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My Kryptonite

FaithFueled Friday

Proverbs 21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.

The Truth Hurts

like to think of myself quick witted, my husbands says I give out “zingers,” my mother says that I am sarcastic and smarty pants, but the Bible says I must train my tongue.[James 1:26}

Ouch! As I read the words it was like God was talking directly to me; confirming my biggest character flaw. I feel like I wasn’t born with a filter, it pops in my head and out my mouth before I even realize the thought has occurred. Sometimes making people laugh, sometimes taking them down for the count or knocking the wind right out of their sails. No matter what the delivery, it is not how God intended me to use my words. I am not proud of it at all, and honestly, it is one of my daily prayers: Lord, please help me to be mindful of what I say.  

I was reading, “Becoming more than a good Bible Study girl,” by Lysa TerKeurst. I love her realness and ability to admit her flaws and grow from them to teach others to grow too. Lysa said: “Our words can be used to build up or tear down. We can speak words of encouragement or we can speak words of destruction. We can think before we speak or we can react without thinking about the effects of our words.  These are choices we make every time we open our mouths.”

Learning the Right Choices

There are a few suggestions Lysa makes for women who are “filterless” like me. (I thought maybe specifically me, but I don’t know Lysa personally so I am assuming there are more women out there with the same disability).  Some are warnings or things to avoid, and others are words of wisdom. All are just what I need to be mindful of on a day to day basis.  “Guard your tongue to keep out of trouble” Phew!  Talk about eat the frog.

James 3:5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

Since being saved, I have strive to do right by God and also seek truth; meaning just because one of my favorite authors says to do something I am responsible to research for myself and learn.

James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

Double blow, so I now had to figure out a way to hold my tongue.  I am not always successful, but I now have that ingrained in my mind.  There are some instances when I lose my senses but God know I am a work in progress and when those times I may have to bit my tongue, say a little prayer and count to 100; sometimes 300, but I am getting better.

Another suggestion, “Limit your words to be wise,” I think that is even harder when you think you are wise and need to speak your wisdom.  Again, guilty! Some may say that I am a bit of a know it all, but I thank God every day for His grace, and I am working on it.

gossiping

Using your words for good
Your words can be used a variety of ways but as a Christian, it is our job to us them to honor God in all things we say or do.  I now make a conscious effort to use a filter even if it wasn’t my instincts.  God has given me one to use. In my research, I have found some wisdom from the Bible when it comes to how to use your words for good. What is your Kryptonite? How do you use it for God’s honor?
Kryptonite
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Faith Journey Fitness Fitness and Health Honor My Temple Prayer Challenge

Happy 1 Year Anniversary

1 Year Anniversary.

“A year from now you will wish you had started today.”-Anonymous

It has officially been 365 days! Today, one year ago I woke up, and I had enough! Enough excuses, enough regret, enough neglect, enough believing the lies of the enemy.  I woke up, and I said I must change now! The week before I had dabbled in a fitness routine.  It felt great but today last year I wanted to do more than just dabble. I wanted to commit. I wanted to commit to a healthy lifestyle.  Now, if you have been following me along the last year, you know that this is not my first weight loss journey. So, what was so different this time around? I did it before so what’s the big deal.  All the times before I was seeking weight loss for vanity reasons. I wanted to be a Size X, I wanted to look like so and so, I want people to see me as blah, blah, blah and honestly WHO CARES!

Who I was

I look back on the empty person I was, and I am so grateful for God’s redemption. This journey has been so much more; this has been the results of an ongoing relationship with God. That is the celebration today. I didn’t do this by myself I did this with God. There were so many days I prayed to him for His help through this journey, His self-control, His provision and His unconditional love. This was a daily intentional relationship with God to Honor My Temple. It has grown my faith in Him so much. It has defeated my anxiety, bouts of depression, obsessive-compulsive behaviors. I have never felt so fulfilled in my life.

Finding Purpose

The other thing that has changed this past year is my purpose.  For the last thirteen years, I have been searching, lost in this world, grasping at anything but the only thing that could fulfill me.  I have tried to overcome with bad habits, smoking, drinking, partying, over training, under eating, overeating, negative self-talk, negative to other people, selfish ambition.  Not one of those fruits has been of the Spirit.  It wasn’t until Jesus found me in a broken place, a rock bottom, despair and anguish were my friend that He picked me up, brushed me off and kissed me and then began this year of healing.  This journey has been my inside matching my outside as I yearn to know, grow and glorify Him.

1 Year Anniversary

The Last Year’s Reflection

In this last year, I have learned how to do fitness better. This journey has done so much for me and my life more than weight loss. It has improved my dependence on God, strengthened my marriage, help me find my calling and ignited a passion for teaching others how to honor their temple. It has been an incredible journey. I have had an amazing network of women and men who have cheered me on, cheered me up, prayed for me, and inspired me. I have met other peoples who like me want to teach others how to Honor their temple and glorify God!

I have been called to go to school AGAIN and get my degree in Fitness Exercise Science and an NASM certification so that I can be in the trenches walking with others and teaching them how to honor their temple with God. I created this blog “FaithFueled™” before I even knew what it means the name came to me in a dream. Here I am a year later with a precise definition.

This is the beginning of a new journey now. Can you imagine where I will be in a year, and my husband has joined me in my next Fitness Goal it’s going to be a BIG ONE? I plan on showing others the FaithFueled™ Lifestyle, which is God First! Witness through fitness; glorifying God through living a healthy lifestyle fueled by faith.

1 Year Anniversary

So, I say “Start now, a year ago you would be glad you did!” What got you started on your journey? Whether it be career, projects, weight loss whatever what got you started?

Do you want to join the FaithFueled™ Lifestyle? It’s Free!  Join us! www.FaithFueledLife.com 

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christian mom Faith & Self Care Faith Journey new christians Self

Outside of my Comfort Zone

still

The voice of the Lord twists the oaks ad strips the forest bare. An in his temple all cry, Glory! Psalms 29:9

Lacking the ability of direction

I have a horrible sense of direction. Always have not sure if it’s inherited but my mother does too. Get us together and we are the blind leading the blind. I learned when my daughter was in 2nd grade that we all have certain genius’. And spatial genius-being good a directions and space, that is something that I lack.

So, for the last year I have felt lost.  Like, I know I am going in some sort of direction but a little confused.  I have been seeking God’s guidance and his response has been, “be still.”  Well they tell you when you are lost to stay still till someone finds you, right? I am not the stay still type of person. I have been pursuing different directions trying to find the direction of this evolving new me for about 4 years, but still lost.  Again, seeking God’s direction and again, His response “be still.” This time is different, I am tired of thinking I am heading in the right direction only to be getting further and further lost.  I want to stay still, but how does one stay still?

How does one stay still?

Have you ever tried to stay still? I have stayed still in moments, each time progressively longer but never till I found an answer.  Never committing fully or entirely grasping the concept of “staying still.” If someone put a gun to my head I could probably master it but honestly;

Who wants a gun held to their head?

I rather voluntarily submit. I am trying to be still before God forces me too.  He has gently reminded me from time to time for some time now.  I have decided that I really really want to obey.

The definition of be still is-not moving or making a sound; deep silence and calm; stillness; and quieten.  I am someone who is constantly moving. I always having an idea that needs to be brought to fruition. I am loud, not calm (calmer now that I am older but still I wouldn’t characterize me as calm), constantly active and quieten-I had to look that one up and nope not that either. To sit still is literally torture to me which makes me think:

“Why does God want to torture me?”

Yet, I really feel that God wants me to be still, so what does that mean for me? I honestly have no clue what to do when you are still and my husband jokingly says,

“that means do nothing.”

So, I go to google because clearly someone has had to created steps to “doing nothing.”

Yea, no.

Next, I got to the source the ultimate instruction manual the Bible. What does the Bible say about being still?

Figuring out the steps

I am being still to honor and serve God therefore, once I achieve being still then I need to wait on God.   Okay, waiting now that is something that I am very familiar with. I am not am an impatient person. So, not only does God want me to be still, but He also wants me to wait. Who ever said this being a Christian thing is easy- is a LIAR! So, I now take this journey down a path to strengthen my faith I find that God is working on three things in me- my ability to be obedient, my ability to be still and to be patient and wait on Him to come guide me where I need to go.  Let’s tackle one thing at a time: be still.

stillwater

In my google search there was not a Wiki-How on how to be still but there was a quote that resonated with me.  “You can only see your reflection in still water.” Did you get the same “Aha” that I did? Praise God for shining a little light on the subject. Here I am lost trying to find my way trying to find my calling. I told a friend one time I felt like a Spaghetti noodle being flung on the wall trying to see if I stick.  I have so many talents, passions, ideas but every time I go to God to see where to take them I get the “be still.” Then, this quote brought so much clarity. I can’t figure out how to use these talents, pursue my passion until I am still enough to see my reflection. God wasn’t trying to torture me at all He was trying to give me the direction that I have been praying about for years and my hard headed self was trying to figure it out myself. When He really was answering me. How many times do we do that? Ask God to answer our prayers and then ignore Him when He actually does? (You can put your hand down, now.)

“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Exodus 14:14

He makes things so easy sometimes I feel like we are the ones who complicate it. So, I need to be still so that I can figure out and hear God better and start going in the direction of whatever purpose He has for me. Yep, easier said than done. So, actively trying to be still which for me is taking a step back from everything but raising my family. Daily devoting into the word, reading books, the Bible and just learning  and growing in Him. For when I am actually still enough to see my reflection I want to be ready. I hopefully don’t have to wait too long.

Be Patient and Wait

This brings me to the next growing pain from God. I haven’t completely achieved being still and obedient. Although, I am honestly giving it all that I have growing that muscle daily but being patient and waiting is a lesson that I have learned before from God. Again, haven’t mastered it but I think He was preparing me for this phase of life so I have some understanding on how it is done. There are a few passages, highlighted, sticker-ed (Yes, I put stickers in my Bible) and heavily noted on waiting. My absolute favorite and another “Aha” is:

We wait in hope for the Lord;

He is our help and our shied.

In him our hearts rejoice,

For we trust in his holy name.

May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,

Ever as we put our hope in you.

Psalms 34:20-22

essentials to waiting

4 Essentials to Waiting

  1. WAIT. Although, we don’t want to we must wait on the Lord. He is only conspiring for our good and although it may seem like a long time for us it is only a moment for Him. His plan supersedes our plan and He wants more for us than we can even imagine all we have to do is wait for His provision.  For your salvation I wait, O Lord. Genesis 49:18
  2. HELP. If it really gets too hard to wait, too much to bear then we need to rely on Him but to be impatient with God and try to do things our own way means that we don’t trust in Him to provide. We are so used to instant gratification but doesn’t meant that is how things should be. God is our refuge our strength in ever present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1
  3. REJOICE. One of my favorite quotes is: When times are sweet give thanks and celebrate. When times are bitter give thanks and grow. We should always rejoice in the Lord, “For this is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalms 118:24 It can always be worse but it is only a day, a moment, a season and blip in time that the Lord gives us, We should rejoice. So when waiting rejoice for where you are presently. Rejoice for where you will be in the future and rejoice and praise the Lord always for his provision. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
  4. TRUST. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and not lead to your own understanding Proverbs 3:5 because honestly, you just won’t get it. He has a upper story a meaning and a purpose planned out. What we are looking at here and now is not the full picture. It is a narrow perspective. We have to have trust in Him that He is conspiring for us in all things (which He is). How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, on those who take refuge in you.

I know what I need to be doing and I kind of know how to do it. So, I am just going to take a seat before He makes me take a seat and let God do His thing. I will try to rejoice and not look at it as torture because He could ask me to do far greater and harder things than to just be still. (ie. Moses, Abraham, Gideon, David….just for example)
Has God ever asked you to do something out of your comfort zone?

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Faith Journey self-care

Lost in Pursuit

roadlesstraveled

Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

Pursuing Popularity

My life has changed so much in the years that I have found Jesus.  I used to live my life as a popularity contest.  Who could I please, impress so that I could be a part of the crowd, a crowd? What could I say or do to gain their acceptance? It was how I lived my life.  Then I found Jesus and it wasn’t an immediate change it was a slow transition that picked up momentum as I grew in Christ.   Some people have the “come to Jesus moment” its and immediate change and I have witnessed it, I am just not one of those people.  The more I grew in my relationship with Jesus, the less I needed to be accepted by people and crowds.

John 15:5-8 (ESV) 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Limiting myself through misconceptions

I thought being a follower of Jesus would result in restrictions and confinement to live under rules and regulations.  If only I would have done my research and realize there is freedom in Jesus.  Living in the world we are bound by rules; social, moral, ethical, political, society and governing rules. Living in Jesus we are bound by love, unconditional love.

Galatians 3:23-25 (NIV) 23 Before the coming of this faith,we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

Just like my quest to be popular and I wanted to do, say, and act a certain way. The same can be said for my quest for the kingdom. I still want to do, say and act a certain way but it’s not because of rules, it’s because of a change of heart.  There is a switch when you choose to follow and accept Jesus as your Savior.  I always thought people were romanticizing the idea but now that I follow, I realize its not all that I had made it up to be, it’s so much better.

Lost Among People

Unconditional Acceptance

God really does change you for the good. One of the best part is that God changes you no matter where you are, what your past was or how you got here.  He can change stubborn 80 year old man, a rebellious 19 year old young adult, or a now humbled 30 something year old women who has ran from God for years (me).  It can be like a light switch off and on or can be a gradual appreciation and acceptance.  It’s never to late and no one is excluded. Unlike people, God takes you for who you are.  Flaws welcomed; foul mouths, step on up; addicts, He has something for you too; those seeking acceptance, you have come to the right place! He loves us unconditionally, although we were made in His image there is nothing like the original, God.  The biggest fear I had about being too “religious” was guilt, judgement and condemnation of people in the Church. My concerns were misplaced and not about God but was still people pleasing and how those in the Church would accept me.  The very same people who are flawed enough to judge and condemn someone trying to enter his kingdom, even though they walked and lived in sin daily themselves was the ones I was concerned about.

Galatians 1:10 (ESV) For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Pursue God

Don’t let people ruin it for God

I feel like people sometimes ruin it for God. They make it harder for those who are new to get to Him. I think that is why televangelist are so popular and accepted. You don’t have to go through the trials of the people of the world to receive a message. You can turn on your television, podcast and over streams of media and received the message directly. If you are new to Christ and you are struggling sometime people of the Church can make it intimidating by being judgmental or unwelcoming.We have to overcome this and just go to the source, God, that’s where you will find the unconditional love and total fulfillment. You will never be fulfilled by people they will always let you down. I still pursue acceptance and still want to join the crowd but it’s a different crowd that is made up of only three.  I am living and pursuing the acceptance on the Son, Father and Holy Spirit and in return it is make me whole, builds me up and completely satisfies all my needs. Have you ever sought popularity? How is God helping you overcome your pursuits of the wrong things?

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Battle of Motherhood christian mom christianity Faith Journey Family raising family

Raised in the Church not Christ

Church Rules

Colossians 2:20-23 (NIV) 20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:21“Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?22 These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Raised in the Church

The legalistic church I grew up in focused on rules; You had to do this, dress like this,eat this, say this to get into the kingdom of heaven. For a rebellious teen and young adult this was something I had no interest in. It wasn’t until I became an adult started studying Gods word that I realized Jesus didn’t care about the rules. The rules were meant for people to follow to control them. Jesus cares about the inside your heart and where you faith lies by following man made rules; keeps you focused on the outside and doesn’t allow you to grow on the inside.

Girl Pretending

Playing the Part

Matthew 23:5a (NIV) “Everything they do is done for people to see:
Some people like me inherit their faith; born into their faith but not something that they have chosen for themselves.  You grow up learning how to act like a Christian, talk like a Christian and you are honoring your heritage.  You are learning how to play the part but never surrendering your heart to Jesus and falling in love.  Then, there are those who learn how to be a Christian. They can recall scripture, dress modestly, know the prayers and how to pray. They are simply going through the motions never really committed but just keeping up appearances. Either way, whether they are inheritance or reluctant participants of Christianity; they are just following the rules and not truly serving God.
People don't want to hear the truth
Hypocrisy in the church
Just because you call yourself a Christian doesn’t mean you are a follower of Christ.  Hypocrites, yes I said it, hypocrites is probably one of the reasons I left my faith when I was a young adult. I was apart of a startling statistic about Christian youth; 69-94% of Christian children raised in the faith leave the faith within 2 years after high school. The number one reason those young adults leave is due to “hypocrisy”. When I was growing up I was apart of the “drug problem”  that families who pass on the legacy of Christianity subject their children to. I was “drug” to church every week to dress up and show up but never having that same experience at home through study or prayer. My family was Monday-Friday sinners and weekend Christians. When it came to having my own freedom to choose I chose the world and not to my faith.
Raised in Christ
Matthew 23:3b But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
Now, that I have found my way back to Christ and am in love. I am making a conscious effort not to repeat the cycle with my children. I am trying to teach them to have the armor of God and learn and know the truth for themselves; so that they may not be led astray.  I want to teach them to show grace to others just as Jesus shows us grace everyday. I want them to see that I have a relationship with God and not just going through the motions. Now when you are in love, everyone knows it. Not only is it written all over your face, your acts but it’s all that you can talk about. Children are very observant and they pick up quick. The easiest way to see if you’re expressing your love is to ask your children;They will tell you right away.
We as Christian parents, must encompass being a Christian as an identity something that cannot be separated from us. Not a character we play at Church but a person we are day in and day out our identity. We have bad days as parents and as people and that is when I express God’s unconditional love. I show them how prayer can help you in times of stress, forgiveness, as well as, times to rejoice and praise. I am determined to give my girls the tools they need so that they do no become a statistic.
As we live our lives as Christian parents are we showing our love for God?
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