It is 11 p.m. and my wife and I just returned from dinner out with friends. This is not a normal occasion in our lives. Having three young boys, our lives are normally too busy for a night out alone or with friends. Over the past year, Whitney and I have discovered what it feels like to have a true, dependable, loving friendship with a fellow couple.
My wife and I had prayed earnestly for a couple with which we could share, laugh, cry and confide. Being in the ministry, those friends are usually non-existent. You learn very quickly not to trust or open yourself up because eventually you will be burned or something you have said will come back to haunt you. But in January of 2006, God sent a couple to our church and it was very evident He had ordained for our paths to cross for more than just going to church together or me being their children's pastor.
Over the months, God has continually solidified our friendship through ups and downs and time together in each others' homes. Whitney and I realized that God had truly answered our prayers in a way we never imagined and at a time when we were least expecting it.
What does this have to do with my weight loss journey you may ask? It has everything to do with it. God used this couple to help inspire me to continue the new journey which I had started at just about the time I was ready to give up. He has continued to use them to cheer me on, encourage and motivate me with their words, thoughts and prayers. And, just tonight, He used them to help me reward myself, without any guilt, for hard work and commitment to the process. They, along with my wife, have been my biggest source of encouragement thus far, and I thank God for their friendship and accountability.
Today, I encourage you to build a support system. You should not go at this alone. Rely on your friends and family to help support you every step of the way. Find those who will lift you up in prayer for each step you take in the journey! You will be much more satisfied and successful when you are able to share your experiences with others. I challenge you to look around and identify those people today. Seek them out and ask them if they are willing to commit to this journey with you. Then, take the initiative to update them and find something you can support them in. Friendships will blossom when and where you never imagined.
My prayer today is for a support system for each of you that sustains you in bothe easy and hard times ahead!
I don't know if you have ever had an panic attack, but it is not fun! You really feel like you are having a heart attack. Two years ago, my wife rushed me to the hospital thinking I was having one. In the end, it was nothing but the stresses of my life manifesting themselves in the form of a panic attack. I had never had one before, but it was very eye opening.
The world seemed to be closing in around me and my heart was racing faster than it had ever before. It was not a pleasurable experience. The end result was I had to make some serious changes in my life; and that I did.
Phillipians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
I began taking steps to turn everything, through prayer, to God. That is everything except my weight. I thought I could control it on my own. I have discovered I can not! This process has begun to change me. I realize everything has to be given to God. Even the things we think we can keep to ourselves and control.
You know, that word is a very difficult word for me. I like to be in control. I am a planner and organizer. Everything has to be just so, or I am not satisfied. God has shown me that if I relinquish that control, He can do more than I ever thought about doing, and He can do it better. As humans, that is very hard because God has ingrained in us a will. He allows us to make choices, and we deceive ourselves into thinking we have it all together. Let me fill you in on something; WE DON'T! Everything we have comes from Him. So, why do we feel like He owes us something. This is a question I struggle with on a daily basis.
I was talking to a freind last night at church who had spent Tuesday evening in the emergency room with the exact same symptoms I had two years ago. I shared with her my experience and encouraged her to search her heart and find out what she is holding to. I explained that God wanted all our concerns and stresses in order for Him to handle the issues, so we won't have to.
This weight thing is my albatross. I admit it to you and God. He knows my struggles. But, with each passing day, I feel myself getting stronger with his help. Before, so many things stressed me out. Each day I have to give those to Him, or my panic resurfaces. I really thought that I would give up at some point in losing weight. But, each day brings an additional ray of hope that I will become what He wants me to be.
As of Tuesday, my total weight loss was 12 pounds. I lost the two pounds I had gained and I really feel it was God's way of saying, "Hey dummy, I said I've got this if you will let me have it all!" I keep marching on and people are starting to notice. The attention is nice. But, God knows my joy is in Him as each pound melts away. Now, I am even seeing a change in my wife as she has started this journey as well.
Keep up the good work and I pray that you can find it in your heart to give everything to God, through prayer and petition. He will give the desires of your heart!
I had a conversation today with a couple of co-workers about this process. For the first time, I was able to vocalize, to someone other than a family member, what it is I am attempting to accomplish with God's help. For the first time, I said, out loud, "whatever happens during the next 11 months I am at peace because this is what God has called me to do!" As the words were coming from my mouth, I actually questioned if I believed that in my heart.
I came to the conclusion that yes I did! I have felt from the beginning that God has called me to do this for one year. At the conclusion of that year, whatever the scale reads is what God has ordained me to weigh. It is just a number. The thing that God is teaching me is He wants me to be healthy, fit and comfortable with myself; no matter what the scale says. But, this still requires work on my part. I must do some things that are not enjoyable or uncomfortable in order to acheive the results in the end.
Something that has made me think is the word "process". I always think of the process in relation to losing the weight. I have never aproached the process from a mental standpoint or a spiritual standpoint. God is helping me realize that I am transforming more than just physically. My entire being is transforming. Yes, I still have days when the frustration comes through because I don't see a result I want. It is then God gently reminds me it is not about my selfish desires. It is about pleasing Him; and, that is whether I lose 50 pounds or 5 pounds.
Today, taught me to really enjoy the entire process, not just the physical part. May your days ahead be filled with the enjoyment of the process; each and every step and part. May you get beyond the pysical aspect and discover the the real transformations in your journey!
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