Or is my life like this cluttered coffee table…intended to display you–to show you off–to demonstrate that I honor you, but so many things are allowed in that your face is obscured?
Have I welcomed you?
Do I prepare a place for you that you might live freely, unhindered?What, in my life, is crowding you, Lord?
Is it my desire for my physical body to be healthy? Have I taken that too far? Not far enough? Am I owned by food? Or, am I owned by a drive not to be owned by food?
Is it my love for my husband and the “Happily Ever After” I dreamed to enjoy once our nest was empty?
Is it my children and the importance I place on what they choose to do with their futures?
Have I given laughter, joy and all the things you have created and truly want for me, too great a place of prominence?
Have I exalted the gifts rather than the Giver?
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. ~ Ephesians 3:16-17a
I choose to make room for you today, Lord. By faith, I choose to welcome you to dwell in my heart. I choose to still my soul, like a weaned child with it’s mother (Psalm 131). Please wean me of anything in this world that distracts me from a passion for you. I am so grateful, Lord, that one thing I know…I need you so much that my life is a living testimonial of your grace, love and mercy. Thank you. Like the song says, Lord, “Be born again in me, today.” I will never NOT need the gospel preached to my soul.
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:
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!
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?
Some of you have wondered if I do speaking to groups. Absolutely. I love sharing from God’s Word! Whether it is a Thin Within launch event or something broader…like a Praise and Gratitude event! I love it and would love to meet you!
Over the course of my adult life, I have enjoyed speaking with women’s groups and Thin Within groups as well.
Topics include The Grandeur of Gratitude, Freedom Found in Forgiveness, and Breaking Loose of Labels and Shame.
How about a Living Life on the Path of Praise weekend retreat? This is a four-message retreat weekend (but fewer messages can be managed, too!):
Message 1: Any woman can walk on the path of praise by embracing three gifts Christ has purchased for her. Christ gives us our: Value, Identity, and Purpose. The focus passage is 1 Peter 2:9, 10. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. We do a little hands-on activity with and interact with one another as we laugh together about the various “hats” we wear in life. It is a very encouraging message that focuses your group on “Identity Truths” God says he attributes to us. The goal is to focus the women on WHY we praise with our lives—in all the ins and outs of daily life—we were created and saved to praise! Message length: Approximately 35 min.
Message 2: Is called “Someday My Prince Will Come” and the focus is on WHO we praise. Video footage of Catherine Middleton and Prince William segue into the fact that her wedding would have looked so different had she married anyone else. How is what we are given affected by the One to whom we are betrothed–our great God and King? We look at our wonderful Lord and Savior and His promise that He is coming for his bride. God is transforming us to be his perfect bride. Practical tools are shared, including the God List and Praise-Fest. These are practical tools to use in quiet times and private worship that can lift us out of a pit of despair, keep us from temptation or lift our vision. We integrate worship as the women share what they learn in a moment of looking up some verses themselves…Depending on how much time the women spend sharing and how much music we use, this session can be the longest…about 45 minutes…or it can be extended with more singing and praise.
Message 3: Is “Staying on the Path of Praise–No Matter What” This message challenges us to evaluate: What will we magnify…the Lord? Or the dust mites of life? Psalm 34:3-5 is a pattern based on David’s experience: Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. We then spend the rest of our time in 2 Chronicles 20 and King Jeshoshaphat. This, too, is very encouraging and the tool I share with the women is called “Truth Journaling.” It is another practical tool that helps us allow the word of God to renew our minds. This answers the question “WHEN do we praise.” Message length: approximately 35 minutes.
Message 4: Is “Is there Life After Retreat?” or “Surviving Re-Entry” This extends an invitation to the women to come and rest in the Lord. It is a commissioning of sorts. How do we do these things once we are back in our “real lives.” Let’s consider that we aren’t leaving behind the retreat experience. Instead, we are going to a wonderful opportunity to continue to grow as we practically apply the truths we have studied during the weekend. Session length: About 25 minutes long.
I am more than happy to prayerfully work with you and your group to provide you with something that will meet your ministry needs. Just contact me to let me know!
I also offer guided worship experiences. This provides an interactive, opportunity for the women in your group to draw closer to the heart of God through prayer, scripture, and praise.
If you would like more information regarding booking me for a retreat or special event–or even your Thin Within meeting–please contact me at heidi bylsma at gmail dot com (no spaces). I would love to talk about it with you or your women’s ministry team members!
Additionally, I lead worship, too. Some of the best retreats or message times are when we combine both a message from God’s Word and praise our God through song. Here is a page that tells a bit about my worship leading.
Of course, you will want to know what I charge…well, that’s up to God. As long as you can get me there and feed me and put a roof over my head and a bed under my bod ;-), I would love to come, trusting God to provide in whatever way you are comfortable. Some groups have taken love offerings. Some groups have paid what God laid on their heart. I am with him on this ride and trust in His provision. If I can, I would love to do it!
How about you? Has God put a song on your heart (as he has mine) or a message that he wants YOU to share? What will you do to share it? 🙂
I choose to begin this day with gratitude. I have posted at my Gratitudes Blog.
I know for a fact that gratitude changes, transforms, flips things around. When I choose to praise, thank, worship the Lord no matter what happens, things change…*I* change.
When I make fleshly, sinful, ungodly choices, it is really an expression of pride–that my way, my will, is being exalted above God’s. There is no way that pride can exist when worship–true worship–is going on. That is because worship, thanks, gratitude given to God puts me where I belong, in a humble place.
So, today, I choose to praise, worship, thank the Lord for anything and everything I can think of. I will take captive any thoughts that are not obedient, surrendered and submissive to Christ.
Newsletter Subscription
Sign up to receive updates and newsletters from Thin Within.
