Ugh. How many millions of people gave up sweets for Lent and don't feel so anxious they feel the need to blog about it?
The March 1st line in the sand was for me just that, a line. A jump start. Like I posted before, it's been a lifelong road to get here.
Recently, even my arbitrary daily devo tools have been pushing me in this direction.
My daily flip a verse calendar had this to say on February 27:
Praying always. (Ephesians 6:18) "Perserverance is to the human spirit what the rudder is to a ship. It will steer the ship dead ahead in spite of the contrary wind. You must have holy determination, pressing on in defiance of all odds."
Then my Joyce Meyer's Trusting God Day by Day devo on February 25:
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:14-15 NIV)
"Moses told the Israelites not to fight whent hey found the Red Sea facing them on one side and the Egyptian army casing them on the other. They became frightened, and he told them, "Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today. For the Egyptioans you have seen today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest" (Ex 14:13-14).
Notice that Moses told the Israelites to "hold their peace and reamain at rest." Why? They were at war, and it was necessary for them to respond with peace in order to win the battle. God would fight for them if they would show their confidence in Him by being peaceful. Trust in Him: Choose to stop fighting and trust God to fight for you. That is how to win a battle."
Stay with me here. The trainer I mentioned in the first post gave me a visual tool to use in my fight against cravings that would derail my honoring God purposes. She said to picture myself riding an elephant - the elephant being the cravings. But I held the reigns in my hands. As in, the elephant is huge, but you have self-control.
I do have self-control. It is a gift of the Spirit, living inside me. I also have biceps and quadriceps. All three are weak, untrained, and under-developed.
The flipper encourages me to keep fighting, not just make a stand, then quit. And Joyce tells me how to fight, on my knees, surrendered to Him. I can't steer that elephant alone, and Praise God I don't have to. I need to keep my peace, trusting God to lead, change, mold, and make me so that even what I eat and drink, I do for His glory.
Day 1 victories: I did not eat even one M&M from my son's bag at the bowling alley. I did not have even one bite of the kids' leftover pancakes this AM, since they have butter and sugar Grandma Teri style. And my browning bananas are in the oven now, made into a sugar free, apple and banana breakfast blend. Not to shabby.
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