Since I have used this Bible passage as an example of how the Lord God has positively influenced my overeating, this doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the verse. Debbie

COE Support Note:

If you REALLY want to read how Christ helped me throughout this weight loss and even when I was tempted, you should read some of the 100's of previous posts on https://christianovereaterssupport.blogspot.com/

Climbing the Ladder of Success

So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life f its owners. Proverbs 1:19 

 It never seemed important to me to be highly successful in the business world. In fact, I looked down on those who made it their goal, although we aren't supposed to look down on anyone, but I try to be as honest in these blog posts as I can. 

 The funny thing is, Satan sneaks up on us Christians and finds subtle ways to lead us astray, without our even realizing it. In that I looked down on others who were caught up climbing the Ladder of Success, I didn't realize it when I got snared up in those same goals, as well. It always seemed that the other people were doing it, not me!

 As a teacher, I decided to go back and get my Masters Degree, although it wasn't required of me. It took up so much of my free time, where I would have had more time to read the Bible, to be with my family, and to prepare healthier meals. I spent summers and other periods of time caught up in projects where I told the family that they needed to leave me alone, so I could focus on the project at hand. I was letting this work a wedge in my relationship with my family. Not only that, if I was doing that with my family, I most certainly doing that with my relationship with Christ, putting Him on the back-burner until I had more time to focus on Him and for what ...a little more status in my profession...a little higher wage on the pay scale...a little more credibility among my peers?

 There isn't anything wrong with getting a Masters Degree or any degree for that matter, but when the pursuit of the degree makes you ignore your Savior, family, and friends, it's not worth it. Although I got the degree, my relationship with my Savior and turning my food, stress, and vices over to His capable hands suffered. My relationship with my family suffered and so did my relationship with my friends. Additionally, I didn't serve as a very good role model to my family. They may have seen my desire to get status within my career as something to be desired, although I told myself that wasn't what I was doing. Fortunately, Christ forgives me and hopefully my family does, as well.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Am I Consenting to Old Sinful Ways Instead of Staying Focused on Christ?

My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. Proverbs 1:10

Today is Christmas! Do I focus on all that my Savior did for me by being born of Mary to live, suffer, die, and rise again, so that I might go to heaven and be with Him someday, despite my sinful nature? Or do I let all the hub-bub of festivities cloud my judgment, losing sight of what my Savior has done for me?

 There have been times when I've let others on this occasion and many others get the best of me. Christ has shown me how to eat in a healthy way and avoid the foods that affect my blood sugar and trigger old overeating behaviors. It's very easy to be enticed in comments like, "Just try a little bite of this. It won't hurt you," or, "You deserve to splurge, it's Christmas!" 

 My eating unhealthy things and compulsive overeating don't honor all my Savior's done for me. All it does is lead me to the brink of a very slippery slope where I can go slip-sliding back into my compulsive overeating ways. Although they might pressure me, people will still love me if I say, "No thank you," or, "I'm not hungry right now." Sometimes that's easier than saying, "I can't eat these foods, because they're not healthy for me." That makes them feel guilty for making them and for eating them, as well. It would make life so much easier if the focus was primarily on celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior instead of on food.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Do I Have Periodic Bouts of Reverting Back to Being a Fool?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

 In the 30+ years that God has allowed the vast majority of the 80+ pounds to stay off, I've fluctuated over time. When I'm more focused on my relationship with my Lord and Savior, my food program seems to be easier to follow and temptations don't seem to phase me.

 On the other hand, when I'm zipping through my prayers, trailing off without even realizing it or speed reading the my daily Bible reading, I find myself struggling with temptations. Additionally, during times when I'm not as focused on my relationship with Christ, it seems that I'm less patient with others around, when that isn't the case when I make God my priority.

 This Bible verse made me realize that I'm allowing myself to revert back to being a fool each time I let my focus and priorities wander. Fortunately for me, Christ is all forgiving when we ask Him and He brings me back to focus on what's most important, my relationship with Him and then, those He's put in my life.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

The Sun Had Gone Down

Ephesians 4: 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the things which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

This is amazing timing for me to come across this passage, but then again, that's how God works in my life. Last night my husband and I had a disagreement about watching TV. I like to watch some movies and shows on the weekend during my "down time." He wanted to go to bed at 7:00 to read. There's nothing wrong with reading before you go to bed, but 7:00 was too early for me and I let him know it in no uncertain words. 

I left the room in a huff, boy was I mad!!! I went to bed and stewed for awhile. Christ had this Bible passage on my mind. At first, I was reluctant to pay attention to it, but eased up, because I knew Christ had my best interest at heart. It didn't matter who was right or wrong or whether there is a right or wrong in a situation like this. It's whether we let it form a wedge between us.

I knew I needed to get up and apologize for getting so upset over this and ask him to come to bed with me. I did go to bed early without watching some of the shows, but that was a small price to pay for keeping my marriage in tact. I told him, "If this is the worst thing in our marriage that I have to deal with, I'm a very blessed woman!" He agreed. 

Now, you may wonder why I have this on the Christian Overeaters Past and Present Blog. The thing is, it's harboring feeling about things like this that led me to overeat all those years. Christ has shown me that it's more important to deal with my feelings and issues that arise rather than stuff them down with tons of food, instead.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Am I Reaping What I Sow?

Galatians 6: 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

In that I have been frustrated that I haven't been able to drop the ten extra pounds I gained when I broke my heel, I wondered if I am reaping what I sow? Is it that I've been focused on more worldly things like food instead of focusing on Christ?

Sadly, I have found that it must be true. Lately, God has been having little lessons for me again, showing me that I had been losing my focus on Him. I have been self-absorbed and allowed things to keep me from being actively involved in my relationship with Him. I've rambled through my daily prayers and through the time that I read the Bible each day. The sad thing is, I thought I had a really good relationship with Christ and didn't realize I was letting Satan slowly work a wedge in my relationship with God.

The thing is, Christ gave His life for us to save us from ourselves. When He shows me what I've been doing, I can immediately, and I don't mean some time later, ask God's forgiveness and ask the Holy Spirit to enter my heart and renew my relationship with Him. I should not put God off until sometime more convenient like chores I plan to do sometime later, but sometimes never get around to it. Christ didn't say, "I don't think I want to give my life for Debbie right now. I think I will do it sometime later when I have more time."

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

I Didn't Realize I Was So Weak

2 Corinthians 13:4 For though He[Christ] was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. 

Christ took away my compulsive overeating and desire for great amounts of sweets and carbs over 30 years ago and has kept off the vast majority of the 80+ pounds for all that time. It's not of my doing. Actually, I gave up and told God that I had tried all these diets and often gained back more than I started with and I was giving up. I told Him that if He ever wanted me to be thin, He'd have to do it, because I couldn't.

 I actually wasn't expecting anything to happen. I was just telling God that I give up, but He always sees the BIG picture! It was that very same afternoon that He took the desire for great amounts of sweets, food, and carbs away. What's more than this, He taught me lessons about how I had made food a false god, turning to it in times of stress, etc. instead of turning to Him.

 Well, I knew better, but I was visiting a relative and they offered me a piece of cake. I thought I would take a little token bite of it, but it was so full of nuts and fruit that I ate the whole thing, without batting an eye. A few days later, another relative gave me a piece of the same cake. At first, I thought I shouldn't eat any more, but I let Satan sneak in and play to my weakness. I told myself that if I declined that other piece of cake, I would be hurting the feelings of the person who offered it to me. 

 I ate that second piece of cake, but have regretted it ever since. At first, it made my stomach sick, because after eating it, I was too full. Then, I was less than patient with others the next week. After being prayerful about it, I realized that eating those two pieces of cake through my blood sugar off, something I'm usually very careful about, since I'm Hypoglycemic. The thing that upset me the most about giving into this weakness, was that my relationship with Christ and those around me was off for about a week, until I realized I really needed to refocus and turn all of this over to Christ's very capable hands. After all this time, I didn't realize I was still so weak and vulnerable when it comes to sweets, but Satan showed me that he can still sneak up and tempt me, if I'm not focused on turning my control of food, my body, my eating, and stress over to Christ on a daily basis!

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Is My Faith Built on Rock?

Luke 6: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

I was just saying a brief prayer asking Christ to take care of the foundation and structure of our house, since we live in an area where foundation problems happen frequently, causing all types of structural problems in homes.

Immediately after saying that, Christ had the idea pop in my head, which is often how He works in my life, that I'm praying about the foundation and structure of my house when I really should be concerned about the foundation and structure of my faith in Christ.

I get so busy focused on all the little daily things that come up, that I think I'm putting the important things like having a firm foundation in Christ on the back burner, taking it for granted. In that Christ led me to have this thought immediately after the prayer for my house, it makes me aware that this is noteworthy. It is a reminder from my Savior that I shouldn't be as worried about my house as my daily walk with Christ. 

This comes at an important time for me, since I've been trying to discern why I haven't been able to lose weight back to what it was before my foot injury.  In trying to be honest, I've feel that I must be rushing through my prayers and reading the Bible daily. Also, I realized I just typed the portion underlined which shows that I'm trying to be in control again and must be putting Christ off until I need help. I have to remind myself that my weight loss had only happened when I put control of my food, body, eating, and stress into Christ's very capable hands, not mine. This is a real wake-up call. Debbie

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

I Got Reeled in Hook, Line, and Sinker!

James 2: 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

 I was eating what I thought was a healthy diet, but still wasn't losing the weight after my foot injury. I guess I lost some, but not to the point I had been prior to the injury. I was going through the motions of having an active relationship with Christ, but then He showed me, that's all it was. I was rambling through my prayers, I was trying to be in control with my food again, I was being impatient with family members. I just wasn't being mindful of my relationship with Christ and it showed!!!

 I prayed and prayed for the Holy Spirit to enter my heart again and to renew my relationship with Christ, and He did. The thing is, it's a week later and I find myself trailing off in the midst of my prayers thinking of things of a more worldly nature, mostly TV shows and and the outcome of the next episode. How could I let worldly things like this interfere in my relationship with Christ?

 The thing is, Satan knows what it takes to trip anyone. He dangles those temptations in front of us and when we get lax in our relationship with Christ like I did, we are able to be reeled in hook, line and sinker! It's not as easy this time, turning things around. Satan has had a toe-hole on me and doesn't want to let me go. That means I have to be ever more mindful during my prayers, turning my willingness for Christ to be in control of all aspects of my life and my relationship with Him. He is strong, where I am weak! I have to trust the all-powerful Lord to keep me focused even when I start to stray!

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Links to Other Blogs I Felt Led to Create Below: