What Are You Hanging on To?

Dear Ones,

Just wanted to report that I have had the best week that I have had in a long time. I filled out Calorie King every day and printed it off so I can turn it in on Tuesday. I weighed in with our group so I would be accountable about weighing. I exercised 5 days. I finally bought a new pedometer after washing my good one in the washing machine about 6 weeks ago! I had to punish myself a little while for being so dumb but finally decided that it was such a motivator that I needed to spend the $25 to get another one. The last two days I have walked 17,000 and 15,000 steps! The brand is Omron and I bought mine on Amazon. I love it because it is so easy and it resets to 0 at midnight. All I have to do is pick it up and clip it on when I wake up.

Pray you are all having a great week. Remember, we only need to have a great day TODAY! Tomorrow, we get up and do it again. After 3 days, I promise it gets easier. Sugar for me, is the problem. If I give it up, I quit craving it!

The devotional below was written by Joyce Ainsworth, one of our networking leaders in Brandon, MS. Joyce has lost 180+ pounds and is a great testimony of God’s power to help us change.

Love to you all,

Carole

As I was getting ready to go about my day this morning I put on an old pair of tennis shoes. I'm going down to the farm today and didn't want to wear my tennis shoes that I work out in. I grabbed one of my favorite pair of old shoes and slipped them on. It was not long before my feet started to hurt and my toes seemed to be rubbing. I went and put on another pair of socks thinking that would solve my problem but it was only a few minutes before the same pain and discomfort were there again. Three pair of socks later and I finally decide that it could be my shoes! Go figure.

So I took the shoes off and put on another pair. Guess what? My feet no longer hurt. As I evaluated the situation about the old shoes (whether to discard or keep), the Lord so sweetly and gently reminded me of the fact that as He begins to do a new work in our lives that is exactly how we view change. As God begins to change our bodies, our minds and our hearts over the next 12 weeks, there may be some things that we look at longingly. Even though they are not good for us any longer. Like those shoes hurt my feet, our natures are going to be to hang on to them because they are comforting and familiar. We will have to push past those first thoughts and step into the trust factor. We have to know that God, in His great love for us, has a greater plan than we can see. Until we step over into total obedience, we will not experience all He has for us.

What are you hanging on to this morning? Fear? What about a friend who you can't keep pulling along any more? Are they pulling you down and you haven't been able to pull them up? It could be they are just holding you back or it could be their negative spirit is hurting your growth. They could be walking in disobedience and the more you hang with them, the greater your desire will be to do the same. Maybe it's an old habit? An unwilling spirit? A comfort food? What about that old comfortable routine? I don't like change. You may be like me and like things to stay the same (worn, comfortable, and familiar).

I don't know what it is or where you are, but God does and He is whispering your name. His desire is for you and me to love Him first and most! Then, as he does the work in us, it can flow through us and through that process not only will we be be changed, but others will also! God's plan always produces good fruit. As God begins to refine us this session, I am praying for each of you, but today and this week maybe you need to do some cleaning out (I am discarding the old shoes they cannot possibly be good for me anymore). Maybe we need to do the same in some other areas of our lives!

Listen the Father is speaking.

Faithfully His
Joyce Ainsworth
FP4H Networking Leader - Mississippi