Turning Shakespeare's line into my own is helping me to pound out the truth I know now.
Sometimes, I get so tied up with trying to figure out the right words to share what's in my heart that I almost give up.
It was kinda like that with eating right. The exact moment eludes me as I try to remember when everything changed in my thinking and I began to experience freedom in my eating habits and behaviors. I believe it wasn't a moment, but rather a daily decision not to give up. A determination to believe God had heard my prayers to change me and HIS answer to walk by faith in this area. Baby steps of trusting Him because I knew I HAD TO do something for my health.
Let me tell you about a time before I had a partial thyroidectomy and was the Energizer Bunny. A constant whirl of activity and projects. three kids, homeschooling, decorating, always rearranging, sharing the Word, gardening...this was my life. Weight wasn't that big of a deal, although there was always the battle of comparing myself with every skinny girl, and especially the ones that had five kids and looked like swimsuit models for Sports Illustrated.
That would never be me. My first baby weighed 9.8 lbs., and 23 " long!
Inroads to my pubic bone were carved externally as she developed within my womb...and the flabby-belly skin still rolls along today.
When half my thyroid gland was removed, it was replaced with fear!
Fear that I would gain a lot of weight. I knew women wearing this delicate neck scar were more apt to slow down and gain weight. And I did.
Fear of slowing down...to a halt. And I did that, too.
Fear. False. Evidence. Appearing. Real.
And unless one is aggressive about fear, it will consume from within and wreak havoc in every area of one's life.
It's odd how fear of gaining weight made me eat more, which fed the monster! (And I don't think this is a Daune problem, either.)
Fast track to last year when my sweet baby girl, now thirty-three, began to encourage me about her weight loss. She bought this book~ A very large book and used it EVERYDAY.
I knew women that were THM ladies; my filter of diets caused me to see this as just another fad, so I dismissed it...but Rachael kept after me. She was relentless! She'd send me recipes, texts of grocery lists a mile long and tell me how easy it was. RELENTLESS LOVE.
My friend, Amy, kindly gave me her copy and told me to figure it out and teach her! One day, I know that'll happen.
I began reading...and reading. It IS a 619 pg. tome! It's written by two sisters that love Jesus, spent five years researching, writing, along with homeschooling THEIR flocks of children, as well. (HOW DO THESE WOMEN DO IT?) By God's grace, just like everything else.
(The thought of it tires me out...)
Well, since last June I've been doing Trim Healthy Mama for myself and have lost fifteen lbs, give or take back a few.
But the ONE thing that keeps me on track is knowing that I'm only one meal away from beginning again if I mess up.
Now that's grace.
May I make this more personal since you've had the courage to read this far!
What are you struggling with today? Is it your weight? Your marriage? Your sex life? Your kids? The car?
The 'problem' isn't the problem.
It's what we think about it that trips us up.
God's ability to change us into His image happened because we believed and yet our growth is stunted when we stop believing and relying on Him and His grace.
Paul clearly understood this. He stated emphatically that he asked God three times to take away this messenger of Satan-- and God reminded Paul in 2 Cor. 12:7-10:
Doesn't it seem like God always wants to show us something much deeper than what WE think the problem is?
I honestly believe each of us must be willing to 'go there' about our issues and run with abandon into the arms of our Father who is full of grace and truth, trusting that when HE tells us the deeper issue, He has the answer.
Because HE is the answer.
After almost a year, a lot of mess ups and much, much grace, I continue to see the benefits of living the THM way.
Join me as I link up with my dear friend, Jennifer Dukes Lee, and other's that have their own story.
Click on the badge to hear more of His Stories.
Sometimes, I get so tied up with trying to figure out the right words to share what's in my heart that I almost give up.
It was kinda like that with eating right. The exact moment eludes me as I try to remember when everything changed in my thinking and I began to experience freedom in my eating habits and behaviors. I believe it wasn't a moment, but rather a daily decision not to give up. A determination to believe God had heard my prayers to change me and HIS answer to walk by faith in this area. Baby steps of trusting Him because I knew I HAD TO do something for my health.
Let me tell you about a time before I had a partial thyroidectomy and was the Energizer Bunny. A constant whirl of activity and projects. three kids, homeschooling, decorating, always rearranging, sharing the Word, gardening...this was my life. Weight wasn't that big of a deal, although there was always the battle of comparing myself with every skinny girl, and especially the ones that had five kids and looked like swimsuit models for Sports Illustrated.
That would never be me. My first baby weighed 9.8 lbs., and 23 " long!
Inroads to my pubic bone were carved externally as she developed within my womb...and the flabby-belly skin still rolls along today.
When half my thyroid gland was removed, it was replaced with fear!
Fear that I would gain a lot of weight. I knew women wearing this delicate neck scar were more apt to slow down and gain weight. And I did.
Fear of slowing down...to a halt. And I did that, too.
Fear. False. Evidence. Appearing. Real.
And unless one is aggressive about fear, it will consume from within and wreak havoc in every area of one's life.
It's odd how fear of gaining weight made me eat more, which fed the monster! (And I don't think this is a Daune problem, either.)
Fast track to last year when my sweet baby girl, now thirty-three, began to encourage me about her weight loss. She bought this book~ A very large book and used it EVERYDAY.
I knew women that were THM ladies; my filter of diets caused me to see this as just another fad, so I dismissed it...but Rachael kept after me. She was relentless! She'd send me recipes, texts of grocery lists a mile long and tell me how easy it was. RELENTLESS LOVE.
My friend, Amy, kindly gave me her copy and told me to figure it out and teach her! One day, I know that'll happen.
I began reading...and reading. It IS a 619 pg. tome! It's written by two sisters that love Jesus, spent five years researching, writing, along with homeschooling THEIR flocks of children, as well. (HOW DO THESE WOMEN DO IT?) By God's grace, just like everything else.
(The thought of it tires me out...)
Well, since last June I've been doing Trim Healthy Mama for myself and have lost fifteen lbs, give or take back a few. But the ONE thing that keeps me on track is knowing that I'm only one meal away from beginning again if I mess up.
Now that's grace.
May I make this more personal since you've had the courage to read this far!
What are you struggling with today? Is it your weight? Your marriage? Your sex life? Your kids? The car?
The 'problem' isn't the problem.
It's what we think about it that trips us up.
God's ability to change us into His image happened because we believed and yet our growth is stunted when we stop believing and relying on Him and His grace.
Paul clearly understood this. He stated emphatically that he asked God three times to take away this messenger of Satan-- and God reminded Paul in 2 Cor. 12:7-10:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”Was the messenger the real issue?
Doesn't it seem like God always wants to show us something much deeper than what WE think the problem is?
I honestly believe each of us must be willing to 'go there' about our issues and run with abandon into the arms of our Father who is full of grace and truth, trusting that when HE tells us the deeper issue, He has the answer.
Because HE is the answer.
After almost a year, a lot of mess ups and much, much grace, I continue to see the benefits of living the THM way.
Join me as I link up with my dear friend, Jennifer Dukes Lee, and other's that have their own story.
Click on the badge to hear more of His Stories.
3 comments:
Such a great post! I have thyroid disease also and have struggled with weight since being diagnosed. I will be looking into THM. This isn't the first time I've heard about it and been intrigued!
But more than that I love the reminder of the greatness of God's plan for us! More freedom than we can imagine!
I completely understand, Daune :). I've battled with weight for years and it's only by making gradual changes in lifestyle that I've been able to arrive at my goal. Good for you for starting the journey!
mecoffeeandjesus,
Tanks for stopping by.
Did I mention that God healed me? The other half of the gland didn't work for years. I kept asking to be healed and when I went in for the thyroid uptake, all my levels were normal!!!
Blestbutstrest,
Thanks for the encouragement!!!
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