Going well...

Hello again Lovelies!
I just want to share a little something that's been helping me on my weight loss journey lately. A few weeks back, I was sick, under pressure at work, and generally eating just about whatever I liked! As a result, in the past month, I only lost 1kg, instead of the 2 or 3 that I had hoped for. I was fast slipping back into the scary eating patterns and resignation I had had before. But then something within me said NO. I don't want to undo all my hard work. I don't want to gain the weight I've lost. I believe God was causing some righteous indignation to bubble up in my spirit, and whispering to me "Don't give up... you CAN do it!"

So last Monday, after having bought takeaway TWICE during the day, I decided that I didn't want to continue this silliness any more! So I made a reward chart for good behaviour, just like I do for the girls and their chores. Every day, I reward myself $3 on the chart if I have not given in to temptation that day. When someone offers me something and I have a small serve, that's OK, I'm being polite and moderate at the same time. But if temptation is telling me to take a bigger slice, or another piece, that's when I have to decide what to do. My issue is not so much what I put into my mouth, but the amount of power I allow temptation/the flesh, to have in my life!
I also reward an additional $3 for exercise done with the proper amount of effort! Whenever I can, I will put away my weekly earnings to accrue for my new wardrobe that I will undoubtedly be needing in a few months!!! So last week, I earned a grand total of $24- enough for a cute new shirt perhaps! But not yet. So far, even though I'm just writing some money on a wall chart, I'm finding that I'm motivated to make sure I get to write up my $3 or $6 for the day! I am noticing some improvement in my body shape, and I don't want to lose it again. I might only have been losing a little bit at a time, but the fact is, I am losing it, so if I just continue in that, I will eventually reach my goal- if I don't give up!
Our Sunday message this week was about selecting scripture from the Bible to use as weapons when we feel the attack of the devil on our lives, just like David selected some stones to kill Goliath. Well, here's one of my weapons for this situation: Galatians 6:9- Let us not become weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up!
Have a great week, everybody, and don't give up!!!

Blessings,

New Insights!

Hiya, everyone!
It's pretty late tonight, but I just wanted to pop in and say hi to y'all.
Last week I really struggled with my thoughts, and was tempted to eat lots of naughty foods. I must admit, I gave in a couple of times, too. But I'm learning to encourage myself, and continue with the discipline of healthy eating. Where previously I would feel a strong sense of defeat, and be easily persuaded to give into temptations, now I find I can get back up, and keep on heading towards my goal- praise God!!!
Today at the gym I had my weigh and measure. It's been 2 months since I started there, and I've lost a total of 24.5cm (almost 10 inches!!) off various body parts, and about 3kg in weight! I'm so glad I haven't given up when I've struggled... I'm still on the road to victory!


My darling husband and I are about to start facilitating a fantastic marriage enrichment course called Making Marriage Better. (Click here to learn more about that!) We're really excited about it, and looking forward to ministering to many others through the course! But to facilitate (lead) the course, we first have to do the facilitator's course- naturally! My DH has already done it, and has been facilitating mens courses since last Feb., but I am in the midst of my training now.

The reason for all this chatter is to tell you about the wonderful insight I learned on Saturday, while watching the training videos. It was something I'd heard before, but on Saturday, the penny really dropped! I believe it's something that will really help me, and it may also be of help to you, so here goes...
The trainer, Helen Meyer, was discussing four areas of recovery: areas of a person's life which may need work in order for healing to take place. These areas are: spiritual area, cognitive area (thought life), behavioural area, and feelings or emotions.
Very often, pastors, counsellors, facilitators, etc. lean towards one particular area, and therefore they may try to help a person using only a narrow approach. (I hope you're following me!!) An example of this may be using cognitive techniques, but failing to address the spiritual roots of the issue, or conversely, using prayer and deliverance ministry, but not acknowledging the need to process emotions! "OK, OK," you say, "just get on with it and tell me the new insight you had!!"

Well, it was this: I realised that I too have a bent towards a particular area- namely the Behavioural one, and that my difficulties in conquering some of my lifelong issues (such as lateness and unhealthy living) may be due in part, to my lack of focus on the other areas of recovery! To explain what I mean a bit more, I'll detail what behavioural work consists of.

Behavioural work is:

• Taking responsibility for your behaviour
• Structuring your life for behavioural change
• Making it easy to do the right thing
• Making it hard to do the wrong thing!
• Putting off/putting on - taking action
• Support and accountability in a group or with a friend.

Wow, I hear bells ringing!! That is me to a T! Any of you who have been reading my blog for a while will agree, that's what I'm all about.. it's in just about every post I write! Sooooo, of course, the Holy Spirit was giving me a bit of a nudge, saying "What about the other 3 areas... perhaps it's time you looked at some of them a bit more seriously."

A challenge for all of us, perhaps, to move out of our comfort zone and explore a wholistic approach to our own change! How very strange for me, being confronted with this new truth! Even now, I'm trying to avoid a behavioural approach, such as putting in place a structure so I can address spiritual issues etc. Hee hee, isn't that funny!
So I will avoid it. I won't strategise, I'll just carry my course book around a bit, refer to it now and then, and wait for the Holy Spirit to speak some more. That was fairly loose, wasn't it??!?

I'm sure you want to know what the other three areas entail too. I've abridged them, because of course, they're under copywright, but at least you'll have the general idea!

Spiritual work includes:

• Conversion, Baptism in the Holy Spirit
• Forgiveness, Inner healing
• Deliverance, Spiritual warfare, and devotional life.

Cognitive work includes:

• Renewing the mind, Bible study and replacing negative self talk with Biblical truth
• Challenging faulty beliefs and lies
• Learning new truths about yourself (eg Who I am in Christ!)

Feelings work includes:

• Learning how to identify and express feelings
• Allowing yourself to experience feelings (eg suppressed feelings!)
• Expressing feelings responsibly

How do you work through things in your life? Do you focus on one of these areas in particular? I hope this new insight has been helpful for you! I'm off to bed now, but will continue to think and pray about these things in the days ahead. I'd love to hear your comments about this!

Have a great week everyone!



Christian Glitter by www.christianglitter.com