Dear Friends,
Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of Lent. I am relatively new to the tradition of observing Lent, so I won’t at all profess to be an expert in the area. In fact, last year was the first in which I ever attempted an observance of the season. If you too are new to this tradition, or would like to learn more, I found some helpful information here, at biblegateway.com
This year I decided that in addition to giving up something for Lent, I would read a book by Lysa TerKeurst called “Made to Crave, Satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food.” It has come highly recommended, and I’m delighted that a number of friends have indicated an interest in joining me. If you have read this book, or are planning to read it, or would simply like to make any kind of comment concerning Lent or desiring God, please do so below. And as always, I encourage you to make comments on each other’s comments!
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, let us also love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us.” I John 4:10 – 12
In His Love,
Christy
Hiding God's Word in Our Hearts 
Ann VosKamp’s blog today – beautiful! http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/02/what-lent-really-means-free-easter-devotional-book-to-make-a-jesus-easter-tree/
OK today I read the introduction: Finding Your “Want to”. I think this book is exactly what I will need to conquer this food thing that has plagued me since I was in high school. I loved the statement at the top of page 13 where Lisa writes: The thought of signing up for another diet made me want to cry and then eat and cry and eat some more.
Ain’t that the truth!? Other points that hit a nerve:
-I am physically overweight, but spiritually malnoursihed.
-Page 15 – rewording the story of the rich man who wanted to follow Jesus: Jesus wants us to give up the one thing we crave more than Him and then follow Him. (ouch!)
-The serpent used food as his tool in the Garden of Eden (and he’s been using it ever since!)
-And from page 18: “I am made to rise up…using the Lord’s strength…to the glory of God.” That will be my mantra!
So, I am off! I’ll keep you posted.
Love ya
I am going to start reading M2C again tomorrow. (I’m still trying to catch up on SOTM). I finished this book about a year ago and it really spoke to me.
I think that one of the reasons why I was able to relate to it so much was because about 3 months before I started reading it I had given up sugar. That was huge for me because I was a complete sugar junkie. So I had already had some victory over it by that point. I was so addicted to sugar that I think once I saw that Lysa had given it up I would have just figured it was something that was completely out of my ability to do. I couldn’t ever have one cookie, candy, etc. it really was horrible — in a room with a cake or pie or all I would think about is how long before we would have dessert. I didn’t start out eliminating sugar for good (or a long time) I was doing this 24 day diet challenge thing and they asked you to not have sugar for the 24 days. By the time I was done with 24 days I didn’t want to start again because I saw some victory and knew it was possible. (Something I never ever thought was possible.)
It is 17 months now and I also made the choice to eliminate all desserts regardless of whether or not they were sugar-free. It is easier for me to be completely black and white because I felt/feel for me personally it is a slippery slope. I am not a fanatic but as a rule I don’t things with sugar in the first 5 ingredients. I do make exceptions with wine, and occassionally bread.
After reading the book I also cut down on ‘white’ stuff. All good right, but I kept eating anything salty – nuts, chips etc, Then I just kept adding bad foods like fries — because you know they are brown so not white anymore:) and basically eating what I wanted as long as it wasn’t sugar or desserts. The biggest thing is I CANNOT BE LEFT ALONE WITH A BAG OF CHIPS. I replaced one junkie habit for another!
So I need to get back around to the book and really work on eating in a way to glorify God and now kick the salt monkey on my back to the curb. Interesting that this week our verse is You are the salt of the earth… but I don’t think that is what Jesus was talking about 🙂
So I feel that with Lent starting today and making an effort to eat in a way that honors God and starting the book again in this community I’m off to a great start.
Linda, I love that for a mantra – we should all use it….I am made to rise up…using the Lord’s strength…to the glory of God!!!
Thanks CP for doing this.
Peggy, I’m so glad you shared about your sugar habit. I have been subject to various cravings over the years similar to that, donuts, pizza, fried fish (sandwiches and tacos, still a major temptation), and it helps so much to know that we are not alone. And to hear a success story! Also, I appreciate your talking about subbing a salt habit for your former sugar habit. So far in giving up sugar I haven’t really been tempted much, but I’m overcompensating with non-sugar foods.
Trying to learn from all of it!
I started reading it this week, and so far it is interesting. Good concepts. I liked on pg. 14 about the definition of the word craving, and her reference to Psalm 84:1 and 2, about yearning for God. It seems sinful but I often yearn for a cookie or better yet, cheesecake more than I do God and time in His word. Pg. 17 – Are the cravings a curse or a blessing? Depends on what I am craving!
This may be what I have been needing. Just the word diet, makes me want to go bake something sweet! I am looking forward to the rest of the book.
Tammy and Peggy – I can so relate! Well, I wasn’t planning on being back so soon! Yesterday I read the intro and chp 1. Today I read through chp 4. WOW! Do I need this! I am contacting a few friends here in Helena to recommend this book. My notes to myself in chp 2 are: “Living healthy has to be about more than dropping pounds or fitting into my pants better. If that is all this is about then, “I can start tomorrow”. But if this is about putting my Father first, then I must resist each and every temptation and choose Him over whatever is in front of me.” And I have another new mantra (from chp 3): “I will only eat what wild animals eat”. Is there a limit on how many mantras a person can have? I will be praying for everyone on this blog!
Linda, I thought that was just so revolutionary..the idea that living healthy wasn’t just about dropping pants. It is so true, there has to be a different motivation for me — one of the reasons I could never stick with Weight Watchers through the end was because all the focus on food…the leaders and the people who I’ve seen who maintain their weight loss have a constant focus on their portion sizes, their points… I always said, I can’t do this because I don’t want to have to track every bite of food that goes into my mouth for the rest of my life. What I like about this is that it is about putting Jesus first and if your eyes are on Him suddenly you become aware of wanting to do better and eat better. Take your eyes off of Him and it is a free for all — and I’m saying this to myself. I start to think I can do it on my own and then there goes the bag of chips! Praying for you too.
I don’t think you can have too many mantras! 🙂
Hello ladies!!! So sorry I was absent yesterday, Wednesday is usually a crazy day for me and this one was a doozy! We had no power due to record high winds from late yesterday afternoon til 11:30 at night, so I couldn’t even get on to comment!
Couldn’t agree more with what you ladies are saying!!! I have had a sense of unsettledness about this whole Lent thing, and the food thing. I’m not a big sugar junkie, but I decided to give that up to educate myself about hidden sugars, as well as to eat healthier. I actually do eat pretty healthy almost all the time, I eat vegetarian, I make veggie drinks in a Vitamix several times a week that I LOVE, I mill wheat to bake my own whole wheat bread and bread products (although I haven’t done that as much lately). So basically, I am battling some cravings for bad foods and not at my ideal weight, but I was starting to feel like the book wasn’t going to speak to me, before I actually started. Now I know why. First day of Lent and the first two chapters of M2C revealed that there ARE things I am craving more than God, and what I need to do about it. What Lysa said about her reaction to story of the rich young ruler applied so perfectly to me. In this case, I was thinking, Oh that’s not me! I’m not craving food more than God! And I wasn’t, but there are other things in between Him and me that need to be dealt with. So looking forward to diving in deeper, and so grateful for this community of support!
Love you all so much, and praying for each one of you!
Okay, two things. After I walked away from my computer two things hit me.
First, I made myself out to sound like some kind of health queen. That is not true. If you have known me for more than 2 years you know that I had struggled mightily with my weight in the past. Less mightily more recently, but it is still something I have to think about and work on, being healthy. So please don’t think I’m trying to say I’m already perfect in this area. Far from it.
Second. I’m encouraging a lot of people here to open up and I am not doing it myself. I’m terrified of doing it. So here it is. I seem to have a craving for alcohol that I was somewhat unaware (in denial) of. Last night I had no trouble passing up the diet soda I gave up for Lent in favor of a beer. Which I don’t even like. I had mentally committed to not drinking wine on weeknights, and somehow had no trouble grabbing a beer instead of a glass of water or a cup of hot tea. So I was shocked. Why did I do that? Clearly there’s something there I haven’t been facing. Thanks to the Lord for sweet Siestas, and this book, M2C, to help me see that this isn’t a cardinal sin, it’s a gift. It’s the Lord using my feeble attempts at obedience to Him to show me my areas of weakness.
Again, I love you ladies and I ask for your prayers as we continue this journey together!
In His Love, Christy
Love and grace and God will show us great things when we are seeking Him. Thanks to eveyone for sharing.
Oh Christy,
Precious! Siesta you are so stinkin’ precious, which is good, because it matches well with your graciousness(is that a real word?), humility, and a genuine heart so willing to serve.
You also made me feel ALLOT better about the things I wanted to share, things that I need prayer for, yet every church service or Bible study all I can muster out is: “unspoken request for me, please”. The Holy Spirit has been convicting my soul regarding my unwillingness to share my struggles, because I think “I will just break these habits on my own, I mean, I have quit by myself, with no help, like 100 times”. (See the Problem?) I ended up having the courage to tell a couple of different Sisters at church but unfortunately I WAS NOT 100% honest, underplaying the real issues or making it sound like it was under control.
It also allowed me to reign free from any human accountability, and feed whatever things fed me, aside from my saviour!
Then I had a GODSTOP!! Made to Crave – at first I was disappointed that it wasn’t a book that I needed to read, and then the GODSTOP. God has opened the door for me to share a request that I never make to my family in Christ, because everyone knows I am in recovery. But while we are all supporting eachother, in prayer, in words, & in spirit I wanted to be 100% honest about my food hang up. I struggle with anorexia. Between the ages of 17-26 I went through 5 different inpatient treatment centers. The last one I went to was called Remuda Ranch in Arizonia. It made a big difference but did not cure me. I constantly decieve myself. My eating disorder is not a “sin issue” – I just have some quirky food habits, that really, are VERY under control. I am to pridefull to admit to my church family that it is a huge struggle when I am stressed out, OR that in the past year I have lost 41 pounds(and I really like it). NOR would I tell anyone that when I went to the doctor yesterday, I was wearing 30 pounds in body weights, because I know that I am very far below where I should be in weight, and my doctor will nag at me about it, and make notes in my chart, and, and and well…THAT’S MY SECRET and NONE OF ANYONE’S BUISNESS. Which is a 1 way ticket back to the pit I spent years in, death visited me in this pit, and almost claimed me.
So this time around I am going to try to do things differently.
Food is not a sin, but food for me = deciet and disobedience. So I think I might read M2C, because bottom line, the book is about the “food idol” we all serve, one way or another. Obeying and listening to GODSTOP = getting to share a book and prayer journey with my Siesta’s. I also got to take a step towards honesty and taking my food issues “out of the dark”.
I will need to begin with a willing heart……because I am fighting the urge to erase this post and go to bed. So yeah – Pray for a willing heart and spirit
Thanks for giving me a platform to mature and grow Siesta’s!
Cris
Cris, thank YOU so much for your willingness to open up and share. You help us see that any kind of struggle or idol we put in between God and ourselves is wrong, and just that, an idol. Whether it’s excessive and uncontrollable food cravings, or craving subsistence on no food, whether it’s drugs or alcohol or even anything that we don’t put into our bodies, relationships, success, it’s all a barrier between us and Jesus. Thank you for your heart and sharing it with us. The Lord is with you.
Cris — Reading your post reminded me of what Cara said in Two Words — secrets grow ugly and gain strength in the dark. they breed in your marrow. multiply, eat you alive.
You have taken the first step to healing by speaking the words. You obviously know what you need to do to heal now that it is out in the light.
Sweet Jesus, bathe Cris in your light right now. Give her a special awareness of your love for her and your love of the Truth. Lord, there are no secrets to you so I pray that you continue to lead her in steps to regain her health. Provide the stairs out of the pit today Lord! In Jesus’ name.
I needed that prayer today – very much! Thank You Peggy.
Cris
It sounds like Made to Crave is hitting home for each of us in different ways. Cris and Christy, talking about it, is the first step in facing any hidden problem like that. Have ya’ll been reading Beth’s sister’s posts? They are right on this topic of having to face what was happening in her life. It took a lot for her to do that. I will be praying for each of you as you deal with this in your lives. I think we all have issues in our lives we don’t like to face up to, or allow to show in church on Sundays. It can be all sorts of issues, I mean how many of us have had a horrible morning with our kids, yelled at them on the way to church, and then gotten out of the car and put on our church face. Oh, everything is fine. The internet is sometimes an easier place to talk about these things as you don’t have to deal with us face to face (at least usually). So, it makes us a great sounding board for each other!
We were talking about similar issues to the food problem in Bible study on Tuesday night (not at Beth’s, our church has a ladies Bible study on Tuesdays too!). We were talking about how vanity can go two ways, so obsessed with how beautiful you are OR how ugly you are. Either way is an excessive obsession with how you look. The rich and the poor can both be equally obsesssed with money. So, with food, it can be the same way, we can be overly obsessed with what we are putting in our mouth to where we scrutinize every bite or to where we just binge and eat it all. Either way, we can be overly obsessed with food. In all things, there needs to be a balance. Food is a tool to keep us alive. It can give pleasure or be a source of pain as we try to manage it. Taking care of ourselves physically is a good thing, but if we spend all our time exercising our bodies, and not our spirits we are off balance again. With all that said, I am curious to see what else Lysa has to say! And, I especially love hearing what each of you have to say about it. Stay in balance with the Lord. Keep in the Word and He will keep our lives balanced where they need to be.
Dear Tammy, I can’t thank you enough for your words of kindness and wisdom. I have been following Gay’s story (http://blog.lproof.org/2012/02/my-sister-gays-fifth-installment-stepping-out-on-the-water.html for anyone who hasn’t seen it and would like to), and you are right, it is so inspiring. After I posted my comment I was afraid to read the 5th installment but I finally brought myself to do it and just found grace.
I love what you said about obsession working both ways. So true. I don’t want to be at a point where I am so obsessed about food that I’m idolizing it even in the not indulging. I was in the grocery store yesterday, about to buy the cream for my coffee that I don’t like instead of the sweet creamer I usually drink, and I just had a glimpse of Jesus chuckling kindly, “Oh my child, why do you deprive yourself of what you love?” But I also felt grace there, and understanding, and not the sense that it was wrong. As you said, in all things there needs to be a balance. I was talking with a sweet sister who said today that somewhere Lysa wrote, “My weight loss goal is peace.” I would add that my own goal is health and peace.
Thank you for your prayers. I am so grateful for you!
I don’t like the idea of giving up all sweets forever. I don’t think I can go that far. For me, and my experiences with dieting in the past, it comes down to portion control. Not so much what I eat, but how much. I adore a good cookie. I have learned that I am better off to have one at Subway, than to come home and bake. If I come home and bake, I will eat large quantities until they are gone. If I have one or even two at Subway, that is usually all I want for a while. I like what Lysa has to say about craving God, but I don’t think He expects us to never have a brownie again either. LOL. So, in my humble opinion, there is nothing wrong with your favorite creamer. I am with you when I hear that gentle laugh that tells me this is not what really matters. What matters is my balance, my time with the Lord, treating my body appropriately, and seeking His will. Still worth thinking on!
Tammy, I don’t think there is one right answer for everyone. Lysa is quick to make that point that her plan doesn’t have to be (shouldn’t be) what everyone does. I say we each just need to find the way that He leads us to and honor God and the body He gave us with whatever we do.
Thanks, Peggy! I totally agree. I don’t think there is any ONE way to weight management. What I like about Lysa’s is putting into perspective our cravings. Everything in life, really does come back to how do we relate to God? If it is coming between us and Him, we have a problem.
Our Youth group has been participating in the 30 hour famine this weekend. They have done it two or three years now, and it not only teaches them, but us too. They finish off their weekend by breaking their fast with the Lord’s supper. It puts all in perspective when you look at how much of the world does not have enough food at all, and we worry about having too much.
So sweet, Tammy, thank you! And I agree with you, in the past few years as I have found success with healthier eating and exercising and maintaining a healthier weight, I have found that portion control and allowing myself a small indulgence rather than complete abstinence has worked well for me. I think I am possibly confusing the heathy eating with the observance of Lent, and it might have been a mistake for me to be taking them together. However, I’ve never given up sugar consciously for any length of time, and I’m curious to see what effect it has on me after 40 days. I so appreciate your kindness and words of wisdom in sorting this all out!
All I can say is THANK YOU ladies for talking about this book that you “forced” (lol – joke) Christy into “making” us read again (light humor). This book was written for me, Its addressing a lot of this that I am struggling with. I am going to buy this book for a couple of friends. As I type this – let me just tell you there is a chocolate 3 layer cake within arms length. Normally I dont crave chocolate, but today…..today…Can I just have a piece? HELP!!!
Oh Matilda I am so glad you are here!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was actually having trouble getting going with the book but today I read chapter five, Made for More, and I am so on board!!! I am finally thinking of this food thing not as depriving myself or sacrificing or torture or any of the other things I was thinking about, but instead am starting to see it as a way to get closer to God! I love chapter 5!!! Can’t wait to read 6!!!
So glad you are here!!! 🙂
[…] if you are interested in chiming in on our Made to Crave conversations, please click here. This book is opening my eyes in many ways as well! It’s not too late to join in! Thank you […]
Good morning sweet sisters!! Yay – this is growing! I love it. As i skimmed through these postings I felt so many things: “I agree”; “Oh, my gosh! That is so me!” Etc, Etc. Wow! I struggle with so many of the same things. I really enjoy unwinding with a glass of wine and I would do it everynight if left to my own free will. I know that would not be good for me, so I don’t, but I do think about it every night. It is definitely a distraction sent from the enemy. thank you everyone for being so honest. I don’t like admitting that when I say, “I love wine” that what I really mean is: I REALLY, REALLY LOVE WINE!!! And that bugs me. I so need this book and this great group. Isn’t it interesting how the enemy will try to use anything to cause a wedge between us and our Savior. I think becoming aware of this is the first step and then standing in our position of power over the enemy is the next step. Also, I’ve been reflecting on Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness by satan when he challenged Christ to turn the stones into bread. I love the verse: “It is written: man shall not live on bread alone, but on the very word of God.” So another mantra for me is:”….but on the very word of God.” OK. I am armed (with the Word) and ready for battle!
Love you all,
Linda
Oh my goodness Linda I could not have said that any better! So it’s not that I drink wine every day or that I drink a whole bunch when I do, just that it’s something I have a hard time saying no to. It’s always with my husband or a friend in the evenings, but I don’t want it to be automatic, and I want to feel like I can say, No thanks! Permissible but not beneficial. Just finished Chapter 6 in the book and that is what is really speaking to me!
And after almost 2 weeks with no sugar and no soda I finally started craving them. It wasn’t as hard at the beginning as I thought, and I was starting to think, this is no big deal! But several times this week I’ve been really tempted, and it has been such a blessing to be able to say No thank you!, and I am made for more than this! Not relying on my own strength, but thanking the Lord for drawing me closer through this!
So looking forward to Chapter 7!!!
Love all you ladies so much!!!
Christy
Oh ladies! I am so excited!!! I finally have my own mantra!!! Just read Chapter 7 and here it is:
I am a Jesus girl who can step on the scale and see the numbers as an indication of how much my body weighs, and not as an indication of my worth!
Yay! And that reminds me of a quote I read in another totally unrelated book this week from C. S. Lewis:
You don’t HAVE a soul. You ARE a soul. You HAVE a body. (emphasis mine)
What this means to me is that my body is my possession, a gift, yes, but something I have. My soul is God’s forever, for all eternity. Which is more important?
Oh I am loving this journey with you, sisters!!!
CP, this convicted me. I don’t have a scales at home (never have had one.) If I’m dieting I weigh myself at the gym, and of course my doctor weighs me any time I walk in the door – which I think is just plain old wrong.
If I think my jeans are fitting looser I may weigh at gym, but if they are fitting tighter I made a wide berth around the scale. Denial!
But the more I thought about this statement by Lysa, I realized this is silly. It is just a number and it isn’t like it is a secret to anyone who looks at me or when I look in the mirror. It doesn’t change who I am or what I’m doing. I know when I’ve let my eating go to pot and when I haven’t been working out. I also know when I’m eating better and doing what I need to do.
So this morning I did step on the scale at the gym. Still a little judgment in my head at the number, since I’ve been so good about eating right for the past two weeks since Lent started. But I walked away thinking ok – it is what it is and Jesus is still on the throne and I’m still His.
This weekend I discovered my own mantra — “Thank you Jesus that I gave up sugar before Costco started to carry Peeps at Easter!” I loved me some Peeps and you can be sure I would have bought them at Costco (to save money and all by getting the jumbo packs) if I was still eating them.
You know how Lysa talked about sometimes there are things that have to go because you can’t control them — me and Peeps, (or me and anything with Chocolate and Peanutbutter together).
But I walked right on by that big o’le box of Peeps (after looking longingly for a few minutes) remembering that everything permissible but not everything is beneficial.
“Thank you Jesus that I gave up sugar before Costco started to carry Peeps at Easter!”
Christy and Peggy – both of those are great mantras! And I love the quote from C.S. Lewis. I want to remember that!
And yes, putting things in perspective exactly Peggy: “Jesus is on His throne and I am still His”. Amen to that!
Linda
(Peeps?! I don’t need no stinkin Peeps!!)
Good for you and your mantra!!! You are so funny!!!
You are cracking me up with your Peeps Peggy! Bought some yesterday for the kids for Easter (they are no temptation to me whatsoever), and didn’t even think about buying something for myself for a treat. Although I will be making cinnamon pull a parts (monkey bread) for breakfast Easter morning… 🙂
Love you!!!
I loved the reminder that I read today in Cpt 10 (I think) where she was faced with feeling like ‘it’s not fair” but then she recalled the discussion with her son and his girlfriend. “This feels good now, but how will I feel about this tomorrow?” That’s a keeper.
So true, Peggy!!! It’s so easy to succumb to a craving late at night when I am at my weakest, but asking myself how I will feel about it in the morning can be so helpful to staying strong!
OK. So I finished the book. Good things have come from it. 1 – I won’t say how much weight I lost because that doesn’t matter, but I will say that my britches don’t fit as tight as they used to. 2 – Until I read this, I had no clue how often I just gave in to my wants and desires. This has really made me aware of what a big push-over I am! So I am saying,”no” way more often these days. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is hard, but I think: I can make this sacrifice for Christ. Look at what He did for me! And that helps. I am not restricting myself quite to the level that Lysa restricted herself, but I have made a lot of good changes and my attitude is so different. I’ve given up the, “It’s not fair” pity party that I used to love to attend. I’ve replaced it with: I don’t need this. This is not good for me. I am made for more! I am a conqueror! I am not a slave to Big Macs, Whoppers with cheese and doughnuts. They are no longer my master.
I am skimming through the book a second time just to reinforce some things. I will continue with the way I have been eating. I know I will slip up now and then, but I definitely have a different perspective on food – and wine. Slipping up is human; getting back on track is divine! Or what I mean to say is – I have devine help to keep me obedient and to forgive me when I give in. 🙂 I know my skinny jeans have the possibility to be a curse, but I am still working towards that goal. After that goal, my new goal will be to not ever outgrow them again! I can do it this time! I have the Lord on my side!
Love you gals,
Linda
Me too, Linda, just finished the book. I’m grateful for so many of the lessons and mantras, but mostly for this community of lovely ladies who began the journey with me — regardless of whether you finished the book or how you did!!!
Like Linda I feel like I learned a lot about myself, and I look forward to continuing with some discipline after Lent. My approach was different, I was fasting from some specific things, sugar and soda, diet and regular. I felt like I did great at the beginning of Lent but then began slipping more and more. And most importantly I found that if I am fasting from something entirely but not doing an overall healthy eating goal, I tend to cheat. I know, pathetic. I found I have been subbing salty and fried foods for the sweets I gave up. But as I said, I feel that I have learned from the experience and I look forward to the period after Easter being an “everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial” kind of mindset.
Love all you ladies! Keep chiming in with victories, defeats, anything you’d like prayer for!!!