Lose It For Life

This is my book club's newest selection ... one that I already had and goodness has it been a great re-read. (is that a word?)

There are 7 key principals outlined ... (see the #7!?!)

1. Surrender; you must be willing to discover what is driving the hunger and want healing more than you want food.

Shoot, do I ever get this one ... I surrender my struggle daily, hourly, minute by minute. I do want healing more than a brownie. That sounds so ridiculous but it is at the heart of my struggle (not a brownie) ... the desire for healing. I surrender it all Lord. I surrender.

2. Acceptance; You must be determined to face and own the emotional issues, pain, and loss that you uncover behind the hunger.

This I have done ... I have owned the things in my life that have caused me emotional pain, I know have been forgiven and have a deep peace in my soul from God. He loves me despite the wrongs in my life, knowing this gives me amazing freedom.

3. Confession; It is truly good for the soul. You must find people you can trust who can handle your secrets and help you heal.

For these people in my life I am overwhelmingly thankful. They are my "heart friends" (thanks Stac ... love that word) that love me no matter what I have done in this crazy life, they see the real me and they desire my healing just the same as I.

4. Responsibility; Taking responsibility for change, moving out of the victim position and owning up to your mistakes is necessary to lose it for life.

I am changing, I am a work in progress and I know my God smiles down on me and thinks, "I am so proud of you." This gives my life worth.

5. Forgiveness; Forgive your own failures and the failures of those who have hurt you.

This is huge for me. Forgiving myself has been a struggle. The old tape that plays in my head that reminds me of past mistakes. Learning to love who I am and all I have been through and seeing the purpose behind it all. This too, takes daily surrender. I have identified that this is where satan likes to grab hold. He is happy when I take my eyes off my God and the downward spiral begins ... the "would have and should have and could have" take over. I can identify it now and stop it before it starts (usually) ... and for this I am so thankful.

6. Transformation; Transform your struggle, pain and loss into a purposeful mission. God's way is to take those things you have suffered and use them for His glory.

Shoot, like this is a small task ?... a purposeful mission ... I am still figuring out what this is exactly. I know what I go through in life, have and will, I can use now for the glory of my God. I know that I can inspire other people and share God's grace through my own story. I want to share my story and I know the more that I do, the more healing I will have. I have thought about this before ... speaking in front of groups, like my Mom's group at church or something ... I know I would be able to tell a great story and to think that my own struggles would inspire someone else gives me purpose.

7. Preservation; This is required to make it through life's inevitable struggles and keep the spiritual gains made. When you discover the signs and phases of relapse, you will learn to maintain your weight loss for life.

The inevitable struggles ... I've had my fair share ... and I am so hopeful on this journey now that I now can recognize a sign of relapse ... that I am at a place in my life, in my weight loss journey, in my walk with Jesus that I can move forward with Hope and not get stuck in the woes of my past. I can do this ... I am doing it.

I love the scripture that says, "No weapon formed against me shall prosper" Isaiah 54:17. I have such a deep peace when I recite this. No weapon ... my God is my strength and there is nothing that can bring me harm ... no memory of past wrongs, no sadness of regret ...

I am moving forward in this journey, I am taking a deep breath and trusting my God in what today brings ... in whatever struggle might come my way again and again, I can confidently use it for my purpose, for God's purpose.