I can't believe it...but this journey is drawing to an end...this is the last week of our 11 week Made to Crave Study...and the final Blog Hop...
WOW! When I sat down to write this post, I had an overwhelming sense that everything had come full circle. Not in the traditional sense of "returning to the beginning". More in sensing initial wounds scab over...and feeling the life-giving blood pulse again underneath.
This week, more than any other in this 11 week stretch, brought back memories of where we started...and how far we have come in Christ's gracious strength! When we started Made to Crave on January 19th, I felt stuck...physically, emotionally, and spiritually! So much so that I titled my first blog post "the starting BLOCK".
(The heart-shaped rock Nick gave me when we dating...10 years ago!)
Even Lysa's words in the two videos this week (video 1 - video 2), felt like a walk down memory lane. Her themes of perseverance, joy, and trusting our identity in Christ more than any other "marker-of-success"...that's what God's been speaking directly to me!! Portions of these videos felt like rereading my own posts from 2/12/2014 or (even more) from 2/26/2014! Praise Jesus! He's imprinting #truth deep in my #heart!
Hello!! And welcome to week 3 of my Made to Crave
ACTION plan!!! In this week’s video, we learned to #maximize the nutrition of
our health plan…and to let GOD
#maximize the sanctifying nature of this journey. It’s easy to get trapped in a
pity party! To mope and moan that your cross happens to be food. But as Lysa
encouraged us this week, we can find purpose in this journey rather than wallowing
in our own pity! This health plan is an opportunity for me please God! To
move UP instead of letting defeat continue to hold me down!
The challenge this week was to increase our polyphenol consumption.
Polyphenols act as antioxidants. Here's a list of some fruits, vegetables, legumes, and other polyphenol-filed foods! In
this week’s study, we learned that the lack of polyphenols and other key
nutrients in the typical American diet has caused an epidemic of malnutrition.
In other words – we are stuffed…but still malnourished.
Since I’ve been focusing on eating more fruits and veggies
overall, I was blessed to see that I already eat a TON of polyphenols. Here’s
tonight’s supper – which just happened to be packed with Fiber, Omega 3s, and
polyphenols.
SALAD: Raw spinach salad with cashews, strawberries, craisins, aged
cheddar, and raspberry vinaigrette.
BURGER: Salmon burger on a multigrain skinny bun; I
used this recipe as a starting point. My burger contained onion, red bell
pepper, garlic, parsley, basil, capers, and vinegar. Here's a peak at the patties before we pan seared 'em!
DESSERT: As you can tell above, we even treated ourselves
to a little dessert – dark chocolate covered dried mango! Nick brought them home
from his recent trip to the Philippines. They have so much more flavor than dried
mango in the US. Delicious!
It’s hard to believe, but the Made to Crave ACTION plan
study is drawing to a close! Can't wait to check out what everyone else made this week. Stop by next Thursday for my final group post!
But as I confessed in early March, exercise makes me want to cry! As a result, the only “exercise” I’ve completed in the
last...well...let’s just say t-o-o
l-o-n-g...has been at a snail’s pace with about 50% energy. I’ve know
that it burns less calories and settled for activities that are low enough
impact to multitask and therefore complete the "exercise" for longer stretches of time. For example, I'd walk for an hour while scrolling Facebook on my phone.
Needless to say, it was eye
opening to hear this week’s scientific explanation for the KIND of exercise
that I should be doing. In order to induce a physical stress response that will
decrease inflammation, increase metabolism, and stabilize overall health, Dr.
Chilton stated that I only need to exercise for 30mns (yeah!), but
that I should do this 5 days a week (ugg)…and in a vigorous enough manner to
hit a target heart rate (double ugg). For me, that is 125-165 beats per minute,
with a target of 150 beats per minute. I’ve since tried this…it makes me
sweaty. But it also feels empowering!
So…I’m CHOOSING to #EmbraceTheEquation. I’ve completed
this recommended exercise every day since watching the video. And while I’m
secretly praying for all of it to suddenly becomes fun, I’ve realized that I can walk in faithfulness either way. Like Lysa said - "Lazy is a lie...I am courageous!"
http://authentictruthseeker.wordpress.com/
Even if I never transform into an gym junky...purposeful
exercise is still a necessary step in my health plan…not to mention a tangible
way of putting God’s plan (for health and balance) over my own preference (for
gluttony and sloth). In the end, I want
to be physically healthy, but I need to
be spiritually healthy. And victory in both areas is about intentional
sacrifice…about choosing long-term over short-term…about small, sanctifying
surrenders that help me #CraveGod more than any thing else in this world! So
in the end, if “eat less, move
more” bring me closer to Christ, it will have been more than worth it!
P.S. Anyone else out there LOVE this week’s bonus
interview? I was floored by Renee Swope’s insight about seeking
significance and satisfaction from completion and connection!! God help me!!
This week’s “Made to Crave ACTION Plan” challenge was to
#EatSmart by focusing on fish and fiber. In our week’s video, I was quite moved by Dr. Ski Chilton's reflection
on John 6, the passage in which Jesus feeds 5,000 with...remember this…5 barley loaves and 2 fish.
Seriously?!?!
Barley loaves and fish!! Jesus fed the masses with barley
loves and fish…the very omega-3 and fiber filled foods that we are learning can
So about that fish and fiber! Here’s some foods I stocked up
on while prepare for Dr. Chilton's "Fish/Fiber" challenge. There’s tons of omega-3 in the frozen salmon, canned salmon,
and ahi tuna (prepared below!!!). I also bought some fiber-filled-funness.
Check out the pumpkin flax cereal (5g of fiber per serving), slivered almonds (4g),
sandwich skinnys (5g…AND only 100 calories per loaf!), fiber cereal bars (8g
for the regular bars and 2g for the low cal version), and lentil soup (2g).
Now for the dinner pick! It was an omega-3 and fiber-filled
supper, capitalizing on the asian’s flavors of tuna, sesame, brown rice,
avocado, and asparagus. Here's the menu, recipe links, and a picture of the final presentation!
I gotta tell ya, ladies. Cooking this meal really took me
back. Some of you may not know, but I LOVE cooking. Much of my recent
dependence on food stemmed from a true passion for cooking and consuming
beautiful meals.In 2012, I
actually completed a cooking project called the "Year of the Food Rainbow". Each month, I cooked a special 4-5 course meals focused on a single color! There was Floral White February, Jet Black July, Scarlet September, Navy November…and the list goes on!
Cooking this meal tonight…it brought back that joy! The fun
of planning, prepping, and presenting a beautiful dish! The pleasure in
watching others enjoy their supper and the fellowship fostered by sitting down
and eating the meal around a shared table.
But
this round...on this Made to Crave "Journey with Jesus"...there was an extra sense of peace. A tranquility that can only come from knowing the thrill of cooking, eating, and sharing food is NOT my primary purpose or pleasure. An assurance that these delights come FROM God but can never REPLACE God. A confidence that...when I keep these priorities aligned...all sources of earthly happiness can serve to glorify God and reflect His own eternal joy.
I’m a sucker for words. I love how a
powerful lyric can stir emotions and a meaningful story can ignite deep
passion. What I DON’T love…is moving!
As Jesus Girls, you’ve probably heard
the saying: “If you’re going to talk the talk you’ve gotta walk the walk!”
Funny – I’m quick to apply this to sins like gossip and lust. But if taken
literally, the cliché directly implies a need for physical exertion.
Needless to say, this Made to Crave Action
Plan study couldn’t have come at a better time.For those who don’t know, the original Proverbs 31 Made to
Crave study ended last week. It focused on finding our “want to”. Now Proverbs
31 is hosting the ACTION PLAN version of Made to Crave, which provides
practical, research-based tips for tackling “how to” get healthy. And our blogs this round are supposed to
be “picture-centric”. A nice challenge for this word-loving lady!
I’m late on posting this because I’ve
spent the last several days browsing Dr.
Ski Chilton’s website (http://www.genesmart.com). I wanted to know
exactly what “ACTION” would be recommended before deciding if I would make any
additional lifestyle changes.
After all (insert super-self-righteous-tone)...
"I lost 10lbs on the ORIGINAL
Made to Crave
study…BY MYELF!!
What more is there to learn?"
Don’t be impressed. Here’s how I “managed” the weight
loss so far.
Set rigid limits on my daily food intake
“Consider” exercise
Actual follow through on my calorie cap
Forgo exercise at all costs
So…when this week's Action Plan video talked about simple changes like eating more fiber..my legalistic flesh screamed:
I’m not on a diet, I’m on a journey with Jesus to learn the fine
art of self-discipline for the purpose of holiness”.
Lysa Terkheurst, Made to Crave
I have often referred to
the bible as a love letter. Christians boldly share that “God so loved the
world” and Jesus would have died even if you were the only one to save. Of
course, these are true! But somewhere in the church clichés, I forgot that
Scripture is not just an archetypal
story of universal salvation. The Word addresses EACH of my needs in a unique
and powerful way.
Imagine my refreshing
surprise when…over the last 6weeks of reading Made to Crave…I have seen a new
theme arise across the entire bible. A theme that specifically tackles my
issues with food.
At the very beginning of time and humanity,
Eve was tempted by FOOD!
Genesis 3:6 – “When the woman saw the fruit of the tree
was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also
desirable for gaining wisdom,
she took some and ate it”.
In the Old Testament under the
Old Covenant,
the Israelites’ struggle with food sent them
wandering in the desert for 40 long years!
Psalms 78:18 – “They willfully put God to the test
by demanding
the food they craved”.
In the New Testament, as Jesus prepares for ministry
and
ushers in the New Law, Christ defeats Satan's
temptation after a redemptive 40 day fast!
John 4:34 – “ ‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the
will of him who
sent me and to finish his work.’ ”
In Revelation, God’s shares a vision of His promise
and plan;
sure enough, there’s more mention of victory
with food!
Revelation 2:7 – “To him who overcomes,
I will give the right to
eat from the tree of life,
which is the paradise of
God”.
After years of calling the
bible a “love letter” (and calling myself a Christ-follower), it took joining
this Made to Crave journey for me to see how the message of God’s hope
addresses EVERY human issue…even my struggles with food.
You see – it’s not really
about food anyway. It’s not as simple as replacing donuts with carrots. It’s
about ALL the things that have, can, or will consume my heart more than Christ.
When I intimately understand food cravings
but have to stop and ask if I’ve ever truly yearned for God…
there is a problem!
When I spend hours chatting
with old friends
but rarely squeeze in a quiet moment of prayer or praise…
there is a
problem!
When hours of Facebook-scrolling or
Netlflix-marathoning
are more appealing that time spent in the Word…
there is a
problem!
The promise of Revelation
2:7 is for those who overcome.
Overcome what...not to mention how? For me…in this season of life…the initial
struggle was loosing a child and turning to food rather than Christ. It was
only once I reached the end of my own effort that I began to see God’s fingerprints
redeeming the loss and drawing me to Him. As Lysa wrote: “it is good for God’s
people to be put in a place of longing so they feel slight desperation. Only
then can we be empty enough and open enough to discover the holiness we were
made for.”
In another season, there
will be other trials and temptations. But this Made to Crave experience has
reminded me of the bigger process and the deeper plan. Yes – the bible is a letter about love…but remember that His love calls us to purity and then fans the
refining flames.
Dear friends, whether your current idol is the call of cake, the
lure of lust, or the magnetism of money - - take hope! We are on a life-long
journey of redemption...a beautiful transformation from sinner to saint! But chiseling a masterpiece is hard work. Deep cleaning always looks messier in the process. Sometimes it may feel like two step
forward and another back. Keep faith! Eyes on the prize! Triumph lies in your
very next choice!
“One wise choice can lead to two, can lead to three, can
lead to a thousand, can lead to the sweet place of utter dependence on God and
lasting discipline”. Lysa Terkheurst, Made to Crave
Victory is about intentional sacrifice that chooses
long-term gain over short-term loss. Overcoming is really just a series of
small sanctifying surrenders. So while our Made To Crave study has
drawn to end, our God is just getting started!
“It’s so easy to park our minds in bad spots. To dwell and
rehash and wish things were different. But to think on hard things keeps us in
hard spots and only serves to deepen our feelings of emotional emptiness”. Lysa
Terkeurst, Made to Crave.
If you’re revisiting my
blog, you might have picked up by now that I’m a lover of all things WORDS.
It’ll be no surprise then that the title “emotional emptiness” immediately
peaked my interest. Despite being intrigued, I did not anticipate how deeply
this chapter would impact me. Beyond dramatic alliterations, Lysa’s words
addressed the core issues surrounding the last two years of my life.
The loss of our firstborn
child and the now 20 laborious months praying for another baby have shaken me
in inexpressible ways. It is a heart-wrenching grief that makes you question
everything you believe about life and love...about God and goodness. I kept telling
myself I had “processed”…kept saying that I was “healing”…but an ever-expanding
waist born witness to the high-calorie treats I kept binging to numb the pain
of my aching heart.
So as I read Lysa’s
witty-but-oh-so-needed chapter about “emotional emptiness”, I felt deeply convicted to
STOP sulking...and STOP self-medicating! It is time to reclaim hope! Time to “park my
mind” on the promises of Philippians 4:8:
It’s time to pray for
Light. Time to reach out of mercy. I am still broken. But I am trying...with
the only strength I have left...to be shipwrecked at the shores of Grace. To
know the trials of this world neither define me...nor my Jesus. To remember
that "good" does not mean "easy" or even
"preferred". And to trust...even in this dark, dank pit...that I am
never...EVER...alone.
But…even if
you’re about to crest a peak….climbing a mountain can still feel grueling. This
week, even Lysa’s chapter titles gave testimony to the fear I felt about passing the
week 4 mile marker in this journey towards Jesus.
“It’s Isn’t Fair!” (Chapter 10)
“Stinkin’, Rotten, Horrible, No Good
Day!” (Chapter 11)
“The Curse of the Skinny Jeans” (Chapter
12)
I LOVED these
chapters. What an amazing God that THESE chapters would come up at the week 4
mile marker. My husband just left for a work trip and I have never been one to
do well without accountability. When I’m alone, my resolve melts like butter
and I am easily thrown by the wave of each passing emotion. Whether consumed by
a moment’s loneliness, coveting a moment’s quietness, or caught in a moment’s
boredom…past solitude has typically become a slippery slope of sin.
Coming into this
week, I’ve been bracing for failure and riddled with fear. Several times, I’ve
felt the following lyrics boil up in my soul. They’re from a song I wrote in
2013 to express the helpless/hopeless feeling of cycling in and out of sin.
A Messy Me (Galatians 5:17)
Miriam E. Lind (c) 2013
Click here for a rough vocal-only recording of the song; I apologize my keyboard
wasn't working and there's quite a bit of unfortunate background noise.
On days like this
When the sun outside is hiding
My skin feels damp
It’s cloudy in my soul
And I hate this stupid dance
Two step forward another back
Round and round in circles I go
You said You’d purified me
But I still feel so ugly
Don’t like the reflection I see
In the mirror
I know You’re always at work
But Your fingerprints they start to blur
When I get mixed up in myself
Mixed up in myself
Mixed up in myself
I guess that’s how it boils down
A choice between You and my own crown
What kind of obsession
Will I foster?
And I know I’ve sung it all before
Less of me and more of You, Lord
But each time I stand
I fall again.
It’s a push and pull – a tug of war
A battle raging in my core
I feel like Adam and like Eve
Or Eden bursting into weeds
I know Your plan is to redeem
But it takes so long I feel defeat
Where’s the forest through these trees?
Father help me…
Father help me…
Instrumental verse….
It’s for freedom – he set us free
It’s for freedom – he set us free
It’s for freedom – he set us free
It’s for freedom – he set us free
There I was…with
that cry for freedom dripping off my lips, when I read these powerful words: “Either, we can be victimized and become
victims, or we can be victimized and rise above. Often, it is easier to play
the victim than take off our masks and ask for help. We get comfortable with
our victim status. It becomes our identity and is hard to give up. The
Israelites often played the victim card. I love what God finally tells them.
‘You have circled this mountain long enough”. Now turn North’ (Deuteronomy
2:3)” – Made to Crave, quoting Ruth Graham.
Wow. It was like
Jesus jumped off of the page and grabbed my attention. “Turn NORTH! Look to Me.
Come out of the shadows and into the Light! Take courage. You are not destined
for failure. I will be your strength. My grace IS sufficient for you. My power
is made perfect in weakness!!”
These are the #truths that God is revealing to me! My past is only
paralyzing if I give it power. My history only feels hopeless when I wallow in
yesterday’s mistakes. Instead, I can cling to the promise that Christ is in the
business of transformation. This
journey is not about changing my habits…it’s about changing my heart.
Bouncing
on crooked knees during daily circle time
And
they ask you:
“What
does the letter A stand for?”
Your
curious eyes scan crayola walls and
Your
spongy brain soaks up every image and
Your
self-assured voice quickly blurts out loud
A
is for “Apple” and B is for “Bat!!!”
When
you are a pimple-faced highschooler
Hiding
behind classroom walls and in library books
And
they ask you:
“What
does the letter A stand for?”
Your sarcastic eyes roll back into your head and
Your
self-absorbed brain assumes that they mock and
Your
whisper is “Apple” but your insides scream
A
is for “Acne” and B is for “Butter face!!”
This week in “Made to Crave”, I was struck by
two chapters strictly devoted to self-image. Between Chapter 7 (I’m Not Defined
by the Numbers) and Chapter 8 (Making Peace with the Realities of My Body), I found
myself examining the deep-dark secrets of my physical insecurities.
Of course there’s the hair – flat and
straight…refusing to hold volume or sport any kind of stylistic change.
And then there’s the BLT – yeah…that’s right.
The Big Left Titty. I apologize for the vulgarity but it’s simply true. Most
girls have a “bigger one”…mine is just a LOT bigger. So between the humiliation
of bra-shopping or attempts to wear strapless ANYTHING…the BLT warrants its crass nickname.
But if I’m really honest…
All the way back from high
school
My
least favorite feature has been and still is…my A-C-N-E.
I remember psychoanalyzing every picture for
traces of pimples
And trialing several types of makeup in hopes of
covering the carnage
And praying…literally praying!...that the zits
clear before gray hair sets in
(“Seriously
God…I don’t DESERVE that double wammy!!!)
Needless to say, I could relate to Lisa’s “Tankle” story. It made me laugh, but it
also made me realize that I judge myself more than I would judge anyone else.
And…at least when it comes to appearance…I judge
myself much, MUCH more harshly than Christ.
Dear
God, thank you for creating me in your image. Help me to see my life...and even
my body…through the lens of your all-encompassing Grace. I need neither the
naivety of grade school youth nor the spitefulness of high school. Grant me
fresh eyes and a renewed mind. Don’t allow me to be contented with complacency
or to lie-still in laziness. I need your strength. I need your power. I need
you.
Jesus…my
sweet Jesus who knows the weakness of flesh and the power of victory…give me
strength to walk this journey. For it is not about size. It is not about
beauty. It is not about self-exploration or even self-improvement. You have
placed this path before me to draw me closer to your heart. You are calling me to make
a conscious and consistent choice to follow you - even with things that seem
too little…and even with things that seem too hard. Grant me your power. Grant
me your peace. In Christ’s heavenly name – Amen
