Search This Blog

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Its over....

She looks over at her child, full of sadness.  There is nothing left that she can do.  Its all over.  She has reached the end of herself.  All of her resources have been exhausted.  Every card in her hand...played.  She reaches over with the resoluteness that its done.  Nothing left to hang on to, nothing left to look forward to, just NOTHING on every side. 

The last bit of flour and bit of oil will together make the last cake that she and her child will consume.  Nary enough to sustain either of them, but that's ok.  Its over anyway.  She would be the last to even fathom that she was intended to be the sustainer for another.  The thought never even crossed her mind.  Who could imagine that it would be possible to take what isn't even enough to keep the widow and her child alive would actually become provision for not only her and her son but also the great prophet Elijah?

It was not her flour and oil that became her provision, but her obedience that saved her.  Doing what God commands even when it seems impossible.  Getting to the end of herself and even in her giving up on her own provision, she, through obedience to the prophet, found for herself 'life' and not the 'death' that she saw all around her. (1 Kings 17 rephrased).

We have to learn to look past our current condition and trust God.  Its ok to be honest with God.  He wants it.  Tell Him how tired you are of your situation.  Remind Him that you are right where He left you.  I have even found myself, 'giving up'.  A horrible thing at first, but even in my giving up, He's right there...stronger, better, wiser than ever before.  Holding fast to me when I have all but let God.  Trust God with your progress.  Trust God with your prayers.  We can't feed our way into wholeness.  But we can 'pray' our way through.

Counting it down to your healthy bodies.  Getting in shape for the warmer weather.  Staying on target with all those new year's resolutions.

Upcoming Activities:  (Charlotte, NC)
Boot Camp - Weekly on Saturday's @ 8-9am.  1337 Samuel Street (New Life Fellowship) Starting 2/12/11. 
Boot camp will be facilitated by Sis. Tish of Uneek Fitness and the cost is $5/week.  All proceeds will be going toward the Fellowship Center. 

1Q11 Back2Eden RETREAT
Trying to work out the details now.  Dates are looking like March 2011.  Details and costs will be provided.

Don's and Diva's Day out - Feb 26th, 2011 2pm-7pm
Area 15 NODA

512 E 15th St
Professional Photo Shoot, Make-up Artist, Pedicures, Manicures, Ardyss, Personal Trainer, Jewerly, Massages and more.......stay tuned for ticket info.  Back2Eden is one of the vendor's at this event!!

Congratulations Time:
Roz D. Charlotte, NC - You got a 33 inch waist GURL!!  She's a BRICK HOUSE!!  Do it.  Now let stay focused and keep reaching your goals!

Porshe Charlotte, NC - I'm sick of you:)  Not a 31 inch waist OMG.  Keep on walking in it.  I see you!

Tasha M.  - Do what it do!!  AT GOAL!! and decided to keep going to give your self a little wiggle room.  U got this!!


Prayer changes things!  We have to stay focused, trust God, do our plans, exercise and PRAY!  Consistency is the key. 

Prayer:  Lord, continue to revitalize us in our daily regimens.  Its not easy to stay consistent.  Help us to make healthy choices, choices that honor you not only in our eating but in our every deed.  We turn over to you our every situation and ask you to give us the faith and the hope to be able to trust you to handle our issues.  Help us to bind up worry and anxiety and fear.  All the things that compell us to eat mindlessly.  We desire to have our minds regulated and our hearts fixed on you.  In Jesus name.  Amen!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Release me, enlarge my territory.  Come in Lord and bless me in the midst of my circumstance.  Are you faithful?  Are you consistent?  Do you serve me with gladness or is it with lipservice?  Is this but a quick fix or a long term solution.  My word says 'die daily' are you willing to die for me?

As my prayer unfolds my heart unravels.  So much to do, so many desires...but where is the consistency?  Am I willing to be consistent in the 'work' that it takes to not only 'get' the things that I desire of God but to also keep them?  Lord, am I flighty?  Am I easily swayed to and fro led astray by every little shiny distraction?  For me, the answer is 'yes'.  Its so hard to focus or put energy into one thing or another because I'm pushed and pulled on every side by a mind that is always racing and never satisfied.  Help me God to find focus and to be still. Even in that, I race about....trying to hurry up and 'get to the goal, get to the goal', so often forgetting all the lessons that are entwined in the process that will show me how to 'keep' and not just 'get' to my goal.  Wow, thank you Holy Ghost. 

One of my problems is I'm results driven.  If 'it' (whatever it is) is not producing 'visible, measureable' results very early on and consistently - I lose momentum.  I realize that. 
The other issue is that I'm emotionally driven.  If I 'feel' a certain way, I'm more or less likely to 'gain or lose moementum.  I realize that.
When I'm overwhelmed with an emotion or a feeling (happy, sad, anxious, afraid) I go to food.  I try to go to 'healthy' food but when it doesn't satisfy, I go to 'feel good' foods. 
I am competitive.  I do much better in tandem with someone else rather than just against myself. 
I am nurturing.  Because I care about 'you' I am more likely to do better for me.  I believe in being an example.

I do best when I'm in my momentum.  On a roll as they say.  When I'm going, I'm all in..on everything.  I have to keep my momementum.
I also have a comfort zone - a fake one and a real one...whoooooo....the 'fake comfort zone'  is a dangerous DANGEROUS place.  Its the place I go that I just 'let go'.  Where I say, "I'm beautiful.   Everyone is not meant to be skinny.  I deserve this (cake/bread/cookie).  I feel like exercising.  I deserve to just 'chill' for a while.  Now, some people (even myself sometimes) may look at this 'fake comfort zone' and say, 'That's not so bad, everyone needs a break sometimes.'  But getting to know ME means really being honest with myself.  Listening to my 'self talk' and learning how to interpret it. 

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Identity Theft

She looked in the mirror.  The image that stared back at her was definitely a familiar one.  The eyes, the nose, the hair...she knew it well.  She looked deeper.  She tried to look into her own soul.  But she turns away.  Its not what she wants to see...who she wants to see.  She is hit with a barrage of images she has seen over the past few weeks of perfect teeth, perfect hair, perfect hips.  All the imagery that has began to steal her own value, her own self worth away.  She is has allowed herself to become a victim of identity theft. 

The identity that she is supposed to carry in her soul.  The identity of a royal priesthood.  A holy generation.  Giving way to a superficial figment of her imagination.  Yes, there are some things that she can do to be more healthy, more beautiful, more whole.  But she can't allow them to steal her identity.  She is more than a number on the scale.  She is more than the whiteness of her teeth or the sashay of her hips.  She is more than the sum of all her parts.  Whether or not she has the man in her life or the job of her dreams or the ideal weight or even the best credit score...not one of those things is her IDENTITY. 

We are created in the image and likeness of God.  We must continue to strive to be more like Him every day.  Its not easy, no one said it would be.  But we can't get caught up in the quest for superficial 'perfection' so much so that we forget to seek the kingdom of God.  That is the focus of the Pray in Weigh in. 

We may continue to work diligently to reach our 'weight' goals but its only a small part of our goal.  It can only be a small part of our goals.  If it is the only focus then when we fall short in it, we will slip and fall away...usually about 8 days into our new 'regimen'.  So many 'resolutions' have already fallen by the wayside.  But the Word of God says only what you do for God will stand.  That may seem like an oxymoron - losing weight for God.  But we are not doing it 'FOR' God, we are doing it 'WITH' God.  For with God all things are possible.

Charlotte, NC Pray in Weigh in
Saturday Jan 15th, 2011
301 W. 24th Street
9am - Back to Eden breakfast to-go will be provided.
Please be on time.  We will need to be done by 9:30am. 

Prayer:  God, continue to use me as an instrument of your peace.  Continue to show us your will and your desire for our wholeness.  Help us to be resolute in our service to you.  Continue to unite us so that we can lean and depend on one another for strength and turn to you in every area of our lives.  We surrender ourselves to you Lord for our daily bread and for direction in our lives.  We know that without you we can do nothing but with you we can do ALL things

Special Prayer:  Lord, continue to bless Shelly in VA. Continue to show the prayer warriors that they are the righteous and their prayers are required daily.  Special prayer for CD that you bless her with the desire of her heart and that you answer her prayers for a husband Lord.  She is diligent and a mighty woman of God.  You said in your word that you would withhold from her no good thing.  In Jesus Name we pray...AMEN!

Thank you for all your birthday wishes and for your prayers for a speedy recovery for me.  I am so thankful that my sickness had and expiration date on it and that I have been delivered!! To God be the Glory!!  It is already alright. 

Reminder:  Text the word 'PRAY' to 704-493-2035 to received the conference call number for our weekday 6am prayer call.  God is truly setting the captives free on those calls.  Women from all over are joining and sharing and being delivered.  To God be the Glory!!!  It is ALREADY Alright!!!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

The New Year

11 days in to a New Year.  Commercial after commercial of lose weight, exercise, eat this, do that and on and on and on.  So reminiscent of last year but with one big difference.  This is MY ANNIVERSARY!!  The anniversary of a new 'me'.  The anniversary of finally surrendering to God my issues and entanglements with food.  I can't even believe it.  I've never stayed the course this way.  To have lost weight and actually to have kept it off AND to top it off to have so many others working toward their own freedoms.

All the weight loss commercials did one thing for me in the past - AGGRAVATED the HECK out of me.  I felt so angry at the weight and then at the commercials themselves for selling me a dream.  But you know what, I realized that the commercials were all right.  Eat less, exercise more...period.  It works right?  Right?  RIGHT!  So why doesn't it work? Why didn't it work?  Because if I could have done that I WOULDN'T BE FAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!! DUH!!!  So what works?  What works is getting the tools, learning the information, making a plan, putting it into action AND THEN SURRENDERING it all to God - daily. 

Back to Eden is so much more about turning to God in the midst of where I am than it is about what to eat, how to eat, and how much to exercise.  Most people don't admit to this...at first.  Like any other 'diet' we learn what foods to eat and how often and what exercises to do but unlike a 'diet' we then submit ourselves to God in prayer, turning over to Him the things that we have been burying in our foods. 

Some of us use food to make us happy and some of us use food to make other people happy.  You wouldn't believe how many 'cakes' and 'pies' I heard being made and eaten over the holidays.  We used the holiday's as an excuse to just throw it all in and 'live' I heard some say. 

Monday, January 3, 2011

Breakfast: Spinach, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Eggs

Delicious combination of yukon gold potatoes, sliced with spinach and onions & peppers.  Adorned with a fluffy side of scrambled egg beaters.  YUMMY!!


Exchanges:  1 carb A, 1 veggie A, 1 Protein A

Preheat skillet, spray with pam.  Add sliced potatoes, brown.  Add onions & peppers, brown.  Add spinach, lite salt, pepper, onion powder - cover.  Let cook on low for 15 mins.  Plate.

Spray and preheat pan.  scramble eggs.   Add to plate and enjoy!

Friday, December 31, 2010

The Journey....continues

I started off 2010 in a funk.  I felt that I had been overcome by my weight issues and didn't think I would ever find my way out of it.  I had fired my trainer (thank God she took me back) and finally decided to tell God that either HE himself could take this fat off of me or  I was just gonna be FAT.  With that first 'surrender' He began to work a work in me that took me from size 22 to size 14 in a few short months.  But He didn't stop there...in April, at a Girls Get-A-Way retreat, through my testimony to many of you He began to birth a new thing in me...in us.  Through 'Back to Eden' He gave me many of you and we began to walk together in your deliverance and in your victories over your weight.  Walking together we realized that so much of our 'issues' manifest themselves in extemperanous ways and that TOGETHER we were able to begin to overcome them and lose weight together.

The year continued and was full of more ups and downs then I thought I could ever be capable of living through.  I often joked with God. I told Him several times that He had my address wrong and had somehow mixed me up with Superman because the things that were happening were WAY WAY WAY out of my league.  I can remember almost faintly hearing my Lord chuckling, afar off.  Not maliciously but endearingly, like a father who is watching His child learn how to ride a bike.  Yes, she may fall and scrape her knee, but He would never allow anything horrible to happen to her.  Even as I cried, my way through, He was right there.  Picking me up, dusting me off but putting me right back on that bike.  I wanted off the bike, to be honest.  I didn't care if I EVER learned how to ride.  It was quite overrated.  I quit.  Lots of folks don't ride bikes.  WHATEVER.  I'll walk.

Yeah, but no.  It ain't over.  Fast forward to October.  I can't WAIT to meet some of you again or for the first time.  The Cane Creek Retreat.  In the midst of all the excitement and planning, I had yet another crisis at home.  All I could do was give it over to God and keep going.  "God, how on earth can you trust me with all of this?  I'm about to drop it all over the place and let everyone down!" I shouted to Him.  'Why NOW!"  His response, "Trust me,".  'Trust me?" That's what you say to the consummate control freak (ha!)  um, ok...I have no choice.  I left home and made my way to the creek, praying all the way and having to 'trust' God.  Very much easier said than done.  But to God be the glory, He stepped in and we had a GLORIOUS time.  One that was as much for me as it was for you all.  But it wasn't over. 

It had only just begun.  On Nov. 1st, I came across a prayer thingy...'31 days of Prayer for your Husband'.  Nov. 1st, God gave me an intercessor, a sister who would begin a daily regimen of prayer with me, that mid-way through seemed like it was having the OPPOSITE affect on our lives.  My head was spinning.  All hell was breaking loose.  I couldn't begin to imagine that my life would take the turn it took.  I hit 'bottom's bottom'.  But that was in my 'finite' understanding.  In truth, God was at work.  He was taking those daily prayers and stirring things up so that the 'semblence' of order would be able to make way for 'true order'.  He was in the midst of us each morning at sunrise and honoring our words.  He was giving us a bond of sisterhood that could not be created by blood but was created in heaven.  He was working things out for our good.  He was, indeed, bringing Romans 8:28 to life in our prayers. 

December 2nd, 31 days after our prayers started, God began to reveal another little glimpse of His plan.  In all the ups and downs, one thing was consistent - prayer.  So, the Prayer Conference line started (now on day 30) so that it could be more than just she and I (though for quite a few more days it was still just she and I on the line). 

But eventually, women from all over began joining at 6am Mon-Fri and pouring out their hearts to God.  Not just for themselves...they've/we've realized that the source of our strength is in intercessory prayer.  Praying for others means that there will always be someone praying for you especially when you/I can't pray for ourselves.  MY GOD there are some praying women on those calls.  Some I know by spirit, some I know by voice, all I know - are my sisters.  Without them I could do nothing.  This must be what God meant when He said, 'every joint supplieth' or when He said, 'the strong bear the infirmities of the weak'. 

So...we walk together into 2011.  Maybe not having accomplished every goal that we set for ourselves.  Possibly not achieving all the success that we desired.  But one thing is sure - we are still standing for a reason.  We are still here because we are More than Conquerors!  The thing that I've learned and it is my mantra, especially when I forget my 'faith colored' glassed and look at the world through the eyes of despair and forget for a moment that God is in control.  I remind myself...ITS ALREADY ALRIGHT! 

May God bless you and take you to higher heights and deeper depths in 2011.  May you find peace and success.  May you receive your healings, your blessings, your deliverances.  May you rejoice NOW because ITS ALREADY ALRIGHT!!!

If you'd like to join the week day 6am prayer conference call, text 'PRAY' to 704-493-2035 and you will be send the conference # and the pin.  Prayer changes things. 

Keep walking on water!!!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Beef Lo-Mein

1lb of thin sliced lean steak (slivered)
10oz bag of stir fry veggies
1/2 bag frozen broccoli (about 5 oz - or you can use fresh)
1/2 box of Rice Pasta (spaghetti style - cooked)
1tsp Soy Sauce
1tsp Oyster sauce
1/4 c water
Lite Salt/Pepper to taste

Season steak with salt/pepper and brown on both sides.  (You can spray the pan with Pam if you don't have a non-stick).  Add veggies, sauce, water.  Simmer covered for 10 mins (until veggies thaw but are firm).  Add Rice Pasta and toss.  Spray with a couple skeets of Pam and enjoy!