Anxiously Awaiting Zero

Anxiously Awaiting Zero

My flesh machinery has really been riled up these past few days, with food loudly and persistently calling my name, like, all the time! Awaiting zero has been harder than usual.

We are taught in Thin Within that overeating – eating when we aren’t hungry – can cover raw, uncomfortable emotions, thus numbing us and keeping us from dealing with emotions that really need to be dealt with, not buried alive or smothered.

Doing things that I know I should be doing often helps me ignore the loud calling of my name by food.

My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to accomplish His work.”  (John 4:34)

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I’m fully aware this is Jesus talking, and that I’m not Jesus! Or diety! But I believe that this principle – that doing the will of God is food to us – is true for us, too, and Jesus lived it out first to show us how to do it.

But still…  right now all I want to do is eat!  EAT EAT EAT!!!! UUUUGH!!!! (This is as embarrassing to admit as it is frustrating to feel!)

But the Lord reminds me… I am not without help! He Himself helps us:

Apart from Me you can do nothing…

 

But He has also inspired His people to create resources that help us more clearly see – and accurately apply – these truths. And He has given us many wonderful resources in Thin Within, especially via Judy and Arthur Halliday, and Heidi Bylsma! I am currently going through Rebuilding God’s Temple, and in the Week 10, Day 4 lesson, we are asked to take note of specific emotions that are stirred up in us while awaiting zero, and then also journal about them. So that’s what I’m going to do right here – share with you my process…  for better or worse… 

 


1. Identify the emotion that’s surfacing while awaiting zero: 

That’s easy! ANXIETY!

 


2. Journal about it: 

I know scripture clearly tells us to not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, to let our requests be made known to God…

 

And I totally get that and agree with that! Well, I totally agree with that, but I’m not so sure I totally get it, or I wouldn’t still be dealing with this stuff, right? But nonetheless, I am anxious.

The wonderful thing is that God knows us, He knows we will be anxious, and He has made provision for this emotion in these verses: 

Pour out your hearts to the Lord for He can help.”  …  “Make your needs known to Him.”  …  “Come and talk with Me, oh my people…”

So I will take Him up on his offer and start pouring…  making my needs known to Him… and coming to and talking with Him…

Here are my current anxiety-causers: (They really boil down to two.)

One is that I have a busy few days coming up, and I am anxious about how I’m going to get everything done. How do I best prioritize, not get side-tracked, and use my time the most wisely?

The other is that we will be having company staying at our home for several days. I have a melancholic personality and I enjoy – and actually need – time to myself. Having company will entail interruption to my usual quiet days – quiet because we are empty-nesters and my husband is retired. So this will be challenging to my flesh, especially since hospitality does not come easily or naturally for me – probably because I am basically selfish, and hospitality is basically all about unselfishness. It will be rewarding, too, I enjoy people once they are here, but I am still anxious about this. 

 

So identifying the emotion and journaling about it got everything out in the open, and definitely helped, but now I need to take it to the next level and “finish it up”; I need to…

 


3. Pray it all the way through. 

 

Okay, Lord, here I am…

Lord, You know all about the anxiety that is having a hayday in me right now. And I’m sure this is part of what’s drawing me so strongly to want to eat right now, to try to mask it or smother it or avoid dealing with it, or D. ALL THE ABOVE.

Of course I know full well that none of those will work, but that doesn’t mean I won’t fall for it, again.

Lord, I want to be honoring to you in how I eat, and I know I have not been, and for that I ask your forgiveness.

I come to You with the weightiness of my emotions, my selfishness, my confusion, my frustrations, my anger, and my insecurities… 

 

…in this case, about hosting and entertaining guests. And I give it ALL to You, Lord…

You know what You want to happen with our guests, and I ask You to lead me that way and give me Your heart, Your love for them.

Help me think less about myself and more about them and their needs, and to make them feel welcome, and to show them Your love.

I also ask You to help me use my time wisely and get done those things that You want done, and let the rest go!

I cast all of these cares on You, Lord! I can’t fix them or get rid of them anyway, so I bring them to – and leave them with – You.

And I trust You with them, and to get me over any hurdles, and through any tough times that come up today and once our company is here. Please give me the words, the heart, the direction, and the wisdom I need in each moment.

Thank you, Lord, for everything You are doing and are going to do! Aaaaaaamen!

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

Melting Down to Your God-given Size

Melting Down to Your God-given Size

 

 


• By Barb Shelton •

Inspired by Christina Motley


 

Christina and I are prayer partners for the current two-week span and she sent me this picture of the snowlady she and her daughters made in their front yard…

 

She wrote, “Fun in the snow! ❄️⛄️❄️ Isn’t she just adorable??? We named her Meridith!”

Recognizing that scarf as not only being Christina’s favorite flower, 🌻🌻🌻 but as having seen it ON her person in one of her porch chats…

 

Screen shot of Christina doing a porch chat

 

…I said, “Meridith is just toooooo cute!!!!! ⛄️ Did she have permission to use that scarf?!?!?? 😆”

She responded, “Of course! She and I are already becoming good friends! 🌼💕❤️🍃😀😀”

Aware that the warming weather would soon have “diminishing” effects on Meridith, Christina added “I don’t think she will be here long, though…😳☃️🍃.”

So the next morning I asked her, “How is Meridith doing? Is the warming-up weather imposing rapid weight-loss mode onto her?!?! ⛄️😄

(Just so you know, we DO actually talk about spiritual things as well! Right after this I shared my prayer for her from Psalm 22!)

On our Thin Within coaching call (with Heidi and Christina) later than afternoon, Christine told the rest of the girls in our group about Meridith, and sadly added that the sunshine had been shrinking Meridith quite a bit. A few of us shared with delight: “She’s melting down to her God-given size!!”

Christina went on: “Okay! Here comes the good part, girls! All Meridith had to do to shrink down to her God-given size was just be in the light and warmth of the sun! Isn’t that COOL?!?!?”

I said “I feel a blog article coming on!” and asked Christina to send me a picture of Meridith in her current melting state. Christina then asked me to do “before and after” pictures of Meridith, and to “use my magic” to put a face on her since hers had fallen off…  which I did using carrot and leaf emoticons, and the “draw” feature of my photo editor. Not the greatest, but better than a blank stare!

 

 

So how might this look in real life? I started pondering what “melting in the light of the sun” might entail, and remembered I had already written about this very thing in a blog article I wrote a couple years ago called “How Does God Redeem Stuff?

In it, I share five “methods” (actions, ways) God has led me to – and used in me to – redeem many things in my life. Two of those items – “expose” and “soak” – are perfect for our snowlady analogy as they explain what it means to expose ourselves to – and soak in – God’s warm light!

I’m going to share those two sections of that article here! (Well…  Assuming I can get permission from the author! I hear she’s quite a stickler!)

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EXPOSING

Let’s start by thinking of a rock on the ground.  It’s been sitting in the sunshine, so it’s nice and dry and warm…

 

Turn the rock over, and what might you see on the underside of that rock? … Scampering bugs, wiggling worms, dirt, mud.

What’s the best way to get the underside of that rock as warm, dry, smooth, clean and bug-free as the top of it? Should we urge the rock to go to a rock spa and get a make-over and scrub itself off?

Nope! Just turn it over and expose it to the Sun! Given a little time, the wet-turned-dry dirt can just be brushed off, leaving that underside nice ‘n’ clean – with no effort whatsoever on the part of the rock! All it had to do was let itself be exposed tot he warm rays of the sun.

Need a human picture? This guy is perfectly emulating this concept:

 

 

Likewise, I have had many bug-infested “rocks” in my life. Rather than try to clean myself up, the Lord has many times led me to just allow Him to gently turn one of my [many] rocks over in His loving hand and expose it to His warming, penetrating, healing, freshening rays! – which do all of the healing, cleansing work! All I had to do was simply lay there with my wound, dirt, or ugliness exposed to Him!

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SOAKING

My mother-in-love made the most amazing pickles! But they didn’t start out their pickley lives as winners. They began as dill – or, for the sake of our analogy, we’ll call them sour pickles.

To be transformed into the amazing sweet pickles they became, all they had to do was SOAK in the NEW brine that I put them in!

 

 

What does that brine consist of? 3 cups of sugar and 1 cup of vinegar. (See my “Grandma Shelton’s Rebrined Pickles” blog post for the recipe and directions.)

Two of the “sweetest” things we can soak in are:    

  • God’s Word, the Bible – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
  • Worship – Whatever we look at, we become more like it. The more we focus on fashion, the more we want to be fashionable. (And thin!) The more we focus on food, the more we want it. But as we dwell on the Lord, the more we want Him, and the more we actually become like Him! And “As the Spirit of the Lord works in us, we become more and more like Him.”   

(In the article I share a bitter, “vinegar-esque” thing we might soak in that actually aids in the transformation process, but we’ll just stay with the sugar aspect here.)

These pickles take a week to be completely transformed into the best pickles I have ever tasted! EVER!!! And they didn’t even have to go on a self-improvement kick! They just soaked in that transforming brine, getting sweeter as the days went by!

Likewise, if we soak in God’s Word, letting His “higher thoughts” soak into us, renewing our minds…  If we get our eyes off of our sour selves and worship our mighty, loving God, we will become more and more like Him, and get sweeter as the days, months, and years go by!

 


 

So thank you, Christina and girls, for creating Meridith and sharing her with us, thereby inspiring any of us who are struggling to melt down to our natural God-given size to:

• lay down our striving to fix ourselves and…

• simply spend more time exposing ourselves to the Son, soaking in His healing warmth.

 

 

 


 

 

Preparing for Challenges in Advance – with Jesus

Preparing for Challenges in Advance – with Jesus

Lord, I have a lot going on today; many things on my plate. You said You’ll be with us always, which includes TODAY! So would You help me prepare for these things ahead instead of being a sitting duck and waiting until I’m in the middle of them – sinking down, getting overwhelmed, confused, or discouraged? 

Christina (Motley) often talks about asking God, at the beginning of the day, to help her process things she knows will be coming up that day. This is the first I had ever heard of doing this, and I love the concept!

I invite you to join me as I walk through asking the Lord to help me process five things I deal with on a regular basis.

You’ll recognize many of the truths herein as being things we have heard from Heidi and Christina in the Thin Within groups and materials!

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Okay, Lord, let’s DO this!

 

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PAST FAILURES

 

My past failures tend to creep up on me and suck me down into the miry pit of discouragement. I easily start feeling I’LL NEVER CHANGE! Why even try? I’ll just fail again! 

TRUTH: Yesterday’s failures do not define or confine me. God has forgiven me, (assuming I have asked), so despite what I couldn’t do yesterday (or simply chose not to do), the truth for this moment is that I can begin afresh right now because today is a brand new day!

PLAN: When failures come at me like a fastball, and the enemy tries to use them to strike me down, hit him back with these verses:

SCRIPTURE: “Remember not the former things, [the things of the past] nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)   |   “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning (and it’s always morning somewhere on the planet!); great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22–24)   |   “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

PRAY: Lord, I’m so grateful that You don’t hold my past against me, and that You don’t want me to keep regurgitating my failures and sins. Thank You that You are doing a new thing in me! Help me be aware of it springing forth in me rather than continually focusing on my sins, failures and weaknesses. I want to walk with You as You make a way in the wilderness of my undisciplined thought life and rivers in the dry desert of my gluttonous nature..

 

 

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FEELING OVERWHELMED

 

I have many things to do today and am feeling overwhelmed trying to decide what to do and not do, and how to get everything done that I need to get done.

TRUTH: The Lord knows what He wants me to do today and He is able to show me this and to UNoverwhelm me.

PLAN: Make a list of all the things that need to be done so that they aren’t just floating around and hitting me in the head all day. Pray, wait, and allow God to show me what to do next, and then next… and what to let go of, at least for today. And even though I don’t think I know how to hear the Lord, see John 10:27 below.

SCRIPTURE“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)   |   “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to accomplish His work.” (John 4:34)   |   “Let all things [that the Lord wants me to do] be done decently [kindly, dutifully, suitably, and generously; not minimally or begrudgingly] and in order.” (I Cor. 14:40)

PRAY: Lord, You know everything before me today, and what all You want me to do. So show me what I do and don’t need to do today, and how to accomplish all that You want me to!


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STUFF I DON’T WANT TO DO

 

Lord, there’s a task that I don’t want to do today, something I’ve been procrastinating doing  just because it’s distasteful and I simply do NOT want to do it! 

TRUTH: Whether or not I want to do this is not my bottom line, but whether or not God wants me to do it. I’m thankful that I’m physically capable of doing it.

PLAN: Pray the prayer below, and then get in and JUST DO IT!

SCRIPTURE“For the moment, all discipline [hard work that I don’t particularly want to do] seems painful [distasteful] rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [including having something done that I didn’t want to do] for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11)

PRAY: Lord, would You help me not only do this, but also make me extra aware of Your presence while I do it? I’d love it if you put something on my mind and heart to think about and process with You while I (we) do it.

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TEMPTING FOOD

 

Lord, there are all sorts of yummy foods in the fridge and my pantry, and they’re calling my name!! I just SO want to eat them ALL – or at least as much as I can cram in!

TRUTH: Yes, there are lots of good things to eat, but that doesn’t mean I need to eat them all today, or ever! The truth is that it’s more wasteful to eat it all than to toss what we don’t eat; the excess fuel in my body will weigh me down, rob me of energy, and steal my joy and my “food-peace.” The truth is that “one more bite” will not bless me or help me; it will take me in the opposite direction from where God wants to take me, which is into freedom, peace, and joy.

PLAN: Each time I get down to zero, I can eat a small amount of whatever I want – up to “satisfied.” Focus more on abiding in Jesus today so that “there I’ll be” when troubles come.

SCRIPTURE“For God has not given me a spirit of fear [of the yummy leftovers in the fridge], but of power [to not eat everything in one sitting], of love [of myself, enough to tend to my actual needs and not lusts], and a sound mind” [which, as God renews it, is capable of regarding food as merely “tasty, enjoyable fuel” and not as entertainment!]  (2 Timothy 1:7)

PRAY: Lord, thank you so much for Your provision, which is so abundant that I have enough food to actually have this problem! Help me to enjoy food as tasty fuel, and not as something to scarf down until I’m stuffed! You know which foods my body actually needs and what will be “whole body pleasers,” so would You give me a desire for those foods, and help me eat “just enough” to satisfy my hunger. And remind me if I get preoccupied and forget to come to You as often as I need/want to!

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ANXIETIES

 

Lord, I know I’m going to hear more bad news today, and each time I do, I get anxious and/or angry. All the yuckiness going on in the news and politics: the twisted perceptions, perverse ungodliness, defiance and mockery of God, injustices, despising and hatred of Christians – it all just grieves me so much, Lord, and I don’t know what to do with it.

TRUTH: These things are happening because people have rejected God and set themselves up as their own authority. They call what’s good evil, and what’s evil good. I need to expect to see these things; not be surprised.
       SCRIPTURE: “For, although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools … [T]hey did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.   … [And] they not only continue to do these very things, but also approve of those who practice them.” (excerpts from Romans 1: 21–31)
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TRUTH: I can’t fix these situations or the people involved. It’s not even my job; these people and situations are the Holy Spirit’s work; mine only to the extent that He brings me into His work. But it is my job to pray for them and to love the people.
       SCRIPTURE: “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.” (John 14:17)
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TRUTH: In the midst of all the sad, horrible, and depressing things going on in the world, God still wants me to be loving, gracious, patient, and kind. There may be a time to speak the truth in love, but I need to let God lead me into those situations, and not strive to change/fix everyone as “the way it is” was prophesied. And, in the meantime, get His heart for others, even those with whom I disagree (vehemently).
      SCRIPTURE: “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” (Psalms 145:8)   |   “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)
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TRUTH: God doesn’t want me to live in a state of continually being troubled, weighed down, vexed, and dominated by all the evil going on in the world.
      SCRIPTURE: “Cast all your anxiety (cares, burdens) on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)   |   “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6-7)   |   “Demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” (II Corinthians 10: 5)
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PLAN: 
A) Make it a practice to “take every thought captive.”
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B) Print out four copies of the above truths + verses and put them: in my Bible, on the inside of a kitchen cupboard, in my bathroom cupboard, and by my bed. Also copy and paste it into the Notes on my phone. So that…
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C) Whenever one of these thoughts hits, process it with Jesus. Ultimately leave the matter – and its heaviness – with Him.
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PRAY: Lord, there is soooo much happening today that is just so sad and depressing. It can easily suck the wind right out from my sails. Please give me Your heart and mind on all this! Help me carry Your hope-giving light to those who walk in darkness!
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.i’D 

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I’d love to hear what’s been weighing on your heart/mind and how you are processing it with the Lord!

 

Boundaries That Fall in Pleasant Places

Boundaries That Fall in Pleasant Places

“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:6)

In Fresh Wind, Fresh Desire, Heidi wrote regarding boundaries: “The wooden fence protects a family dog from wandering off into a forest where predators lurk.”

It was interesting that I read this just a few hours after hearing some nearby animal predators doing more than just “lurk” in the woods we live in. I knew they were causing all the howling, screeching, and yelping going on not too far from our house! I didn’t see them, but the predators had to be a pack of hungry coyotes attacking a dog. The frantic, pathetic howling of the prey went on for several awful, horrible minutes.

It was agonizing for the animal, but it was also agonizing for us who were listening. By no choice of ours! Inside with the front door and windows shut, we still heard it loud and clear! And we could do nothing about it. The screeching and yelping eventually got quieter and quieter until, finally, the tormented prey was “quieted.” 😞

Living in the woods, there are no fences around here that would actually keep a dog safe, if we had one. We have fences that keep cows in and people out…

…and fences that keep horses in…

(I took both of the above photos out on my walk recently.)

 

…but neither of these fences would keep a predator out. And neither fence would have helped that poor dog, as both the coyotes and the dog were quite capable of slipping through them. Maybe not unscathed going through the barbed wire fence, but they could still make it through.

But I’m certain that if we did have a “thorough” fence around our property ~ like maybe a concrete wall or an electrical fence ~ and if the dog had been on the inside of the fence, and the coyotes on the outside of it, unable to get to the dog, that dog would have felt that “the boundaries had definitely fallen for it in pleasant places.”

The point, of course, is that, without any boundaries, those coyotes were free to attack whatever animal they wanted, and that dog lost any and all freedom it thought it had living out in the country.

 

BOUNDARIES ABOUND, ALL AROUND!

Boundaries are everywhere and come in a variety of ways. Let’s take a quick look at a few…

Marriage boundaries: We state our marital boundaries in our vows, which include loving, honoring, and cherishing this person, and no others ~ in the same way.

 

Road boundaries:  The lanes, lines between lanes, shoulder, the concrete divider between freeway lanes all provide boundaries that, unheeded, have very unhappy consequences.

Getting more specific, if a vehicle goes outside of these road boundaries, they will literally land in the water ~ and most likely, their demise.

 

Clothing boundaries: It covers parts of the body that need to be kept warm and/or private; exposes (at least) the hands that work and face that needs to see, smell, and eat.

 

Organizing boundaries: Shelves, boxes and bins keep items separate and able to be quickly and easily accessed.

 

Time boundaries:  Many aspects of our day ~ like getting up, going to work, meetings, naps, eating, shows on TV, and bedtime ~ have time boundaries that keep our day regulated and in order.

 

Relational boundaries:  There are certain things we do and talk about with people depending on their relationship to us. Like I talk with my husband and closest friends about deep and personal matters, but not to mere acquaintances, bank tellers, or grocery clerks.

 

Geographical boundaries:  Borders between states and countries keep citizenship ~ and the responsibilities and privileges thereof ~ clear; residency defined.

 

Property boundaries:  Fences, lawns, landscaping define yards and boundaries between properties. (Clearly this fence would not keep the ocean out! But it would delineate property lines.)

 

Store sections:  Certain things can be found on Aisle 8 and others on Aisle 3; certain things in the bakery, and certain things in the produce section ~ all of which have boundaries within those boundaries!

 

Train boundaries:  The tracks are very clear boundaries, and a train going off of them results in a literal “train wreck” and “derailing.” Tracks might seem very limiting, but a train has complete freedom to go anywhere the tracks can go only when it stays on the tracks! When it derails, all freedom is instantly lost!

 

Building boundaries:  A home consists of boundaries in the form of rooms, which are made of walls, ceilings, and floors. And the outer walls are a boundary, too:  I live in this house, and not in the yard, sidewalk, road, or next door.

 

SO WHAT CAN I LEARN FROM THIS?

I’m sad to say that I have not seen my food boundaries as “falling for me in pleasant places.” So, knowing the Lord wanted to teach me some things about them, I started pondering the above pictorial boundaries, and their various roles and advantages. Some pretty amazing truths surfaced. Boundaries…

::  close the gap on wondering if this or that is beneficial to me ~ like getting down to a zero is beneficial; getting to a 7 is not.

::  help me love and honor my body; overeating is not cherishing myself.

::  make me stay aware that there’s a heavy (pardon the pun) price to pay for a few moments of out-of-my-boundaries eating.

::  keep the eating dynamics of my life regulated and in order.

::  help me to not become discouraged, ready to throw in the towel, and thus “derail.”

::  keep me aware of the limits of food’s capabilities: it can feed and nourish my body, but it can’t satisfy my innermost needs and desires.

::  make it clear where I’m to be in my eating any given moment. (Eat when I’m at a zero; stop when satisfied, not stuffed.)

::  keep eating from becoming something it isn’t:  a pastime or hobby. (I’m already there, so my boundaries are retraining me.)

::  not allow the enemy to devour me ~ along with my peace, hopes, desires, and goals.

::  give me freedom! I am free to go where the Lord wants to take me only as I stay on track and heed the wisdom-based boundaries He has given me!

 

Do “all the above” seem like they might be a lot more pleasant than I have been thinking? Living boundary-less – as my flesh would like to – leaves me wide open to be preyed upon by the enemy and every temptation he brings my way with the intent of basically devouring me. He wants to destroy my success, my peace of mind, my goals, my vitality and health, along with any possibility of a long and productive life.

Let me ask you:  Are inheritances pleasant? How about prizes? How about joy? Guess what…  These are all contained in this verse:

“The Lord Himself is my inheritance, my prize, He is my food and drink, my highest joy!” (Psalm 16:5)

 

When we have the Lord, and when we seek Him, and allow Him (as opposed to our flesh) to determine our boundaries ~ in anything, including but not limited to food ~ we have the Ultimate in pleasant! And, as such, I need to partake of Him more frequently. When I don’t, I am lacking in pleasantness in my heart, and I am prone to look for false, fleeting, momentary, or imitation pleasures ~ including but not limited to food, or at least eating it outside my boundaries.

But it could be anything ~ for some it might be alcohol, for others drugs, or excessive shopping, or porn, or…  doesn’t matter ~ nothing satisfies our deepest needs other than the One who made us.

“Be delighted with the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalms 37:4)

That verse is easy to misunderstand, turn around and get mixed up, even disappointed about. Why? Because we are actually delighted with our own earthly pleasures, not really with the Lord. When we are truly delighted with Him, we will get ~ from Him ~ the desires of our heart because our heart is in alignment with how He created it to be delighted. Not with things that destroy us, mess us up, or steal our joy.

This actually goes right along with:

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33)

And one of those “things that shall be added unto us” is a fresh new view of godly boundaries regarding food! What we have seen as UNpleasant, God will turn to being a “pleasant place” that’s filled with delight, as (and only as) we surrender our will to His. For me, that means surrendering my (supposed) right to eat all the food I want when I want it, even if I’m not hungry! I have thought that eating without boundaries was the essence of pleasant and delightful. But nope! This is the essence of pleasant and delightful:

“The one thing I want from God, the thing I seek most of all, is the privilege of meditating in his Temple, living in his presence every day of my life, delighting in his incomparable perfections and glory.” (Psalms 27:4)

Those are the boundaries I want to live within and enjoy! The rest of the verse actually sums up what happens when I do:

“There I’ll be (in His presence, delighting in Him ~ the ultimate in pleasure) when troubles come.”

What kind of trouble? … Trouble overcoming temptation to overeat…  Trouble with getting peace in a difficult situation. (Food will only take my peace; not give it!) … Trouble with feeling overwhelmed. (Food does NOT help me get UNoverwhelmed!) … Trouble making a decision or knowing what to do next. (Food has no power to help me make a decision; it only subdues the anxiety ~ for as long as it takes to eat it.)

If I enjoy peace, God’s presence, joy, not derailing or being destroyed, then yes, God’s boundaries definitely fall in the most pleasant of places. Not flesh-pleasing places, but truly, deeply pleasant places!

 


 

Two Rosebuds Flourishing in the Light

Two Rosebuds Flourishing in the Light

Several weeks ago a couple came over for dinner (yes, we had invited them; they didn’t just show up) and brought us a potted miniature rose plant. It had some pretty red roses blooming, and was healthy and thriving. Which actually made me feel bad that it was now going to have me for its owner, as I do not generally do well with indoor plants. (Well, outdoor ones, either, but we’ll stick with indoor ones herein.)

However, the sweet beauty of this plant made me that much more determined to not only keep this one alive (like for more than a week), but to have it flourish! So I have done my best to water it with the “right“ amount of water – not really knowing what that is, but trying anyway.

I do remember my plant-whisperer mother-in-love saying something about watering plants when they’re dry. Okay, maybe she didn’t mean “dry for three weeks,” so I touched the surface of the dirt every day, and when it felt dry, I watered it.

Plants seem to enjoy light, as well, but living in the non-sunny (I’m trying not to actually say “cloudy and dreary”) Pacific Northwest, and specifically living in our house that doesn’t get a lot of sunlight anyway because of being in the woods, I had to get a bit creative. I thought it might help to put it in a spot where there was more light – specifically directly beneath an under-cupboard fluorescent light in my kitchen.

As you can see, I put it in a mini red crock pot, (which matches my Mary Engelbreit kitchen,) but it is not turned on, so that had no effect on its growth. That was just the only counter space available below any of the fluorescent lights under my cupboards!

Well, I am thrilled (more than you know!) to announce that my rose plant has thrived in this spot! It not only stayed alive, but it has actually GROWN!!! (I kid you not!) Three times its original size!!!

The original mini roses eventually matured and I picked them off, but that’s normal. The rest of the plant still grew. No more mini roses, but, in faith, I knew they’d eventually come. At least I had a green plant in the meantime.

While working in the kitchen one day, I happened to bend down further than I usually do and noticed something interesting: Two darling little roses right at the top of the plant, the spot that was closest to the light!

I looked through the rest of the plant, and did not see any other rosebuds anywhere else! (I’m pulling them down to get a picture of them, so that’s why they don’t appear to be right at the top by the light. This is a few days after the picture above, which is why they’re bigger.)

 

Whether or not this is the norm for miniature roses (growing in mini crock pots directly below fluorescent lights in Pacific Northwest kitchens), it wasn’t hard to run with and “interpret” this analogy!

Obviously, the closer we position ourselves to the Light ~ Jesus Himself ~ the more we will blossom and grow in our walk with Him!

There are many good reasons He uses “light” to refer to Himself. Many more than I thought as I discovered when searching for Bible verses about light. I was delighted to find that the Word even get very specific about how, as “the Light of the World,” Jesus:  (For your graphic-viewing pleasure, I made scripture-graphics of some of these verses.)

 

Jesus…

…helps us.

“Many say that God will never help us. Prove them wrong, O Lord, by letting the light of your face shine down upon us.” (Psalm 4:6
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…keeps us from stumbling.

“Jesus said to the people, “I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.” (John 8:12)   “Your words are a flashlight to light the path ahead of me and keep me from stumbling. (Psalm 119:105)
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…gives us life.

“Answer me, O Lord my God; give me light in my darkness, lest I die.” (Psalm 13:3)  “He floods the darkness with light, even the dark shadow of death.” (Job 12:22)

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…counsels us.

“Your laws are both my light and my counselors.” (Psalm 119:24)
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…gives us wisdom and joy.

“God’s laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light.” (Psalm 19:7-8)
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…dispells our personal darkness.

“You have turned on my light!  The Lord my God has made my darkness turn to light.” (Psalm 18:28)...
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…warns us of danger.

“For their [it’s actually referring to parents’ advice, but because many parents are living ungodly lives, I’m using the word “godly” instead] advice is a beam of light directed into the dark corners of your mind to warn you of danger, and…” (Proverbs 6:23)
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…gives us a good life.

[For their advice is a beam of light directed into the dark corners of your mind to] give you a good life.” (Proverbs 6:23)
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.…leads us.

“Oh, send out your light and your truth—let them lead me. Let them lead me to your Temple on your holy mountain, Zion.” (Psalm 43:3)
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…blesses us with good things.

“For Jehovah God is our Light… No good thing will he withhold from those who walk along his paths.” (Psalm 84:11)
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…protects us.

“For Jehovah God is our Light and our Protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from those who walk along his paths.” (Psalm 84:11)
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…sheds glorious light on us, healing us, leading us forward.

“If you do these things, God will shed his own glorious light upon you. He will heal you; your godliness will lead you forward, goodness will be a shield before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.” (Isaiah 58:8)

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WOW! I knew that what I’d find when I looked up “light” would be good, but to see all these verses ~ and benefits of light ~ in one place is just a deLIGHTful BLAST of BLESSING!!!

Which my darkened-in-some-areas thinking could certainly use! I am on the path of getting my mind renewed, especially as it pertains to food and eating, but I need much more light to illuminate and correct my wrong thinking.

For others, maybe it’s a different addiction ~ shopping, alcohol, drugs, porn, too much of anything, be it TV, computer, games, entertainment, even exercise.

Any of these can be a little-g god in our lives, and, without them being exposed to the healing light of God’s truth, can (and will) keep us in darkness in that area, which will eventually spread to other areas.

Of course, to receive this new thinking, the very mind of Christ, we have to actually draw near to Him, who is the Light!

Which brings me full-circle back to my rosebuds and what they did. They drew near to the light, not because of how smart they were, but because of how attractive light is. By its very nature, light draws living things to it. 

But that doesn’t mean all living things ~ including us ~ always make the choice to draw near to the light! It takes time and effort. And denying what our flesh gravitates toward, which feels good for the moment, but is not ultimately good for us. Nor is it what we really want; what our spirit longs for. But it is sooooo worth the time and effort! And what valuable rewards come of it!

There’s one other little detail that did not go unnoticed by me…  There are two rosebuds side-by-side! If any of you have an active, growing relationship with an accountability/prayer partner, you will get this right away! As it says in Ecclesiastes:

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“…(O)ne standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer; three is even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)
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It is the Lord ~ that Third Strand of the triple-braided cord ~ who binds us together and strengthens us! I love how He uses other sisters to help strengthen us! I know that, for me, having an accountability partner helps me “walk in the light” ~ which brings me full-circle to the focus of this article…

That nothing but good can come from drawing near to the Light of the World! He IS Light, He is FULL of Light, and He brings light to our darkness ~ whatever it may be.

When we go into a totally dark room, grope around on the wall for the light switch, and flip it on, there is no argument between the darkness and the light. Get that? NO ARGUMENT at all! The light always wins.

This is true in both the natural realm as well as the super-natural.

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So let’s take hold of what God has for us, stop stumbling in the dark, and receive more of the wisdom, joy, protection, good things and GOOD LIFE that God has for us, if we’ll only choose Him and allow Him to shed light on ~ and thus pull us out of ~ our “personal darkness” ~ whatever area that may be for us! He is stronger and brighter and bigger than anything that, heretofore, has kept us in the dark! 
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“Lord, You have turned on my light!

You have made my darkness turn to light.”

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