...Breakthrough!...

Ive been doing a book study on Made To Crave by Lysa TerKeurst (Proverbs 31 Ministries Co-Founder). Though I am not, nor have I ever been addicted to food, I do have a skewed perception of self, and (I hate to admit it) I am ever so slightly addicted to watching the numbers on the scale go DOWN..... I have been in a losing (in the good way) battle with my weight since September 2010. I am down, at my last weigh-in, 28 pounds. I am in a size pants that I thought I would never see again, and I haven't been this small since before I started having kids. But I realized the other day, during one of my daily reading assignments from the participant's guide, that I am "ok" with where I am. I am at peace. I don't need to be a size 4 (I probably would never get there anyways) to be loved. I don't have to have this minor obsession with losing weight to have friends. And most importantly, I don't have to mistreat my body to honor God.

You see, I realized that God gave me this body, with all of it's tendencies. I am a 26 year old mother of 2. I have had 4 surgeries in nearly 5 years. I am saved by the grace of God. I am married to a man who loves me. I have some wonderful friends and sisters in Christ that love me for me, without a care for my body shape. I can run at least 13.1 miles without stopping. I regularly function on 5 hours of sleep or less. My body is in no way perfect, but it has held up amazingly through the torment. God gave me this body! This one. And there is nothing, absolutely NOTHING that I cannot accomplish that I have ever set out to, because of it. I have never quit because of my body, it's size, shape, or weight. From today on, I refuse to be embarrassed or ashamed of this body. This is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim 1:14 ). This is the temple of the Almighty God (1 Cor 3:16 ).

Father in Heaven,

You are a great and mighty God. You know no limits. You are the Ancient of Days. You alone sit on the Mercy Seat. Thank You, Abba, for hearing the words of distress my heart longs to cry out to You. Thank You for taking this burden from me, for releasing me of the bondage. I know I am not of the world, but of You (Phil 3:20). You are Holy, Lord.

Today I thank You for my body. In Your divine and infinite wisdom, You have made me strong. You have built me, piece by piece. I am made for You (Psalm 100:3). I repent, God, of all the negative talk and thoughts that I have ever said or have ever been found in my mind, of this body. Help me to see this body as a blessing from You. Everything I have is Yours (1 Chron 29:11). You are my Savior (1 John 4:14). My Redeemer (Psalm 19:14). I am justified through faith (Romans 5:1), If you love me, even in this body, how much more should I love what You can do through it. I love You, Lord. May my lips never cease singing Your praises.