Cross Country Skiing or Snow Shoeing for Women of Adventure!!

Ok, I know it's been a while since we have done a Women Of Adventure outing.  I haven't had much free weekends and then I had (still have) vertigo - which made just getting out of bed an adventure!  But enough about my ailments - it's time to get outdoors and enjoy this Michigan weather. 

On Saturday, February 12, we are going to Pigeon Creek and going cross country skiing or if you would rather, snowshoeing.  The cost for renting skiis and shoes is $6.00.  The time is 10:00 - noon.  This is a great way to work out, meet people, have a devotional and have fun.  Invite your friends!!!!  Invite strangers! (use caution and common sense on this one)  I missed one of Peyton's soccer game one time because we were on a Women of Adventure outing.  A mother asked Jeff where I was and he told her I was doing a Women of Adventure thing.  She was so excited about the idea of a group of women doing activities that she told him to make sure I invite her the next time we go on an adventure.  You never know when someone just needs communtiy.

There will be a sign up in the foyer at church or you can click on comments here if you would like to go.  I know it's winter and a lot of times we bundle up and stay inside but,  KEEP ACTIVE!  This goes along great with the Body Temple study that Vicki is doing.

Unpacking Temptation (day 9)

* Hello to you!  Welcome to the Body Temple study.  If you are just joining us and you would like to start from the beginning look to the right and you will notice under Blog Map the words "Body Temple"  click on that and it will take you all of the Body Temple entries.  Go to the very bottom and work your way up.  May the Lord bless you in your journey!   

  Day 8 we talked about our thought lives and the power that those thoughts can have over us.  This devotional from the NIV study Bible, passed on to me by my dear friend, unpacks the reality of temptation a bit more.  I think that it fits right in what what we are studying so here it is.  Don't forget homework and challenges also below!

     Do you find it difficult to approach God when you encounter a tempting situation?  How quickly do you come to him when your attitude needs adjustment or when you are about to engage in a habit you know is unhealthy?  What about those times you face difficult circumstances - a marital rift, a bad diagnosis, physical or emotional struggles?  To whom do you turn?  Do you turn to God or to human comforters?

Often our greatest comforters are those who have struggled with what we are facing.  Why?  Because they've been there.  They've felt the pain, cried the buckets of tears, felt the anxiety and stayed up nights.  They can sympathize in ways even our best friends cannot.  But even their help is sometimes not enough.  We need help from the throne of grace, the source of all comfort.

Throughout Jewish history, the high priest held the supreme position in the priestly hierarchy.  The people looked to him to make the sin offering on the Day of Atonement.  Only he could enter the most sacred place in the temple: the Most Holy Place, where the mercy seat rested.  Jesus, as our high priest, offered the ultimate sacrifice of his own body so that no other sin offering will ever be required.  When he hung on the cross, the curtain preventing access to the Most Holy Place ripped in two (see Matthew 27:51).  Now everyone has access to the mercy seat.  Our great high priest has opened the way for everyone to confidently enter the throne room of God.

No wonder Jesus extends amazing sympathy.  He opened the way to forgiveness of sin and access to the Father.  And beyond sympathy, Jesus offers empathy because he has suffered in ways no mere human has.  Yes, Jesus encountered fear, exhaustion, weakness, abandonment and grief.  He was misunderstood, mistreated, insulted, questioned, doubted, betrayed and so much more.  He was "tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).  Moreover, he suffered all the horror and terrors of punishment for our sin.

Jesus knows.  He feels what you feel; he sees deep into your soul.  You can approach his throne with confidence, sit as his feet and weep with him.  He's waiting for you.

Homework 

Read Hebrews 4:1-16 aloud.  Take your time and let the words really speak to you. 

1. When you encounter trials or temptations, to whom do you turn?

2.  Do you feel confident that you will find an empathetic ear with Jesus?

3.  Describe a time when you know, without a doubt, that Jesus answered your prayer for help in a time of need?

4.  Include in your journal any specific verses or phrases that stood out to you.

Reflection - You have now been fasting your chosen food or activity for 8 days.  How has it been for you?  What have you learned about yourself.  If you are saving money by not eating something - where could you put that money to good use? 

Challenge

Continue to spend 15 minutes a day this week moving your body in either an organized workout or just moving your body for that amount of time.  Don't be afraid to work up a sweat.  The idea is to spend more calories than you took in so work hard for that amount of time.

If you have any questions at all please feel free to email us at lifestreamwomen@lifestreamweb.org

Captivating Thoughts (day 8)

* Hello to you!  Welcome to the Body Temple study.  If you are just joining us and you would like to start from the beginning look to the right and you will notice under Blog Map the words "Body Temple"  click on that and it will take you all of the Body Temple entries.  Go to the very bottom and work your way up.  May the Lord bless you in your journey!

 

     There are many diet and exercise programs out there today that promise to give you everything you need to become the person you want to be.  There are literally millions upon millions of resources that you can access in your quest.  There are a never ending parade of body perfecting, wellness inducing, heart stopping, mouth watering, beach body promises for every man woman and child.  One diet claims to have "The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Fool-Proof Weight-Loss Plan", and another, "Take the Diet Personality Quizzes to see which diet is right for you."  Claims that we can, "Eat anything you want and still lose weight," or "lose weight without lifting a weight" lure us into a menagerie of guarantees.  And each time we see that shrinking body on our homepage we are drawn in once again.  These are the weapons this world has to offer us.  But God has a better way.
     Living a healthy life means disciplining not only our bodies but disciplining our minds.  Of the two our minds are the greater challenge!  The enemy uses our thought lives to tempt us and he will keep after us until we either put him in his place and tell him to go away or we give in to the temptation.  One of the biggest ways we can combat the enemy is to memorize scripture.  You will then have a ready answer for the enemy when he attacks you.  Satan wants you to stay focused on food.  He wants you to look in the mirror and despise yourself.  Satan's big hangup is pride and he is a master at getting you to think about yourself.  Even if you hate yourself or your body it is still a form of pride weird as that sounds.  If you are self focused it is pride.  Time to humble yourself and ask forgiveness.  God is faithful dear sisters to forgive and to cleanse you.  He loves you so much no matter your size.  You are beautiful to Him - you have value in His eyes.
     Remember Paul the awesome missionary guy?  He wrote a letter to another group of Christians - the Corinthians.  He said,
          "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons
          of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine
          power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish
          arguments and every pretension that sets itself
          up against the knowledge of God, and we take
          captive every thought to make it obedient to
          Christ.  And we will be ready to punish every
          disobedience, once your obedience is complete."
There are many diet and exercise options which the world has to offer.  And many of them can be used for God's glory even though they were not created by believers in Jesus.  The difference is that when we go forward putting God at the center and we bring every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ, we remove the power that the enemy has over us.  Praise God!
     Remember sisters, God never asks us to do anything but that He gives us everything we need - His word is clear.  Today starts our exercising challenges so hang in there and take it one day at a time.  I would ask that before you do your chosen activity that you thank God for the body He has given you.  Ask Him to bless your efforts and trust Him for the results!   

Homework
Read 2 Peter 1:3-9  Read these verses slowly aloud and soak them in.  Now read them again and this time stop when something pops out at you.  Write them in your journal.
     1.  What do you learn from God from this passage?
     2.  What do you learn about yourself?
     3.  These words are listed in verse 5 - Faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness mutual affection and love.  Of these which one could you really use in your life right now?  Why? 
     4.  Consider putting some or all of these verses to memory.  I cannot tell you how many times in prayer these words have come back to me from the Holy Spirit. 
Read 2 Corinthians 10:4-17 - take your time with these verses - they are amazing.  Paul's words resonate so much with what we are studying I want you to really take your time.  Read them aloud and write down any verse that really stands out to you.  Write in your journal that verse and why it impacted you.

Challenge
Time to get a move on.  If you have not already begun to move your body for a period of time each day now is the time.  It is during these times that you will have to discipline your body and your mind to come under the authority of God.  If you are new to working out then start light.  Many times we go gung ho for something and then give up because it was too hard.  So each day for the next week I want you to move your body for at least 15 minutes.  Go up and down your stairs, go for a walk, turn on tunes (any that get your body moving) and dance, do a work-out tape, call a friend and walk together.  15 minutes a day - you can do it.  If you have been working out then I want you to push yourselves this week - add another five minutes to what you are already doing.
*It is always a good idea to consult your doctor before beginning any work-out regime.  Just saying.

Continue to limit food to times only when you are hungry.  Choose healthier foods.  Get rid of the junk!  And may the Lord bless you all!
   

Evaluation (day 7)

* Hello to you!  Welcome to the Body Temple study.  If you are just joining us and you would like to start from the beginning look to the right and you will notice under Blog Map the words "Body Temple"  click on that and it will take you all of the Body Temple entries.  Go to the very bottom and work your way up.  May the Lord bless you in your journey!

     Can you believe that we are at the end of day 7 already?  In some ways it seems longer to me because I have been thinking and praying over this study for so long.  As I was praying over where to go next I felt prompted to go back and read over the days that we have already accomplished.  It was such a blessing to reread some of the passages of scripture that we have covered.   I am always amazed at God's word, and how powerful it is in my life.  Each passage has so much to say.  You know, there is a passage in scripture which talks about the word of God.  It says, "For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow..." 
When we are in the word every day we become active participants in what He is doing.  And His word becomes active in us and it gets to the very inner parts of our being.  Pretty crazy huh? 
     These past 7 days have been about getting out some of the junk and laying it before God.  It is not that He doesn't know about it - He does.  But it is our action of putting it out there which places us in a position to receive something from Him.  He has so much to offer us dear friends.  We need only reach out and receive it.  He will change us because He promises to do so. 
     We have established that we have a great need to be filled.  And we spend a great deal of time filling ourselves with the wrong things.  We take control because we don't really believe that God can do what He says He can.  So to live the Jesus way takes a leap of faith.  And it means stepping away from the choices that haven't worked but to which we tenaciously cling.
     This week we will explore what kinds of bodies God would like us to have.  We will talk about setting goals and about healthy choices for food as well as exercise.  We will put food and exercise in their proper places.  We will ask God to increase our knowledge about Him.  We are going to work hard and we will be changed both inside and out.  I am so excited to enter this next week with you! 
     Homework
Read Hebrews 4:12-13 aloud then read it again slowly.  Take note of a word or phrase that stands out to you then write that in your journal.  Ask yourself these questions:
          What about this word or passage is meaningful to me?
          How can I apply that to my daily living?
          What knowledge do I gain about God from that word or passage?
Take some time to go back over this week. 
     Fasting
          How are you doing on your fasting? 
          What are the challenges and rewards to fasting that particular thing or food? 
          What have you learned about yourself? 
There are many times when we fast that we crave the item that we have chosen to fast.  This will pass but you need to remain strong.  Make the time of temptation an opportunity to pray.  Go back and reread Jesus' temptation in Matthew 4 and note his responses to the enemy.  Write those verses in your journal or better yet, put them to memory.  You will then have a ready answer when you are tempted!
     Challenge
          How are you doing with the challenge from day 6?
          Have you allowed yourself to become truly hungry for food before eating?
          How does it feel to remove the power that food has had over your life - write it in your journal.

*Please please please email us to let us know how you are doing - we want to hear your feedback! And as always, if you have questions about Jesus or anything else contact us at lifestreamwomen@lifestreamweb.org

  

Hunger and Thirst (day 6)

* Hello to you!  Welcome to the Body Temple study.  If you are just joining us and you would like to start from the beginning look to the right and you will notice under Blog Map the words "Body Temple"  click on that and it will take you all of the Body Temple entries.  Go to the very bottom and work your way up.  May the Lord bless you in your journey!

     Have you ever begun to eat something really yummy and then had a really hard time stopping?  For some reason, even though you tell yourself that you are full and you don't need any more you still go back for just a few more bites?  I have.  Even the other day in the midst of this study while my mind is focused on all the lessons I have learned - I still overate.  But the food was really, really good and I didn't want the fun to end.  So I kept going back...trying to prolong the experience.  Do you ever do this?  What is it about food that has us coming back for more?  Even when we are physically full, emotionally there is still a need.  Perhaps for you it is not food.  Perhaps for you it is shopping, or t.v. or reading, or Facebook....the list goes on and on. 
     Within each of us God has created space for Him.  A space that can only be filled with Him.  And if we are human we all have at one time or another spent a great deal of time trying to fill that space with something other than Him. 
     In Matthew 5:6 Jesus is talking about right living and he says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Strong's lexicon defines "righteousness" as "used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God..."  Look at the verse again, what does it say will happen if we are hungering and thirsting for righteousness?  It says we will be filled.
     "So," you say, "are you seriously suggesting that this righteousness stuff is as fulfilling as a really good steak and potato and a tall glass of ice cold Pepsi?"   Well....yes.  I am suggesting it because that is what Jesus is saying.  Absolutely nothing is going to satisfy like Him.  He "takes the cake" if you will on a satisfying life. 
     How did you feel when you took those extra bites you knew you didn't need?  How did you feel when you kept eating when you knew you should have stopped long ago?  I know for me - when I give in to those cravings - I feel very dissatisfied.  Because no amount of food or anything else is going to bring satisfaction like Jesus will. 
Homework
Read Matthew 5:6 aloud - let the words speak to you.  What do you feel the passage is saying - write this in your journal.
Read John chapter 4
Can you identify with this woman in any way?
What do you think Jesus meant in verse 13?
Write the answers in your journal and any other thoughts that these passages bring to mind.  Remember too, that God is not afraid of your questions.  Ask away and if you need help with answers see the email at the bottom and we will try our best to help you.
Challenge  
The body will give you very specific clues as to when you are hungry.  The stomach will grumble and growl.  You will have some discomfort.  This week (days 6-12) I want you to wait for your body to give you these signals.  Eat when you are hungry, and eat with the intention of satisfying the hunger but no more.  Time to stop abusing your body so stop when you are full.  Make healthy choices this week.  Put away the junk.  If we are going to test the idea that God will fill those places of emptiness then we need to allow Him to do the work in us.  Lets see where He takes us.  Trust in Him and be intentional about spending time seeking Him in His Word this week.  And as always I am praying for you my dear sisters! May His Word fill you as nothing else can.

*If you have special dietary needs and are under a doctor's care please follow the advice of your doctor or seek his or her advice before you begin this challenge.

*If you have questions about Jesus or anything else please do not hesitate to email us at lifestreamwomen@lifestreamweb.org