Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes His lightning flash? Job 37:15 NIV Bible I don't feel like a Control Freak, but when I look at the evidence the Lord God shows me, I very reluctantly admit it. This, in and of itself, is some of the evidence, since I drag my feet about admitting that I like to be in control of situations in my life! A big portion of my life, I frequently prayed, God help me loose all my excess weight. Help me become thin, help me be the person You want me to be, help me eat less, help me have more friends, help me be more respected, help me have ..read more

 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to [benefit] you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV Bible Boy do I ever make plans. The thing is, I get so busy making plans of what I want to do or say, I don't always listen to the plans the Lord God has for me. In fact, I get so busy making elaborate plans, I can't even hear it sometimes, when the Lord has something on my heart that's significant for me to listen to! It's kind of like I'm a little kid with her fingers stuck in her ears, trying to block out what someone else ..read more

 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 NIV Bible It seems that before the Lord God performed the miracle in my life that allowed an 80+ pound weight loss, and for the vast majority of it to stay off for over 30 years, I was always waiting for one thing or another. I think I was mainly waiting until I felt better about myself. I was waiting to when I was thinner. Then, I would feel better about myself. I was waiting for people who appreciated me for who I am. Then, I would feel better about myself. I was waiting until I was a smaller size, so I coul ..read more

 They are surprised that you don't join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 1 Peter 4:4 NIV Bible There used to be a time that because I was so overweight, I didn't want to stick out like a sore thumb, so I went along with things I really shouldn't have. I might have been with a group, when someone made fun of someone else for one thing or another, usually things they had no control of. Although I didn't agree, I was afraid to stand up for what I thought, because I didn't want them to heap on the verbal abuse on me instead. It was all too easy to just fit in w ..read more

 If you do what is right, [won't] you be accepted? But if you don't do what is right, sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. Genesis 4:7 NIV Bible Although this particular passages doesn't totally have to do with the topic of this blog post, it does tie in. I was overweight for a big portion of my life. The more I felt insecure about my weight, the more I overate. In doing this, I felt even more insecure, so I overcompensated for it in counterproductive ways! I used to try to be the nicest, friendliest person, willing to do favors for anyone ..read more

 Joanna, the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod's household, Susanna, and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. Luke 8:3 NIV Bible I admire those people who are so dedicated to risk their lives to help others in war-torn areas, or places with famines, and inadequate water, food, and shelter. Sure, it's easy to contribute to these worthwhile causes every-now- and-then, but what do I do? Am I helping others? I go through the motions, but when I think about these women, who supported those early believers in Christ, it makes me realize how they must h ..read more

Do not withhold Your mercy from me, Lord; may Your love and faithfulness always protect me. Psalm 40:11 NIV Bible Sure, it's easy for me to say to the Lord, protect me from everything that might be a temptation to me. But what really is needed, is that I ask the Lord for protection from Myself. I get arrogant, without even realizing it, thinking that I can maintain my weight loss, faith, and interactions with others. When I get in this complacent mode, I am tripping my own-self up! At that point, I'm the one who is drawing close to crossing the line of vanity, self-absorption, and sinful ..read more

 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds & I will show you my faith by my deeds."  James 2:18 NIV Bible So, this lets me think deeper into this passage, reflecting on what the Lord has for me to learn through this post. Do I truly show my faith in the Lord God, through my deeds? My first instinct is to say, "No way! I am a sinful human being, and I can never come closing to being the example I should be of the positive impact the Lord has had on my life!" Actually, quite the opposite is true! I think that the Lord, instead of using m ..read more

Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in You. Psalm 143:9 What am I hiding from? Is it people who look down on me, because I'm not stick skinny, I'm not wealthy and drive an expensive car? Is it those who don't like the way I share my faith, because they feel differently? Is it really that I'm hiding from my sinful human nature? You know me how I am Lord! You know my faults and my many insecurities! I can hide those faults from others, but I can't hide those faults from You, O Lord. What's remarkable, is that You still love me anyway, despite my many faults and insecurities.  ..read more

 I am the Lord, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, so you will no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high. Leviticus 26:13 NIV Bible I just walked by the TV on the way to put this belated post on the blog. I heard the sports hero who was being interviewed state that he felt so alone. We have all felt that way one time or another, whether for different skin colors, weight, income levels, ethnicity, politics, etc. Fortunately, the Lord God said, I Am with You. So, that means that whatever situation we come across w ..read more