M2C Monday

this is short and sweet..

Over a year ago i met with my doctor, and i was at 196 pounds then. Slowly i made some changes, but my relationship with food was still pretty binding. i guess if we count way back then, i am already down 20 pounds :). Since January, i have been much more intentional. Working through M2C has made me realize that God must be the One who fulfills my cravings.

i have had a lot going on, but the lifestyle changes i have made are staying put, Praise the Lord!!

weighed-in at the doctor's office on the 15th, Thursday.....

Ready??

on February 17th i was at 179.1.
On March 15th i was at 176.6!!
 (and i have not shopped at Old Navy for months!)

YAY!!!

So, so thankful that God is working so much change in my heart regarding my relationship with food and shopping at Old Navy!

Defy Public Opinion

"We need ministers who will defy public opinion and, with flaming zeal, burn a way into men’s hearts."

~C.H. Spurgeon

This statement is so true! Lately my husband and i have been listening to some ministers who do exactly this. When listening to them, the Word of God pierces you with a ferocity that forces you to confront anything that is out of line w/ it. They preach with authority and without apology. These men do not use "pop-psychology" to engage the hearers, NO! They use the Word of God, and it is piercing. With so many churches watering down the gospel, these men are a breath of fresh air (or fire!). 

We attend a church where the Word of God is preached as well. Hear me when i say that! Yet i am so hungry to know more, so that i can be the brightest light i can be for Him! 

Who are the men that we are listening to? Fasten your seat belts....

• Paul Washer ~ One of his sermons, called Ten Indictments, has impacted me heavily. It is 2 hours long. He has many sermons online, and they are excellent. 
• Voddie Baucham ~ This sermon, at an Evangelistic conference, is a wonderful intro. to him. Just this past week, he was on Family Life Today talking about forgiveness in marriage.
• Alistair Begg ~ We have listened to him for years! Find him at Truth For Life. We listen to him every morning for a "chapel time" before we start our home-school day.
• John MacArthur ~ Fantastic... I enjoy using his study Bible. Find him at Grace to You. His book Charismatic Chaos brought some much-needed clarity as i was leaving the charismatic/pentecostal/vineyard movements. 
• R.C. Sproul ~ I have been listening to Renewing Your Mind, and have enjoyed his guest speakers.
• Ken Ham ~ WOW! Find him at Answers in Genesis. I am currently in a study that is going through his new Foundations curriculum. I highly recommend it to EVERYONE! 
• Doug Philips ~ Enjoyed his thoughts on a documentary i recently watched. Find him at Vision Forum.
• Steven Lawson ~ His series "The Doctrines of Grace in John" is amazing! Find him here. The first message i heard by him was called "War on the Word". wow! I heard "Doctrines in Grace" (link takes you to 1st of 12 messages) and "War on the Word" on Renewing Your Mind. 

Well, there you have it! Each of these men are the embodiment of what Spurgeon spoke over 100 years ago. These men HAVE NOT and DO NOT capitulate to the culture! And,  they take heat for it too. These men have counted the cost. They have looked at what it cost's them to preach the Truth, and are willing to pay the price. Now, are we willing to take stands that go against public opinion, and be counted as faithful messengers of the gospel of Jesus Christ? 

Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for hte sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 1 Peter 3:13-17

Plea That Applies Today

In Spurgeon's sermon on John 12:3, he makes a plea for men and women to be devoted. I quote it for you:

Beloved Friends, the Church of Christ needs a band of men and women full of enthusiasm who will go beyond others in devotion to the Lord Jesus. We need missionaries who will dare to die to carry the Gospel to regions beyond. We need ministers who will defy public opinion and, with flaming zeal, burn a way into men’s hearts. We need men and women who will consecrate all that they have by daring deeds of heroic self-sacrifice. Oh, that all Christians were like this, but we must at least have some! We need a bodyguard of loving champions to rally around the Savior, the bravest of the brave, Immortals and Invincibles, who shall lead the van of the armies of the Lord! Where are we to get them? How are they to be produced? The Holy Spirit’s way to train men and women who shall greatly serve Christ is to lead them to deep thought and quiet contemplation. There they obtain the knowledge and vital principle which are the fuel of true zeal. You cannot leap into high devotion, neither can you be preached into it, nor dream yourself into it, or be electrified into it by revivalism! It must, through the Divine energy of the Holy Spirit, arise out of hard, stern dealing with your soul and near and dear communion with your Savior! You must sit at His feet, or you will never anoint them! He must pour His Divine teaching into you, or you will never pour out a precious ointment upon Him!  ~Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 55, Sermon no. 3174

Fridays with Frances: COME and SEE

The following entry is from Opened Treasures. It is a gathering of Frances's writings in a daily devotional format. One of my favorites! This one really struck me, as i desperately long for others to "come and see," yet i also realize i cannot force anyone to come.

COME AND SEE

Come and see. John 1:39

The Lord Jesus said it first. He said it to the two disciples of John who heard that He was the Lamb of God. They knew very little about Him, but they followed Him. Perhaps they would not even have ventured to speak, but, "Jesus turned, and saw them following," and spoke to them.The they asked Him where He dwelt, and He said, "Come and see!" Philip said it next. He had found Christ himself, and at once he told his friend Nathanael about it, "Come and see!" Is it not said still? Oh, "come and see!" Look into the Saviour's glorious and loving face, and see how ready He is to receive you, and to bless you. Come and see what He has done for you; see how He loved you and gave Himself for you; how He lived and suffered and bled and died for you ! Come and see what gifts He has for you - forgiveness and peace, His Spirit and His grace, His joy and His love ! Come and see where He dwelleth - see that He is ready to come in and dwell with you, to make your heart His own dwelling-place. Oh, if I could but persuade you to "come and see!" There is no other sight so glorious and beautiful. Will you not come? When you have come, when you can say, like Philip, "We have found Him!" and like Paul, "We see Jesus," will you not say to someone else, "Come and see!" You will wish every one else to come to Him, and you have His word to bid you try to bring them: "Let him that heareth say, Come!"

Hush! while on silvery wing of holiest song

Floats forth the old, dear story of our peace,

His coming, the Desire of Ages long,

To wear our chains, and win our glad release.

Our wondering joy, to hear such tidings blest

Is crowned with "Come to Him, and He will give you rest." 

~Frances Ridley Havergal

 

Monumental

My husband and i are attending this event. I encourage you to check it out :)

M2C Monday

i have missed writing about this! i had sick kids and was just had too much going on last week.

Things are still going really well. To be completely honest, i HAVE eaten a few times when i was NOT hungry. i just WANTED to, and didn't question myself as to "why?", which is what i usually do. Otherwise i have been doing really well. And when i did eat those few times out of boredom or whatever my reason was, i did NOT overeat :). It was literally just a small snack (even though i didn't need it).

Onward and Upward, as they say!! (who is "they" anyway?)

Finishing chapter one was great...and i finished chapter two as well. Answering the questions at the end of the chapter really made me have to think!

One quote from chapter 2 states: "God never intended for us to want anything more than we want Him." (Made To Crave, pg. 29) Isn't it funny how it takes seeing it in black and white to realize that truth. Or maybe we have heard it before, but NOW it really resonates.

One of the questions at the end of chapter two forced me to look at WHY i have decided to eat differently. The question is:
What reasons motivate your desire to eat healthier?My answers:

pic from here

• Set an example for my kids
• Lower my cholesterol
• Gain more energy
• Have a healthy relationship with food
• Honor the Lord with my eating habits and my body
• Have a healthier body

 Now it is out there. I really had to think about this. I knew there were multiple reasons i wanted to make changes, and this forced me to get them down on paper! Seeing it in black and white caused me to be even more motivated and committed to this new lifestyle of health. Knowing that my sons and daughters are watching me has made me see that if i am making healthier choices, they will too (eventually).

I also want to honor the Lord in EVERY area of my life! Food is no exception!! As i have submitted this area of my life to Him, i can honestly tell you it has made a difference. I am more tuned-in to my stress-levels, since i am making the conscious choice to NOT eat when stressed; to go directly to the Lord. Makes a HUGE difference.

Thanks for following on this journey!! It is most definitely changing me...from the inside-out.

Fridays with Frances: Poetry

Thy Reign.

"Righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Romans 14:17

Thy reign is righteousness,

Not mine, but Thine !

A covering no less

Than the broad, bright waves of Thy great sea,

That roll triumphantly

From line to pole, and pole to line;

A reign where every rebel thought

In sweet captivity

To Thine obedience is brought.

Thy reign is perfect peace; 

Not Mine, but Thine !

A stream that cannot cease,

For its fountain is Thy heart.  O depth unknown ! 

Thou givest of Thine own,

Pouring from Thine and filling mine.

The 'noise of war' hath passed away;

God's peace is on the throne,

Ruling with undisputed sway. 

Thy reign is joy divine;

Not mine, but Thine;

Or else not any joy to me !

For a joy that flowed not from Thine own,

Since Thou hast reigned alone, 

Were vacancy or misery. 

O sunshine of Thy realm, how bright

This radiance from Thy throne,

Unspeakable in calmest light ! 

Thy reign shall still increase !

I claim Thy word,

Let righteousness and peace 

And joy in the Holy Ghost be found,

And more and more abound

In me, through Thee, O Christ my Lord;

Take unto Thee Thy power, who art

My Sovereign, many-crowned ! 

Stablish Thy kingdom in my heart.

~by Frances Ridley Havergal in Evening Thoughts