Equipping Thoughts

So, I admitted my need to change my lifestyle and I committed to drinking more water each day. I’m cutting down on my soda and caffeine intake - what now?

Choice #3 - Start cutting back on the “whites.” That would include sugars, white rice, white bread, white flour…

O-o-o-h…that’s going to hurt. That may take a while. How much time do you have? Well, just start small. If you have a sweet tooth, cut out deserts once, twice, three days per week. I used to eat something sweet (I mean junk food sweet) everyday. Candy, pastry, a Snickers or Reeses candy…YUMMY, a desert - I was cursed with a sweet tooth.

I started reducing my sweets intake. I would cut out sweets two days a week, decreasing my consumption. I still average 2 pints of hagen dazs ice cream per week - not the best but that’s better than eating 2 pints per day at times! I love ice cream (Hagen Dazs!) Reeses is still my favorite candy but instead of one everyday, I may have one every 1-3 weeks - it just depends. I began cutting down on my white rice, noodles, bread intake and substituting with wheat or whole grain products. You get the picture. Let’s make wise, healthy choices so we can offer God a physical body fit for worshiping Him through our healthier lifestyle.

p.s. - Don’t compare your body, weight, appearance with the next person. Just start committing your life - spirit, soul and body to King Jesus. He loves you unconditionally and desires that you be conditioned for His race.

Choice number 2 may seem too simple and easy for you. It’s so basic that it can be overlooked and forgotten. In fact it was in my life.

Choice #2 - Increase your water intake!

Drink more water. Don’t change your eating habits yet. Start with drinking more water. Decrease your soda, carbonated and sugar drinks intake. Make the wise and healthy choice to drink water instead of soda during your meal. Start with one meal a day. In the morning I drank coffee, soda at lunch and the afternoon - even into the evening topping my evening off with a nice cup of java. Once I began drinking more water in between meals, I was motivated after a week or two to try water for lunch instead of a Dr. Pepper.

We should be drinking at least half our body weight in ounces of water. I weigh 155 pounds. I drink 80 ounces of water a day or more. It took me a gradual time frame of one year to conquer my craving for soda and coffee.

C’mon…choose choice number 2 and increase your water intake. It’s not that difficult when you realize how much better you feel.

Lord I need Your wisdom! I’ve prayed that many times in a variety of situations but never in the the area of my health. A little over 4 years ago, I felt a tug in my heart, a little voice within, say, “What about wisdom for your health? Are you willing to make wise choices for your health?” That began the slow, but steady journey to ask God for wisdom and strength to choose to live a healthy lifestyle.

It was after I discovered I had a heart condition along with a series of other things four years ago, that I knew the Lord was convicting me to change the way I cared for my soul and body. I work fairly well on keeping my spiritual life strong but my physical and emotional life were being neglected.

This article begins a series of choices I’ve made (and am making along the way), by God’s grace and strength, in my journey to live a healthy lifestyle.

Choice number 1 -

Be willing to admit your need for a change in lifestyle.

Ouch! That hurts! Many of know we need to change our lifestyle habits in the areas of our diet, exercise and rest. I’ve learned that people, including myself, know we need to change but are not willing to admit or confess that need. It’s one thing to identify a need to change. It takes another choice to admit that need with intentions to take the first steps to change.

That’s easy…I can admit my need to change…you may say. Make sure your willingness to change is strapped to intentions to make some necessary corrections, taking the first steps to “Living a Healthy Lifestyle.”

There are so many serving opportunities at New Hope. The needs for servants are on going. In some cases, willing, die hard volunteers give themselves to sacrificial service. Even to the point of weariness - then burnout - then drop out. That is not God’s desire or will. In my efforts to shepherd volunteers to live healthy, balanced lives, one of the key issues is not calling serving or ministry an enemy. Is our enemy serving or something else about our lives or within us that needs correction. It’s easy to blame our weariness on serving. Below are some questions I ask volunteers, mentorees and staff when they feel burned out.

• Are you spending quality time doing your daily devotions ? If we spend quality time with God, listen and heed to His voice, we will always be aligning our hearts, schedules and lives to His will.

• Are you doing too much?
  

• Do you actively and consistently plan your days and weeks according to your priorities?
  

• What and to whom is your primary ministry? Are you compromising your service to your primary ministry?

• What do you do that drains you? fills you?

• Are you being obedient to your Sabbath - your day of rest with the Lord?

• How is your health? Are you eating right? Exercising?

Honest answers to these questions reveal causes to weariness, burn out and drop out. Do you have other tips or questions you ask? Please share a thought or suggestion in this area. Let’s build healthy hearts and lives - disciples that will go the distance and live for the long haul.

I’m so tired and drained…I feel like I’m running on “empty!”

Have you ever said that to anyone? Good, I hope you have said that to your accountability partner, because many of us don’t confess this to someone who can listen with a shepherds heart and correct us with firm, loving truth. If you know you are living on “e”, feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, you may need help from someone who can ground your weary, empty soul. Here are some tips:

• Find an accountability person (same gender) you can submit to. Someone who is not a “yes” person but can correct you towards Biblical living.
• Be careful not to spill or bleed negative thoughts or attitudes on others. When you are tired and empty, we’re more vulnerable to being edgy.
• As Pastor Wayne says, “fill your tank.” In other words, find meaningful ways of filling your life, mind, heart with fruitful activities. Such as: rest, otherwise known as the Sabbath. Daily devotions - did I say daily? I meant daily! Doing your devotions daily. Identify activities that will fill or replenish your emptiness.
• Don’t get lazy but rather keep (or build in) the disciplines that will promote growth. Don’t quit. Don’t give up on people. Be a humble, kind, thankful person…even when you are running on “e.”

When you are runnin on “e”, keep running towards Jesus!