Nothing matters

The more I live this life, the more I can see that nothing matters. The more I pursue God, the less the pursuits of this world call my name. He truly fills all gaps, fills all hearts and fills our lives with peace. We need only trust in His decisions, and we can live this life the way He intended.

Matthew 6:32-34 (New International Version)

32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Peace on Earth

Truly, this was an amazing and peaceful Christmas season. I have never had such a peaceful time than I had this weekend. I praise God for all the time and blessings we got to share with our babies. God is in control of everything, and everything truly serves Him.

Phillipians 4:6-7
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The season

This is it, Christ is the reason. His obedient life has changed the face of the world, and it is our choice to follow after him. I know I want to be so on guard and so focused and ready for the worldly holiday traditions of eating and wanting for gifts. God has allowed me to read the entire book of Deuteronomy and I've gotten to see God's passion in this one book alone. He commands us to obey, it isn't simply a suggestion. And His commands are not burdensome, in fact they are completely freeing, but that's where our faith has to come in. Faith that His will, His ways are best, and that no matter how much we want what we want, if He calls for us to not do something or to do something, then we should just do it. I am vowing to never go back to my old ways, I am vowing to live only for God, Father, please fill us this holiday season, allow us to see the truth and live the truth, nothing else matters. We adore you, in Jesus Name, Amen. Merry Christmas all!

A few days away

Praise God for this festive and beautiful time of year! With Christmas being only a few days away, I am preparing my mind and heart to be ready for any temptation that may come my way. Whether that temptation is with food or with thinking about myself, I want to glorify God with every decision. The only way for me to succeed is to stay low in prayer and stay plugged into His Word and His resources. Praise God for the Weigh Down Workshop and it's drive and vision for God!!!!

www.weighdown.com
www.remnantfellowship.org

Festival

What a wonderful time of the year! Friends are in town, the church is decked out for God, tonight's going to be a good night. I am so thankful that the holiday season doesn't have to be about me now! For years and years, every Christmas was about what I wanted, what I expected, what I thought I deserved, and now, frankly, that attitude disgusts me. In the true Spirit of Christmas, it's now about laying down myself, it's about giving to others and for the first time, Christmas holds more meaning than gifts and Santa Claus. Thank you God for all that I've got to learn and live out, it's all about You!

Stay low

Some days are easier than others in this walk with Christ. The world is definetely trying to throw everything out there in front of me sometimes, but it's always my choice on whom to serve. If I give in, I serve the world. If I resist, I serve God, and I live. This life can come in the simplest of freedoms, whether it's an hour at the end of the day that God gives to watch a movie, or five minutes just to get into His Word. He is teaching me that no time is my own, that nothing is mine in this world. The beautiful part is that when I let go, and trust in Him, I am at peace. This peace is inexplicable, and the world quickly fades away. I am staying on my face before Him, this is where the answers reside. Praise God.

Ephesians 2:13,14

13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility

Thankful

Zechariah 10:2
2 The idols speak deceit,
diviners see visions that lie;
they tell dreams that are false,
they give comfort in vain.
Therefore the people wander like sheep
oppressed for lack of a shepherd.


Nothing will ever fill us up, other than God's beautiful will. EVERYTHING will try to take His place, everything will try to distract us from His will, but we can do this! Keep fighting the good fight!

What it takes

The personal journey of weight loss can be up, down, sideways and started and stopped. In other words, a big, ball of confusion. Counting calories, checking levels, measuring cups, clock times, etc, they all add up to a recipe that ultimately only makes one focus on the food. I've been there, I've done that. Now, I am grateful to have RAN out of that lifestyle. Through my wife discovery, the Weigh Down Workshop brought me to a place I never knew existed. Freedom. I was a slave to food, a slave to self-focus, depression and massive anxiety. On top of that lovely combination, I was extremely angry and abusing drugs and alcohol. Weigh Down taught me how to lay down each of these things, starting with the love of food. It taught me that God could fill my needs, that He was very real and very much wanted me to start giving everything over to Him. It was scary at first, I'm not going to lie. I learned to let go of that fear, and simply trust. If God was real and this program was to work, I had to see it with my own eyes. And week by week, minute by minute, I became a believer. The weight started pouring off, my anger slipped away and all drugs were just an afterthought. If you are ever questioning yourself, of questioning God, please consider His will over yours, consider the scope of how merciful and loving He has already been in your life. I strongly encourage anyone (big or little) who wants a deeper relationship with God, check out www.weighdown.com. Thanks for your eyes and ears.

Exams

I am praising God that He woke me up early. This is finals week and I feel that only God can make the hamster wheel in my heard turn round. At 32, a lot of the high school knowledge had left me, to say the least. So, after feeling God's lead with returning to college to complete my degree, I have been in a constant state of prayer! He has been so good and so faithful through it all thus far, I dare not discredit Him by taking any credit myself. I have learned to truly go to Him for everything, for study time, for tests, for papers, He is the God of all things, large and small! If anyone would like to send up prayers for me in the middle of it all, it is much appreciated.

All for not

"If you don't glorify God, it's all for not." - Marcus Francis

This dear saint lived out the word of God. In the midst of great physical strife and sacrifice, he chose to glorify God. Marcus didn't focus on himself, he didn't think about his problems, he simply looked at God. Marcus had his eyes set on the prize, not on this world around him. Truly, Marcus Francis is and was an inspiration to us all. Praise God for examples of true godly living in this day and age.

This heart

The more I live, the more I see how important devotion is. Not a "daily devotional" or some little book you buy in a Christian bookstore, no, I mean, a life devoted. There are many things that vie for our attention, our affection and our devotion. Whether it be work, the television, the opposite sex, it can be all the same, a distraction. But, it doesn't have to be this way, remember, all things are given by God, and all things serve God. It's what we give our devotion, our hearts over to. God is the only one who has ever filled me, and I've tried it all, praise be to God for what I've been able to go through and come out of, thanks to the Weigh Down workshop for providing such strong teachings, such simple teachings, such clear and true teachings to springboard this faith.

Ezekiel 11:18-20 (New International Version)

18 "They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.

This life, Luke 12, what a blessing

Do Not Worry

22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Glory

Glory to God most High! We are so blessed to have access to His Word daily, hourly and minutely. What if it were taken away? I need His Word, I need His teachings, I need His people to spur me on daily! I am so thankful for friends and church leaders that will point me back to the truth, even when the world just wants me to focus on myself and feel sorry for myself. The key is in losing myself, imagine that, just like Christ did and then I can find real life!

Blessed beyond belief

I am in total love with God and totally am surrendering all! The more I keep my focus only on Him, the more He is there. The more I let go of myself, and my selfish desires, the more I find true life. I praise God for all the technology God has provided to keep me focused (right now, I am listening to free Weigh Down Radio, it is awesome!) God is so good, I am spurred on to seek further!

Loving life

I absolutely love getting up in the mornings! I can honestly say this wasn't the truth before being introduced to living totally for God, which I didn't know how to do before being introduced to Weigh Down. Not only did it teach me how to lose the weight (imagine that, eat when I was hungry, focus on God, not food), but it made me want to seek a deeper relationship with God, a real relationship with God. I am so thankful this holiday season to get to worship with saints at the Remnant Fellowship Church, it truly is like the church in Acts. They helped us when their was no other help, they have held us accountable when we needed to be held accountable, they have prayed for us, when we needed prayer (which is always!) Please, if you are searching check it out, either at www.weighdown.com or www.remnantfellowship.org

Good God

He truly is a good God. His ways are higher, while I know that my ways cannot touch His decisions for my life. Over and over again, I have tried to do things on my own, but God allowed me to be humbled, to be broken. He is giving an opportunity to cry out to Him further, to run to Him for our comfort, after all, He is the comforter. I long to keep running this race. I am longing to finish this race, step by step some days.

2 Samuel 22:25-27 (New International Version)

25 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness [a] in his sight.

26 "To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

27 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.