Joshua 1:5
No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you, I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Sep 30, 2008
Devotion for Week Twelve
Beloved!
The Lord woke me up early this morning, and you were on my heart. As I was reading, and praying for you, I felt that the Lord wanted me to write you some things that are on my heart.
I remember when my children were little, and then my grandchildren, we would lay on the grass and watch the clouds, and make shapes out of them, it was such fun. Also something we always enjoyed together was a summer storm in Michigan. With the wind blowing the trees, and the power of the lightening, and we always thought that the thunder sounded like God moving furniture up in Heaven. I never wanted them to be afraid of the storm.
Nahum 1:3 says, "In whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet"
Isa. 19:1 says, "Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud"
And Psalm 104:3 says, He makes the clouds His chariots, He walks upon the wings of the wind.
Oh, my precious ones, it is enough to know that He is right there in the midst of your storm! We have plenty of clouds here in Michigan, and every time you look at them, be reminded that He rides on the clouds of your life, they are His chariot. And they are the dust of His feet! If He is kicking up dust, then He is walking around in the midst of this storm. You need fear no evil!
The sound of the thunder and the flashes of lightening, are just a sign that He is moving in your darkest hour. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
Let Him speak "Peace" to your soul today! The sun will shine again in your life, for today, enjoy the clouds, and KNOW that He is with you!
A great man once said, "A man doesn't drown because he is in the water, he drowns when the water gets in him." You can be in the midst of a storm all around you, but you don't have to let the storm get inside of you! When you know you're God, and you know that He is riding the storm, all you have to do is hold onto Him, and you will be alright!
I don't know what you are going through right now, but I pray that this speaks to someone today!
I love you all! I pray that you are having a great week!
Love, Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt
The Lord woke me up early this morning, and you were on my heart. As I was reading, and praying for you, I felt that the Lord wanted me to write you some things that are on my heart.
I remember when my children were little, and then my grandchildren, we would lay on the grass and watch the clouds, and make shapes out of them, it was such fun. Also something we always enjoyed together was a summer storm in Michigan. With the wind blowing the trees, and the power of the lightening, and we always thought that the thunder sounded like God moving furniture up in Heaven. I never wanted them to be afraid of the storm.
Nahum 1:3 says, "In whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet"
Isa. 19:1 says, "Behold, the Lord is riding on a swift cloud"
And Psalm 104:3 says, He makes the clouds His chariots, He walks upon the wings of the wind.
Oh, my precious ones, it is enough to know that He is right there in the midst of your storm! We have plenty of clouds here in Michigan, and every time you look at them, be reminded that He rides on the clouds of your life, they are His chariot. And they are the dust of His feet! If He is kicking up dust, then He is walking around in the midst of this storm. You need fear no evil!
The sound of the thunder and the flashes of lightening, are just a sign that He is moving in your darkest hour. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
Let Him speak "Peace" to your soul today! The sun will shine again in your life, for today, enjoy the clouds, and KNOW that He is with you!
A great man once said, "A man doesn't drown because he is in the water, he drowns when the water gets in him." You can be in the midst of a storm all around you, but you don't have to let the storm get inside of you! When you know you're God, and you know that He is riding the storm, all you have to do is hold onto Him, and you will be alright!
I don't know what you are going through right now, but I pray that this speaks to someone today!
I love you all! I pray that you are having a great week!
Love, Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt
Sep 24, 2008
Memory Verse for Week Eleven
2 Cor. 10:3-5
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments, and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments, and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Devotions for Week Eleven
Beloved!
I am writing today about "Overcoming Strongholds". I don't feel qualified to write on this subject, since I know that I still have strongholds in my own life that I am dealing with. But, I think you know that this program is about all of us taking this journey together, none of us has arrived as yet! For some, it may be a good reminder, and review, for others, maybe it will be new and life-changing! So, here goes!
A stronghold may be an addiction (even sugar addiction, ouch) an unforgiving spirit towards someone who has hurt you, or even despair over a loss of some kind. It is something that demands so much of your emotional energy that your abundant life in Christ is strangled!
The most powerful way to break down strongholds in your life is to pray through the Scriptures! Praying through the Scriptures is a process of taking a verse and praying it back to God in your own words.
The process isn't complicated, here is an example of praying the Scriptures:
Lord, You've said that I live in the world, but I do not wage war as the world does. My weapons are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. I can demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and I take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Thank You in advance for working my life! Amen!
See: 2 Cor. 10:3-5
Before we tackle the spiritual strongholds in our lives, we need to identify the battlefield. The enemy is waging a constant, personal battle against us and the primary battlefield is our minds! There are many great books written on this subject, one comes to mind by Joyce Meyer, "The Battlefield of the Mind". (I think that is the title)
Our mind is the control center of our being! Satan wants us to believe that he is powerful, and we are powerless! He will do his best to put destructive and discouraging thoughts in our minds. But, we are not powerless, we have God's Holy Spirit living in us!
To combat these words that Satan would put in our minds we should repeat these words: "Nothing is bigger or more powerful than God" The strongest addiction or our worst habit can be overcome through the power of the living God!!
The primary goal of our spiritual warfare is found in the verses we just prayed! We need to demolish every argument and pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. We must take our thoughts captive and be obedient to Christ!
Let me encourage you to memorize the verse for this week! Pray it over and over back to Jesus! Keep the verse close at hand so you can go over and over it until it is part of your very being! Each time we use the verse, God will plant it more firmly in our minds and heart.
Like I said, this is a journey, and this step of the journey is so important! Rejoice at the opportunity that God gives us to live a life free of strongholds through His mighty power that is at work in us!
More praying God's Word:
Father God, please help me to keep in mind that my struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph. 6:12
Lord, I know I have nothing to fear from strongholds because You have given me a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Tim. 1:7
Lord, thank You for Your protection. Help me to be sober and vigilant because the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. But You are greater, and you live in me! Help me be steadfast in the faith. 1 Peter 5:8
Heavenly Father, help me to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness, for then, Your Word tells me that all these other things will be given to me. Matt. 6:33
Enjoy your memorization and meditation on God's Word this week!
I love you all! This is Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt saying bye until next week.
I am writing today about "Overcoming Strongholds". I don't feel qualified to write on this subject, since I know that I still have strongholds in my own life that I am dealing with. But, I think you know that this program is about all of us taking this journey together, none of us has arrived as yet! For some, it may be a good reminder, and review, for others, maybe it will be new and life-changing! So, here goes!
A stronghold may be an addiction (even sugar addiction, ouch) an unforgiving spirit towards someone who has hurt you, or even despair over a loss of some kind. It is something that demands so much of your emotional energy that your abundant life in Christ is strangled!
The most powerful way to break down strongholds in your life is to pray through the Scriptures! Praying through the Scriptures is a process of taking a verse and praying it back to God in your own words.
The process isn't complicated, here is an example of praying the Scriptures:
Lord, You've said that I live in the world, but I do not wage war as the world does. My weapons are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. I can demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and I take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Thank You in advance for working my life! Amen!
See: 2 Cor. 10:3-5
Before we tackle the spiritual strongholds in our lives, we need to identify the battlefield. The enemy is waging a constant, personal battle against us and the primary battlefield is our minds! There are many great books written on this subject, one comes to mind by Joyce Meyer, "The Battlefield of the Mind". (I think that is the title)
Our mind is the control center of our being! Satan wants us to believe that he is powerful, and we are powerless! He will do his best to put destructive and discouraging thoughts in our minds. But, we are not powerless, we have God's Holy Spirit living in us!
To combat these words that Satan would put in our minds we should repeat these words: "Nothing is bigger or more powerful than God" The strongest addiction or our worst habit can be overcome through the power of the living God!!
The primary goal of our spiritual warfare is found in the verses we just prayed! We need to demolish every argument and pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. We must take our thoughts captive and be obedient to Christ!
Let me encourage you to memorize the verse for this week! Pray it over and over back to Jesus! Keep the verse close at hand so you can go over and over it until it is part of your very being! Each time we use the verse, God will plant it more firmly in our minds and heart.
Like I said, this is a journey, and this step of the journey is so important! Rejoice at the opportunity that God gives us to live a life free of strongholds through His mighty power that is at work in us!
More praying God's Word:
Father God, please help me to keep in mind that my struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph. 6:12
Lord, I know I have nothing to fear from strongholds because You have given me a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Tim. 1:7
Lord, thank You for Your protection. Help me to be sober and vigilant because the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. But You are greater, and you live in me! Help me be steadfast in the faith. 1 Peter 5:8
Heavenly Father, help me to seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness, for then, Your Word tells me that all these other things will be given to me. Matt. 6:33
Enjoy your memorization and meditation on God's Word this week!
I love you all! This is Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt saying bye until next week.
Sep 17, 2008
Memory Verse for Week Ten
Isaiah 40:31
"But they that wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint. Teach me Lord to wait!"
"But they that wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint. Teach me Lord to wait!"
Devotion for Week Ten
Beloved! This will be my final blog on "Choices". "Choosing to Exercise" is the subject for today. Well, if you are at all like me, this is one of those things that we definitely must deliberately choose to do! Otherwise it will never happen!
In February of this year I made the choice to exercise five times a week. I have kept that commitment except for rare occasions when it was not possible. When the weather permits, I walk 2 miles in 30 minutes in our neighborhood, and I use my aerobic rider, (which is like rowing) for 10 minutes a day.
If an undisciplined person like me can do it, then you can too! Truly I believe that as we allow God to work discipline in our lives in these areas where we were undisciplined, other changes will take place also, as we yield ourselves to His Lordship!
Are there some things I don't like about exercise? Oh, yeah!! For one thing, I don't like to sweat, and exercising at aerobic levels will make you sweat! Also, exercise requires self-discipline which I have always resisted! But self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, so it is something that we can grow in, right?
What do I like about exercise? I like how I feel after I am finished! You feel invigorated! If you suffer from depression, or low self-esteem, exercise will turn that around. It releases Seratonin to your brain, and that is a feel-good hormone!
Getting into a regular exercise routine was very difficult for me. After breaking my leg in May of 2006, I didn't really move my body much for a year and a half. When I first started, I would walk for 5 minutes and my legs would burn and itch like crazy, and the pain in my knees was horrendous. So in case you think I don't understand how you feel, I do! Truly, I believe if I hadn't started moving my body, I would have ended up in a wheelchair.
Maybe you are saying "but I can barely walk" then barely walk to the end of your driveway and back a few times a day and build from there. You will be amazed at how your body will respond. Maybe you are waiting until you get some of your weight off before you start. Please, start now! You will be that much farther ahead and the weight will come off that much faster.
Our bodies will heal themselves when we give them the proper nutrition, and regular exercise. Start wherever you are, do whatever you can. You will reap the benefits in a big way!
Time! That is always the big issue! Find a time that works for you! Mine is in the morning. But if that doesn't work for you and your schedule, then do it when it is best for you, but DO IT!!!
There are many different ways to exercise. If you don't like to walk, then there are lots of exercise CD's and DVD's out there, find one you like, and can stick with. Water aerobics are a good alternative for those who have joint pain etc.
Keep an exercise log, this is another thing that will help you stay on track. www.sparkspeople.com is a great place to log in yur weight, your food, and your exercise. If you like a contest, log on to www.teambeachbody.com/maryvegh click on play the game and every time you log on your workout, you are eligible for prizes of 300.00, 1000.00, or a camcorder, or a digital camera. They give away a prize everyday of the week, so if you are exercising, why not see if you can win a prize while you are at it.
Stop making excuses and start moving your body today! Write me and let me know how you are doing, and what you are doing.
If you have a success story (Kori) please write it out and email it to us, or put it on the blog. You never know what an inspiration you might be to someone who is having a hard time getting started.
I love you all, this is Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt here saying bye for another week.
In February of this year I made the choice to exercise five times a week. I have kept that commitment except for rare occasions when it was not possible. When the weather permits, I walk 2 miles in 30 minutes in our neighborhood, and I use my aerobic rider, (which is like rowing) for 10 minutes a day.
If an undisciplined person like me can do it, then you can too! Truly I believe that as we allow God to work discipline in our lives in these areas where we were undisciplined, other changes will take place also, as we yield ourselves to His Lordship!
Are there some things I don't like about exercise? Oh, yeah!! For one thing, I don't like to sweat, and exercising at aerobic levels will make you sweat! Also, exercise requires self-discipline which I have always resisted! But self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, so it is something that we can grow in, right?
What do I like about exercise? I like how I feel after I am finished! You feel invigorated! If you suffer from depression, or low self-esteem, exercise will turn that around. It releases Seratonin to your brain, and that is a feel-good hormone!
Getting into a regular exercise routine was very difficult for me. After breaking my leg in May of 2006, I didn't really move my body much for a year and a half. When I first started, I would walk for 5 minutes and my legs would burn and itch like crazy, and the pain in my knees was horrendous. So in case you think I don't understand how you feel, I do! Truly, I believe if I hadn't started moving my body, I would have ended up in a wheelchair.
Maybe you are saying "but I can barely walk" then barely walk to the end of your driveway and back a few times a day and build from there. You will be amazed at how your body will respond. Maybe you are waiting until you get some of your weight off before you start. Please, start now! You will be that much farther ahead and the weight will come off that much faster.
Our bodies will heal themselves when we give them the proper nutrition, and regular exercise. Start wherever you are, do whatever you can. You will reap the benefits in a big way!
Time! That is always the big issue! Find a time that works for you! Mine is in the morning. But if that doesn't work for you and your schedule, then do it when it is best for you, but DO IT!!!
There are many different ways to exercise. If you don't like to walk, then there are lots of exercise CD's and DVD's out there, find one you like, and can stick with. Water aerobics are a good alternative for those who have joint pain etc.
Keep an exercise log, this is another thing that will help you stay on track. www.sparkspeople.com is a great place to log in yur weight, your food, and your exercise. If you like a contest, log on to www.teambeachbody.com/maryvegh click on play the game and every time you log on your workout, you are eligible for prizes of 300.00, 1000.00, or a camcorder, or a digital camera. They give away a prize everyday of the week, so if you are exercising, why not see if you can win a prize while you are at it.
Stop making excuses and start moving your body today! Write me and let me know how you are doing, and what you are doing.
If you have a success story (Kori) please write it out and email it to us, or put it on the blog. You never know what an inspiration you might be to someone who is having a hard time getting started.
I love you all, this is Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt here saying bye for another week.
Sep 10, 2008
Memory Verse for Week Nine
1 Corinthians 6:12
"Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything".
"Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything".
Devotion for Week Nine
Beloved!
Well, we have discussed "Choosing to Memorize Scripture", Choosing to Reach Out to Each Other", and then last week "Choosing to Pray".
This week I want to talk about something very basic to S.T.E.P.S, and that is "Choosing to Eat Right". This may seem too obvious to even write about, but if you are like me, you learn best by repetition and reminder. It is so easy to get off track and start reaching for a HO Ho without even thinking about it.
I have always said, "it is easier to quit smoking than to go on a diet" (but then I have never smoked). But the reason I think that is so, is because you can just quit smoking, but you can't quit eating, we need food to sustain life. Therefore, we must learn to make good choices everyday if we are going to win this war and finish this journey together.
Most of us have enough guilt about our eating habits to last a lifetime. My purpose here is not to heap more guilt on you for what you eat or do not eat. My purpose is to help us all realize once again that through Christ we can make the right choices that will change our lives forever.
We have all had different motivations for losing weight at different times in our lives. Maybe it has been to fit into a certain dress for that special occasion, or maybe for health reasons, (that happens more as you get older). Although this can be a huge motivation especially if you have a very large amount of weight to lose. If we are honest most of us just want to feel better about ourselves, and look better in our clothes, right?
The best motivation to practice good nutrition is to glorify God. So, whether we have health concerns, or we just want to look and feel better about ourselves, we will do it all for the glory of God and through the power of the Holy Spirit!
My prayer for all of us is that we will begin to crave foods that will nourish our bodies! That each of us will have a total lifestyle change, because if we have anything less than that, we will probably gain the weight back again.
So, choices!!! What are we choosing on a daily basis to put in our bodies? Are we choosing fruit over sugar laden desserts? Are we chosing healthy vegetables over processed foods? Are we choosing whole grains over big white fluffy things? We live in a world filled with fast foods and processed foods that are full of fat and hidden calories.
Are we getting good protein with every meal? Protein helps keep you stable, and keeps your sugar cravings under control. Did you know that Cottage Cheese has 26 grams of protein in every cup! A great choice if you can't get your hands on a piece of meat. I found a great protein bar, called "Pure Protein" it is delicious, and it has 20 grams of protein in one bar. There are several varieties of them at Walmart, Sam's Club only carries one flavor "Chocolate Peanut Butter" (yum) They are 97 cents a bar if you buy them at Sam's. A great meal replacement or snack. I use protein shakes at times also, good for Sunday morning when you don't have time to cook. Hey, please pass along any tips you have for eating right especially when you are on the run. Speaking of protein, eat more fish also, it is so good for you!
The battle is in the mind, but you probably all know that already! The decision to make the right choices starts in the mind! Once you have made up your mind, then you will purchase the right foods, so you can make the right choices. We are what we think!
God created us for success! He created us to be overcomers! He created us to be victors in this battle we have fought with our weight all these years! Only by trusting in Jesus and then clinging to Him every day of our lives are we going to have the strength to win this battle!
Remember His promise to us in Phil. 1:6 "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ".
I'm not giving up, I hope that is your confession also!
I love you all, until next week, this is Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt saying bye for now!
Well, we have discussed "Choosing to Memorize Scripture", Choosing to Reach Out to Each Other", and then last week "Choosing to Pray".
This week I want to talk about something very basic to S.T.E.P.S, and that is "Choosing to Eat Right". This may seem too obvious to even write about, but if you are like me, you learn best by repetition and reminder. It is so easy to get off track and start reaching for a HO Ho without even thinking about it.
I have always said, "it is easier to quit smoking than to go on a diet" (but then I have never smoked). But the reason I think that is so, is because you can just quit smoking, but you can't quit eating, we need food to sustain life. Therefore, we must learn to make good choices everyday if we are going to win this war and finish this journey together.
Most of us have enough guilt about our eating habits to last a lifetime. My purpose here is not to heap more guilt on you for what you eat or do not eat. My purpose is to help us all realize once again that through Christ we can make the right choices that will change our lives forever.
We have all had different motivations for losing weight at different times in our lives. Maybe it has been to fit into a certain dress for that special occasion, or maybe for health reasons, (that happens more as you get older). Although this can be a huge motivation especially if you have a very large amount of weight to lose. If we are honest most of us just want to feel better about ourselves, and look better in our clothes, right?
The best motivation to practice good nutrition is to glorify God. So, whether we have health concerns, or we just want to look and feel better about ourselves, we will do it all for the glory of God and through the power of the Holy Spirit!
My prayer for all of us is that we will begin to crave foods that will nourish our bodies! That each of us will have a total lifestyle change, because if we have anything less than that, we will probably gain the weight back again.
So, choices!!! What are we choosing on a daily basis to put in our bodies? Are we choosing fruit over sugar laden desserts? Are we chosing healthy vegetables over processed foods? Are we choosing whole grains over big white fluffy things? We live in a world filled with fast foods and processed foods that are full of fat and hidden calories.
Are we getting good protein with every meal? Protein helps keep you stable, and keeps your sugar cravings under control. Did you know that Cottage Cheese has 26 grams of protein in every cup! A great choice if you can't get your hands on a piece of meat. I found a great protein bar, called "Pure Protein" it is delicious, and it has 20 grams of protein in one bar. There are several varieties of them at Walmart, Sam's Club only carries one flavor "Chocolate Peanut Butter" (yum) They are 97 cents a bar if you buy them at Sam's. A great meal replacement or snack. I use protein shakes at times also, good for Sunday morning when you don't have time to cook. Hey, please pass along any tips you have for eating right especially when you are on the run. Speaking of protein, eat more fish also, it is so good for you!
The battle is in the mind, but you probably all know that already! The decision to make the right choices starts in the mind! Once you have made up your mind, then you will purchase the right foods, so you can make the right choices. We are what we think!
God created us for success! He created us to be overcomers! He created us to be victors in this battle we have fought with our weight all these years! Only by trusting in Jesus and then clinging to Him every day of our lives are we going to have the strength to win this battle!
Remember His promise to us in Phil. 1:6 "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ".
I'm not giving up, I hope that is your confession also!
I love you all, until next week, this is Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt saying bye for now!
Sep 6, 2008
Memory Verse for Week Eight
Hebrews 4:16
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Devotion for Week Eight
Beloved!
Whew! How was your week? Mine was crazy hectic! But good! So here I am very late. Hopefully I will get back on track soon, and have the blogs up on time once again.
Choices, choices, choices!! Did you find yourself making better choices this past week?
Continuing along on the line of choices, this week I want to talk to you about "Choosing to Pray"!!
Everything we do should be bathed in prayer! Our Heavenly Father wants us to come to Him, and express our needs to Him, our worries, and our problems. He is certainly concerned with our desire to get our weight off, and be fit and healthy once again.
Prayer is an important part of a balanced life!
God is listening, and hears our prayers even if it is only a "shoot-up prayer" like "Lord, help me". We want to learn the discipline, and make the choice of regular daily times talking with our Heavenly Father. What a difference it makes!
When we do this, our hearts are conditioned ahead of time to face the challenges we will face through-out the day.
Jesus is our example of a prayerful life. Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. He knew the value of going to a place where He wasn't distracted to spend time talking and listening to His Father. Prayer is God's idea! We pray because we want to and need to, but also because God desires communion with us!
It is a good idea to have a piece of paper and a pencil handy when you pray. Not to write out your prayers, although sometimes you might want to do that, but mainly to write down your distracting thoughts. Have you ever noticed that as soon as you take time to pray, so many things bombard your mind. Things you need to do, phone calls you need to make, etc.,etc. Write them down, then you can deal with them later, and you can spend that quality time in prayer.
When we pray for each other, it unites our hearts in the power of the Holy Spirit, even if we hardly know each other.
Use scripture when you pray! God loves it when we pray His Word back to Him! Find a scripture that addresses whatever you are praying about. There are plenty of scriptures that deal with having a healthy body for the glory of God!
Make prayer a priority! Not something you do haphazardly! Choose to pray daily!!
Whew! How was your week? Mine was crazy hectic! But good! So here I am very late. Hopefully I will get back on track soon, and have the blogs up on time once again.
Choices, choices, choices!! Did you find yourself making better choices this past week?
Continuing along on the line of choices, this week I want to talk to you about "Choosing to Pray"!!
Everything we do should be bathed in prayer! Our Heavenly Father wants us to come to Him, and express our needs to Him, our worries, and our problems. He is certainly concerned with our desire to get our weight off, and be fit and healthy once again.
Prayer is an important part of a balanced life!
God is listening, and hears our prayers even if it is only a "shoot-up prayer" like "Lord, help me". We want to learn the discipline, and make the choice of regular daily times talking with our Heavenly Father. What a difference it makes!
When we do this, our hearts are conditioned ahead of time to face the challenges we will face through-out the day.
Jesus is our example of a prayerful life. Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. He knew the value of going to a place where He wasn't distracted to spend time talking and listening to His Father. Prayer is God's idea! We pray because we want to and need to, but also because God desires communion with us!
It is a good idea to have a piece of paper and a pencil handy when you pray. Not to write out your prayers, although sometimes you might want to do that, but mainly to write down your distracting thoughts. Have you ever noticed that as soon as you take time to pray, so many things bombard your mind. Things you need to do, phone calls you need to make, etc.,etc. Write them down, then you can deal with them later, and you can spend that quality time in prayer.
When we pray for each other, it unites our hearts in the power of the Holy Spirit, even if we hardly know each other.
Use scripture when you pray! God loves it when we pray His Word back to Him! Find a scripture that addresses whatever you are praying about. There are plenty of scriptures that deal with having a healthy body for the glory of God!
Make prayer a priority! Not something you do haphazardly! Choose to pray daily!!
Aug 29, 2008
Memory Verse Week Seven
Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Devotion for Week Seven
Beloved!
Last week we talked about choosing to memorize scripture! I pray that you are making that choice each week.
This week I want to talk about another choice that each of us needs to make, and that is the choice to reach out to each other.
The purpose of S.T.E.P.S is to lose weight together, and to encourage each other along the way.
There are several ways we can do this:
1. You can respond or comment on any of the blogs that are posted.
2. You could post a scripture that is meaningful to you on the blog, or by email.
3. You can post a poem, a writing, a recipe, or anything that you think would be helpful, any time you want to.
4. You can join our group on sparkspeople.com click on community, then on sparks teams, and search for 5 steps to freedom. There you can join us and post blogs, recipes, scriptures etc. It could be lots of fun if we all participate.
5. We could all take the next person after ours on the email list and send them a word of encouragement from time to time.
These are all just suggestions, perhaps you have an idea to share with the group of how we could interact more with each other. I think that this could really contribute to our success. We could all use the encouragement.
Just taking a minute or two to do this could make all the difference in the world to someone who is struggling. As we all make this a matter of prayer, the Holy Spirit will lead us as to who, when and what we could do to be a blessing to each other.
Let me know what you think of all of this. I love you all so much, and I so want us all to be successful! We need each other! This isn't just about me writing once a week, this is about all of us in this war together!
Hebrews 10: 24-25
"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds... Let us encourage on another...and all the more as we see the Day approaching."
Onward Comrades!!
This is Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt saying bye for now, and please let me hear from you soon!
Last week we talked about choosing to memorize scripture! I pray that you are making that choice each week.
This week I want to talk about another choice that each of us needs to make, and that is the choice to reach out to each other.
The purpose of S.T.E.P.S is to lose weight together, and to encourage each other along the way.
There are several ways we can do this:
1. You can respond or comment on any of the blogs that are posted.
2. You could post a scripture that is meaningful to you on the blog, or by email.
3. You can post a poem, a writing, a recipe, or anything that you think would be helpful, any time you want to.
4. You can join our group on sparkspeople.com click on community, then on sparks teams, and search for 5 steps to freedom. There you can join us and post blogs, recipes, scriptures etc. It could be lots of fun if we all participate.
5. We could all take the next person after ours on the email list and send them a word of encouragement from time to time.
These are all just suggestions, perhaps you have an idea to share with the group of how we could interact more with each other. I think that this could really contribute to our success. We could all use the encouragement.
Just taking a minute or two to do this could make all the difference in the world to someone who is struggling. As we all make this a matter of prayer, the Holy Spirit will lead us as to who, when and what we could do to be a blessing to each other.
Let me know what you think of all of this. I love you all so much, and I so want us all to be successful! We need each other! This isn't just about me writing once a week, this is about all of us in this war together!
Hebrews 10: 24-25
"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds... Let us encourage on another...and all the more as we see the Day approaching."
Onward Comrades!!
This is Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt saying bye for now, and please let me hear from you soon!
Aug 20, 2008
Memory Verse Week Six
I Corinthians 10:13
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
Devotion for Week Six
Beloved!
Here we are at week six already, almost half way through our second 3 month session.
I hope and pray that you have all had a great summer! Here in Michigan, we can't complain, we have had more sunny days than I can remember in one summer season, it has been beautiful! Right now, I have all of my windows open, a lovely breeze is blowing, and blazing sun! Along with that, I have to say though, I am ready for fall! I love summer, but there is something stable about fall that I like! I think you would agree it is an easier time to stay on a good eating plan. So, hang in there, if you haven't done too well this summer, you are not alone. We are going to hit it hard this fall, and with God's help, and the encouragement of each other, we will win this war! Right?
For the next few weeks we are going to talk about choices. Did you ever think about how many choices you make each day? We are constantly making choices, some good, some not so good, some really downright bad, but nevertheless, they are our choices. Of course this applies to our food, our battle with food will be won by making one good choice at a time. When it comes to food, we either chose life or death, right? There is food that will bring life to our bodies, they are full of vitamins, and all the good things our bodies need. Then there are foods that have no value at all to our bodies. Life, or death, what will it be? Let me encourage us all to be more aware of what kind of food we are choosing this coming week, and just try harder to make good choices.
Actually, that is not really what I want to talk to you about though. Let's take a serious look at the choice to memorize scripture!
Why memorize scripture?
1. We have God's promise in John 14:26 "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." The Holy Spirit can only remind you of the things that you have put to memory!
2. God can use the scripture you have memorized to help others! When you are helping someone with a problem they are facing, it is wonderful to be able to say, " God's Word says" and then quote a scripture that comes to mind by the Holy Spirit! God's Word is powerful!
3. God's Word will keep us from sinning! Psalm 119:11 "Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Our verse for this past week, Col 3:17 "Whatever you do in word of in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" will come to us when we start to say or do something we shouldn't, if we have hidden that word in our heart! This will apply to our entire day, and our whole life, if we continue to put God's Word in our hearts through memorization. God's Word has everything we need to live a godly life, but it is up to us to commit it to memory.
We have a memory verse each week on our S.T.E.P.S. blog. If we commit to just that one scripture a week, in one year we will have 52 scriptures hidden in our hearts.
Could I encourage you to write these verses down on 3x5 cards, or whatever works for you, tape them to your steering wheel, if you drive a lot, paste them on your mirror, or on your refrigerator, but don't neglect them. Each day as you quote the verse for the week, be sure that you go over the ones you have memorized the weeks before, so that you don't forget them.
I know that many of the scriptures I put on the blog are ones that many of you have had memorized for years, and so you are tempted to read it and let it go at that. Please, don't let familiarity cause you to lose what God has for you. Write it out anyway, and go over it every day during the week, and memorize where it is found. You will be surprised at what new things the Lord may say to you through that verse that is so familiar to you.
Let's chose this week to memorize scripture! And let us know how that is going for you. How I would love for you to share what God's Word is doing in your life, what a blessing that would be for all of us!
Well, I love you all, and I will be seeing you here again next week!
This is Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt saying bye for now!
Here we are at week six already, almost half way through our second 3 month session.
I hope and pray that you have all had a great summer! Here in Michigan, we can't complain, we have had more sunny days than I can remember in one summer season, it has been beautiful! Right now, I have all of my windows open, a lovely breeze is blowing, and blazing sun! Along with that, I have to say though, I am ready for fall! I love summer, but there is something stable about fall that I like! I think you would agree it is an easier time to stay on a good eating plan. So, hang in there, if you haven't done too well this summer, you are not alone. We are going to hit it hard this fall, and with God's help, and the encouragement of each other, we will win this war! Right?
For the next few weeks we are going to talk about choices. Did you ever think about how many choices you make each day? We are constantly making choices, some good, some not so good, some really downright bad, but nevertheless, they are our choices. Of course this applies to our food, our battle with food will be won by making one good choice at a time. When it comes to food, we either chose life or death, right? There is food that will bring life to our bodies, they are full of vitamins, and all the good things our bodies need. Then there are foods that have no value at all to our bodies. Life, or death, what will it be? Let me encourage us all to be more aware of what kind of food we are choosing this coming week, and just try harder to make good choices.
Actually, that is not really what I want to talk to you about though. Let's take a serious look at the choice to memorize scripture!
Why memorize scripture?
1. We have God's promise in John 14:26 "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." The Holy Spirit can only remind you of the things that you have put to memory!
2. God can use the scripture you have memorized to help others! When you are helping someone with a problem they are facing, it is wonderful to be able to say, " God's Word says" and then quote a scripture that comes to mind by the Holy Spirit! God's Word is powerful!
3. God's Word will keep us from sinning! Psalm 119:11 "Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Our verse for this past week, Col 3:17 "Whatever you do in word of in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" will come to us when we start to say or do something we shouldn't, if we have hidden that word in our heart! This will apply to our entire day, and our whole life, if we continue to put God's Word in our hearts through memorization. God's Word has everything we need to live a godly life, but it is up to us to commit it to memory.
We have a memory verse each week on our S.T.E.P.S. blog. If we commit to just that one scripture a week, in one year we will have 52 scriptures hidden in our hearts.
Could I encourage you to write these verses down on 3x5 cards, or whatever works for you, tape them to your steering wheel, if you drive a lot, paste them on your mirror, or on your refrigerator, but don't neglect them. Each day as you quote the verse for the week, be sure that you go over the ones you have memorized the weeks before, so that you don't forget them.
I know that many of the scriptures I put on the blog are ones that many of you have had memorized for years, and so you are tempted to read it and let it go at that. Please, don't let familiarity cause you to lose what God has for you. Write it out anyway, and go over it every day during the week, and memorize where it is found. You will be surprised at what new things the Lord may say to you through that verse that is so familiar to you.
Let's chose this week to memorize scripture! And let us know how that is going for you. How I would love for you to share what God's Word is doing in your life, what a blessing that would be for all of us!
Well, I love you all, and I will be seeing you here again next week!
This is Mary/Mom/Grams/Aunt saying bye for now!
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