Food = Sin? Yep, it was for me!

For so many people they do not put food in the sin category – thinking “God gave us food to live”.  That is true, but food is being abused by a majority of the population in this world now a days.  God did not give us all the pesticides and addictive chemicals and additives that keep people coming back for more and more and more!  Sin came into this world and then the food abuse started!  The path we are on today is proving to be very deadly, everyone wants everything fast, easy and fun!  We are killing ourselves and making excuse after excuse why we think we aren’t.  People have lost the desire for self-control and normal size portions of really anything – everything is bigger and better.  We are only going to live like that for so long.  What choices you are making will catch up with you.  So many people are sick with a myriad of things from allergies to cancer.  Yet most people will not admit that food could be a part of it - causing the problems or help with healing the problems.  Most people want the quick fix and don’t want to wait to let real foods and real food supplements help the body to heal.  Or even just let time itself – doing nothing – heal the body.  The Master Physician made us after all.  I’m not saying that every allergy or disease can be helped by food, but in my experience with some illnesses, I’ve noticed differences when I’ve looked to food first – for help, but also mainly for prevention.  It’s just not even an option for some people.  

For me, I was totally convicted that my eating patterns were sin!  I was putting food above all else!  It was my idol.  I wanted to put God first, but the addiction was so strong!  I tried so many different things to change but still be able to keep the sugar in my diet.  I gave up pop/soda (been 3 years now!) but that didn’t totally change my thoughts or behavior with food.  I gave my credit card to Jason so I could not buy the sweets and Jason got groceries for us for a while so I would not have to go to the store and be tempted.  That worked for a bit, but the addiction was stronger and crept in and I found ways to get my fix of sugar!  So once again, it was my god.  For about a year I had it in my mind (God prompting me) to stop eating sugar (sweets) all together.  But that just seemed so unattainable!  There were so many things to keep pushing me in that direction.  I kept having this thought come to my mind – “you have an idol over God, I love sugar/food more than I love God”.  This was really bugging me and I was so distraught because I wanted to stop, but the addiction pull was so great!  I started looking into food addiction clinics, addiction information on-line for alcoholics, I read information from a “quit smoking” program.  It all tied in so well – it was everything that I was going through, the addiction mentality and mind set!  God used all these things to keep drawing me closer and closer to the point where I would be able to say “I’m not eating sugar anymore”.  And really to clarify, I don’t eat sweets (chocolate, candy, donuts, muffins, cake, etc), but I do have some sugar like from breads and pasta – the carbs act like sugar in your body.  I’m working on that and maybe someday will be completely sugar free.  For now, this is what I needed to do – go sweet free – that was my horrible crutch. 

I was always so irritated also.  I was mad if I couldn’t get my fix and then was mad when I got it because I didn’t want to do this anymore and I was feeling like crap!  But really what got me and tore me up was how I treated my family – Jason and the kids got the brunt of it and it was so wrong of me!  It did me in and helped get me to the point where I said, and finally followed through, with “no sweets”. 

I had decided that Aug 15, 2012 would be the day that I would start no sweets because Aug 15, 2010 was the day that I started my “no pop/soda”.  I had been successful with that, so that date was a significant day in my mind and this was such a bigger challenge for me to get out of my life that this day of significance was a day I could hold onto.  I had decided the day and had about 2 weeks or so left until I was going to start and then one of the worst days of my life happened – my father-in-law passed away!  I wasn’t sure if this was going to set me back or what.  But really it made my conviction even stronger and my need to do this now even more serious.  There is nothing we can do about our day of death, but we can do something about how we live our life now – we don’t have to live with diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, allergies, cancer, etc, etc, etc.

Is there something that’s been on your mind for you to change about your health – is it a sin for you?  Is God prompting you?  Don’t ignore it – follow it!  God has a great path for you, don’t miss out on it!

I am so thankful to God for my almost 1 year anniversary of being sober from sweets!

Freedom of my mind.

I've done a lot of changing over the last year, but the biggest change that I'm so thankful for is the freedom of my mind!!  I was totally consumed with thoughts of food and now I feel like I think about food on a more normal level, like a level of eating food to live, not like eating is entertainment or comfort for me anymore.  I love that and that change has happened solely because God has taken the addiction thoughts and attitude from me.  I still have to be conscious and aware of what is going on and what I'm putting into my body, but I don't feel like I'm always at war with my mind!  It was horrible, I hated being like that.  God has freed me and He will do it for you too!!!  I'm confident of that!! 
Below are some verses that have helped me (sorry it's kind of long).  I have some phrases that I put, but most phrases I got from the 2 books I read (in addition to the Bible).  The titles of those books are Love To Eat, Hate To Eat by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Made To Crave by Lysa Terkeurst.  Amazing books that God used to convict me!  I encourage you to read the Bible and these 2 books and highlight/underline your own phrases that stick out to you and make you think and convict you.

*This is my little prayer that I had written out (now memorized) - "Lord, change my heart and mind, help me focus on and follow the things that are right".

*Food is fuel, it's not to make us happy.

*Isaiah 1:16b-17a "stop doing wrong, learn to do right."

*Matthew 4:10 "Away from me, Satan!  For it is written:  Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only."

*Hosea 14:1 "Return, (O Israel), to the Lord your God.  Your sins have been your downfall!"  I put my name in place of Israel.

*Colossians 3:2 "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

*Romans 8:13 "For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die;  but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live."

*Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;  I will counsel you and watch over you."

*Psalm 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and my shield;  my heart trusts in him and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."

*Romans 7:15-25  "waging war against the law of my mind"

*James 4:17 "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

*Philipians 3:18b-19 "many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.  Their mind is on earthly things."

*Romans 14:17 "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

*I Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

*James 4:7-8 "Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to God and he will come near to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

*Titus 2:11-12 "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say "NO" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."

*James 1:14-15 "but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin: and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

*Romans 13:14 "Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

*Romans 8:5 "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."

*Jeremiah 30:17a "But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord..."

*I Corinthians 6:12-13a "Everything is permissible for me - but not everything is beneficial.  Everything is permissible for me - but I will not be mastered by anything.  Food for the stomach and the stomach for food - but God will destroy them both."

*I Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own:  you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body."

*Exodus 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before me."

*Exodus 20:13 "You shall not murder."  (even yourself)

*Proverbs 23:21 "for drunkards and gluttons become poor and drowsiness clothes them in rags."

*II Corinthians 10:5 "...take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

*Romans 14:20a "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food."

*Proverbs 26:14 "As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed."  (Helps me get up in the morning to do my devos!)  :)

*Psalm 78:18 "They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved."

*Ecclesiastes 6:7 "All man's efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied."

*I Peter 5:6-8 "Humble yourselves, therefore under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  Be SELF-CONTROLLED and ALERT.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

*II Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of SELF-CONTROL."

*Proverbs 15:32a "He who ignores discipline despises himself."

*Proverbs 9:17b "food eaten in secret is delicious - the woman of folly."

*Matthew 13:15 "For this people's heart has become calloused;  they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn.  AND I WOULD HEAL THEM."

*Luke 12:23 "Life is more than food."

*Psalm 106:3b "They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them."

*Hebrews 12:11 "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

*Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

*Psalm 17:3b "I have resolved that my mouth will not sin."

So there is a good part of my verses that I have written out in my little "food" notebook.  I got a ton from the books and highlighted, underlined and wrote in the books also. 
This is just a start of your journey - the mental, emotional part.  Of course physically there are things to do, but what I found is that once my mind was kind of in more of a right place the physical part came along better.  I will write about that at a different time. 

Pray, pray, pray for God to reveal what your food/exercise journey needs to be and He will lead you along an awesome path!  I’m so thankful for what God has done in my life and He can do it for you too!

The start of my weight loss journey.

I want to take you back to the place I was a few years ago…miserable, hated myself, always irritated with the world, short and nasty with my kids and Jason, no confidence, mentally and emotionally gone!  Also, I was so unhealthy, out of breath, had aches and pains and physically just felt horrible and sick because I was so obese which made me huddle more into a dark corner so no one could really see me.  I could not go and play with my kids like I wanted to or ride bikes and enjoy our active life that Jason and I used to have.
Obesity is becoming such a norm in this country.  It’s bad when I had mentioned to someone how much more weight I would like to lose and they looked at me funny and said, “oh no, you don’t want to go overboard!”  My goal is to be where I’m supposed to be for my height and age and the weight that I would like to lose will get me in that healthy range.  It’s just that obesity is everywhere so that’s what everyone is used to seeing.  The way to find where you are is to look at the basal metabolic index.  You can google it and figure out what yours is and where you stand – whether you are under weight, healthy, overweight, or obese.  When I did this a couple years ago I never thought I would be considered obese, but yes, I was and not just a little.  I was heading for morbid obesity! 

There are so many reasons to change, but I knew I had to change me mentally and emotionally above the physical change.  I definitely wanted to lose weight, but what really drove me to start crying out to God for help was how I was treating my family!

It has taken me a couple years to get where I’m at.  God really worked in my heart and mind.  I was looking to everyone and everything else to “save” me from food, but didn’t truly give it to God until I finally realized that God cares about every part of us and can and will help us!  I cried out to Him and it has been so cool to see how He has put different people and programs in my life at the right times to help me with my next step.  This is a new life-style.  There are no specific rules or diets to follow.  Everyone’s journey is going to be different because God has different plans for everybody.  Some of the things that I have done will work for some people and some will not.  I want to write about what all I did and if anything can help someone, that’s great!

I first read 2 books (along with the Bible).  The first book was Love To Eat, Hate To Eat by Elyse Fitzpatrick and the other book was Made To Crave by Lysa Terkeurst.  These books were so convicting to me!  God really used them to help shape my path.  I wanted to give up sugar, I knew that I needed to, but I just couldn’t!  I gave us pop (soda) thinking that that would do the trick, but it didn’t.  Then I started telling myself that I could only have sweets 1 day a week, but that turned into 3, then 5, then the whole week.  I was going around and around the main issue and I was putting sweets/desserts – sugar in front of God.  It was my idol.  It was the one thing that I couldn’t, well wouldn’t give over to God.  Sometimes I wanted to pray for God to help me, but then I didn’t want to pray because I knew He would help me and I didn’t want the help because I wanted the sweet, but I really didn’t want the sweet, but I did!!  Holy cow confusing and crazy I know, but that truly was my thinking!  I was having a battle with my mind! 

So my main thing to get out in this blog tonight is that all my changes, everything that has worked for me has been because I completely, 100%, with all my heart gave my issues over to God.  If you are in a place similar to where I was at, you need to start with God!  If you do not have God in your life and are struggling with weight issues or food issues that you feel are just too hard to get over, if your focus everyday and all day is on food, then first, give your life over to God.  Jesus Christ died on a cross for our sins.  Later I will write more about how the way I was eating was a sin for me.  Knowing that Jesus died for me, for my sinfulness with food was a help in freeing my mind of the bondage of food and sugar addiction.  Jesus did not stay dead though, after 3 days he rose from the dead!!  He paid the price for us!  He loves us more than anyone ever will on this earth and he has a perfect plan for your life!  We have forgiveness for our sins because of the cross!  If you believe that Jesus did this for you and you receive him into your life then you will live eternally as a child of His!  If you have more questions about this, please contact me, I’d love to chat more about it.  If you already have Jesus in your life, then it’s time to start treating your body like the temple that God made it.  Next time I write I’ll be adding a bunch of Bible verses that helped me along the way. 

I Corinthians 6:19-20  “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own;  you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.”  

Wow, it's been 2 years to the day!

Well, I'm back after 2 years!  So much has happened, and I have had an amazing change in myself - mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually!!!  God has helped me with a huge addiction - sugar and well, food in general!  By His grace I have not had a sweet/dessert for 319 days!  This blows my mind and makes me smile so big to see God's power in my life regarding such a little thing (I thought) - food!  God cares about ALL parts of our lives.  I was totally consumed with food and completely addicted to sugar.  I knew I had to do something about it when I realized how bad I was treating my kids and Jason!  I was moody and mad when I could not get my "fix" and moody and mad when I would get my "fix" because I felt so bad and was so mad at myself for stuffing my body with all that crap!  I was at such a low place - hated myself, miserable!  I cried out to God and He showed up in a powerful way!!  He has taken my horrible desire and constant thoughts of food away, He has renewed my spirit and desire to love and help other people more.  I'm excited to overtime write more about my journey with food, but also our journey we have been on so far with Coda (our youngest daughter), and where we are headed. 
Glad to be back!  :)

Galatians 6:9  "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." 

SHINE TODAY!

One Year – 365 Days – Pop/Soda Free!!!

It is weird for me to look back over this year and realize that I have changed, in at least this area of my life and a great change for the better!  I don’t plan on ever having another pop/soda again (I grew up in the north, so from now on, I’ll just be calling it pop). 

I still remember the main reason I knew I had to stop drinking pop – I kept getting these crazy stomach aches after drinking pop.  I had read some information on sugar and artificial sweeteners and realized that I needed to do this and do it now.  I set an empty bottle of Sierra Mist on my counter and wrote on it with a black marker, “Last Pop 8-14-10” and kept it there for atleast a month or two as my reminder.  Over the months I kind of forgot that I even used to drink pop quite a bit and just a month or 2 ago I realized that I don’t crave pop AT ALL!  I am so thankful to have this out of my life!

I know pop is so addicting and I wonder if my cravings and desires for pop would easily come back if I let myself have any.  I did have a good experience with this a couple months ago.  We went to Chick Filet and I ordered waters and poured some in Cadence’s cup.  She took a drink and said, “this is not water”.  I told her to stop it, just drink your water.  So she takes another drink and again she tells me that this is not water.  I take a sip and oh gross, it was pop!  After telling her sorry, and getting her water I smiled and was very pleased that I did not even like the taste of it!!  I did not miss it!  I was also thankful that Cadence did not like the taste either.  We do not give our kids any pop – they have never had any…that I know of.  It makes me cringe when I see people giving little kids pop in their bottle or sippy cup!  What a horrible habit and addiction to be starting at such a young age!

I know for me it was an easier decision to stop pop because I did not feel good.  But for someone who is not feeling bad while drinking pop or not realizing that some of the pain they may be having could be associated with the pop it may be a harder decision for them to stop.  I also think some people are so used to feeling bad that they don’t even know what it feels like to not be sick in one way or another – and I’m not saying big sicknesses and diseases.  I am just talking colds, backaches, IBS, acid reflux, allergies, etc.  I think these can all be helped if people would eat and drink better.  For me, not drinking any pop is a huge step in making me feel better and I would not trade that for a Mountain Dew or Sierra Mist any day!!

In a book I read called “Sugarettes” by Dr. Scott Olson it addresses drinking pop.  He says that “in the last twenty years, soda consumption has risen over 300 percent in the United States, causing a multitude of health problems”.  I like how he explains why drinking sugars is not good for us.  “Normally, when you put a food into your mouth you chew it.  The simple act of chewing begins a series of events that alerts your body that it should expect nutrients and a rise in blood sugar.  When you first put foods into your mouth and begin chewing, the stomach starts secreting stomach acid to prepare for the meal.  Hormones are released when we begin to eat.  Each of these hormones is designed to help your body deal with the rise in blood sugar that occurs whenever a food hits your stomach.  When you drink calories, something strange happens.  The hormones normally released during a meal are not activated.  This is especially true when the calories are comprised of simple sugars.  The other problem is that when you drink something that is very sweet, especially when you drink it outside of a meal, there is almost no digestion that takes place.  This means that the sugar in the soda goes from the can directly into your blood stream.  Imagine how confused your body must be when you drink a soda!”

Some people think that drinking a diet pop is better than a regular, but it really is worse because of the artificial sweeteners that are put in it.  Having all those artificial sweeteners are worse then just eating the sugar directly (I’m not saying to drink regular instead of diet, of course my stance is drink neither!).

Maybe on every bottle or can of pop there should be a label with a warning that says, “Drink At Your Own Risk”.

I am celebrating this part of my new lifestyle with a large glass of ice cold water...and loving every sip of it!!!  :)

You Are Made For More...You Are Made For Victory!

I am a little behind with my blogs because I have been preparing and starting to homeschool.  We had a great first week and so now I'm trying to catch back up!  I have been trying to write weekly what we have been covering in our Bible study at church (going over the book Made To Crave by Lysa Terkeurst).
Over the last couple weeks we have discussed how we are made for more.  God has some awesome plans for each and every one of us.  We need to come to God and ask Him to show us what our "more" is.  I love Lysa's prayer with regards to this, "God, I recognize I am made for more than the vicious cycle of being ruled by food.  I need to eat to live, not live to eat.  So, I keep asking for Your wisdom to know what to eat and Your indwelling power to walk away from things that are not beneficial for me".  You may know in your heart that you are not on the right path with eating or whatever your idol may be, it's also important though for you to know that we have a mighty power available to us (if we are a child of God) - we have the same power available to us that raised Jesus from the dead!  Think of that!  It is so important to have a hope and power beyond yourself and you find that in Christ!!  It is great if you already know in your heart that you need to change something because then you are one step closer to changing your mind so you are able to experience victory!!  You don't have to have it in your head that you are always going to have to deal with your weight, self-image or your health...you can change and you can have victory in this area of your life!!  You are important and deserve it and God wants it for you!! 
Can you do what God wants you to do?  What He has called you to do?  Your heart may be open and available to do anything for God, but your weight/health could be holding you back.  Don't get distracted by physical food in your spiritual calling from God!  "Breaking free from consuming thoughts about food allows us to see and pursue our calling with more confidence and clarity" - not confusion, grogginess, irritability, sleepiness and frustration!
If we are working towards being closer to God, positioning our hearts in line with Him and His Word, then our "mind games" will be different, and it will be easier to get through a temptation or distraction from what we know is right.  If we have God's Word's memorized then we have a stronger shield to help us with the temptation.  We need to make a choice to listen to the Holy Spirit, even when the road gets tough!  We need to accept that our journey will be hard and sometimes not fun, but we need to stop giving up and just do it!!  Obey God with all that we do.  Don't worry so much about the number on the scale for this week, work on obedience.  Things will come together better if that is our focus.
"For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their destiny is destruction, THEIR gOD IS THEIR STOMACH, and their glory is in their shame.  Their mind is on earthly things" Philippians 3:18-19.
A good question to ask yourself (from Lysa), "Did I feel that, at any time, I ran to food instead of God?"  Fix your focus on God, not food!! 

Friends Don't Let Friends Eat Before Thinking.

How has your journey, your plan, your focus with regards to food, exercise and a healthy lifestyle been going?  Do you feel like on your own you have accomplished what you set out to do?  It is hard to do this all by yourself, even if some people know that you are working on losing weight or trying to eat healthier, it isn't the same thing as having an accountability partner - a person, friend, that is with you during everything and is available whenever you may need them.  Sometimes we need "a friend who can speak rationality into your irrational impulses.  A friend who will hold you accountable, speak the truth in love, and pray for you."  I am so thankful that God has provided me with a really awesome, Godly accountability friend - it really does help!  Accountability is crucial and I would encourage you to prayfully consider the right healthy eating plan for you and for an accountability partner that can help you along the way.
The temporary pleasure that so many people seek in food is something that seems so ridiculous when you hear about it from someone else - their story, you think, man that was bad and I can't imagine doing that.  And yes, maybe you would not do the exact same thing that they did, but you may be on the same road of selfish indulgence to an idol that is not God!  In Made To Crave Lysa addresses the story of Jacob and Esau.  I'll write out the story here for those who may not be familiar with it and just as a refresher to others.  This is a story that I think, wow, I wouldn't give up that much for my love for food, but then when I really look at what has been sacrificed or messed up - what I have given up for the food, then I don't feel so far from Esau.  "Esau was the older of two twins, a skillful hunter, while the younger twin, Jacob was more of a homebody.  The Scriptures say:  'Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished.  He said to Jacob, 'Quick, let me have some of that red stew!  I'm famished!'  Jacob replied, 'First sell me your birthright.'  'Look, I am about to die', Esau said, 'What good is the birthright to me?'  But Jacob said, 'Swear to me first.'  So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.  Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew.  He ate and drank, and then got up and left.  So Esau despised his birthright.  (Genesis 25:29-34).  The thing that strikes me about this story is how much Esau gave up for just a few moments of physical satisfaction.  He sacrificed what was good in the long term for what felt good in the short term.  He gave up WHO HE WAS in a moment of desperation."
Who are you?  Are you willing to give that up?