How To Prepare For The Day
Job 11:13-19 NLT “If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to Him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you. Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear. You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away. Your life will be brighter than the noonday. Even darkness will be as bright as morning. Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help.”
My weight loss journey started with bowing down and letting go. Letting go of SO many things!! First, acknowledging that I was being selfish and sinful. In my actions and attitude towards food. Planning all things in my day, around it. Like it was a "lover": I was secret, compelled, and just plain hung up on anything and everything to do with it. It has been a little over a year since my weight loss surgery, and my journey is far from over, I know this! However, just like the rest of these verses say/promise, I am experiencing the blessings God has in store. I truly believe there are more yet to come too! LOL Yeah, my face brightens with innocence alright! I'm pretty trusting towards others in this adventure. I think the middle part of these verses "you will be strong and free of fear" is ONLY by trusting that Jesus is right there with me each and every step! Sure, there are moments, I have fear of my old habits, my old 'fat brain' jumping up, and definitely fear of regain! But, it only lasts those few moments I am grabbing a hold of them and hanging on for dear life, or when I try and Indian-give them and take them back. The instant I ask Jesus for help, He takes the burden for me, and I am free of the fear. Pretty neat!
However, I think the next part "you will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away" is happening a bit slower. And for good reason - so that I can actually share my experiences with others. Relate, and be right back in those moments of the early steps. Which then makes it easier to share and help others in this journey too. These verses right here in the middle "You will be strong and free of fear. You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away. Your life will be brighter than the noonday. Even darkness will be as bright as morning. Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help." - What an amazing promise for ALL of us!! In any stage of our lives. WE are all on a journey and an adventure that is shaping us and those around us. The adventure can look "bright" or it can look "dark" - depending on our perspective. I choose to look at the good, light, bright, rose-colored side of things. My glass is always "full" half & half. Half with air and half with water, but full none the less. Why? How? By having "hope" in my future and in Jesus. He is the one that takes away my fears, shame, doubts, worry, sadness and mistakes.... Do I take some things back? Ummm - yes! Of course I do - I'm human, and a girl at that! I am wired to do things based on my emotions LOL, but even in those moments, when I am reminded by the Holy Spirit, to let go and trust - Jesus ALWAYS makes a way of escape for me! I get to escape the fear, worry, doubt... each and every time! Pretty cool!
The very last part of these verses, feel like a heavy weight of responsibility to me. One I am NOT worthy of in no way shape or form! My only "qualification" is that I am living the journey. Ups and down, goods and bads, and everything in between. Being able to "not be afraid" of "others looking up to you" is ONLY possible by my trust in and obedience to what Jesus directs me to do, say, share, live... It is not always easy, that is for sure! I have MANY moments of "Are You sure You want 'me' to do this or that? Say this or that? Are You sure You have the right person for this?" Who am I?!?! I'm just a girl, who lived life as a 'fat girl' for many years being tormented by the Fat Bully in my head. I'm not trained, nor do I have any degrees in anything. Except the "School of Hard Knocks" LOL I am normal and very ordinary. I do 'think' a little different than most people - some call it quirky, but God gave me the title of "unique" - I'll take it!
How does ANY journey start? How can we make it through the many adventures life has for us? First and foremost by following verse 11 "If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to Him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you." This is making ourselves a 'clean slate' for God to use in the ways that will draw others to Him. Some days, it may just be 5 minutes that we see that we affected someone else - other days, we see hours and hours. Then of course, there are some days, we don't see any time at all. That's the great and awesome beauty of the mystery of God - He IS still working in, through, and around us even when we don't see it or feel it! Pretty stinkin' amazing, right?!?!? So today, you may see little glimpses of Gods glory shining out of you, and you may not - but KNOW this: it IS there and it IS shining out, working and moving whether we see it or not! First, prepare your heart. If you have a ton of "stinkin' thinkin'" going on, then lift that up, and place it in our loving Fathers hands. He is big, He can handle it! ;-) Make your heart right first. Then, put on your "big girl/boy pants" and bring your sins to Him. Especially that one that just jumped out at you right this second. Then, breath in the wonderful, amazing feeling of freedom! Letting God help guide and direct you and your day. Letting Him bear the weight of the sins that you have done and or keep doing. Ask Him for His help - and He WILL give it! Although, I'll warn you: it may not be in the way or form that you "think" is helpful LOL It may be the complete opposite of what you think would be helpful! That's God! :-) Have a GREAT day, and I'm praying for you to be able to "release" things to God, and "accept" His blessings!
My weight loss journey started with bowing down and letting go. Letting go of SO many things!! First, acknowledging that I was being selfish and sinful. In my actions and attitude towards food. Planning all things in my day, around it. Like it was a "lover": I was secret, compelled, and just plain hung up on anything and everything to do with it. It has been a little over a year since my weight loss surgery, and my journey is far from over, I know this! However, just like the rest of these verses say/promise, I am experiencing the blessings God has in store. I truly believe there are more yet to come too! LOL Yeah, my face brightens with innocence alright! I'm pretty trusting towards others in this adventure. I think the middle part of these verses "you will be strong and free of fear" is ONLY by trusting that Jesus is right there with me each and every step! Sure, there are moments, I have fear of my old habits, my old 'fat brain' jumping up, and definitely fear of regain! But, it only lasts those few moments I am grabbing a hold of them and hanging on for dear life, or when I try and Indian-give them and take them back. The instant I ask Jesus for help, He takes the burden for me, and I am free of the fear. Pretty neat!
However, I think the next part "you will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away" is happening a bit slower. And for good reason - so that I can actually share my experiences with others. Relate, and be right back in those moments of the early steps. Which then makes it easier to share and help others in this journey too. These verses right here in the middle "You will be strong and free of fear. You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away. Your life will be brighter than the noonday. Even darkness will be as bright as morning. Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help." - What an amazing promise for ALL of us!! In any stage of our lives. WE are all on a journey and an adventure that is shaping us and those around us. The adventure can look "bright" or it can look "dark" - depending on our perspective. I choose to look at the good, light, bright, rose-colored side of things. My glass is always "full" half & half. Half with air and half with water, but full none the less. Why? How? By having "hope" in my future and in Jesus. He is the one that takes away my fears, shame, doubts, worry, sadness and mistakes.... Do I take some things back? Ummm - yes! Of course I do - I'm human, and a girl at that! I am wired to do things based on my emotions LOL, but even in those moments, when I am reminded by the Holy Spirit, to let go and trust - Jesus ALWAYS makes a way of escape for me! I get to escape the fear, worry, doubt... each and every time! Pretty cool!
The very last part of these verses, feel like a heavy weight of responsibility to me. One I am NOT worthy of in no way shape or form! My only "qualification" is that I am living the journey. Ups and down, goods and bads, and everything in between. Being able to "not be afraid" of "others looking up to you" is ONLY possible by my trust in and obedience to what Jesus directs me to do, say, share, live... It is not always easy, that is for sure! I have MANY moments of "Are You sure You want 'me' to do this or that? Say this or that? Are You sure You have the right person for this?" Who am I?!?! I'm just a girl, who lived life as a 'fat girl' for many years being tormented by the Fat Bully in my head. I'm not trained, nor do I have any degrees in anything. Except the "School of Hard Knocks" LOL I am normal and very ordinary. I do 'think' a little different than most people - some call it quirky, but God gave me the title of "unique" - I'll take it!
How does ANY journey start? How can we make it through the many adventures life has for us? First and foremost by following verse 11 "If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to Him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you." This is making ourselves a 'clean slate' for God to use in the ways that will draw others to Him. Some days, it may just be 5 minutes that we see that we affected someone else - other days, we see hours and hours. Then of course, there are some days, we don't see any time at all. That's the great and awesome beauty of the mystery of God - He IS still working in, through, and around us even when we don't see it or feel it! Pretty stinkin' amazing, right?!?!? So today, you may see little glimpses of Gods glory shining out of you, and you may not - but KNOW this: it IS there and it IS shining out, working and moving whether we see it or not! First, prepare your heart. If you have a ton of "stinkin' thinkin'" going on, then lift that up, and place it in our loving Fathers hands. He is big, He can handle it! ;-) Make your heart right first. Then, put on your "big girl/boy pants" and bring your sins to Him. Especially that one that just jumped out at you right this second. Then, breath in the wonderful, amazing feeling of freedom! Letting God help guide and direct you and your day. Letting Him bear the weight of the sins that you have done and or keep doing. Ask Him for His help - and He WILL give it! Although, I'll warn you: it may not be in the way or form that you "think" is helpful LOL It may be the complete opposite of what you think would be helpful! That's God! :-) Have a GREAT day, and I'm praying for you to be able to "release" things to God, and "accept" His blessings!
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