in life that.... geesh I can't even describe it and I tuly wish I saw it coming. I hit rock bottom I truly did. I was depressed all the time I didn't want to get out of bed, I put on my fake smile for the world but inside I was just screaming. My emotions were just out of control, my eating was out of control, my entire life was just spiraling downward. I was so out of balance but in the midst of it all I still loved Jesus and I cried out to Him asking for help and I would do well for a while and lose like 10 lbs and get my spirtual life back on track and a little bit of my inner joy would surface and then it would slip away from me again and back came the weight plus more and the wrong choices and I was back at square one and this happened a bazillion times. I kept coming across the story in Deutoronomy about the Israelites circling around in the dessert trying to get to the promised land. Just like them I was going around the same obstacles and issues over and over and over and it got very old. I focused on myself and my frustration and couldn't focus on anything but ME. I wanted more out of life there absolutely had to be more than just getting up going to work coming home and going to bed!!!! I wanted my inner joy and PEACE back so badly! I just remember crying out to God surrendering EVERYTHING I wanted the life HE had for me because I was miserable! I wanted to enjoy life, I wanted to find my calling and I wanted more out of life and I was willing to do whatever it took to find it!! The next few months were not easy. I made better choices with my eating and with life in general and it was hard. I lost 10 lbs on my own and I was at that point where I usually end up turning South instead of North and I so so so yearned to go North. I fought hard to turn North!! God brought "Made To Crave' to my life and it has blessed me in so many ways. My inner joy is back I feel like me and I am so ready for victory!! I take one day at a time sometime one hour at a time! I will not give up!! I surrender my life to God everyday because I still have that urge to take control back. I am not where I need to be but I sure ain't where I was and that's a great feeling!! This time is different because my thoughts are different. I'm studying God's word and I can finally understand hungering & thirsting for Him. I'm falling in love with my sweet Savior all over again and it's such a beautiful thing!!

I am excited to tell you that I have lost 30lbs as of today!!!!!! I am so excited!! This has been so much more than weightloss for me though. I regained my life back through God's strength and He is first in my life again and has full control and I love it! These next 30 lbs are going to be tough but I am determined, I am empowered, and I have PEACE that no matter what that scale says I know who I am!!!!!!!!!!!!! I AM A JESUS GIRL!!!

When you are down in the dumps go to the book of Psalm and praise God through your struggles!

David wrote Psalm 143 when he was battling depression. Here is Joyce Meyer's little Life Point I'd like to share:

David's response to his feelings of depression and gloom was not to meditate on his problems. Instead, he literally came against the problem by choosing to remember the good times of past days- pondering the doings of God and the works of His hands (see Psalm 143:5). In other words, he thought about something good, and it helped him overcome his battle of depression. Never forget this: your mind plays an important role in your victory. I know it is the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God that brings victory into our lives. But a large part of the work that needs to be done is for us to line up our thinking with God and His Word. If we refuse to do this or choose to think it is unimportant, we will never experience victory. But we will win if we discipline ourselves to meditate on the good things God has done.

Praise Jesus today ladies! Get off the computer and go spend time with Him! Just sit in silence and let Him speak to your heart.

Believe that you are capable of anything and He has the best plans laid out for your life! Look in that mirror and tell yourself you are not a failure and you are capable of being empowered! God loves you!

Don't you dare give up! Keep pushing through and CHOOSE VICTORY!!!!!

Enjoy this beautiful day & be excited to follow Jesus!!

I'm praying for you!

♥

Pay Attention

I went to wing nite with my girls for the first time in quite a while and had me some wings. (I LOVE LOVE LOVE WINGS) So I planned my day around those wings and I chose unsweetened tea as my choice of beverage. I enjoyed those wings my girlfriends however my belly had a moment of not so great joy and then I was sitting there with regret. I needed to poop out those wings and instead I was graced with gas.  I absolutely should've only ordered 6 wings and that's it then I could've went home and had chocolate or something and I could've avoided that yucky feeling. HOWEVER you live you learn you get through it you plan better next time right !?!?! RIGHT!! I will not hang my head in shame over my choice I will just improve on the next time.

 

So yesterday I wore my cute new turquoise pumps and unfortunately realized I bought the wrong size. I tried on a smaller size at the store and wasn't paying attention and mixed them up therefore when I walked yesterday I just looked clutzy because the things flopped up and down in the back but I'm stubborn and wore them anyway. How often in life do I just not pay attention and/or my stubborness gets in the way? (way too often) In the past I didn't pay attention to my eating habits which caused weight gain, frustration, hating how I looked, etc.. I also wasn't paying attention to my thoughts or my attitude which caused a not so peaceful life. God wants us to have a peaceful life!!!! It is so important to be alert:

 

1 Peter 5:8

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

⁸ Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack.

 

Girlfriends we have to pay attention if we want this great life God has for us! Continue to be in prayer and dig deep into God's word and remember who you are~ a Jesus girl who God loves wholly from head to toe. We were made for this incredible life and to actually enjoy the journey not be in a crabby mood all the time and walk around like Eeyore with our head down staring at the ground. Stand tall, stand proud, love yourself, God created you for AMAZING things GO DO THEM!!! NOW NOW NOW!!

 

PAY ATTENTION!

 

Here's a really great devotional that has a bit to do with this.

I'm praying you all have a wonderful God filled weekend full of fantastic choices!!

♥

 

 by Joyce Meyer - posted April 27, 2012

Watch Your Countenance

And the Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron and his sons, This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them, The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually). —Numbers 6:22-26

Jesus' countenance was changed on the mountain as He was transfigured. Our countenance is simply the way we look. It refers to our face. In the church today we need to be concerned about our countenance. One of the blessings that was pronounced upon God's people was that God's face would shine upon them and that He would lift up His countenance upon them.

When the world looks at us, they need to see something about us that is different from them. They can't read our minds or see into our hearts, so our countenance is the only way we can show them that we have something they do not have but really want and need. I believe that we look better when we worship God. Worship puts a smile on our face. It is very hard to keep a scowl on our face while we are being thankful, praising and worshipping God.

If we regularly do these things, our countenance will carry His presence, not the expression of inner frustration and turmoil. Christians are supposed to be joyful people who walk in love. We must ask ourselves, "Would people know that I am a Christian by looking at my countenance most of the time?"

---

From the book New Day, New You by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2006 by Joyce Meyer. Published by InProv. All rights reserved.

Perserverance

So I am starting the bible study next week & I am so excited!!! I want to share with you an email I just sent to my bible study gals:

Hi Gorgeous Ladies!!

When I knew God was calling me to this study I was determined to pour my heart out no matter what so you may get sick of me until these next several weeks are done.~just sayin'

Right now I'm sitting here at my computer getting ready to do my Jillian Michaels DvD and I'm reflecting on the day. Things didn't go the way I wanted them to go and my emotions were throwing their usual fit and I started complaining allowing my mind to think whatever it wanted when it hit me:

James 1:4

New International Version (NIV)

⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything

per·se·ver·ance

   /ˌpɜrsəˈvɪərəns/ Show Spelled[pur-suh-veer-uhns] Show IPA

noun

1.

steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. → ESPECIALLY IN DIFFICULTIES OR DISCOURAGEMENT!! I was discouraged and Satan absolutely wanted to take advantage of that

2. Theology . continuance in a state of grace to the end → GRACE- a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior ; ummmm HELLO?!?!? Superior is GOD AND HE GAVE ME THE GRACE TO SHUT UP AND STOP THROWING MY FIT!!!!! I need to be persistent because God has wonderful plans for me and I'm not missing out! Heck no I've missed out on too much already! Ladies this journey has been a life changing experience for me! I am FINALLY learning to LOVE life and to stop in my tracks when I'm doing something not pleasing to God! I'm not gonna lie I wanted to continue throwing my fit and complain and have everyone pity me! Right now I would love to sit and just eat instead of working out because in the past when I got discouraged I would just eat eat eat! NOT ANYMORE!! IN THE PAST IS JUST IT~ THE PAST!!!!! Now I am running to God when I'm troubled and I'm getting my endorphins moving pushing out that stress!!

Ladies you can do this!!! I am so excited don't you dare give up yet the journey has just begun!!!!

Praying for you!

♥

Tell People What They Can Become

Well friends the day after my last post I was asking God what it is I'm supposed to do to help the weary. For whatever reason I flipped it to Joel Olsteen's message and I'm going to be honest (Joel if you ever read this please forgive me) this guy seems fake at first sight. Who smiles that much really? HOWEVER if you allow yourself to really get past that judgmental stage you see his heart and his passion for God. This guy was telling me it's my job to tell people what they can become! I suddenly had this overwhelming emotion come over me and right then and there I knew God was telling me to do this bible study! I just started crying... tears of joy, relief, happiness, fear, anxious, etc you name it I felt it!! For a moment or so I sat in front of my computer scared to death to make the facebook post inviting others to join with me in this study. After I hit update I was nervous so so so nervous but I prayed over it and I waited. Within the hour I had three ladies reach out to me so desperate for change and right then I knew I was obeying God and He is so faithful!! I am actually starting the bible study next week in my house and I have 13 ladies ready to roll!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! These women are wonderful beautiful women who just need a push to become all God has for them and little peon me gets to be a part of their journey I am in awe!

***************************

Ok so I'm down 27lbs total and now is where the fun begins..... because I'm starting to become exhausted and I need to keep this up!! I have to continue to keep myself positive by surrounding myself with upbeat people, studying God's word, praying, devotions, etc. I can't do this on my own but with God's strength I sure can!! This weekend is my birthday plus it's Easter so of course I will indulge but I will be smart about it and exercise more and/or cut back at other parts of the day!


I got this!! Well through God I got this!

;)