Cookies of shame, I’ve eaten them again. Not only were these cookies left over from Christmas, but they were bought at a 90% off sale after Christmas too. I thought I could just eat a few at a time. But Lord, here I am with cookie crumbs on my face. Ate too many. How do You stand me? I’m just like Esau. Only with me, it’s cookies instead of stew.
Child, I love you. And I’m not giving up on you for you are mine. I never give up on those who are Mine. You are marked with My Blood. No, you are not like Esau His heart was greedy. He wanted it all now. Jacob was cunning, but the heart of Esau was evil. He wanted power and was full of pride.
But Lord, what do You mean? I gave You my heart long ago.
Furthermore, I want your love, your heart, your soul, and your mind.
Lord, I know You love me just as I am. So help me love You as You desire. I’m here ready to listen. I don’t have to follow my usual morning routine. As a matter of fact, I have time to listen right now. So what would You like to talk about? Is it that person? How about that event on the news? So what do You want to talk about?
Child, I want to talk about you.
Lord, what? What about me?
I want your heart.
Lord, You know, within myself I’m not capable of loving You like You want me to. But would You help me? I am willing. Help me love You as You deserve. I give myself to thee. Do with me as You wish.
Child, don’t be afraid for it is I. And I don’t wish you harm for I have a hope and a future for you, plans to prosper you, not to harm you.
Okay Lord, just help me please You in all I do and say. Help me to love You as You wish.
Child, I am here.
Lord, what do You want from me?
I want to be your closest friend, your best friend, the one you confide in, the one you consult, the one you ask opinions of, the one you share your joys with, and the one you share your secrets with. I want more than just your prayer list. I’m not Santa Claus. I’m the One who loves you more than any other. And I desire to be your everything.
Okay Lord, I want You as my best and closest friend too. Forgive me for only going to You with my prayer list, my “to do” list for You. Help me to make You my everything, my all, my closest ally. Let me find more pleasure in Your Presence versus my food pleasures, entertainment pleasures, more than all my stuff, and even more than my family and friends. Lord, You be my greatest pleasure and my everything. Help me to love You as You desire. You be the “head” of all my life. Help me to make You first in all and everything in my life.
Child, I want to be more than a way to reach your goals and your dreams. I want your heart and all your love.
Of course Lord, I love You. Help me to love You as You long for me to. Overall. I want to please You with all that I am or will ever be. Thank you for loving me.
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CHEW ON THIS
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5 NLT
I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me with in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10!NLT
We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19NKJV
“My own sheep will hear my voice and I know each one, and they will follow me. I give to them the gift of eternal life and they will never be lost and no one has the power to snatch them out of my hands.” John 10:27-28 TPT
“The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV
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Lord, You know all and see all. So help me become what You want me to be. I realized I’ve wasted too much time watching Hallmark movies and ate too many Christmas treats during the holidays. I know You do have a purpose and a plan for me. Help me find that purpose, Your plan.
Cooked these in December – Glad they’re gone Now- No, I didn’t eat them all. Took some to family gatherings and gave some away too.
The party’s over. Sadly, all Christmas decorations are put back in the attic. Grandparent Camp is over. (It was such fun!) All family gatherings are over? What now? Lord, what is Your Word for us this coming year? What’s Your will for 2019?
Christmas holidays, my birthday gifts, and planting seeds for the future. All this happened during the busiest month of the year, December. And yes, seeds for the future were planted.
Our Lord Jesus, Yeshua, walked this land -Israel. Today, we got to walk in some of those same places too. Here’s a record of our first day walking through His Homeland. Continue reading →
Your victory comes. But child, you’re still trying to obey your own self-conceived rules for weight loss victory. You can’t do this without Me. I gave you victory once before and I will again.Continue reading →
Breakthrough! At last, hallelujah! Breakthrough! Last week we decided to break out and run away to the Smoky Mountains. Voted Tuesday. Then we left for Gatlinburg, Tennessee to look at leaves.
Before we left, I weighed myself. “Lord, help me lose weight on this trip.” On past trips I usually gained weight. But previously this month, I made a vow to God. “Lord, if You will help me, I’ll only eat three meals a day, half portions, no snacks, and (big sacrifice) . . . no desserts for 40 days.”
All this year I’ve been maintaining, but with a previous gain of 30 lb. +/- from last winter. Can’t seem to break this weight gain. Got to have a breakthrough of some kind. If only He would help me, maybe I can get back to where I once was? Back in the weight loss land of victory. . . size 10.
“Lord, help me lose weight on this trip. I don’t want to gain more and I really want to be used by You.” On the way there, I confessed to Hubby, “I wished I had never disobeyed God, how He told me to eat. He told me back then, to eat only three meals a day, half portions, and no snacks.”
After I wore those size 10s for almost two years, I went back to my old way of eating and gained 30lbs. back. “Now look at me. I’m an embarrassment to God. After He delivered me with a 90 lbs. weight loss, what did I do? Go back to my old ways. Wish I never did that. Now it’s hard. My body wants to keep everything I feed it, no matter what.”
“They say once you get older, (I’m now 65.) it’s harder to lose weight. Guess I’m there now. My body won’t let it go. Just can’t get breakthrough. I’m stuck at this weight, at this size. Why, why did I backslide? Why?”
The next morning, I cried out to God, “Lord, I want to be used by You to help others.”
Then you must be broken. I use always use broken people.
“What? . . . Okay Lord, break me. Help me be willing to be used however You see fit. Just no pain please, I don’t like pain.”
The first day, we went to Cades Cove. Beautiful. Have you ever just felt like you could breathe easier looking at all God’s beautiful creation? It was gorgeous. Words cannot express the beauty, everywhere you look.
On the way there, mountain streams were flowing and splashing. Beautiful. Just breathe and relax.
Beautiful Mountain Streams
While there, we ate out a lot. God helped me keep my vow to Him. Ate only three meals, half portions (for the most part), no snacks, and certainly no desserts. It was a real struggle. One restaurant in Pigeon Forge, The Mill, brought us so much food, even Hubby couldn’t eat all his. I heard one lady while standing in line, tell another, “You get ready to eat now.”
She was right. To begin with, they brought us a small bowl of corn chowder (ate it all). Then they brought us a side salad (ate it all). After that, the entree, along with two sides. I had ordered chicken pot pie (ate half of it). It came with two sides. They brought a large bowl of green beans and a sweet potato (didn’t eat either of those, got a take-out instead). Also included was a dessert (didn’t eat any of it, another take-out for Hubby later). The next evening we ate our leftovers for supper, saved some money.
The morning after we arrived back at home, I stood before the scales. Then God spoke to my heart, “Come spend time with Me first.” And what did I do? Stood on the scales. Lost less than a pound. What? After all that food I passed up? After all I didn’t eat? How could this be?
Then I remembered how God wanted time with me first. Oh. . . “Lord, I’m sorry. Again I hurt Your feelings. You wanted time with me and I chose the scales first. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” Thinking, “Well, at least I kept my vow.”
Last Sunday, bought sweets from Senior Choir bake sale. Didn’t eat any. None. Then on Monday, had grandkids over. They ate popcorn. I didn’t. All those sweets and snacks. I looked at them Monday night and thought, “What’s the use?” Looked at them again. “Nope, I’m going to keep my promise to God this time.”
The following Tuesday morning, I looked at the scales. Then I walked away. “It doesn’t matter what the scales say. My relationship with my Lord is more important. He’ll be first today.” Then I went to my prayer spot for personal time with Him. Today He will be first.
Later, after I had cooked breakfast for Hubby, I weighed before eating breakfast. Wow! Breakthrough! LOST TWO POUNDS! Haven’t been this weight since last March. Praise You Lord!
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So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. Hebrews 4:16 TPT
“Gaze upon Him, join your life with His, and joy will come. Your faces will glisten with glory. You’ll never wear that shame-face again. When I had nothing, desperate and defeated, I cried out to the Lord and He heard me, bringing HIs miracle- deliverance when I needed it the most.” Psalms 34:5-6 TPT
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Forgiveness or eat your anger, which will it be? Since you get to choose, which will it be?
Last week, I found this “Tips on Forgiving” stuck in my notebooks. Don’t know where it came from, but it’s wonderful advice. Since a lot of us, me included eat our anger, I thought this paper on forgiving would be good for us to chew on.
In order to make it easier for you to read, I retyped it. After you read each each line, stop and think, “How does this apply to me?” Then ask God to show you. After all, getting free from unforgiveness also can free us from compulsive overeating, especially due to unresolved anger.
-TIPS ON FORGIVING-
Know that forgiveness is not forgetting.
Know that forgiveness is a choice.
Know that you have to acknowledge the pain.
Know that forgiveness is incomplete unless you feel it; you must forgive them from your heart.
Know that you cannot wait until you “feel like it”; you never will.
Know that it is not about feelings; it is about freedom.
Know that God will bring out what needs to be forgiven- if we let Him.
Know that sometimes we are not MAD; we are sad and we need to process that.
Know that it is natural to seek revenge; yet as believers, forgiveness is required.
Know that He has already helped you to forgive- you do not need to ask again.
Know that it is a hard choice to forgive- a choice of the will.
Know that once you forgive- you can never again use it against them.
Know that no one forgives without bearing the burden of the sin of the offender.
Know that forgiveness is not for their sake; it is for your sake.
Know that their response to your forgiveness is not the issue.
Know that sometimes it is better to keep this forgiveness to yourself- they might not understand it.
Know that you can forgive, because you have been forgiven.
Know how to forgive much and ask forgiveness more.
Know that to forgive yourself is to final realize that He really does love you.
This little card with the butterfly and angel pinned to it was a gift form two of my grandaughters. I love it. Enjoy the message.
Also below is a picture of a cross stitch piece of 1st Corinthians 13 bought from an estate sale.
The overwhelming message of I Corinthians 13 is all about love. After all, couldn’t we all use more love? Couldn’t we all give more love? In fact, it states that the greatest gift of all is love. Once you forgive others you are free to love, including to love yourself.
Isn’t it wonderful how God loves us? Certainly He never gives up on us , either. He forgives us, even though we don’t deserve it. I know I don’t. How about you? Have you ever asked for His forgiveness? If not, why not now?
Just talk to Him for yourself, “Lord, I’ve messed up. I know You died for my sins, and I believe You rose from the dead, so I could live too. Would You forgive me and help me clean up all the mess-ups of my life? Come live in my heart. Help me to live for You.”
His forgiveness will lift the weight off your shoulders. Your body size may stay the same, but your heart will be fuller and your step will be lighter. Let me know how it went.
If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 NKJV
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This little card with the butterfly and angel pinned to it was a gift form two of my grandaughters. I love it. Enjoy the message.
