“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied,“tell me to come to you on the water.”~ Matthew 14:28
Earlier today, my almost-16-year-old daughter, plopped down on the bed next to me where I was working on my laptop:
“Is this the longest you have ever kept your weight off?,” she asked.
Though I was taken aback by what *seemed* to be a question out of the blue, I retorted quickly enough: “But I *haven’t* kept it off!”
“Mom, you have had little ups and downs, but you aren’t anywhere close to where you were before!”
Her praise surprised me. I was about to wax eloquent, minimizing the “success” and maximizing my “failure.”
Then, I thought about Peter. He is often remembered for many things, including sinking after Jesus made it possible for him to walk on the water. We remember so much about that story…but the thing that stands out seems to be that Peter sank when he took his eyes off of Jesus.
Peter walked on the water!!! He got out of the boat!
How quick we are to forget just how amazing that is.
Was Peter changed from the experience of walking to Jesus on the water? Was he in awe of what is possible when he fixed his eyes on Jesus? Did he allow that thought to envelop him? Or did he brood:
How easy it is to focus on apparent failure, but think of those other eleven guys who were all in the boat. None of them failed. None of them sank. But none of them ever got out of the boat!
I have done similarly with my transformation. There have been big internal changes in addition to the outward physical ones. Today, I choose to delight in the fact I got out of the boat. I am changed inside and out because of the things God has shown me–about him, about me, about what is possible. If I am honest, I know that, at my smallest, my mindset wasn’t healthy. I am following this path imperfectly, but in my weakness, God Almighty is made evident and strong!
I am not where I was. I got out of the boat!
Why do I minimize my victories and maximize my defeats?
How about you? Can you celebrate that you have gotten out of the boat? Delight in all that is possible when you do put your eyes on Jesus. It changes you inside *and* out. You are never the same.
What will it take today to get you to stop focusing on the “sinking” and start celebrating the fact that you have gotten out of the boat and walked on the water at all? How might doing so change you today and change your approach to food, difficult situations, people, yourself, and God?
Awesome counsel, Heidi! I love it!! And — until we get out of the boat, we will have no idea how great our God is and the magnitude of what He can do with someone who steps out in faith. Gonna be a great day!
Awesome counsel, Heidi! I love it!! And — until we get out of the boat, we will have no idea how great our God is and the magnitude of what He can do with someone who steps out in faith. Gonna be a great day!
Yaaaahoooo! Isn't God SOOOO faithful! Your words, His message, my heart! Thank you for being his beautiful vessel…… We out dah boat girl! 🙂 ha-ha!
Yaaaahoooo! Isn't God SOOOO faithful! Your words, His message, my heart! Thank you for being his beautiful vessel…… We out dah boat girl! 🙂 ha-ha!
Love this post!!! I needed to hear this today. Thank you Heidi!!
Love this post!!! I needed to hear this today. Thank you Heidi!!
Ok…I have one leg over the edge of the boat…does that count? Oh how I wish I were one who easily and immediately trusted my Lord's leading. I wish I were one who resonded instantly in faith. So often we hear about how Peter sank, but I have always been one who was amazed that he ever got out in the first place. Yet, even in his moments of weak faith God saw what he could be and said "upon this rock I will build my church". I am so glad that God sees what I can be. "More than what I should be, make me what I could be, finish what you've started, Lord."
Ok…I have one leg over the edge of the boat…does that count? Oh how I wish I were one who easily and immediately trusted my Lord's leading. I wish I were one who resonded instantly in faith. So often we hear about how Peter sank, but I have always been one who was amazed that he ever got out in the first place. Yet, even in his moments of weak faith God saw what he could be and said "upon this rock I will build my church". I am so glad that God sees what I can be. "More than what I should be, make me what I could be, finish what you've started, Lord."
Hi, Heidi! My name is Karen and I just came across your blog today. I have really appreciated reading several of your posts already this morning, and look forward to reading more as the week continues! I guess I decided to post a comment already because I see that you are giving away a "Thin Within" book – and I would love to win that book, as I am looking to start "Thin Within." I am ready to get out of the boat…AGAIN! (I can share more of my story another time, but just know that I believe GOD led me to your blog and I am so excited to see how he is going to transform not only my body in the weeks and months ahead, but my faith, too!) Thanks for being here…and for encouraging us to yield our hearts to Him…because He is worthy of our full confidence!
Hi, Heidi! My name is Karen and I just came across your blog today. I have really appreciated reading several of your posts already this morning, and look forward to reading more as the week continues! I guess I decided to post a comment already because I see that you are giving away a "Thin Within" book – and I would love to win that book, as I am looking to start "Thin Within." I am ready to get out of the boat…AGAIN! (I can share more of my story another time, but just know that I believe GOD led me to your blog and I am so excited to see how he is going to transform not only my body in the weeks and months ahead, but my faith, too!) Thanks for being here…and for encouraging us to yield our hearts to Him…because He is worthy of our full confidence!
I love your story and the idea that instead of focusing on the sinking, we should focus on the steps we DO take! When the Lord indicates we should step out of the boat to meet Him, even a few steps on the water is progress. I also find comfort in this "failure" of Peter's to see how Jesus was right there to pluck him out.Your post reminds me of that saying, "The only people who never fail are those who never try."So nice to meet you through High Calling Blogs!
I love your story and the idea that instead of focusing on the sinking, we should focus on the steps we DO take! When the Lord indicates we should step out of the boat to meet Him, even a few steps on the water is progress. I also find comfort in this "failure" of Peter's to see how Jesus was right there to pluck him out.Your post reminds me of that saying, "The only people who never fail are those who never try."So nice to meet you through High Calling Blogs!
Hi, believerkjk. So true. As we dare to step foot out, so much is possible. The cool thing is, even if we *do* sink, we can begin again! I am so thankful for grace!Yo, Becky girl! 🙂 Yes! We out dah boat!Hey there, Sunshinemama – I hear you. I need to be reminded to celebrate the water walking God does in my life!Hi, Peggy – YOU BET it counts! 🙂 Yes, the "rock" reminds me of the greeting that the angel gave to Gideon while he was hiding. "Greetings, mighty warrior!" Huh? I love that God sees what he can do in us. :-)Hi, Karen. I am so glad to meet you. You are officially entered in the drawing for the Thin Within book! I am eager to hear your story or if you have a blog where you write, please let us know. You are right…the transformation God does is not just on the outside, but it mostly on the inside! Thanks for writing!Hi there, Ann, so true. Yes. Jesus is always willing to be there for us. He doesn't "rub our noses" in our failures. Thanks for letting me know that you found my blog through High Calling blogs! Welcome!
Hi, believerkjk. So true. As we dare to step foot out, so much is possible. The cool thing is, even if we *do* sink, we can begin again! I am so thankful for grace!Yo, Becky girl! 🙂 Yes! We out dah boat!Hey there, Sunshinemama – I hear you. I need to be reminded to celebrate the water walking God does in my life!Hi, Peggy – YOU BET it counts! 🙂 Yes, the "rock" reminds me of the greeting that the angel gave to Gideon while he was hiding. "Greetings, mighty warrior!" Huh? I love that God sees what he can do in us. :-)Hi, Karen. I am so glad to meet you. You are officially entered in the drawing for the Thin Within book! I am eager to hear your story or if you have a blog where you write, please let us know. You are right…the transformation God does is not just on the outside, but it mostly on the inside! Thanks for writing!Hi there, Ann, so true. Yes. Jesus is always willing to be there for us. He doesn't "rub our noses" in our failures. Thanks for letting me know that you found my blog through High Calling blogs! Welcome!
Loved your words, "Why do I minimize my victories and maximize my defeats." so true!Hey, great to see you here. I found you on Twitter. I'm still trying to figure it all out and saw you sent me a message "moons" ago. I finally got a tweetdeck which has helped me see things more clearly. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods! How's the writing coming along!?
Loved your words, "Why do I minimize my victories and maximize my defeats." so true!Hey, great to see you here. I found you on Twitter. I'm still trying to figure it all out and saw you sent me a message "moons" ago. I finally got a tweetdeck which has helped me see things more clearly. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods! How's the writing coming along!?
Hi, Joanne. Thanks so much for leaving a message. Yes, I sent a tweet some time back since we met briefly at Mt. Hermon. Are you participating in the writer's conference in Auburn in the fall? I think that is where it is, right? 🙂 Right now, my proposal is being viewed by a literary agent. He has had it a while, so I don't know what he will decide. It is all up in the air. I continue to do some writing, but not so diligently on that particular project. Thanks for asking. When is your book coming out? Or is it out now? 🙂 Hugs!
Hi, Joanne. Thanks so much for leaving a message. Yes, I sent a tweet some time back since we met briefly at Mt. Hermon. Are you participating in the writer's conference in Auburn in the fall? I think that is where it is, right? 🙂 Right now, my proposal is being viewed by a literary agent. He has had it a while, so I don't know what he will decide. It is all up in the air. I continue to do some writing, but not so diligently on that particular project. Thanks for asking. When is your book coming out? Or is it out now? 🙂 Hugs!