Monday, May 20, 2013

Made To Crave, Week 2 - Determined

Bible Verse for the WeekEcclesiastes 4:9-10,12 – Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!...Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. 

Comment Winner - last week’s winner, drawn from a hat with all the names of people that made a comment last week.  The winner is: Neisa!  I received your comment by email since the comment posting wasn't working.  You won a “Shields of Strength” Necklace.  It is silver with a pretty flower and a scripture verse engraved on the back of the flower to remind you that you are wonderfully made.  Congratulations!  Don’t forget to comment each week (below or by email).  Each time you comment your name goes into the drawing for the weekly prize.

Our video session this week is 20 minutes and 6 seconds long.  This is another great video with our author, Lysa TerKeurst.  Be sure to follow along with the participants guide to get great notes along the way.  Please click below to watch.



If it doesn’t work you can go directly to You Tube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGaCRIoNPvE 
Again, if that still doesn’t work, let me know, I have the DVD I can let you borrow. 

I hope you enjoyed the video and feel “holy spirit empowered determination!” 

Assignment for Week 2 – Read Chapters 4 - 6.  You have all week to complete this assignment, do it at your own pace. 

Additional assignment - Go through all the Personal Reflections Questions at the end of each chapter.  Also, complete the Participant Guide for Session #2. 

Here is some great insight and questions from the video/participants guide & book that I wanted to talk about further.

Video/Participant’s Guide

Bucket with holes – which hole should we fix first?  If we don’t fix the foundation of the bucket, the bucket will never be able to carry the water. 

Most people try to fix their “How-To” first.  Diet plans, books, endless ways to lose weight.  We know we need to eat less and move more.  We need the “Want-To” make changes.  This will fix the foundation of our bucket. 

What is creating the most desperation of our healthy eating journey?  Desperation breeds defeat.  If we don’t fix it, we will be defeated over and over again. 

Genesis 25:27-34.  Story of Jacob & Esau.  “If I don’t eat right now I’ll die” – Esau was in a desperate state (exaggerated but desperate none-the-less).  Have you ever made a short-term decision with food that resulted in painful long-term consequences?

I have traded who am I for something as insignificant as a pot of soup.  What temporary pleasure have I wanted so much that I gave up lasting victory?  Please comment and share.  For me, I love the temporary pleasure of sweets, any sweet, chocolate especially.  This book is helping me focus on the lasting victory, not the temporary pleasure. 

How do we avoid physical desperation?  Physically, I can’t let myself get to the place where I am so hungry that I think, “I’m so hungry I could die”
Good tip from Lysa – become women who predetermine what we are going to eat that day and write it down so we become accountable.  Don’t get caught in a situation where you need a “quick fix”. 
Another good tip – shop the perimeter of the grocery story, that’s the healthiest option

Spiritually determination – determine in advance who we are.  Don’t get yourself into a desperate situation (we aren’t just talking about food here). 

Remember who you are – You are a Jesus girl.  You are not a failure.  You are not incapable.  You are not a loser.  You are none of those things.  You are capable of victory.  You are absolutely capable of being empowered.  God loves you – head to toe.  Remember who you are. 

How do you hope remembering who you are will help you this week in your struggles with food?  Please share!

I LOVE Lysa’s honesty about her talk with her son and how afterwards she wanted to reward her tough conversation with chocolate.  Have you ever done that?

Book

Chapter 4 – Friends Don’t Let Friends Eat Before Thinking
Stop in the name of food!  We need accountability.  I challenge you to find an accountability partner.  That is why we have this group.  If you can’t find one on your own, let me know, I’ll match you up with someone.  Someone who will not only hold you accountable but speaks the truth in love, and pray for you.

1 Peter 5:7-8 – don’t miss the part that says “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  Be self-controlled and alert”.  When we determine to get healthy, we will have to give up certain things and change our habits.  Doing this can make us feel anxious.  That’s why we must have a friend to help us remember that what we’re giving up in the short term will help us get what we really want in the long term.  If we forget to be self-controlled and alert, we are prime targets for Satan.

Predetermine what you’ll eat – if it’s not part of the plan, don’t put it in your mouth

Accountability. If you respond yes to some of these, you will respond well to accountability.
- When you see a policeman checking the speed of passing cars, are you more likely to go the speed limit?
- When you have a meeting with your boss first thing in the morning are you likely to be on time?
- If you know you will be called upon to share your answers in Bible study, are you more likely to do your lesson?
- If you are having friends over for dinner, are you more likely to clean your house?
- When your bank account is low on funds, are you more likely to slow down on your spending?


Complete this sentence (please comment) – I do/do not want to invite a friend to help me on this journey to healthy eating because…
My answer, “I’m afraid I’ll fail and not be looked at favorably by my friend.  I don’t like to be told that I’m not doing something well.”

Chapter 5 – Made for More
What is the truth?  We were made for more than this.  More than this failure, more than this cycle, more than being ruled by taste buds.  We were made for victory.  Sometimes we just have to find our way to that truth.

Read Ephesians 1:17-19.  There is an amazing power available to us.  “his incomparably great power for us who believe”

Be Persistent.  “I Keep Asking.”  We need to ask for God’s wisdom, revelation and intervening power to be an integral part of our food choices.  How can persistent prayer be helpful to you?

Embrace a True Identity.  “Glorious Father.”  We are made for more because we are children of God.
Read these passages and fill in with YOUR name.  You might want to write them out with your name in them and keep them handy. 
The forgiven child of God (Romans 3:24)
The set-free child of God (Romans 8:1-2)
The accepted child of God (1 Corinthians 1:2)
The holy child of God (1 Corinthians 1:30)
The made-new child of God (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The loved child of God (Ephesians 1:4)
The close child of God (Ephesians 2:13)
The confident child of God (Ephesians 3:12)

The victorious child of God (Romans 8:37)

The truth of our identity as a child of God empowers us to believe that living in victory tastes sweeter than any unhealthy delicacy.  How might your life change if you could embrace the truth of your identity as a child of God?

Find the Deeper Reason.  “So that You May Know Him Better.”  It’s not just so we can feel better about ourselves or make healthier choices.  Not even so we can fit into those jeans or lose the muffin top.  The real reason is so that we can know him better.  How might God use your journey toward healthy eating as a way to help you get to know Him better?

Discover a Hope and Power Like No Other.  “That the Eyes of Your Heart May Be Enlightened.” It’s crucial to have a hope and a power beyond ourselves.  To what degree do you believe that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is also available to help you?

Chapter 6 – Growing Closer to God
Growing closer to God has a whole lot less to do with any action we might take and a whole lot more to do with positioning our hearts toward His. 

Make the choice to deny ourselves something that is permissible but not beneficial

Becoming a woman of self-discipline honors God and help us to live the godly characteristic of self-control.

Pray this prayer – “I need wisdom to make wise choices, I need insight to remember the words I’ve read in Scripture.  I need power beyond what I can find on my own.”

Issues with food can hold us back from our calling and our commitment to Christ.

Being ruled by anything other than God is something God takes quite seriously. 

Read Philippians 3:20-21.  Notice “the power that enables him to bring everything under his control”

Have you ever had the experience of the Holy Spirit nudging you in connection with your food choices?  IF so, what was that like?  If not, how do you hope the Holy Spirit might help you now?

OK, this was a lot to take in.  I know I gave a lot of notes but I found some good meat in these chapters (not to be confused with the grass fed beef I had for dinner, yum).  I’m hoping this is helping and you aren’t feeling burdened by the amount of words I have on these pages.  Comment and let me know what you are thinking about all of this!

Group Get Together – I would like to meet everyone that can on Wednesday at 10:30am at the church.  This will be an informal discussion about the book, the videos and the guide.  A time to fellowship and share what we’ve learned so far.  Also a time to find an accountability partner if you don’t have one yet.

Mark Your Calendar – Next week’s group get together will be on Friday, May 31st at 7:00pm at Fitness At The Edge in Middlebury.  We have the whole “all ladies” gym to ourselves.  We will get a great exercise class (don’t worry, low & high impact, this is for EVERYONE!), then our instructor will teach us how to pray with Christian music as we learn some new breathing techniques (not to be confused with yoga, I promise).  Then we’ll have some time to talk about the book and what we’ve learned so far.  Come ready to sweat and have some fun!

Closing Prayer – Thank you God for this time we have spent together.  Even if we are together over the computer lines and not in person let the wonderful ladies know I’m thinking of them and praying for them as we embark on this journey together.  Help us to find friends that we can be accountable to, that can help us, pray for us and be with us if we stumble.  Continue to bless these women with self-control.  I pray we will all draw closer to you during this time.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.
 
If you missed other posts find them here:

Be Determined My Jesus Loving Friends,
Shila

4 comments:

  1. Email comment I received - "it reminded me of a sermon where our Pastor was talking about the Holy Spirit, he said think about a fine line from your inner most being (your Spirit) to His, where we can have constant communication and togetherness. this re-reminded me of that.. we are as close as a heart beat. and hearing that the power the chapter was talking about in raising Christ is in us too.. yes, we are made for more.. being His witnesses first."

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  2. Love the study so far! I just LOVE her! I believe the only way this addiction to food can be broken is by speaking and believing God's Word. His word is truth and the truth will set us free.
    Carly:)

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  3. Enjoying the study. I find myself thinking "this is permissible but is it beneficial" every time I am ready to fix a snack or meal.
    Neisa

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  4. I agree that I am enjoying the study. Before going out for food shopping pre-planning my shoping list as I am learning to make "wiser choices each day." This week what stood out for me was that Lysa had mentioned Galations 5:16 I felt that "the Holy Spirt nudges[me]in making the right choices. Another eye opener for me is that "Food is not sinful only when Satan uses it againt us to prevent us from been free from this battle."I really feel that I am stregthening my spiritual walk. Great week!
    Carol

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