Living With the Lights On

Is it more than you can bear?  In his message, "Out of Context: More Than You Can Handle", Pastor Mike Novotny shares some powerful insights about tough times and challenging circumstances.  I believe this can be very useful when we apply it to handling food choices and urges. I remember thinking I couldn't handle myself when it came to food "temptations". What I didn't know is that the strength of God is available for me in that area, too. When I learned that I can line up my thinking in agreement with God, I am strengthened up to make choices from a place of love and honor. Yes, even choices about food. Follow with me as we go through this passage with Pastor Mike's thoughts: I wonder if you've ever felt like that before?  Like maybe you know the right thing to do or the Christian thing to do or the Bible thing to do but there's this one thing that you come face to face with it, you just don't know how to say no to it.  And ...

Self loathing is not humility. "Humility is not thinking less of yourself,  it's thinking of yourself less" - C.S. Lewis I believe that often times in our walk with the Lord, we get confused about how we should see ourselves.   But let me ask you this question, "How does God see you?"   Does He loath you?  Does He despise you?  He sent His Son for you.   He loves you with an everlasting love.  No matter how you are behaving. No matter how you think you look.  No matter how you feel. What would it sound like if we got into agreement about how He sees us? Would we talk to ourselves differently? Would we honor ourselves differently? Would we act differently?  Would we have different results?  I believe this is the root and foundation of lasting well being and honoring our commitment to caring for our temples with strong decisions.   I  believe that humility is one of the strongest...

Failure is an Event, NOT a Person! Have you notices that humans attach labels to others and to ourselves? Labels like, Failure Perfectionist People-Pleaser Procrastinator I have always wondered why we do this.  It certainly isn't helpful.  It actually leads to more of the same behavior. Our behavior is an echo of our beliefs about ourselves.   In my training and education as a life coach, I have learned that it is a primitive brain response to look out of the "bad".  Our habit brain wants to take less energy and labeling takes less energy than awareness and mindfulness.  Resigning to a label is the easiest route. As a beloved child of God, I also know that that is the route our Enemy would like us to take.  That labeling will keep us down.  Condemnation leads to and results in this kind of labeling. It's a downward spiral that keeps us stuck.  Can you relate?  Are you feeling stuck in this downwar...

Do you feel weak when it comes to food?  I remember when it felt like I was helpless. When certain types of food were around, I would cave.  I just knew something was wrong with me.  Why was I so weak?  Have you ever had this experience?  Let me offer some help. First, understand that you are not broken.  It is a natural human reaction to have urges for food and some foods trigger more of a response.  It is like a chemical reaction.  It doesn't make you good or bad. It's science.  Release the judgement.        When we understand the physical response that is activated by foods, we are then able to make informed choices.  We can make decisions ahead of time and we can discover that there is no food that is more powerful than our brain. Second, understand your biggest weapon does not come from outside of you.  Weakness is the absence of strength. Weakness is the absence of the a...