Good morning friends - So I feel like I need to start off this post with an apology. For weeks I have been meaning to finish up the last of week of the Body Temple study. Originally the study was going to go for a cool 40 days and I and some of my friends did fast for forty days. However, I have struggled to finish the last week and I think like many things in my life I like to get almost to the end of something and then....Start something else! :-) So this last week of study is a long time coming.
My sister and I have been planning a trip. We are taking our kids - my two boys and her two girls out to see our family on the other side of the country in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Last fall we reunited with our dad whom we had not seen in over 30 years; it was an amazing, amazing experience. Something that I will be writing more about in the months to come.
As you can imagine, I wanted to get my body into shape before the big trip...and having gone through with you the study on the Body, I had learned a lot about myself and our precious heavenly Father. And I had lost some weight - enough to squeeze into my "skinny" jeans. And truly I mean squeeze! Do you ever squeeze yourself into your "skinny" jeans and then do the sit test? I mean, standing is one thing but sitting, that is totally something else isn't it? And there are types of sitting too, lets be honest. There's the kind where we sit on the bed leaning back trying to look casual, and then there is the sitting in a chair, still trying to lean back (and look casual) and then there is the all out sitting straight up. That one is the worst. It is terribly difficult to look casual while fighting with the belly fat - it just refuses to stay where I put it and these low rise jeans are not helpful in keeping the thing tucked.
So I sat here talking to the Lord about my body, well complaining really. Here is part of our conversation:
"Lord, I am tired of thinking about my body, about what I will wear - like these stupid "skinny" jeans. God I am tired of thinking about food - like what I should be putting into my body and what I shouldn't. I don't want to be in this generational trap always thinking about the size of my body. Lord, I know in my head and heart that you love me no matter what I look like. But Lord to be honest, sometimes I have a hard time loving myself. I really want to look cute on my trip Lord, but I realize that that is really the most shallow of requests. Father please help me to see me the way you see me. Help me to love myself the way you love me."
And so next I opened my Bible up to Matthew and was flipping through the pages until I came to this passage, this is the Lord's response:
"Dear one (I put that in there but I know I am His dear one so I figure it's o.k) do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"
I know - unbelievable right? And as the tears began to pour I read these beautiful words from our Father in Heaven he said this:
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall I eat?' or 'What shall I wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them."
Do you ever have moments with the Father when you pour out your heart to Him and He responds specifically from His Word? This was definitely one of those moments. It was as if he was physically sitting right here next to me. He finished up with these words:
"But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
My dear sisters. The Word of God is so rich, so real, so amazing! In these beautiful pages we have everything we need to do life. God in His mercy and grace did not leave us alone to try to figure this stuff out on our own. When we ask He is quick to answer and the Holy Spirit is just as quick to comfort us when we feel alone. We are here for so much more than "skinny" jeans dear ones. We are here to learn and grow and when we have so much from Him how could we possibly not live our lives in service to Him? There is an important shift that needs to happen in our lives. It is good to be healthy to exercise and to lose weight, but when the effort flows from our service to our Father in heaven it becomes otherworldly; it becomes about Him and not about us. So this final week work hard, and eat healthy as would be pleasing in your service to God. Let's explore God's Word. Remember before you begin each day ask God to search your heart and see if there is any place in you that needs cleansing. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to His truth about you, then respond to him by confessing if necessary and then soak in the truth of His Word!
Day 33 - Read Matthew 6:25-27 Now read it again - this time if there is a word or phrase that speaks to you stop there and meditate on that word or phrase. Write it in your journal. Why do you think that word or phrase stood out to you? What does that word or phrase tell you about God? What does it tell you about you? Take some time to pray today - don't forget to thank God for the lessons He is teaching you.
Day 34 - Read Matthew 6:28-30 Apply the same questions from day 33 to this day and follow through with prayer and journaling
Day 35 - Read Matthew 6:31-32 Again apply the same questions as day 33 and follow through with prayer and journaling.
Day 36 - Read Matthew 6:33-34 - Apply same questions as day 33 and follow through with prayer and journaling.
Day 37 - Read Philippians 4:4-9 - Read these verses in their entirety. Just let the truth of God's word soak into the innermost parts of your being. These words are true and they are lasting from the earliest times in all lives all the way through to the end on this earth and beyond. Spend some time today thanking God for His many blessings. In your journal write out everything you can think of that is a blessing in your life then lift all of these up to God in thankfulness for all He has done.
Day 38 - Read Philippians 4:4-7 - Apply the principles from day 33 to these verses - what is God saying to you personally in these words?
Day 39 - Read Philippians 4:8-9 - Apply the principles from day 33 and ask yourself these questions:
How can I view exercise and diet from God's point of view?
What am I thankful about as it relates to my body?
Where do I need peace from God in my life?
Get specific in your journal about these questions and then lay them down before God.
Day 40 - Wow are we finally here? I can't believe what an amazing journey we have been on these last few weeks and even months. What an awesome God we serve. As I think of all my friends and women in general - my love for you is beyond what I ever thought it could be. Continue to seek God's face my dear sisters in Christ - we are on a journey which means until we enter into God's presence in heaven we have lots to learn and lots to give. Lets go forward from here eating, sleeping, exercising, serving and loving. We are going to have failures and bumps we are going to go backward and then forward again. But when we place our trust in Jesus we can do no better. May the God of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ keep you, may He make His face to shine upon you and give you peace.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
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