Much of today’s post will be written by YOU in the comments! I hope you are ready to join in! 🙂
First, put on your holy imagination! Pretend we are on a picnic in the middle of nowhere…enjoying a crystal clear blue sky, the music of the meadowlark, the clouds drifting lazily by, and the majestic mountains in the distance. My living room wasn’t available this week!
Yes, I captured this week’s “group session”–our first for our study of Healthy Eating and Abundant Living–while on the road trip with my son! I was thinking of you non-stop as I drove over 4000 miles and so when I saw this view and the relatively quiet opportunity to record some thoughts roadside, I grabbed it!
So, please get your bible. Open to Psalm 139 because we will read it together! Just like we would in person! (If you are an email subscriber, you may have to visit the blog in order to view the video.) – In time, I hope to get better about lighting and all. For now, just know I was TOTALLY enraptured by the joy of being in that beautiful place, imagining you all with me and reading this glorious Psalm!
Are you beginning to believe what God says about you yet? That you are fearfully and wonderfully made? 🙂
If we were sitting together…all of us…on a lovely picnic blanket under the azure sky, I would ask you the questions in our books:
- What does “wonderfully made” mean to you?
And just because I am a maverick, I might also ask:
- What does being “fearfully made” mean to you?
This blog and website has been a wonderful place for many of us to share in ways we don’t often with people face-to-face. But in person, I would ask a challenging question, suggested, again, by the authors of our book:
- In what areas of your life have you been living in the dark?
Some of us are giving in to tickling the back of our throats again…
Others of us are using laxatives in order to move the (usually large quantity of) food through our systems quicker so as not to absorb it.
Some of us may be “riding the zero”…more than we know God would have us.
We hide our eating by sneaking fast food in the car and then coming home and having dinner with the family as if we haven’t just had a full meal.
Or it might be another way completely.
Jesus tells us in John 8:32 that knowing the truth sets us free and, although he was talking about his teaching specifically, there IS a principle that we can draw from this verse…and it is that running from truth or hiding from truth is not the way to freedom. Facing IN to truth is.
Here is another thought…your truth…is with a little “t.” What if you were to let God TRUMP your little “t” truth with His BIG “T” TRUTH? Your truth may be true (then again, it may not be), but God’s Truth supersedes and overrides and commands all other little “t” truth.
What do you think?
- What scares you about living in the light?
- Have you hidden your struggles with food and your body from God and others?
Have you visited the Accountability page here? Do you have a prayer/accountability partner yet? How is that going? What can I do to help you with that so that you no longer feel the need to hide, but have someone that is praying you through and that you can support, too.
One of the amazing things in God’s Word is the principle that when we minister to others, our *own* healing takes wing! We experience healing in deep places in our lives when we support, encourage, and minister to others (see Isaiah 58:8-12). Connect with someone and give it a try!
- What are your thoughts about being knit together, stitch by stitch, in your mother’s womb? What does that say to you about the God you serve?
- How can we pray for you in the week ahead?
Get your typing fingers going and chip in below! 🙂 I love seeing you minister to one another!
Good Morning! Wonderfully for me, means He is the Best Artist ever and all His creations are Magnificient! Fearfully means He took great consideration of what He wanted me to look like.
I hear you, Aretha. As I was traveling over 4121 road miles during the past 12 days, I saw AMAZING countryside…and as much as I was in awe of the towering Tetons, or the mysterious Bear Tooth Mountains, or the unique way the desert spanned before us (with mineral deposits that made it look white!)…I realized…God has made me just as fearfully and wonderfully as any of these amazing sites that I am awestruck by! I am moved to tears at the site of a mountain ridge, but what about at what he has done in making my body, my mind, my heart that loves him and wants to grow closer to him? And in others…my kids, my husband, my friends…all the church folks I know (including any that seem so hard to love!)? What about them? They are fearfully and wonderfully made, too!
By the way this is Aretha my new underdeveloped blog is called Sistasmile
One of the ways I have been living in the dark is, I eat privately while no one is looking. I will sit at the table with my husband and eat a little then go to the stove and put more on my plate and eat it quickly. I hold onto comments made by people I work with a little too long and have to constantly say to God and myself the conversation is over people are all different and we do not think the same therefore I have to forgive the mode of thought and get my focus onto God and what He says about me. and not take all things personal. I am going to create a Godlist for myself. What scares me about living in the light is not having total control over my life! (Do I have control anyway? I realize I have been walking with God for many years, however I DO NOT know what total Surrender is. This week I have been focusing on surrender even in what I may call a small thing. Looking forward to connecting. I am on the east coast this week hence the early, wordy response. Excited about Heal!
Thank you, Aretha, for sharing this. I applaud your courage! I am following your blog, too! 🙂 I will be eager to hear how the God List blesses and encourages you. Surrender is challenging…that’s for sure. I think that surrender in the small things trains us for surrender in the large. So this is HUGE! 🙂
Is this the Aretha from the TWLinda’s Thin Within group?
Linda
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hi Linda!!
Aretha!! It’s so nice to meet up with you again! Last time we talked you were moving! How did that go? Hope all is well with you.
Linda
Thanks Heidi-
Here goes…
Wonderfully made: not just thrown together as an afterthought, Like I might do if I volunteered to bring something to a potluck, then forgot. I just made a beautiful flower arrangement for a dear friend. Her husband came in to the shop to order it and as I made it I was thinking of her, what she loves, what would make her heart skip a beat. The end product was wonderfully made because I know her so well and put my love into the creation.
Fearfully Made: This one has always stumped me. What is the difference between fearful and afraid? I am looking forward to hearing others views on this one.
Living in the dark: Sharing my struggles with my prayer group. Admitting I use food and alcohol to relax instead of letting God soothe my anxiety or even bring him into my celebrations. Not to the extent I used to…but isn’t that hiding too, comparing my then and nows when I know I think about it way too often?
Living in the light: What scares me is no safety net of my own. No tangible plan to get me out of the situation emotionally besides relying on God and I can’t hold him in my hand or taste him in my mouth…or can I? I think a truth/lie journal exercise may be in order for this one…
Hidden my struggles? Yes. I am not really overweight( 5 or 10 lbs, I think, The Lord and I are still working on that one), so I either don’t talk about it around my friends who have struggled with more weight to lose than me or I feel like I have nothing to complain or be obsessed about yet I have battled it most my adult life. I have gained and lost the same 30 lbs a dozen times, I have beaten my body with bulimia, all kinds of pills and diets, including extreme clean raw eating and never found the peace I need. But somehow all those things I did myself and stopped myself. Now I need prayer to talk about the heart issues, the self absorption, and the fear of letting my plan go and really taking God at his word that I am wonderfully made and I can finally relax in his love. I feel like I have been trying so hard to finally relax and I never really had to try hard at all, just let go.
Accountability partner….on my way there now…..God list…starting today…..Praying for all of you??? check!
I LOVE the illustration of the flower arrangement. The love and care that you took in making it for your friend…yes! I know that God has done the same with each of us! What a great way of thinking of “wonderfully made!”
I am eager to hear what others have to say about “fearfully made.”
Wow…great insights. Thank you for your courage and vulnerability in sharing with us.
Lord, we lift up Michelle. You see her heart. Her heart wants to be willing to break free from abusing her body. She wants to deal with the underlying heart issues that keep her imprisoned, Lord. Thank you for her courage and her soft heart to you. I pray that she will rest in your love, Lord. May she fall back into your embrace.
Hi Michelle
I just wanted to let you know I really related to your post. I liked the reference to the love God put into creating us with the love you put into creating the flowers for your friend. Made me smile!
I was stumped on the Fearfully Made thing also, but then I looked up fearful in my dictionary app. One definition was “full of awe or reverence”. So I am thinking that being fearfully made would be for me to have respect for the awesome person God created me to be.
Linda
Hi Michelle
This is the 3rd time I am trying to reply to your post! Not sure what the problem is…. Anyway, Just wanted to tell you that I really relate to what you wrote and that I loved the connection you made w/ how God created us to how you created a flower arrangement for a friend you love. Just beautiful!
Linda
Thank you Linda! I see your post now, and I so appreciate the prayers 🙂
Hi Heidi, what scares me about living in the light is coming out of my denial and facing some deep painful truths I have been holding down with emotional eating. I am looking at John 8:32 in a new way this morning. Thank you!
So glad, Shelly! I have a lot of *new* pain in my life. It is more intense than any in my adult life. It is a challenge for me. I totally identify with what you are saying. I need to step out of denial “This doesn’t hurt that much” and let it out. It hurts like crazy and it could bury me if I am not diligent. Thanks for ministering to me by your admission.
I’m really touched/humbled/brought to my knees by Psalm 139:16 “your eyes saw my unformed body.” God knows who and what I REALLY am. He saw me before I had a body and “all the days ordained for me were written in (His) book before one of them came to be.” He sees me before my body was formed and He sees beyond my having this body. I’m NOT defined by my physical body. I’m so much more than that, and He sees that and knows that and loves me. And He created us in HIS image and blessed us. Wow.
Eternity is not something that starts “later” when my spirit no longer inhabits this body. Eternity is right NOW, living this moment with God.
Beautifully said!
Wow! Amen! Great stuff!
Wow, mk. Awesome the way you have worded this–in a way that really affects me. Yes…I *am* so much more than my body. I am NOT defined by my physical body. Thank you for the reminders.
What an AWSOME FATHER GOD IN HEAVEN WE SERVE! …SO BEAUTIFUL here today in the Bitter Root Valley MT. We love looking up into the snow caped mountains. God’s creations is awesome! He has so fearfully and wonderfully made me…I am praising him for all the wonderful things he has made and my body. I have eyes to see his creation, his beauty and majesty. My mouth to praise him with and my hands to lift up to heaven and worship him with, to give thanks for all his goodness. I am so thank full to be alive and well. I get to use this body for his glory and to worship him with. Keeping the Temple of the Holy Spirit healthy and putting good tasty foods into my stomach when only hungry and stop when satisfied. Keeping my focus on Jesus and who I am in him. Not what the WORLD tells me I’m to be or look like or sound like…God’s way is peace filled and His burden is light…NO more heavy burdens to carry…Like Sparking all the time and weighing on the scale all the time…. I think that I am going to go back to not weighing every day and weekly. I do go up and down a pound at times, but that is just water weight from salt or whatever kind of food I ate the day before… I find that I have MORE PEACE when I stay OFF the SCALE!!! I am going to try and do with out weighing for the rest of the month. Just now confessing that I felt my flesh rear up! MY flesh has to DIE to SELF! Keeping my focus on God’s word PSALM 139 for this day and week. Amen. God blessings and grace be with us all today. In Jesus name, amen. 🙂
Jamie…was I close to you when I traveled around Montana this week? I was in Augusta, Helena, and Livingston. You live in an amazing state. Yes…thank you for sharing your praises here. As I read your words, I am praising my GOD and KING too! Amen.
Yes Heidi, we are 2 1/2 hr from Helena. My sister and her family live there. My husband and I moved up to Hamilton 8 months ago. If you are ever up this way again we would love to meet you and visit. We love to host people. God bless you. : )
I so appreciate everyone who has posted. It is great to be in this community.
Wonderfully – God doesn’t make mistakes. This is what I journaled that day of the HEAL study. “It is a miracle and is amazing that the Lord creates such a complex and functional body and mind. It is wonderful (astonishing) to be made in His image and at the same time He created us to wonder at Him and His Word. “
Fearfully – a year or 2 ago, I was trying to understand the use of fear in the Bible. So I looked up the definition of “fear” and one of them is “reverential awe”. Oh, now it made sense! We should have reverential awe toward Him and His creations , including our bodies. When we think about how the human body works, we should be in awe. When we think about how complex our emotions, thoughts, and brains are, it is almost unfathomable. Literally Awesome, right? And we were created to have reverential awe toward Him. That’s how I see “fearfully.”
In the dark? My biggest struggle before finishing the previous bible study was eating after dinner while my husband took the kids upstairs for bed. Often it was accompanied with a glass of wine – that doesn’t help with discernment of hunger. Once I committed to my secondary boundary of sitting at the table and decided to stop the wine for a season, I don’t hide in this much anymore. The desire is either gone or much less strong, and if it is strong, then I almost always pray my was through. Except on rare occasions now, the Lord is strength in my weakness.
Fears of the light – previously it was – if this “works” I don’t really want to give up my control over food for the rest of my life. Maybe I don’t want to listen to my body and just want what I want. Now, I am so thankful for the peace and freedom that lies between the boundaries.
Do I hide my struggles? – not really – I have not been able to find any of my friends who can really relate, but I have told a few friends about it because I want to led them to Barb’s Renewing of the Mind bible study – we all have “issues” often about control, but they can manifest in different ways. So, I’ve shared my story to help friends who struggle with control, anxiety, disappointment, etc.
I love the image of being knit together, but what really moved me in this psalm is that You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Wow – the majestic Creator’s hand on me! And he is behind and before leading my way, protecting me, providing for me. Awesome!
Praying for us all.
I, too, appreciate the great participation!
A friend of mine recently shared how God answered her prayer that she would understand the “fear” of God. She has long understood God’s grace, but didn’t understand “fear.” Her 90 something year old mom–with whom she shared a special bond–became ill suddenly and her prognosis was not good. She had aggressive cancer and within two weeks, she was near the end of her life. A friend who has been with people near the end of their lives, shared with my friend that she could watch the vein on her mom’s neck…it was pronounced and right before she left her earthly “tent”, the visible beating in that vein would slow and stop. The family gathered round after singing hymns with their beloved mom and grandma. During the last moments, sure enough, my friend saw the little bump that indicated the heart was still pumping blood through that vein…slow…and stop. Her mom passed peacefully and instantly, my friend was filled with an awareness as never before…that I AM was showing her that he has the power instantly over life and death. He gives, he takes away. He is good, he is powerful…and she sensed his voice impress upon her heart “THIS is the awe of God…to know ME as the one who gives life and takes it away.”
Wonderfully Made – If I really think about my body, how it functions, how I can walk, talk, see, ect… It really is wonderfully made. I may never look like a supermodel, but God created me – he wove me together, wonderfully made. Again, it’s the focus- am I going to be thinking about what I wish I looked like, or am I going to be focused on the awesomeness that God created?
Living in the dark and hiding my struggles go hand in hand with me. Only my daughter knows I USED to binge ( haven’t this whole week!!) but she really doesn’t know the extent of it. No one else knows- except you gals here. I binged big time mostly at night, when hubby went to bed. In fact, I couldn’t wait for him to go to bed before me so I could run into the kitchen and eat all the things I deprived my self of during the day. I always binged in secret, and since I used dieting to keep my weight down, no one ever knew. Or at least I thought so until I read Psalm 139….. God saw me… he knew what I was going to do even before my husband went up to bed. Yikes…. That kinda scares me that the Lord was watching me stuff my face. 🙁
Living in the Light doesn’t scare me, but it does mean that I have to repent from binge eating- Psalm 139:23-24 is going to be written in my journal and said as a prayer every day ” Search me, O God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting”. I can trust that the Lord will lead me, helping me to live in the light with him so I no longer desire to live in the darkness.
Wow…you are amazingly courageous, Linda. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I know you have ministered to others and the truth sets us free!
I know in my head that I am fearfully and wonderfuly made, but not sure it has worked its way to my heart yet. I know he loves me just the way I am, but I also know that he loves me too much to leave me there. I have a lot of problems with stress and anxiety partly due to my fibromyalgia and partly due to being a worrier. I love God so very much and it is through my battle with chronic pain that I have grown ever closer to him. That is why I feel so bad when I mess up over and over again and can’t help but feel he must be disappointed in me. Perhaps therein lies the problem- I am just too wrapped up in me and not enough in God. But I will continue to work on following God’s boundaries of 0 to 5 and truly enjoying the food he has given me and always with a heart of gratitude.
And Sue…I would highly recommend the God List (see yesterday’s post) and the Praise Fest. We can’t let God down because we don’t hold him up. He knows we are but dust. Romans 5:8 says that he demonstrated his own love for us in this that while we were YET sinners CHrist died for us. I think we hold our sin against us more than he does. I personally think I do that because of my…hate to say it… pride. Yikes!
Hi everyone. This is cool! I had to copy and paste the questions. Lol!! Long day at work and tomorrow will be longer still!
What does “wonderfully made” mean to you?
I love the Hebrew meaning for this word. Here’s what God thinks..”.To be singular,extraordinary,miraculous, astonishing and wonderful. He is the subject. He does things which are beyond the bounds of human powers and expectations. We are clearcut exhibitions of His capable care ”
I am singular, one of a kind. He broke the mold with me as He did with each of us. I am extraordinary, which means it is ok to be me, to like what I like , to have the gifts I have. I no longer have to compare myself, therefore to anyone else. How can I? I’m one of a kind and there’s no one else to compare to. Miraculous , astonishing, wonderful. sometimes, I can believe that when I haven’t failed. But when I’m not succeeding in some way, I feel like pond scum and I have to bring it to Him so He can tell me again, what was on HIs mind when He created me, and how In all things ( that includes, mistakes, rebellious moments, and fearful ones where I know I miss HIs mark for me ) He is able and willing and does, somehow weave it all in for my good.! Sigh! He is the coolest!
What does being “fearfully made” mean to you?
This word in Hebrew has two meanings, ( I hope you don’t mind my sharing these things with you. They bless my socks off into next week and really add to my studies of the word) the first meaning is the one we are all familiar with, at least I am “The emotion and intellectual anticipation of harm, what one feels may go wrong with him” I live with this one daily. In fact, a stronghold with this kind of fear kept me from being able to use the Thin Within principles for almost 13 years!!! Feb. 28th He broke it!!
. The other meaning has already been shared by someone else..”A very positive feeling of awe and reverence for God which may be expressed in piety or formal worship” I have not graduated yet to feeling that way about my body. Losing 85 pounds at 60 after yo yoing for years, has left a lot of….well….things don’t ….it’s all heading towards the floor. folks!!!LOL!!l I told Him I didn’t think that was very fair. I’m finally thin enough to wear all this great clothing..and it just doesn’t look right!!LOL!!! He laughed and took me to 2nd Corinthians to remind me He had a new “house” waiting for me in heaven that couldn’t even be compared to this one.Some things I just needed to accept, Growing older is one of them. I’m not there yet but we are working on it.The thing I do see, is, that I am on no medications at this time nor any physical limitations ( which is good cause I lift 50 pound boxes at work).
In what areas of your life have you been living in the dark?
If I know someone, like my husband , is going to be angry with something I have done, I won’t tell him. Fear…my biggest area of weakness. I’m not as bad as I used to be but it’s still a hassle for me. Back in the day I secretly took food to my bedroom to eat it when no one was looking and often waited till everyone was asleep before hitting the fridge, I worked in a 7-11 and brought home the stuff that didn’t sell at closing, and often, no one else ever saw it.
What scares you about living in the light?
It doesn’t scare me. He is Light. He is the most non judgmental being I know beneath the cross. To the ones who reject Him it’s a different story. I am a visual person. I live in a magical place inside the environs of Kansas City Mo. I have a creek I walk, and woods, and all the things I loved as a child playing outside. In light, are all the colors of the rainbow, and I’m an artist who LOVES color. I am a cake decorator and surrounded by color all day long. So…light is pretty special to me.
Have you hidden your struggles with food and your body from God and others?
Not for a long time. For the last three years I’ve been using the Kay Sheppard Food addicts Anonymous plan. took off the rest of my weight. But everyone knew. I had to make and bring my food, weighed and measured , everywhere with me. This up coming vacation would have been a night mare. The Lord knew what our financial situation would be and the vacation, when he broke the back of that stronghold. Our grocery bill is cut in half with thin within. Course, my freezer is awfully full ( and it’s not very big). It’s going to be a while till I learn how to cook for this lifeway! LOL!!
What are your thoughts about being knit together, stitch by stitch, in your mother’s womb?
I was a premie. Back in the 50’s. I lived. My little brother, Frank, never saw the light of day before he saw the face of Jesus. I am a miracle in many ways. But it means my life has a purpose, His purpose, and I now have the fun of finding out what that purpose is, buried in the heart of the child I was. I am having a blast with it because one of the benefits of being 60 is not caring as much what people think anymore. It’s ok to be me.
What does that say to you about the God you serve?
THAT HE HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR!!!!! Lol! He really does. He likes to laugh and play is important to him. In Proverbs 8 where God is sharing with us the awesomeness of His wisdom. It states in vs 30b and 31 ( wisdom is talking here) “I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, Rejoicing in the world, His earth, and having my delight in the sons of men” The word for ‘rejoicing’ means playing, playing!!! I love it. The heart of a playful, trusting child. That is just cool beans to me! ( Yes I am a child of the 60’s)
How can we pray for you in the week ahead?
It’s graduation time. Tomorrow is already a night mare with so many orders and more will come in tonight. they won’t stop orders., The problem is we can’t keep up with them, and get behind and that does’t sit well with the customers. I pray in; the morning as I arrange them in the times they are scheduled for, for the Lord to help me put them in the order of the ones who will come. Some order a cake for 12 and come in at 5. Some order for 12 and come in at 11:30. I’m scared and anxious. I have a hard time turning this over. This will occur for the next 3 weekends. And during the week, it’s not much better because this is a grocery store that runs specials and when I have to focus on that, I don’t get my weekend back up done. Which happened this week. I ask the Lord for Him to help the people buy tonight what I have back up for and not buy the other stuff till sunday, Lol!!! We don’t have enough workers. They know it.They don’t have the money to hire anyone else. I need to be satisfied with what I do get done and not always look at what I don’t. they love me there. I work hard, don’t talk on the cell phone, or stand around talking to the others not doing my work. And… my life, compared to most of my co-workers , is quiet , without drama.
I so wanted to do something else when we moved here two years ago for my husband to follow his dream of being in a southern gospel quartet., I have been decorating for 23 years. I wanted to do something else, but He put me here after 3 months of searching for work. It does provide great insurance for my husband and I ( it’s a union shop, not what I wanted either) but His ways are not my ways. There is a reason,. ONLY He knows it!!LOL!! But that’s ok. I can’t think of a better person to hold my life in His hands,.
As you can tell, I am also a writer. I hope you don’t mind my wordiness. It won’t be this way every time. I don’t think. Just tonight. Thanks for bearing with me.
hugs to all who need them
don’t quit before your miracle,
Red ( my nickname cause of the color of my hair)
Thanks for bringing in the Hebrew meanings. I love doing word studies like that, Joan. It really helps to flesh things out! I appreciate your comments about age…a lot, too. I love the way you shared about cake decorating and artistry and color relative to the fact that God is light. LOVE that! I also appreciate that you are finding freedom at the age you currently live. That is AWESOME! I loved reading each word, too. Thanks, Joan!
Heidi, just wanted to let you know I really enjoyed our group time! That was so much fun! I am praying for you and all of the people in this group!
Thanks, Linda. Me, too!
Hi, this is my first day on this blog. I have been devouring it. I don’t have the book, but I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I have read. I have been meditating on being fearfully and wonderfully made. I love the definition given earlier of fear “reverent awe”. I have always struggled with understanding the fearfully made part. Now I have a new perspective. Thank You.
My darkness has been binge eating, secret eating and drinking diet sodas obsessively. I look forward to continuing this study with all of you.
Hi, Janet. WELCOME! I am so glad you found us. Thanks for diving in right away! God is doing a NEW thing in you right now! 🙂
Hello everyone, I have enjoyed reading everyone’s post. I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to keep up with, but I’ll try. As you can tell, I’m late at checking in….it’s been a long day. I just graduated from community college with 2 degrees and a certificate…..plus I have other family members graduating on Sunday from high school, so it is a busy weekend. I just got my book yesterday but only got to read the forward. I had followed the ThinWithin eating lifestyle years ago but when life hit hard I feel back into old habits and need a refresher! I am eager to focus on God and His plan for me and to let God have control over my life.
Being wonderfully made-God has created me with great specific details that was is one of a kind.
Living in the dark-oh, where do I begin…..I have so many excuses for NOT eating right-I pick and snack all through the day and claim, ‘well it’s my crazy schedule, I’ll start eating right when I can focus on it’
Living in the light–what scares me is letting others see how out of control my life really is and then asking for help AND having a accountability partner!
Hiding my struggles-I eat on the run, fast food, and then throw the evidence away before I get home so no one will know. The thing I don’t understand is how does one hide their struggles from God, He knows all and sees my struggles?
Miracle of being knit in the womb-I’m speechless, only a Creator could create a being that is so complex and beautiful!
My prayer needs are to give God control, to let go of My desires, My wants, and to allow God to into those areas of my life that I think I have under control but are areas that I need to release to Him.
I am really late checking in. I was on a school field trip with my nine yr old yesterday and than had about ten thirteen yr olds over for another son’s birthday last night…and four of them stayed overnight..I am taking a moment to check in. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I have been reflecting on that and saying it to my kids this week…telling them that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. It helps to state it out loud. It helps to combat the thought that I feel fat and ugly. And, know that God has a purpose for my life. Another thought that has come to mind this week is that if I am God’s creation..I need to quit abusing my body with excess food. I have also zoned in on focus this week….I need to focus on the new thing God is doing not think of myself as an overeater. I need to bring into light that I run to food the moment something stresses me out…my daughter had fever…I run to the cupboard to grab something to soothe me rather than believe that God is in control. I do what my flesh wants instead of my spirit. I want to commit to eating within 0-5 this week. I have been on a binge /starve cycle. I do better when I don’t eat…once I start eating I have a hard time stopping. I do want to incorporate a one day fast a week into this program but have not been able to give up food for a whole 24 hours. Just a few thoughts and now have to deal with my children…Hope you all have a great day in the Lord
My husband and I are leaving for Frankenmuth, Michigan tomorrow morning for a little vacation and will return home sometime next Friday so I will not have access to a computer, but I have my HEAL book and of course my bible with me so will be keeping up.
Great! Have fun!
Hey, Chickens!!
Sorry to be so late contributing . . . sick husband. 🙁 He’s much better now!
Being “fearfully and wonderful made” means for me being ready to agree with God that the way my body is fashioned is NOT a mistake AND that there is nothing I can DO to my bod or with my bod that will “mess up” HIS handiwork–this is very freeing! I am free to punch the “reset” button at any time–I just have to CHOOSE. I can believe that I AM BEAUTIFUL in God’s sight. 🙂
Also, it takes my body OUT of the realm of “belonging to me.” If I am made by GOD, HE has ownership over me, so I’m not free to feel like I can diet or overeat or anything else I decide–I am NOT my own. So much of my eating or NOT eating has been driving by the lie that I belong to myself, so it is up to ME to “fix” myself. This thinking has led me to TONS of bondage in my life, and not just to food, but to people, image, STUFF–you name it.
I am excited to do this study, and experience what God has for me. I appreciate all the comments–this is great! Already, the Holy Spirit has spoken to my heart a couple of times at the point of FOOD DECISION. 🙂 Yesterday, for example, when my sweetie was sick, I wanted to eat simply because I was sad for him–I just wanted to feel better . . . NOT a reason to eat, of course, and I chose to “sit” with the SAD and wait for hunger. VICTORY!!
Thanks, Heidi, for leading us in this study!! 🙂