30 Day Results, WOW!

Okay, I have big news. God is my strength and he has given me the will power and drive to better myself. Today was my 30 day weigh in and measurements. I went in feeling pretty good knowing that I have worked hard and could see results. I thought they might reflect as much, about 12-16 inches lost, or something close to that. BUT when I got there and they did the measurements, I just about fell out in the floor. In 30 days I have lost……9 pounds and 33.75 inches. I could not be happier. The first thing I did was thank God for giving me the strength to do it. So my day is brighter and I feel empowered. I hope that you can find something that you really want, work hard for it and see great results.

I am ready for the next 30 days and I am determined to have great results again. I am at a loss for words, I don’t even know where to begin to explain the joy I feel right now. So if you were down today I hope that my achievements will allow you to have some joy in your life or at least give you the desire to strive for what you really want. Remember the Lord is on your side and with him All things are possible. I truly believe that. I hope that putting my experiences on here will show people that no matter the obstacle you face, whether it’s weight, medical, physical, emotional or spiritual, that there is a high power, GOD, and he will hold your hand and help you through it.

May God bless you and keep you safe. Have an awesome day.

For My True Friends, You Are A Blessing To Me Everyday!

You know I have been very blessed in my life. I have a family that loves me, no matter what trials we have been through. I have friends who would do anything for me and I for them. And my life although it is not perfect has some perfection in it. It is perfectly imperfect and I don’t know that I would have it any other way. How many people can you call a true friend? If you really think about, probably not too many people. There may be quite a few that you would do things for just because you wanted to help them out, asking nothing in return. But how many would do that for you? Those are the ones you want to hang on to. The people in your life that mean more to you than you could ever explain. If they hurt or go through a bad time, you are right there with them. You wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Now there are times when you are fooled by a persons intentions as a friend. They seem like they care more than words. But then it turns out they were friends with you to get something or talk to someone. Those people be careful of. My closest friends know the Lord and I think that fact makes us even closer. Just knowing that you will forever be someone’s friend. I thank God ever day for the friends he has placed in my life. They came into my life at time’s when one of us was struggling, and have continually blossomed since. These friends are my family. I pray for the best for them. They will always have a place in my heart. I have a friend that is more like family than just a friend. This person gives me strength everyday to stay on my path to being fit and healthy. I don’t even know if they realize how much them caring how I’m doing, pushes me to do better. So much so that today I tackled a 3 mile hike. Four weeks ago I wouldn’t have even tried it. But I did and I finished it. It feels great. And when I get to talk to this person later they will be excited for me. Just as though it was their own feat. They are my true friend. I treasure them dearly.

I have had a wonderful day. I started off with meeting at the Lord’s house, visited with my mom for lunch, hiked 3 miles and am on my way to work now. God is good, all the time. Remember to be thankful for even the little things. Never take for granted the little things in life and always cherish your true friends. I love you guys, you are in my prayers. Thanks for dropping in and I will write again soon.

What Do You See?

I am looking for inspiration today. You know things, and people for that matter, come and go in my life sometimes. It’s really weird I guess. I talk to people everyday that have no idea who I am or where I come from. And to sit back think about it, I wonder what they really think about me. Do they see a strong Christian woman, or a frumpy old grouch. I would hate to give off the wrong impression to someone who knows nothing about me. So even on a bad day I try my hardest to put out the right vibe. I pray that when people look at me they can see a child of God. And if this is not what they see then I have a lot of work to do. How am I to show someone the love of Christ if I do not take my walk with Him seriously? Now being human, this is not always the easiest task. But I am learning that the more I ask for his guidance the more God shines a light for me in the right direction. Why haven’t I always known that this is the way it works? Why have I tried so hard to fix things on my own? Who did I think I was?

Although it has taken me this long to figure this out, I hope that my journey may help someone find their way. It has not always been an easy road but that usually means one of two things, either, I was on the right path at the time or I was messing up the path I had created. You learn by doing, and as far as making mistakes I have made quite a few. Thank goodness that God forgives even the lowliest of sinners.

I am not good at quoting scripture but I love to sing God’s praise. I believe that music is a strong force that reaches peoples hearts and souls. Music to me is love. And since God is love, I lift my voice to him. I have been told that I have many talents, singing is said to be one, so why shouldn’t I use the talent that God gave me to praise Him? Have you ever heard a child sing? What is the first thing you think as you listen? I am so blessed to hear a child sing for they are truly precious in His sight. Children have many wonderful talents and as adults we should nurture them. We should help them understand their talents and how to use them for God’s glory.

Do you have a talent? What are you doing with it? I hope that what ever your talent may be that you are using it for God’s glory. And if you think that your talent would not best serve God, then I think you should reconsider if it is really a talent. I will be praying for you and that you discover your talent(s) and use them for God’s glory. If you do you will be greatly blessed. Take care until next time and please, keep me in your prayers.

The Way I Used To Be

It has been about three weeks since I first started working out and eating right. I cannot believe how easy and fun this really is. At first I thought I would never make it. The exercises were hard and they hurt. But then after about a week or so they became easier. It’s funny how life tends to be the same way, only difference is instead of pushing through the pain we just give up. When we give in like that we could have only been a minute, an hour, a day or a week from huge blessings. No instead we tuck our tail and run the opposite direction. Haven’t you ever heard the saying “Anything worth having is worth the work”? I think I understand that better now. I see things so differently and it has only begun.

I used to look at myself in the mirror with disgust. All I could see were belly rolls, tree trunk legs, big fatty arms, more junk in the trunk than any one person should ever have and a double chin (at one point triple). I have always seen myself unhappy and alone. It’s really easy to get caught up in the whole “who could love a fat girl?” syndrome, as I like to refer to it. But what I didn’t realize for many years is that the outside to everyone else in the world really is only a shell. And the fruit that they are looking for you have always had, the true you, way deep down inside yourself. How many times I cried cause I felt trapped in this ugly outside, with no way out. I felt looked over or sometimes worse nonexistent. No one should ever allow themselves to feel this way. I am a Christian woman and I know that God has a plan for me, although I have not quite figured out what it is yet. I believe very strongly in the power of prayer. But for years I would pray and when God would send me his answer I just walked away or ignored it. I became reliant on me….and well that has never gotten me anywhere good. I just didn’t see what God could possibly want with me. I was a disappointment to him or so I thought.

Then one day I looked at myself and realized he had been talking to me the whole time. He has opened up doors for me to get there. Now I have to walk through them, which I thought was scary at first. Now I notice small things. I have more energy and I am taking on the challenge for many reasons. I have some medical problems but honestly its nothing that getting healthy can’t fix. So now instead of praying that God would make my life easier to deal with, I pray he gives me the strength to fix this horrendous mess of myself that I have created.

After three weeks of working out and eating right I have lost 9 pounds and 5 inches on my hips. For those of you who have a weight problem, you can see how this is exciting to me. It has been so long since I could look at myself in the mirror and smile. I am more receptive to someone telling me that I look pretty, cause now I do. I know I have a long way to go but I know that God is in my corner and in my heart. My intentions are not vein and this is a way for me to connect with others who are dealing with the same things. I hope you understand that this is a way for me to share how I feel. This in no way is a well thought out writing of any kind. I just want to be real with you. So please pray for me on my journey into my new life. As I will be praying for you too. I’ll see you again soon. God Bless You.

A Place To Start

On January 22, of 2009 I decided that I was tired of being obese. I have been obese for years and the worst thing about being this big is that you have NO self esteem. I have always wanted to be smaller and healthy but I never stuck with kind of routine or schedule very well. I have decided that since I am not married nor do I have children, yet, it is time to do something about it. It's time to start living right. So when I do have that part of my life start it is a normal everyday thing already. That way my children will never have to experience what this is like. Life is not kind to those who are not at minimum average. So when you become overly obese life can get you down. About two years or so ago I decided to buy the Slim in 6 program and I started to change how often I ate and that worked pretty good for awhile. When I first decided enough was enough I weighed in at 443 lbs. For someone who should weigh 135- 140 lbs., that is way more than extreme. So then till Jan. 22, 2009 somehow I have managed to get down to 328 lbs.

For the first time in years, I feel that I WILL do this. I am doing this for me and my health and my future. All of you out there who desire to know someone who understands what its like I’m right here. I have been the one made fun of because of my size. Left out of activities because no one was brave enough to ask if I would even be able to participate. Well I am tired of being that person. I am going to be healthy and I want to be someone who can help others achieve the same goal. I am only human and so sometimes this task seems too big for me to tackle, but everyone has something in their life that they feel that way about. The thing is to realize that you can do anything that you set your heart and mind to.

A New Look At Life

You know there are always times that you feel like the world is crushing you little by little.  But if you stop to think about it, everyone feels that way, so why is it that you feel it only happens to you.  Like everything is only happening to you. This is the first stage of a pity party. You say stupid things about why you are where you are, like, "if i hadn't done....", "if only they would have done what they said" or even "why can't anything ever work out for me?"  You hardly ever have the gut reaction to step back and breathe for a moment and really look at the situation you may be in.  If you did, the first feeling you would have is not one of self pity but of strength to bounce back from whatever is going on.  You know people should really pull their strength from a higher power. I pull my strength from God. Without Him I am nothing.  Now my life is not always what I want it to be, but I have realized that God didn't put me in this situation, I did.  What I do know, is that even though where I'm at, is the direct results of my own mistakes, God will help me to get myself through it. 

What situation that you have ever been in that didn't turn out right is a direct result from God?  Think hard before you try to answer.  The way I see it God takes the blame way too often when things go wrong.  Even though you know God is perfect, you never blame the one who is imperfect and incomplete without Him, YOURSELF.  When you realize that you need God in your life, you start to see things differently.  You begin to pray for things you used to think were too small for God to answer.  But now you understand and believe that no matter how small your prayers seem, they are all important to God.  You begin to see that God is not only present in the good times but in the bad times as well.  Then you notice that God is present even when you feel the loneliest.  You are not alone, you are never alone. 

Now I know that somewhere someone will read this and think that I have lost my mind.  But think of the alternative.  I have faith in God and his everlasting love.  Where do you put your faith?  I hope that reading this will spark an interest in you to learn more about God.  I will pray that it sparked enough interest to get you to check back every now and then to see what else I might want to share.  And well #1 on my list of sharing is GOD.  Hope to see you soon.