In September 2012, I surpassed my weight loss goal by losing over 30 pounds. By September 2015, I had gained it all back. What happened?! Were pizza, French fries and chocolate to blame? Laziness? Is this just another “New Year/New You” weight loss post?!
No. Not at all.
Let me explain.
Back in 2012, I was determined to get healthy. I wanted to lose all the weight I had gained
from bad eating habits and three pregnancies.
I didn’t like how out of shape I was and I cringed when I saw pictures
of myself. I found a diet and exercise
plan that sounded reasonable. Even my
husband was on board and joined me!
Now, I’m such a
rule follower. In fact, I follow the
rules so well that staying on the diet was something I was easily able to
do. Well, okay, maybe not easily. There were times when I was
drooling over making my daughter a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while I
knew another “carb-free” meal was awaiting me.
But, I had clear guidelines (a.k.a. rules) and I was able to stick with
them.
When the diet ended, my husband and I were ecstatic with the
results. I actually had ended up losing
more weight than I intended! In fact, I
had lost so much, I almost looked sick.
Like there was something really wrong
with me. My hip bones stuck out
noticeably. My kiddos thought my lap was uncomfortable to lay their heads
on. (No more “cushion” I guess!) Still, I was excited to start living in this
“new” body and was enjoying working out daily.
In fact when I looked at myself in the mirror I felt like I had lost so
much weight, I could eat however (and
whatever) I wanted. So I did.
There was problem though that I never tackled while I was
dutifully eating right and working out.
I never addressed the fact that I use food as a comfort. If I was stressed, taco dip sounded
good! And after the diet ended, cravings
for pizza or fast food were no longer being denied but given in to. And oh my, when the kiddos started getting
crazy and my hormones were going nuts, chocolate sounded like the best decision
ever! Snacking at night before the diet started was just part of my usual daily
routine. But while I was dieting, I
stopped. Many glasses of water were guzzled in the evenings trying to drown out
the grumblings of my empty stomach.
After the diet ended though, there was no “rule” that said I
couldn’t satisfy my craving for cheese sticks or cheese curls. There was no “rule” dictating to me that I must exercise. So slowly but surely, the old habits returned
(food = comfort) and brought the extra pounds right back with them.
The real issue was that even though I had lost the weight
and gotten healthier, I didn’t realize the comfort I was seeking
could never be satisfied with food.
30 pounds later I have learned the hard way that my
comfort is from Jesus and Jesus alone. Now
one would think, after all this time, after all I have seen God do in my life
and in the lives of others this would come easy for me. One would venture to guess that after all I
have learned in my walk with Jesus that I would have grasped this by now. But I’m still learning. I’m so thankful that God is not done with me
yet.
So that is why I am so eager for the upcoming 40 days of
prayer and fasting that West Ridge will begin in the new year. (This special
time will run January 3rd through February 13th.) I
believe that God has asked me to cut chocolate from my diet (One of my
favorites!) and to limit my food intake to three modest meals a day (That means no guacamole and chips at 9:00 at
night!). And I’m sure there will be some bit of weight loss from this. However, it’s not about losing weight right
now. For me, it is about coming to God
and bringing Him the first of the new year.
There is a purpose for the prayer and fasting. I want to be pursuing God in the beginning of this new year, this new start. And in that time of prayer and fasting, I
want to be seeking Him and learning how to truly allow Him to comfort me. I believe that by coming to God first, by earnestly seeking Him and His
heart, that our relationship will grow even closer. I am confident that He will renew my mind,
that He will break the yoke that has been bringing me down, and will bring us
even closer together in unity.
Ladies, it will be a good thing! I’m entering in to this new season with an
expectant heart and I hope you will too.
I’m not looking at this 40
day journey as a time of what I have to do without
or even a time to follow a “rule” but
a time of great expectation! I’m looking forward to hearing from God, to
receiving healing from God, and to gaining His vision of what He has in store
for me in 2016 (and beyond)!
Sweet friends, this upcoming forty day journey, is going to be amazing! It is going to be life changing! Don’t hold back now. Please don’t let 2016 kickoff and skip seeking
God first! Bring Him the first part of
the year. Come to Him through
prayer. Allow Him to speak to you in
only ways He can! There probably is something God wants you to fast from.
Prayerfully ask Him what it is. It might
be food, it might be technology, it may even be dare I say… coffee! Whatever it is that God is leading you to, I
want to encourage you to be obedient and participate in the fast. God has awesome things that He wants to
reveal to you, to speak into you, to show you, and to help you with! Why miss that opportunity?
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.”
Isaiah 58:6-9(NIV)
Post by: Marcy Gates
By the way… If you
missed Pastor John Goebbel’s message concerning the upcoming 40 days of prayer
and fasting at West Ridge, you can catch it right here: http://westridge.cc/display.php?s=79660
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