When someone asks me what transformed my journey from one of not succeeding, not experiencing victory to being able to release the weight and to stay a healthy weight (for the first time in my life) since 2007, I know immediately that growing in gratitude is at the top of the list. Related to this is my willingness to develop a heart and life of Praise. It really is NOT about the food OR about the weight. God wants to do so much more in us!

The reason that I believe praise and gratitude are such effective weapons against the enemy and my flesh is because:

1.) When I praise and give thanks, I am exalting the Giver…God

2.) When I exalt GOD, I am, by definition, taking my place at his feet…recognizing that HE is the potter and I am the clay–this is a posture of humility

3.) When I take a humble posture, I am not as prone to argue with him about MY food, MY will, MY way, MY body, MY eating, MY MY MY. Instead, I am focusing “GODwardly.”

Today seems like a great day to share yet another praise-fest with you all. I hope this encourages your heart:

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/122025333″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

While to me, praise and worship is about declaring God’s attributes and characteristics back to him, gratitude, to me, is expressing thankfulness for his gifts. His gifts are a product of his grace. Again, as I thank him for his gifts, I exalt him. I say, in effect, I am the one in need and he is the one who needs nothing but gives everything.  This transforms me. If I am feeling sorry for myself (something that has often led me to eat outside of my boundaries), practicing gratitude — thanking God for his gifts — or praising Him — proclaiming who He is and what He is like, are sure-fire ways to get me out of my “woe is me” mentality.

I have a 1000 Blessings Blog here. I am counting my way to 1000 of His gifts! Slowly, but I am doing it…and He is changing me!

How About You?

Why not have a praise-fest today? If it would help, refer to these pages: http://heidibylsma.com/step-6/ and http://heidibylsma.com/step-7/

You can also begin a gratitude blog or journal. Here are some thoughts about that: http://heidibylsma.com/step-9-fostering-a-heart-of-thanksgiving/

What will you do to humble yourself today and exalt God? How might that affect the way you view all the tantalizing options available to you to eat today?