run update

I logged 5 miles yesterday, and it felt great!  My knee felt good during and after the run!  YAY for new shoes!  Going to try for 5 tomorrow, but I'm not planning on killing myself to get there!

Tomorrow afternoon, me and my family are off for a week-long camping trip in Estes Park, Colorado.  I'll see y'all on the flip side!

Day 7

Let me just say...I have not had one ounce of soda in my 7 days!  Yesterday, I lunched at Pops with my family, and I wasn't even tempted to have one!  It was AMAZING!!  I am definitely finding myself in prayer more, as I have committed to praying if the mere thought of Coke crosses my mind.  Last night found me on knees crying out, not because I could not have a carbonated beverage, but because of the things the Lord is so sweetly revealing to me.  Although this isn't technically a fast since I do not plan to return to consuming soda, this is the closest I have come to fasting.  I am actually looking forward to what could be revealed to me in the midst of a REAL fast!  Exciting stuff my friends!

focus

These are the things I am praying over my family (and myself) today...

...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.  Joshua 24:15

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.  Psalm 34:1

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things, there is no law.  Those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Galations 5:22-25

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. Proverbs 31:25

She speaks with wisdom; faithful instruction is on her tongue.  Proverbs 31:26

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:2-4

May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.  Psalm 25:20

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.  John 17:17

Friends, pray these words with me.  Pray them for your own families as well as for the families of those around you.  Satan is fighting hard to win the hearts of those we hold most dear. Fight.  Fight with all your might.

a new day

It is so frustrating that I have made the board private.  I feel like somewhat of a coward for doing so.  Yesterday, however, someone used the words I wrote here to hurt me.  Here is what was said,

"You weren't prepared for the war.

You started this war and every problem.

Pray harder for your enemies cuz you are your worst enemy!!!!"

I wish I could say that this type of behavior was atypical for them, but it is not.  This is the same person who told me and my sweet husband that we are going to hell when we got married and ridiculed our innocent firstborn, Bella.  Those of you who know me best know that I am probably overly sensitive.  :)  For that reason, I shy away from confrontation...most of the time at my own expense.  It stirs a pot of bitterness in my heart that is very difficult to control.  This person is right then, I truly am my worst enemy.  Aren't we all?  Point out something less obvious.  I won't apologize for being sensitive.  That is one of the qualities I like best about myself.  This sensitivity allows me to have more grace for others that I might not have otherwise.  It puts me in a position to understand others and to pray for them, even if they have wronged me.  I am in the midst of a battle for certain.  Rest assured, it is not one I have brought on myself.  It is one I have chosen to begin, however, to preserve my family.  It may rock our world.  I am prepared because I didn't make the decision hastily.  I sought wise counsel first.

Lord, let your words be my words.  Let your thoughts be my thoughts.  Let my hands be your hands.  If I am called to fight, arm me with these things first.  Help me to lay down my pride and selfishness to preserve what you have called blessed.

Today, I leave you with scripture...

"My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, He is my stronghold, my refuge and my saviour - from violent men you save me.  I call to the Lord who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies."  2 Samuel 22:3-4

"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord."  Pslam 31:24

Day 4 - Now I get it

Yesterday, I was called to pray for my "enemies".  Today, I understand why.  I got smack dab in the middle of a war, and I wasn't prepared.  You see, my whole heart wasn't in it.  It's that usual mindset I entertain of having it all under control.  My own words are just fine...afterall, my intentions are good.  Right?  Wrong, was I...yet again.  By the standards of the world, my words were probably fine.  But by the standards I have committed my life to...I fell exceedingly short.  I am humbled to say the least.  My prayer for the rest of the day...and possibly for several days or weeks to come is to ask Him to help me to die to myself.  I know that I have not completely surrendered it all to Him.  There are pieces of my life that I have chosen to keep all to myself...as if He does not already know about them! 

Lord, please forgive me for my disobedience and for not allowing your words to flow through me as I fought my spiritual battle.  Forgive me for fighting so hard against being broken.  Help me to see brokenness not as a sign of weakness, but as a path to great wisdom and strength.  Give me the words to say under the most difficult of conditions.  Let me be a light to even those who oppose me.

"Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."  2 Thessalonians 3:15

Day 3 - I was called

Today is the third day I have been fighting my dependency.  I refuse to call it an addiction...that's just me in denial. I wish I could say that I haven't been tempted.  I would SO be lying.  I woke up yesterday morning, and almost immediately thought of how I was going to have a soda, Coke, in particular.  I'm sure my mouth must have started watering.  I shook it off and got myself out of bed and dressed, during which I forgot about my craving.  Later in the day, however, when the girls were all asleep, I was really having trouble.  Just as I had committed to doing, I turned my thoughts to prayer.  I didn't expect that I would have a focus right away, but I did.  MY ENEMIES.  Yep, you read that right.  My deprivation led me to pray for my enemies.  At first, I was kind of mad.  Really?  I have to waste my precious prayer time on people who do not give a rip about me?  Really, God?  REALLY?  Not world peace or a cure for cancer or heck, even for the rainy weather to move on out?  When the only response I was getting was "Yes, really!", I reluctantly moved on.  I should start by saying that there is not one person on this earth I would consider my enemy.  There are, however, opposing forces in my life, who have been made so only by their own choice.  I focused my prayer on people with whom I have recently had conflict.  I prayed for God to set my own heart right if it wasn't already, and I prayed for God to provide a sweet interruption into the lives of these lost people.  I thought some more about what I had been led to do...and I realized that I have actually prayed this prayer many times.  Mostly, I prayed out of desperation, when I was hurting.  Praying in the calm has such a different feel to it.  I am hoping that I come to embrace this more fully in the days, weeks, months, years to come.  I truly do love my "enemies", and my heart breaks for them.

Can I have a Coke now?

the new "adventure"

Okay, so it's not really that much of an adventure.  BUT...it is hopefully a new chapter in my life.  I reflect regularly on Proverbs 31.  Most Christian women do, so this in itself is really nothing special.  What I have begun to do is to make it a prayer for myself.  I know that I will never be perfect, even though I am created in God's image.  But it's that last part of the previous sentence that gets me...created in God's image.  I have a pretty difficult time grasping that most days.  Who am I that I deserve that?  I am but a lowly sinner.  My image, both physical and spiritual is nothing too amazing most days.  Still, the Word says that I am His creation, created to be like Him.  So, along with studying Proverbs 31, I have made myself memorize the following two passages:

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?  If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.  1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore, honor God with your body.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

So far I have gathered that I am created to be like Him, that I am a temple, and that I do not belong to myself.  Hmmm...so why then, do I treat my body as if it is mine?

All that said, I am taking a small step...but in the right direction.  Today is day one of no more soda.  Carbonated drinks have kept me in bondage for years now.  I have tried to give them up, but have always failed.  I'm not exactly sure why I continue to fail, but I know now that I am capable of sticking with something that is good for me.  Running.  My prayer is that this sacrifice (which shouldn't even BE a sacrifice) causes me to draw nearer to Him and that it leads to even greater sacrifices made in His name.  I recently heard a friend say she doesn't want to look back on her life and have regrets.  Of course, she was using it in an entirely different context, but I agree.  I don't want to look back on my life when it is all said and done and wish that I had taken better care of my body, that I had used my body as the temple God created to bring glory to His name.

So, my friends, I ask that you help me as I begin this journey.  I will never pretend that I can do any of this alone.  Please be in prayer with me.  Knowing you are doing so will give me strength to overcome temptation.  And, of course, I will continue to update you here on my progress.

the running adventure continues

So...yes, I'm still running.  I just haven't had time to write about it.  Kids, husband, church, birthdays, housework, travel, finals...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. :D  I am up to running 4-5 miles without stopping/walking.  There are times when I don't have time to run that far, but I have made it a point to never run less than 3.  I am at a stage where I am finally starting to see physical results from my hard work.  I have lost weight and my shape is definitely changing.  Both of these things are very exciting for me, as for the first few months, I saw absolutely no change at all!

Tomorrow begins another adventure for me...stop back by to find out what it is!