Transformation Tuesday: Claim Your Inner Prophet

posted in: weight loss | 1

Transformation Tuesday

Its another Tuesday.  Thankfully the scale is moving again – but more importantly than the scale are the NSVs this week (non-scale victories).  I can finally comfortably fit back in my favorite Bass pencil skirt and will be wearing it for a photo shoot next week – and my jeans are too big. Those are both happy things in my closet!

Disclaimer on the pictures above: I love all three of these girls and these weddings were precious to me.  But, now all these years later, and I can wear the black dress (the one on the left) again.  I love that dress!

This week I want to talk about talking to yourself.  Every week I pass another church on the way to our church.  This “church” is a denomination that clearly doesn’t believe the Gospel – but their signs always peak my interest.  When I say the sign that said “Claim Your Inner Prophet” I thought it was so true.

A Prophet is one (in the Bible) who claimed to hear the voice of God for a particular people.  If he was a true phophet then those things would come true.  There were definitely many false prophets.  Well, here is how that applies:

You are a prophet in a way.  The Bible, God’s very true word, was given to you (and me) to know God’s truth and claim it.  Every promise of God is yes to us in Christ Jesus.  The Bible stands true 2000 years ago and will stand true in 100 years and stands true today.  So, if you know the truth – then the truth will set you free.

Set you free from what?

From standing in front of the mirror saying how much you hate your body, your stretch marks, your pooch, your bottom, your double chin, the fact that you don’t have a thigh gap, your calves, your rolls of fat, your slouchy chest because you’ve breast fed 5 kids or you are just aging.

From walking through malls and declaring how you’ll never measure up to the models and the mannequins and the size 0 dresses that are hanging in the store fronts.

From bingeing because a relationship just went down the tubes, or your parenting has been less than stellar that day, or you got in an argument with your spouse, or even you favorite tv show didn’t end the way you wanted to.

From being lazy because you really should go for a walk but you just don’t want to because its not the perfect temperature, or you have nothing clean to wear, or what good is a walk going to do me anyway.

From being tied to that scale number.  And if it goes up you have a bad day or your binge or you don’t eat.  And if it goes down you are on cloud 9 and you could leap tall buildings and run a marathon – or get that date.

From the belief that your marital status is because of what size you wear.  That no one will ever love you unless you are a certain size or weigh a certain number.

All of these things are lies.  Pure lies.

There is being healthy – living in God’s body the way He designed you to, and not being obese, or putting insane amounts of unhealthy foods in your mouth at one time.  There is exercising and eating right because God has not called us to be laze or gluttonous.

“Finally, brother, whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable…if there is anything worthy of praise, think (and do) about these things.”

Philippians 4:8

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought with a price – so glorify God in your body.”

 1 Corinthians 6.19-20

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

Psalm 150.6

“Why are you cast down, o my Soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?  Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

Psalm 42.5

These are just a few of the verses that your inner prophet can claim – and live and walk and abide and eat and exercise in truth.

Jeans come and go.  Abs come and go.  Brownies and ice cream come and go.  Organic green smoothies come and go.  But the Word of the Lord stands forever.

I’ve struggled with all of these.  YES.  For a really long time.  And God is breaking me of bondage to sin on a daily basis.  Know that the grace of God is bigger than anything that you face in life.

Glory and Grace: Philippians 1:6

posted in: Bible | 0

Glory and Grace Philippians 1:6I’m humming an oldie Christian song in my head that is the base of Philippians 1:6.  This is one of those verses that are claimed and sometimes used out of context.

Philippians 1:6 NLT

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Philippians is truly a book about pursuing forward: running hard after Jesus: looking more like Him.  This “work” that God the Father began in you (if you are a believer in His Son Jesus Christ as your Savior) – HE, and HE alone will be faithful to bring it to completion.  Your life, at the end of it, will look like what God wants it to.  He is the author and perfecter of your faith.  He will make you to look like his Son.

And I heard a pastor say one time that Jesus was the “most gladder” person in the world.  Don’t you want to be glad?  Soak in the sanctifying process that God has you on.  Its a hard journey, a fun journey, and an ever-changing journey.

So be it.

Exercising HumDrums

posted in: weight loss | 2

Being almost 9 months pregnant (yes, pregnancy is really ten months for those who are wondering – or 40 weeks)…may not be the best time to think about your weight loss goals – but I’ve got a lot of them coming up in the next year, so get ready.

One of the new changes to this blog will be one day a week – hopefully – a fitness/living well update.  We have already started to make some eating changes and that is fun and challenging and teaches me new ways to be creative in the kitchen (though today I’m making strawberry cupcakes – don’t worry – they are for someone else).  But, I know that in a marathon race to lose 110 lbs (by the end of this pregnancy and down to where I want to be and where I have been) – I’ve gotta cook, eat, and exercise creatively.

We don’t have money for a gym membership right now – nor do I have time to go do that with (soon) two boys under 14 months.  But, here are some ways you can beat the exercise humdrums and shed those pounds, meet those goals, or just tone up!

1.  Set goals.  This was the biggest thing for me in my past weight loss journeys.  I had to set small attainable goals.  I did Weight Watchers and met lifetime during my almost 3 years in Louisville.  These must be small.  For me…the best goal is travel.  I go places and want to see people and take pictures.  So, I want to look the best I possibly can at that time.  So, I pick out clothes, a goal weight for that trip – and set my mind to it!

2.  Believe that you can do it.  If you don’t believe you can do it – no amount of influence from others will help you.  You have to do this because you want to.  However you need to encourage yourself – do it!

3.  Have encouragement buddies.  I began running during my time in Louisville.  I had several friends who were great encouragers to me in my losing weight and running journey.  My husband will be my biggest fan.  He wants me to be healthy – and after having two babies in two years of marriage is not the best recipe to stay healthy!

4.  Don’t be a slave to the scale.  Someone in Louisville asked me one time not to weigh – because the number on the scale had become an idol to me.  She was right.  Whatever the number on the scale said in the morning affected how I felt about myself that day, what I ate, and how much I exercised.  Nothing else seemed to matter.  You are more than a number on a scale.  The numbers can be a good indicator of your overall health, but not the only thing.  Have those jeans that you long to wear – hanging where you can see them – so that might deter you from eating that second cookie.

5.  Perservere.  I’ve lost almost 70 lbs before.  I know I love my clothes, style, accessories, and how I feel and look when I get to my goal weight.  I know 110 lbs is not going to be easy.  But, I have all of 2014 (and after S is born, the rest of 2013) to get to it.  It’s a marathon.  Go do it – be creative.  Get out and do new things.  I can’t wait to be healthy enough to go running again – and hike Pinnacle Mountain with my husband and boys in tow.

Maybe the book I’ve started writing about the gospel and food will eventually get written.  It is a matter very important to my heart (and my body).