CRAVINGS

I'm really trying to curb my snack attacks. There are just times when I crave something crunchy and salty or sweet and tasty...hint...chips, cookies.  What is it about a bowl of potato chips with an ice cold glass of R.C. Cola on ice that satisfies me.... for a short time? Or a cookie to grace my hot cup of Earl Grey tea?

I don't want these chips, Cola, or delicious cookies, but my cravings have been winning the war on me losing pounds and inches. 

But no more!  These cravings will be overruled.  The gavel has sounded.

You might be asking, "how, Sharon, will you attempt such a feat? How will you put your foot down on these chill-out, gotta-have cravings of yours?"

Last week, I started an online Bible Study titled "Made to Crave" by author Lysa Terkeurst. She is giving me incentive to stop dragging my 10-pounds-over-the-limit self to the junk food cabinet. Side bar: Albeit, yesterday was a mighty hard day for me. My body was in withdrawal.  I wanted cookies like nobody's business. Oh please! Can't I have just a handful of chocolate too? I did not give in.  I headed to the kitchen to cut up strawberries, kiwi, yellow and red peppers and a handful of nuts on the side. Phew! Victory!   I'm learning to say "no" to my food cravings - managing to take little steps each day.

One of the verses in this study is found in I Corinthians 10:23a (NIV):

"Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial."

Meaning - I can have that junk food if I want, but will it be beneficial to my overall physical health?  This verse is conveniently placed at eye level on my fridge.

A Big Surprise!

Within the pages of the "Made to Crave" book, there is a surprising element.  Lysa says this:

"Is it possible we love and rely on food more than we love and rely on God?"

Say what? I'm relying on food more than on God?  She further says that food was her reward.  Food was her joy.  Food was what she turned to in times of stress, sadness, and even in times of happiness.

Ouch! Toes being stepped on here. I am realizing all to clearly that certain foods are a comfort to me. Hence.....the label of "comfort food."

What's A Girl To Do?

I must realize that my craving snacks is an indication of something going on internally. I'm trying to find comfort in food and not in God. 

Too often I forget to rely on God to ease my troubles and gravitate towards cookies, bad carbs, bad fats and....oh let's just go there -all things starchy and sweet.  I seek a comfort bandage, but always feel disappointed when it's over.

Why do I feel this disappointment?

Because I sought comfort from something other than my God.  I ran to the fridge or pantry instead of running to God.  I think it's me saying "I've got this" or "I can handle this all by myself." When, in fact, I cannot.  Thus, the disappointment, feeling unsatisfied yet again.

The comfort found through his spirit is the only thing that can ease my struggles and stresses.

I'm finding this truth as I walk through my Bible study with "Made to Crave." 

What Needs Changing

My old thought patterns must have a different script.  Instead of saying, "I need these chips. I have to have these chips."  I can write a new script.  How about this: "chips will only taste good for a moment Sharon.  This will put on inches of fat and more pounds."

Running to God for my comfort, writing a new script when I feel the need to find comfort in my pantry, I realize is a process.  I must be intentional each day to make better choices.  

Call To Action

Psalm 34:8 reminds me to let God's Word satisfy the hungry places of my soul: "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man (woman) who takes refuge in Him." (NIV)

THE MISSING INGREDIENT

On Friday night, Bruce decided he wanted to make a pan of cornbread to go with the flavorful chili he had made earlier that day.  I watched as he gathered all of the ingredients to make the best batch of cornbread I have tasted since my grandma's, and that's saying a lot.

With all the ingredients right at his fingertips, he began to measure out the ingredients, filling the bowl, as we engaged in lively conversation.  When unexpectedly he said, "where's the baking powder I just bought? This isn't the right one." I casually responded, "it's right there in front of you Bruce." I wasn't sure why the baking powder in front of him would be any different than the one he had just bought, but who am I to argue with the cornbread-maker.  "No, I need the baking powder that is softer. This is somewhat hardened."  "Oh.....okay" was my why-does-it-matter response - albeit with a little attitude and the rolling of the eyes trick I do. Finally, after searching through the cupboard and pulling everything out, it magically appeared.  Who knew.

Continuing to measure and converse, Bruce somehow managed to forget to add that little bit of baking powder he so frantically was looking for into the mix.  

How did he find that out? When opening the oven, he noticed it wasn't rising to a decent height in the pan and lacked a fluffiness in texture. With one tiny teaspoon of baking powder missing, the result was quite underwhelming.

The Vital Missing Ingredient

Maybe you today feel you are missing a key ingredient in the mixture of your life.  An ingredient that will make all the difference. 

Maybe it's just one change that you need to make that will lead to dramatic growth and improvement in your life.

I found that missing ingredient in my life years ago, but you can find it today.  I believe the vital missing ingredient is Jesus in our life. His Spirit living in us. 

Add to this prayer, meditation on God's Word and serving others and you have a recipe for a vibrant, flourishing Christian life. What an amazing recipe.

Now It's Your Turn

Does life seem bland, not what you imagined it to be, maybe feeling stuck?  Let me encourage you to add the ingredient of Jesus into your recipe of life and watch what happens!   It will not underwhelm you but completely overwhelm, transform and bring a "taste" you never imagined. 

THE CHOICE

Sunday night was the beginning of Season 4 of Downtown Abbey on PBS.  I've been waiting for this since they announced a Season 4.  No car chases or shoot'em up scenes, just pure British drama with amazing characters that hold their own, completely character-driven, which is what I can sink my heart into.

The first hour of the drama focused on Mary coming to grips with Matthew's passing.  It had been six months, and she still was not improving. Enter....the grandmother.

Grandmother to Mary: "You have a straightforward choice to make.  You can choose either death or life."
Mary: "So I should choose life"?

The Old Testament scripture found in Deuteronomy 30:19 also gives us a choice "......I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing.  Therefore, choose life, that you and your offspring may live..."

In contrast, the father had a very different idea of how to handle the grieving Mary.

Father to Grandmother: "She is broken and bruised and it is our job to wrap her up and keep her safe from the world".
Grandmother to Father: "No, Robert! It is our job to bring her back to the world".

I find I prefer the grandmother's way of handling things.  She doesn't back away.  She is focused on relationship.  She wants Mary to heal.  The father's way would keep Mary hidden, sheltered, trying to cover up and never talk about the problem and thus - never healed.

When I faced difficulties last year, the best medicine for me was to talk about it, keep it in the open, let people know what was going on, not to hide away and isolate myself.  The result was a healing for me, an acceptance of what I could not change and mostly....just moving forward, to enjoy living again.

What is your response to difficulties?

Are you like Mary's father? Do you want to hide away, pretend it doesn't exist, refuse to talk about it, keep yourself protected so it won't hurt so much?  Or is your response like the grandmother's?

We each have our own level of difficulties, but I encourage you to choose life today.  Open up and let the son shine in.  Let the fresh breeze of God's spirit blow into those difficult situations.  You don't have to hide anymore.

When you choose life, it is then God's job to bring you back to the land of the living, so let Him!

Think On This

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full".
  

MOVING FORWARD

I love the song by Rick Sanchez "Moving Forward". It speaks volumes to my soul. The chorus is this:

I'm not going back.  I'm moving ahead.  I'm hear to declare to you my past is over.  In You, all things are made new.  I've surrendered my life to Christ, and I'm moving, moving forward.

I'm looking forward to 2014 with great anticipation, eagerness if you will, to what God will do.  I have hopes, dreams, resolutions/committments and steps to take this year to continue to move me forward.

What Hopes Do I Have?

• I have a hope that this year God will provide a job for me to continue my medical transcription at home.
• Hope that my spiritual life with flourish this year.
• Hope that I will finish the book of "Faith Stories" I've started.
• Hope of revival in my family and church.

What Dreams Do I Have?

• My dream is to write devotionals to be published in book form.
• I dream of one day traveling to England.  I've dreamed of doing this for many years.
• I dream of living some place warmer.  This is a very selfish dream I know.
• I dream of helping single moms who need someone to support and care about them.  My oldest daughter is a single mom, so I get it.  

What Resolutions/Committments Do I Have?

• To pray.
• To worship.
• To read God's word.
• To cultivate a heart of thankfulness.
• To be a more intentional Christ follower.
• To listen more and talk less.
• To pay attention to others.

What Steps Will I Take?

• Online Bible studies as well as my own continued devotional time with prayer.
• Sending encouragement cards.
• Making phone calls to those the Holy Spirit places on my heart.
• Inviting women into my home for fellowship.
• Having some "chair time" with God where I listen and He talks.
• Continuing to write every day.

My goal this year is less of me and more of God.

REFUEL. REPLENISH. REFRESH

Traveling from Michigan to Colorado last week was a long journey for my husband and I - 23 hours to be exact - to reach our destination of Avon, Colorado where our daughter and granddaughter live.

Upon entering Illinois on our way towards the mountain state, I noticed the TA Center billboard sign to the left that read "Refuel Replenish Refresh." I immediately thought about this in a spiritual connotation instead of the natural meaning it evoked to weary travelers.

In this spiritual journey, though, are we sometimes weary travelers too?  

How do we:

REFUEL
We probably check our fuel gauge in our car every time we drive. It's a habit that we cultivate.  The TA advertisement is aware of this too. Are we conscious, though, about checking our spiritual fuel tank?  We can get busy with doing life that we forget.  We need to remind ourselves that God designed us to function on the fuel of His truth filling our heart and mind. So let's refuel today.  If we want to live a life of power, we will need to be refueled by God's truth every day. Read Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16.  The question is this: How full is our spiritual fuel tank with God's truth?

REPLENISH
Websters has several meanings of the word "replenish".  One meaning is to "fill or build up (something) again".  With respect to the TA advertisement, I'm sure their meaning to replenish is to fill up or build up our depleting energy from traveling by eating some food or drinking something hot or cold.  How often do we as spirit people replenish ourselves?  Rebuild our spiritual energy? Do we nourish ourselves with inspiration through prayer, through reading God's Word or through worship?  How often do we stock up on the good things of God? Do we realize, as Christ followers, that we have the resources of heaven to use?  Let's replenish ourselves with the resources that Heaven offers: Faith. Hope. Love. Abundance. Deliverance. Healing. Forgiveness. Prayer. Worship, and so much more.

REFRESH
In stopping at the TA service center, I felt refreshed just getting out of the car and walking around, a change of pace so to speak, feeling the cool winter breeze on my face and taking a deep breath of fresh air. But what does spiritual refreshment look like? In Acts 3:19 Paul exhorts the listeners to repent and respond to the gospel so that "times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord". As believers, we can experience a time of refreshing by quieting our hearts in a devotional time of prayer, Bible reading, and through worship. We can spend time alone with God - listening more and talking less.  Through these, we can experience his peace and joy which will refresh our spirit.  When we draw near to God, our minds are refreshed, our strength renewed.  We will "mount up with wings as eagles.  We will run and not be weary" - Isaiah 40:31.

THE PLAN
Let's make a plan for personal Bible study this year to be refueled by God's truth, to replenish ourselves with faith, hope, love and build up our spiritual energy, and to refresh ourselves by spending time alone with God not just talking but listening.