Personal Hell --> Daily Decision

Wow, I am blown away by the response from my last blog post. I am so blessed to be able to share my victory with others and have them celebrate WITH me! So first of all, thank you.

Second, I want to share this short article I just read this morning with you called The Food Idol. If you are wondering whether or not you struggle with gluttony, this article will ask you questions that will help you answer that question.


Third, I want to share another funny testimony to help you understand the depths of my slothfulness and gluttony.

I used to joke about how some people believe that hell is personalized to whatever the individual hates the most. Wanna know mine? Hehe. It was running while reading. I literally imagined myself on a treadmill with words on a projector screen in front of me. And if I would stop reading the words on the screen, the treadmill would speed up so I had no choice but to read!

Before reading The Bondage Breaker a couple months ago (which kick-started this newfound freedom), I hadn't read a book, cover to cover since grade school (and we are talking like, James and the Giant Peach). In college, I had friends read the book out loud to me as I took notes, because I could never discipline myself to read.

God is so good, that now I am willfully reading daily (30-45 min) and running (30min) at least 4x a week. And get this, I am actually enjoying it! Since September (2 months ago) I have read 3 books. Again, only something that could happen by the power of Jesus, who is still alive and well and lives in me!

I do not know what you are bound by, but I know that Jesus wants to break all the bondages in your life. Please don't settle by living a life of fear. As believers, we have nothing to FEAR! But God himself.

Feel free to contact me about reading this book or starting the study. I would love to be praying for you and help support you in any way. 

20 pounds lighter

Setting Captives Free, The Lord's Table is a 60-Day interactive course that will teach you to enjoy a newfound relationship with the Lord. You will find freedom from the sin of gluttony, by learning to follow biblical and practical ways, as you daily proceed through this course.


20 pounds lighter in 60 days time


I find myself really not wanting to write this post. Mainly, because I do not want to draw attention to myself, but I feel so strongly that my freedom from overeating is something I must share with others. Something I know others can experience through www.settingcaptivesfree.com. They also have other studies for sexual purity, gambling, substance abuse, self injury. If you know anyone that is seeking freedom in these areas please refer them to this site. 


Let me make something clear, I could not and have not successfully lost weight before doing The Lord's Table study. In the past, I have attempted to lose weight by exercising or eating healthy foods, but I have never managed to lose more than a few pounds for a short time period. I knew with this biblical approach I would be forced to see overeating as a sin against the Lord and really DO something about it. 


Eating.


Food has been my drug for as along as I can remember. When I was 11 years old I could eat an entire Kraft Box of Mac & Cheese by myself. This habit and addiction does not disappear until it is attacked head on, with help from others (specifically the mentor I had during the course & my accountability partner), and without replacing that addiction with something positive. Not only something positive but something REAL. This study jokes about being called, "Jesus Watchers". We are encouraged not to watch our weight, what kind of foods we eat, but to be daily / hourly feeding at the Lord's table.


The study consists of a strict eating plan: two normal days, two half days, two liquid days, and one fast (water only) day a week. They also encourage 30 minutes of cardio 6 days a week.


The first week I was going through withdrawals of my drug. I felt very bored as most of my days' pleasure was removed from me! I was squirming for something to fill this gap. I knew through worship, prayer, reading, memorizing scripture, I would be reminded of why I thirst and hunger and learn the difference between spiritual and physical hunger. Then remind myself where I could find living water.


These are the verses that I clung to these last 60 days:
"For my God will meet all of your needs according to Hi glorious riches in Jesus Christ." 
       Philippians 4:19


"For my eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare."
       Psalm 25:15

Before

After

Exercising. 


I have always hated running. In fact, I could never do anything other than sprints because I would constantly hear, "you should stop running right now. why would you continue putting yourself in pain? 3 more laps will feel like forever." Seriously, these negative thoughts would overcome me and I could hardly run a mile without stopping. Not because I wasn't in shape, but because I couldn't break the negative thought pattern. I had taken sports psychology tips, but I never could never break through. 


About 3 weeks into the study, I was on the bike one night and I thought, "Who am I kidding?" So i stopped and went over to the treadmill. About 3 minutes into the run I was having all those negative thoughts and decided to stop at 5 minutes. Then all that came into my head was, "Do you trust me?" I have been gaining this knowledge of who God is and how He breaks bondages but did I really BELIEVE he could help me run a mile without stopping?


I had no choice, I had to trust. I kept running and treated each minute as a victory. That night bondages were broken. You can laugh. Running a mile without stopping may be an easy thing for you. But that night I told Satan, you cannot run my life. You cannot be the master of my thoughts. You cannot keep me in a negative thought pattern that will keep me from experiencing freedom in Christ!


I now run about 4x a week for 30 minutes. Cutting back the walking breaks to only two minutes during that run. 


And every week I stretch myself to run a little longer, a little harder, a little faster.
And every week I stretch myself to trust a little longer, a little harder, a littler faster.


God is good. I do not only know Him. I do not JUST have a relationship with Him. But I love Him. And I show that through taking care of the body and mind he has given me. 


Worship. 


I would have never had the courage to do something like setting captives free without reading The Bondage Breaker by Neil T. Anderson. If you can relate to some of the things I have shared, please consider reading that book to claim your freedom in Christ.