Wonderfully Made

20 Days of Maker's Diet left

Today is "Sanctity of Life" Sunday

"For you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb.." (Psalm 139)

"Father, we dedicate this day and this devotional to the millions upon millions of aborted children. Father, we ask you to forgive this great sin in your eyes.

Lord, we ask for healing to come to all of the women that are now suffering as the result of their abortion. Abortion brings pain, loss, and guilt too profound to explain. There is an ache within the heart that can only be filled by Your love.

Lord, you alone can heal. You have the power to go deep within the souls of hurting women and heal the loss. I pray that there would be a radical restoration to women and men's hearts all across this earth today. I included the men, because many wanted their child, but the mother did not. So heal these men, Lord, heal them as well. Send your comfort today.

Father, protect the innocent babies that are in uncertain wombs even now. Lord, we speak life and love over them. YOUR life and YOUR love. May you go to that mother that may be having thoughts about the life of her child and give her HOPE. Give her courage. And give her love for her child. In Jesus' Name, Amen."


XtremeFaith

How He Loves Us

21 days left on the Maker's Diet!





"I have loved you with an everlasting love..."
(Jeremiah 31)

I thought this picture would be a blessing to us today. Look how that tree is still standing, although bent, underneath the winds of a hurricane. And how appropriate, look at the image right behind it..a pirate. Satan can always be found in the "background" of a lot of our struggles. He wages war against the people of God continually. Thanks be to God for Christ Jesus and the victory we have.


But sometimes we go through issues in life: personal, financial, relational, health, loneliness, regrets, guilt, anger, sadness, and too many others to name. This can "weigh" us down. And even though no "pounds" are attached to the scale, these problems can "weigh a ton" on our spirit.


Let me say this, I would rather have physical weight than spiritual weight any day. Spiritual weight is heavy, way too heavy, to carry. I am thankful that we have a great high priest, Jesus Christ, that understands our hearts and our "issues". When I find myself in this place, I say to the Lord (through my tears), "Lord, give me tissues for my issues." And He does.


This devo may not be about the "Diet" per se, but it is about alot of the things that may propel us not to really "care" what we do with our bodies. Then again, maybe not. There are some that just love to eat, not for any other reason except loving the wrong foods...too often. And then there are those of us that have deep issues..or what I call "matters of the heart"....underneath the weight.


May the Lord Jesus Christ come and breathe on us today. May He comfort all of us on this bitter, cold Saturday morning. May He give us our manna for this day, and this day alone, lest we hoard it and it turn to worms. No. We don't want more than we need, Lord. We just need our Daily Bread..and that is found in Christ.


Here are some words from David Crowder's, "How He Loves Us" ballad. If you get a chance, "You Tube" him and be blessed.

"He is jealous for me, loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are
And how great your affections are for me.

And Oh, how He loves us Oh,
How He loves us,
How He loves us all,
......

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking,
And Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart beats violently inside of my chest,
I don't have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about the way
That He loves us!

Oh how He loves us!
How He loves us!
How He loves!"

Today, I want all of us to know this one thing: Fat, skinny, tall, short, no matter what...HE LOVES US.

XtremeFaith

Super-Seed (not that green stuff either!)

Ok Ladies. We have 22 days left on the Maker's Diet. Are you excited or what?



So, you're probably wondering about the picture of the lady upside down in her SUV? This photo was taken either on the NJ Turnpike or Parkway yesterday (what nutcase would take a photo of this poor woman!). Yes, she IS talking on her cell phone while she waits to get help. ONLY a woman would do that. "Hello, dear, how are you? Yeah, well, I seemed to have rolled myself over this morning in our SUV. Can you pick up bread on the way home?" Us women, such multi-taskers. Seriously, though, I am glad she is ok..maybe not her truck, but she is ok.



Yesterday's commute was absolutely horrible. One of our sisters was on her way to work (NY, I think) and turned right back around. Good for her. There were over 100 accidents reported in Central Jersey alone. I can't imagine how many North Jersey had! The website for traffic did mention that 4 major roads were jammed up. I was sitting in the traffic on 80 west forever. I left my home at 8:15 am to take my son to drama. By 10:45 am, I still had not arrived to my destination which is 30 minutes from home. The only drama he had was me. LOL.


So while I am sitting in all this traffic, I get hungry. What's a girl to do? I popped the rest of my sunflower seeds in my grill, along with my plump "soaked nuts." This guy next to me busted out laughing as I missed my mouth and half my seeds went down my shirt right into my bra. That's like Mighty Mouse going down the Swiss Slopes. Little seeds lost in big bra. I was trying to salvage them (hey, these raw seeds cost money) so the whole time I sat in traffic, I fished around my bra for seeds, much to my son's total embarrassment.

Thank God that I was prepared with the emergency goods. Thank God for traveling mercies (if any of you got stuck on Preakness Avenue, you saw that it was a literal sheet of ice). And thank God for how SuperSeeds saved the day. Do you have your emergency stash...in case of emergency? It all goes back to preparation!



By the way,the day turned around in a matter of hours..nothing but sunshine! Thank you, Lord!


Famous Preparation Quotes:

"I run on the road long before I dance under the lights." (Muhammid Ali, 1942 American Boxer)


"Spectacular achievement is always preceded by spectacular preparation." (Robert Schuller)


"The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today." (H.Jackson Brown, Jr.)


"It's better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret." (Jackie Joyner-Kersee, famous athlete)


"VICTORIOUS WARRIORS WIN FIRST THEN GO TO WAR, WHILE DEFEATED WARRIORS GO TO WAR FIRST THEN SEEK TO WIN." (Sun Tzu)



Lord, thank you for the traveling mercies that you will give us today. Thank you for brand new mercies! And thank you for the help you will give us to be prepared with our food, so we don't fall into the "convenience" of wrong eating. Amen!


XtremeFaith

Convenience vs. Allegiance

23 days left on the Maker's Diet
Sorry about this terrible photo sisters!




I have to admit that the hardest thing for me on this diet has been preparation. There has to be time taken to prepare fresh, wholesome foods. I don't think any of us really want to eat bad foods. I think that we get jammed up with time and schedules. By the time we look at our watches, it's time to eat. For most of us, we are normally starving by then.

Unfortunately, blood sugar drops and in the body's attempt to keep itself from going into shock, it sends out numerous "You are hungry" signals way before this point. Sadly, we often ignore these signs, and next thing you know, we are stuffing any and everything in our mouths. If you have no blood sugar issues, you are blessed! Hypoglycemics (like myself) have an extra "burden" to make sure the body is regulated evenly with "good fuel" (whole foods) to keep on keeping on without crashing.


The nuts have helped this nut me keep my blood sugar stable. They are convenient to carry around. Today, I was rushing to the bank and had no time to get any food. But I have learned to keep bird food sunflower seeds, raw of course, in the car. They satisfied me until I got home.

I have "cheated" more than once on this diet. But the only person I have cheated is myself. I mean who is really hurting? None of you hurt when I eat sugar. I hurt. Not talking emotions either. My body swells. My bra begins to pinch the sides of me. My intestines get distended, and they begin to sway with the movement of my legs as I walk. I think I heard them humming one day.

Speaking of walking, my feet begin to puff up and then I am back to wearing boots half zipped. So I asked myself, "Girl, who you cheatin' from?" And self said, "You." But how can we get away from ourselves? We can't. We are stuck with ourselves, so I guess the jist of all of this is how can we not cheat "on me"? It will be a long hard road ahead. I have to re-learn proper behavior methods..

"To thine own self be true." Thanks Shakespeare, well said.

Blessings sisters..and let's be true to ourselves today.

"...and put a knife to your throat if you are given to appetite....do not join those who drink to much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags...as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he..." (Proverbs 23)

XtremeFaith

Roses for You

The Maker's Diet

24 days left!

I think that if the Lord could give us a dozen roses today, he would. Not just for the beauty of the rose, wow, but for the symbolization of the number 12. It denotes governmental perfection. I read this on the web. We know from the bible that there are 12 tribes of Israel listed, 12 apostles, 12 foundations in heavenly Jerusalem, 12 pearls, 12 gates, 12 angels..12 months in a year, completing four seasons, and there are 12 members of a jury (not to get off track..but interesting aint it?)

Twelve is also the product of 3 times 4. Three is divine perfection and four is the number of the world and creation. We could go on and on. Numerology is very interesting. But the best is that the measurements of New Jersusalem (in Heaven) is 12,000 stadia with the wall being 144 cubits..or 12 x 12..Rev 21 talks about these measurements that make up the City of God. Who is the City of God? The Bride of Christ. Us!

So what does this have to do with our diet girls???? God's governmental perfection-symbolized in the number 12- is over our lives, our bodies, and all that pertains to us. We just have to receive it as truth and call on His power.

God, be strong in our lives today. We are preparing our bodies for the wedding feast of the lamb. We may stumble all the way there, but we are on our way, Lord. We ARE your Bride, Jesus. Strengthen us moment by moment and meal by meal. Don't let us lose hope. Be the Light beneath our feet and the Wind beneath our wings. Lord, don't let us fail. Let us be victorious, in You. Amen.

XtremeFaith

Being thankful!

25 Days Left on the 40 Day Maker's Diet!


"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17)

Good Tuesday morning, sisters! Praise be to God who has given us all that we need in Christ Jesus!

Ladies, I am so thankful that we are on this diet together. We have experienced great results and setbacks. The flesh calls out and wants what it wants! It is not always easy to say no to junk food, especially when we have been eating it so long. Nevertheless, we keep pressing on! That is what counts!

I LOVE THE SONG LYRICS BY DONNIE MCCLURKIN CALLED, "WE FALL DOWN, BUT WE GET UP"..."FOR A SAINT IS JUST A SINNER...WHO FELL DOWN...BUT GOT BACK UP AGAIN...JUST GET BACK UP AGAIN!" AMEN TO THIS. WE ARE NOT PERFECT. BUT WE GET BACK UP WHEN WE FALL. WE HAVE TO THANK GOD FOR THIS.

"For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again..." (Proverbs 24:16)

I think one of the greatest tactics of satan is to make us feel like a failure. I have to be very careful when it comes to that feeling..one that I know all too well. When I slip up, I have to pause and reflect on the changes that have been made and thank God for them. My sugar consumption has dropped about 80% from what it was. This in and of itself is a miracle.

I think if we focus too much on what we are not doing, we will miss the blessing of what we are doing. Let's thank God for helping us along our journey. And let's not despise the day of small beginnings. We are gaining a wealth of information in our class! More than that, we should thank God for the relationships that have come because of this crossings of paths. I am very grateful!

Lord, we are so grateful to you today. Thank you for being with us and watching over our health. Lord, we ask you for "grace for the race" today. Not just with eating, but in every step of our lives. Father, when we are tempted to comfort ourselves with food, let us pause and reflect on your goodness. I pray we would never substitute food for boredom, anger, anxiety, or depression. I ask you Lord to help us keep our blood sugar regulated so we don't eat from extreme hunger, to where it is out of our control. You designed the body to run smoothly and efficiently provided the proper fuel is ministered to it. Lord, help us, just for today, to guard what we put in our temple. We thank you! We praise you! Amen.

Blessings.

XtremeFaith

PHASE II

26 DAYS LEFT!



The weeks have flown by! Phase II is upon us already. Cow's milk is back! But who needs a COW when we can have a GOAT? It's the battle of the mooooo verses the baaaaa! Organic is best, we have to remember that. We don't want anymore hormones (than we already have). We certainly don't want any antibiotics either. Noooooo! Organic is worth the extra money!

How about the many new additions we have in Phase II? All the new fruits look delectable! Apples, grapes, and peaches OH MY! Pears, kiwi, and pomegranates, OH MY! Lions, and tigers, and bears, OH MY! Oh, sorry, that was Dorothy and the Wizard of OZ. Got a little carried away with the thought of new foods! Coconut water! Whoo Hoo! Sweet potatoes! Yams! HEAVEN!

I look around at my team of sisters and tears come to my eyes (really, they do). Everyone is looking better and better, even the men. Here is a PR (praise report)-I was able to squeeze into a leather blazer in my closet today and breathe. Barely. But I got into it. That was a TREMENDOUS encouragement. If it wasn't for the fact that I lost circulation in both of my arms, I would've worn it. But I couldn't figure out how to praise the Lord without lifting my hands up. That blazer would've ripped down the middle, and I would have popped out of it like the Michelin Man in a catsuit. Regardless, I celebrate this milestone in my life!




We have a new phase to work with..kind of a new starting point so to speak. Sometimes this is a motivator all by itself! If you found that you have slipped up, like I have, let's "start fresh" tomorrow, Monday. We have to take it day by day though! And we can't let that old creepy feeling of "failure" come upon us.

We may not have been "perfect" BUT we tried and can honestly say that we see the difference when we eat clean vs. junk. This has been a HUGE blessing..to be aware of the different effects that food has on our bodies! So don't let the past mistakes we have made blow the rest of the race for us. Let's run the "last half of the game" strong!

Be blessed! Today is a BRAND NEW DAY with BRAND NEW MERCIES! The OLD has passed away and the NEW has come! (2 Cor. 5:17)




XtremeFaith

Antioxidants

27 days left!

An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing down or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation can produce free radicals that damage cells. Cell damage can lead to a whole host of issues..like heart disease, infections, and even cancers.

Foods that measure high in an antioxidant analysis called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) may protect cells from oxidative damage. Glory to God some of those foods are on our list! LOL! Eating foods such as spinach and blueberries have been proven to slow the aging processes associated with the body and the brain!! I better start eating more of this. My brain gets fogged up. Alot.

I would like to think of prayer as an antioxidant that slows down the "free radicals" (or evil forces) that come after us to damage our walk with God. Prayer is a call to Heaven for our heavenly manna to come and nourish our cells and our souls. When our souls are nourished, it will show from the inside out. We will shine for the Lord from the depths of our being. When you feel good you look good!

Like antioxidants, prayer will become a preventative measure against seen/unseen attack from satan. And even if the attack comes, when we are "filled with ammunition" (prayer), it will go to work on our behalf, often long before the attack has come! Both antioxidants and prayer are moving things out of our lives that are not beneficial to us, and bringing things in that are. Amazing ain't it!

Like the old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", same goes for praying. It is our best line of defense!!!! Forget football! Prayer is our OFFENSE and DEFENSE! So let's get off the FENCE and onto our knees in humble prayer to God. He is our shield and protective force. Thank God for spinach! But more for PRAYER!!!!

"PRAY AT ALL TIMES AND ON EVERY OCCASION IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.." (Eph. 6:18)

XtremeFaith

Sweet Sleep

"...for He gives (blessings) to His beloved in sleep."
(Psalm 127:2 Amplified)





28 Days Left

Ahhh. Sweet sleep. Much takes place while we sleep in the physical realm. Damaged cells, tissues, and organs are being repaired (wow). Sleep drops the mind into a deep state of relaxation and rest as our biochemical mechanisms are busy inside of us doing their thing. Apoptosis takes place (cell death) and the body excretes them, helping to keep other cells healthy. (another wow) And you thought you just snored! Ha!

Not only are things excreted, but things are made, too! New bio-chemicals, blood products, and bone marrow are replenished during rest. Energy is restored. The mind is at rest. Ahhh. I wanna take a nap right about now. But even that can't compare to a good night's rest.

The National Center on Sleep Disorders in Maryland associates sleep loss with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity, depression, and infections. This is quite a revelation as to the importance of getting our zzzzz's. (yawn)

So while we are taking care of our eating, let's take care of our rest. An even GREATER thing happens than all the above listed benefits, the LORD blesses us in our rest. I wonder what that looks like! Does an angel come and wave "blessing dust" over us? Does the Lord himself come and touch us in the night? Does He breathe over us? Or is it in the dreams we get? The wonderful dreams! We all have had them from one time to another. I believe all takes place..well, maybe not the "dust" but refreshing certainly comes. May you sleep well tonight.

"Come back to your rest, O my soul; for the Lord has given you your reward." (Psalm 116:7)

XtremeFaith

Healing

29 days left






"Who touched my garments?" (Mark 5:30)

"Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out of me." (Luke 8:46)

"For she thought to herself, ''If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed." (Mark 5:28)

"Immediately, her bleeding stopped.." (Mark 5:29)


"But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it." (Mark 5:32)


"Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet, and trembling with fear, told him the whole truth." (Mark 5:33)


"He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." (Mark 5:34)


Last night, in our class, there was so much faith in operation that I could feel fire swirling in the room. I really don't have much to write today except WOW. The Lord was in the HOUSE. I am not just referring to the physical requests for healing. But I believe great miracles took place, and we anticipate the report of the Lord for these sisters that they are HEALED. But I know in my heart that other healings (emotional) were taking place, too.


The best part of these scriptures I listed above, in my opinion, is when Jesus said: "Who touched me?" And that He kept looking around for who it was. Now we ALL know that Jesus the Master knew who touched Him! He was giving His daughter more time to step forward...encouraging her...wooing her...inviting her to be free from the 4-letter word that can grip us all: NOT food either, but FEAR.


He released her of the "issues" flowing OUT of her (blood) and the issues inside of her (fear). Jesus calls to us today to touch Him. Whether it be for sheer determination to succeed on this 40 day journey or just be HEALED from inside hurts. Or both.

He invites all of us to reach out in faith and really touch Him. He awaits us.

Blessings,
XtremeFaith

One Day at a Time

30 days left !






"One day at a time, Sweet Jesus


I'm only human, I'm just a woman


help me believe in what I could be


and all that I am, show me the stairway


I have to climb, Lord for my sake


teach me to take one day at a time.


One day at a time, Sweet Jesus


is all I am asking from you


just give me the strength to do everyday


what I have to do.


Yesterday's gone, Sweet Jesus,


and tomorrow may never be mine



Lord help me today, show me the way



One day at a time."


"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." (Proverbs 27:1)


XtremeFaith

Testimonies!

This is our Victory Cat meow-ing us on!

I am excited to share some great testimonies. One sister said that although the scale went up 1.5, she was able to fit those "goal jeans." WOW. She wanted us to understand that sometimes the scale is not the final answer on things. She says we should all get a pair of "goal jeans" and keep tryin' them on til' they fit! I should also mention that this sister works out at least 5 days a week. Perhaps the small increase was from all those muscles poppin' out!

Another sister said she has lost 11 pounds, and besides that great report, joint pain has subsided. She said that she believes if she rubs some of the cod liver oil on her legs, she will be able to wear her skinny jeans. Sounds like a plan!

Another email stated that a sister has lost FIVE POUNDS! This is no small thing..ever pick up a bag of 5lb sugar? That is how much came off the body! AMAZING! And another praise report mentioned a sister has lost ONE WHOLE SIZE and was able to buy herself a new pair of pants! This is very uplifting and encouraging to hear!

Some are reporting that they have fewer headaches and cravings. Praise God for that. Others have more energy and others are enjoying the new introduction to healthier foods and recipes.

Speaking of that, I got an email about making ice cream with goats milk. YUM? But we were trying to figure out a way to get the "gamey" taste out of the goat's milk. She mentioned strawberries, blueberries, honey. I mentioned (in my mind) chocolate. Oh sorry, not on the list. ANYWAY. I am willing to give anything a try that can come close to ice cream! Keep me posted sis!

Blessings to all and see you Thursday night! If you have time, please take the survey on this post. Thanks! Don't worry, I have no way of knowing who answered what!

"But I thank God, who always leads us in victory because of Christ..."(2 Cor. 2:14)

XtremeFaith

Breathing

"...the Lord God formed man from the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7)

33 days left!

5 days left on Phase 1 --- yee haw!

Can we say "sweet potato?'"

Page 91 talks about breathing. Did you find this interesting or what? I saw an infant in church this past Sunday. I was trying to be inconspicuous while trying to notice how she breathed. The parents caught me staring so I smiled. They smiled back. I "sneak-stared" again and sure enough, she was a "belly breather". The book described infants to do this instinctively.

A belly breather? Huh?

While on Route 17, I encountered the type of traffic that makes you wish you lived in some remote part of the country. You know, the place with one store about an hour away. Ok, maybe not that xtreme. But traffic in NJ can be brutal. Just when you think you have your flesh under control, crawling traffic can either confirm or DENY that.

So I pulled into the parking lot of Trader Joe's and just sat there. I was so tense that my shoulders seemed pulled up to my ears. All of a sudden, I wanted to try this breathing technique. I wanted to test it out. Thank God I have tinted windows all around. Wouldn't want anyone calling the cops on the weirdo in the green truck.

"Oh, Officer, it's been a rough day. I am reading how 'breathing' can remove the tension and help me relax. I apologize if I looked as though I was staking a robbery. I am a Christian..see all my bibles? My fish bumper stickers? Look, I even have a WWJD bracelet. All is well sir."

"MmmHmm. Carry on Ma'am."

You will have to try this to believe me. I did the breathing technique for ten minutes. I am not kidding you, it was though everything melted off of me. Tension subsided. I felt so calm, subdued, peaceful, and serene. Forget Calgon. Breathing, that God gave us from day one, was the answer for my stress. It felt as though I had just taken a trip to a faraway land. My body relaxed with every breath. It was hard, at first, but then it got easier and easier.

Rather than rushing into the store, I stayed right there. I was at peace. I began to pray. I felt like I was on a cloud floating through the sky somewhere in Heaven. I saw Moses, and David, and Esther. Oh, sorry, I got away from myself there for a moment. But really, I was in total peace. My shopping experience was wonderful, too. Praise God!

I challenge all of us to make belly breathing (not dancing!) an intricate part of our lives. I am not talking about that crazy mess where they start all that chanting drama and cross the eyes and then vogue. No. Just breathe and meditate on our Wonderful God alone! It will help extinguish alot of flaming arrows that come our way in this crazy tri-state area.

Blessings.

XtremeFaith

The Greatest Love

34 days left
and
6 days to go
on Phase One

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

My accountability partners are Sister Six-Pack-Abs and Sister Wisdom. I get either an email or a text from them almost everyday. What a blessing to know that while I am running around doing this or that, or even still asleep, I am on their mind and heart to pray for.

After supper today, I was having a battle. Ice cream or no ice cream? I had a poor innocent sister with me (also on the diet) that would've joined my crime. (I kinda threatened her nicely.) Then Husband joined the gang and offered to drive us (he is also on the Diet). Then Son was like, "No, I can drive all of you." It was a done deal. I wasn't gonna fail alone!

We reminisced about ice cream as though it were something we had been exiled from, like the Israelites from Egypt. You should've heard us carrying on and on about how good it used to be. No one mentioned the cramps, gas, calories, or fat that it caused and contained. Noooo.

Just when we were gonna get up and leave, I began to hear a voice in my head. It was like John the Baptist calling out in the wilderness. Not really, but you get the idea. It was WonderWoman's voice. "I am praying for you. You won't fail on my watch." It stopped me dead in my tracks. I could almost see her chompin' on honeycomb and tearing up some locusts. She is wearing her camel-hair joggin' suit, with her biceps glistening in the sun. And I hear her again, "...You won't fail on my watch."

WOW.

This is love. Preferring one over ourselves. Standing in the gap. Raising a sword in the devil's face and declaring victory for those captive. Praying. Fasting. Declaring. Believing and hoping for the best. This is what they do for us. This is what we are doing for one another. In times of strength and weakness, we are in this battle together.

I never left the house. I packed some strawberries and blueberries in a nice glass and called it dessert. I sit here in victory that I overcame one temptation today because someone chose to "lay down their life" for me in prayer. How many of you have a praise report where you just "knew" someone prayed you through? Thank God for them today.

Father, let us never take each other for granted. Help us to continue to press in and exemplify kindness towards one another. Whether we have success, or failure, trial or victory, give us true "agape" love that is pleasing in your eyes, Lord. Jesus, thank you for those that are pressing in for our success, as though it were their own. They want what you have always wanted for your children: complete freedom and life overflowing in abundance. We pause to thank you for these coaches and for one another. Amen.

XtremeFaith

"Fellowship"

DAY 35 (and counting!)
7 days left on Phase One!




"You satisfy me more than the richest feast." (Psalm 63:5 NLT)


Eating can become a hobby of sorts for those of us that are born-again believers. After all, no more shakin' a leg down at the Copa anymore. No more late night rendezvous at Jersey diners for disco fries (you know, the ones drowned in gravy...so much gravy that the fries got soggy, but we abolished them in a NY minute) Nothing like greasy fries and burgers at 4am to send us off to bed. Thank you, Jesus, that you spared us all from DEATH by DINERS.

I was recently at a fellowship where the dessert table seemed like it was a mile long. Eclairs. Cake. Cookies. Cake. Cookies. Oh did I mention cake and cookies? You get the picture. I was sweatin' bullets, especially since WW and SC were there. They don't miss a beat. But back to the point--if we aren't careful, "fellowshipping" can ....shipwreck our efforts to do right.

Quite interesting that one of the definitions for the word fellowship is "communion". Another meaning is "company of friends." I looked up several other definitions and none are related to food. I wonder what would happen if I asked a handful of people to come over to "fellowship" and only put the Word of God on the table. Maybe some water, too. But no food. Hmmmm. Not quite sure what would happen. Could we...maybe....PRAY? I am so convicted as I write these words. Easier said than done.

"Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. 'Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?', he asked Peter."

The next time we find ourselves communing together, let it be that our souls will be fed and not just our mouths. We want food that will last...not just for a few hours..but eternally. May God give us a deep conviction to not allow the enemy to rob the saints of powerful prayer, in fellowship, the way God intended it to be.

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work."
(John 4:34 NIV)

Lord, let this be our prayer. Not just on the Maker's Diet, but long after. Help us to glorify you in all that we do. Let our fellowship turn back to what it was meant to be..the communing of our hearts with YOURS. Amen.


XtremeFaith

Fell off Wagon

DAY 35 (and counting!)

AND

ONLY "EIGHT" (not 6! sorry!) DAYS LEFT ON PHASE ONE!


Fell of Wagon Definition: "When one resumes an addictive/compulsive behavior they are trying to control. Orginally referred to drinking, but now encompasses many other behaviors such as eating, smoking, drugs.."


It started out good. I looked up some recipes that are part of Phase One. OOOOOO Guacamole! Yes! Sounds soooo healthy! Avocados! Organic of course. Lemon juice. Organic, what else? Sour cream..nope, not on list..but olive oil is ok (EXTRA virgin of course) and garlic, too..fresh organic. I improvised and added a little goat cheese yogurt to replace the sour cream. The taste was OUTSTANDING! YUM YUM YUM!

But...what do I dip it in? To really test it out? A couple of chips won't hurt? Would it? It's almost un-American to not have chips with guac. ain't it? I mean those crispy, organic, crunchy chips just look soooooo lonely in that colorful bag. A few won't hurt no one.

"Here, here, girl, just have one! " (all of a sudden that old song, "I got the power!!" starts playin' in my mind...you remember it? "...it's gettin' it's gettin it's gettin kinda heavy! I got the power!!)

"GIRL, You got the POWER to just have ONE!!! Did Phase One really say you can't have just one?" (sounded like that serpent's voice when he whispered to dumb Eve in the Garden)

LIES! I ain't got no power! And the only thing "gettin' kinda heavy" is me if I don't get a grip!

Sorry, gang. I fell off the wagon today. I had chips. And then since I felt the old, "Well, you're in trouble now, may as well enjoy," I had some jasmine rice, too. Now I have the other feeling after you mess up: REGRET and SELF-CONDEMNATION. But only for about an hour.

I had to pray myself out of it..and make myself accountable to one of my sisters. I didn't feel so bad after she told me she rode by McDonald's and saw a wanted poster with her face on it that said, "Missing since last Thursday." Although that is a good thing, I felt comforted that she understood me.

Well, I am back on track. I repent to all of you. Especially if you had to be wrestled away from a bagel dripping with butter and you won. There is no excuse for my pathetic behavior. Not even one day away from my monthly friend. Not even the fact that my boobs can be used as flotation devices right now. No. NO excuse and no pity-party. I have to finish strong with my team!

See you Monday!

PS-If anyone else "messed up" please share! Misery loves company!

XtremeFaith

RADIANT!

Day 36 (and countin'!)


"....but those who trust in the LORD shall find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31 NLT)

If I had to describe how everyone looked that started last week on the Maker's Diet..it would be one word: RADIANT!

There was SO much shine in the class tonight! It blinded me so much I had to leave early! LOL! I looked around the room in AWE of how just one week can have such a profound effect! I am not talkin' foundation either or any other make-up. No way. That is NOT what I saw. I saw younger, healthier-looking faces.

When we wait upon Him, He will renew and perfect that which concerns us! I believe because we are putting God's food in our bodies, our bodies are puttin' GOD on our faces! (at least His shine!) No one looked tired, worn out, and beat down. It was a blessing to see such wondrous results.

Lord Jesus, we thank you that You are doing a NEW thing in your children! We praise you for we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We trust in your hand to uphold us throughout these next 36 days. Father, we are always on your mind..so much in fact that the sand in the sea cannot equate to the thoughts you have for us daily. We thank you for that. Amen!"

XtremeFaith

Havin' Fun!

DAY 37 (and counting!)

Ok ladies, if we don't laugh at ourselves, who will? Well, that was a dumb question. I can think of three people that will laugh at me right now. Shoot, you're probably laughin'!!!!!!!!

I got an email from Sis KC (not her real name)..she said, "You know you're on the Maker's Diet when you see the word "information" and instantly think "inflammation" !!!!!!!!!! LOL LOL LOL !!! SO TRUE!

I feel like a bird with all these nuts and sunflower seeds I have consumed. I must admit, they give me great energy and come in handy while on the run. Even so, I had a minor emergency today. It's called old routines. I was thinking of what I normally did on Wednesdays after church..hit DD and get a donut and coffee. Ok, two donuts.

I had to let Sister Sweet Tea know I was in great danger of getting that soft dough filled with rich creamy vanilla tasting pudding..yum..yum..yum. I thought she would go with me (criminal minds think alike) but INSTEAD she told me to, "Run to the light!!" So I DID! I ran to the light that was shining up the outside of this place ridden with everything my body just cleansed itself of..carbs, sugar, oil..junk. Obviously this was not the light she meant for me to run to.

Faster than a speedin' munchkin, Sweet Tea came running with her cape flapping in the wind! Well, not really, she sent me a text telling me that she "heard" there was an e-coli outbreak on dough. (absolutely NOT TRUE but she had to tell me something, even a little white doughy lie!) Hmmm. In case you don't know me that well, I am a GERM-O-PHOB. In an instant, my vision of a lovely, round, grease-saturated Boston Creme turned into me having a toilet attached to my ankle from the effects of this bacteria in my body. OK. End of fantasy donut affairs. Sweet Tea saved the day. Take a bow, sister.

Went to Trader Joes. Got blueberries. And yes, you guessed it, NUTS.

THANK GOD for accountability partners AND for laughter.

In the spirit of laughter, here is a joke: (gasp! we can tell jokes and still be saved) "Oh Gosh," sighed the wife one morning, "I'm convinced my mind is completely gone!" Her husband looked up from the newspaper and said, "I am not surprised. You've been givin' me a piece of it for the past 20 years!!" HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!! (so true ain't it?)

"A merry heart doeth good like medicine." (Proverbs 17:22)

XtremeFaith

Planning!

DAY 38 and counting!

Ladies!!! WE ARE DOING THIS!! OH MY GOODNESS! ARE WE EXCITED OR WHAT????? The emails I got today were SO encouraging. This may sound strange, but I am hoping these next 38 days DON'T pass too quickly. I am enjoying the newfound camaraderie (cuz we are all workin' towards the same goal). It's just great knowing there is an army working together, struggling together, laughing together, and hoping together.

I saw Sister "Sweet Tea" tonight at church. God bless her for pressing into Jesus for the strength to drink the cod liver oil (mint flavored of course). Plus the green pond water-I mean nutrition drink that she has to choke-I mean drink-down. (I think she turned green as she described it to me)

Soooooo the men are taking steps to be healthy!! WOW! My husband started, too. MMMHMMM. I find myself constantly asking my husband, "Would you like some cheese with your whine?" He swears that he is hungry all the time! (Welcome to my world, buddy) But I think if he planned his meals out at work it would solve the problem. Let's give God thanks for the men coming on board!

I am finding that planning is 100% necessary. I found myself running on E today as I was food shopping. I had to bust open some blueberries and eat 'em up cuz I was having a stare down with ciabatta bread..guess who was winning?The fruit brought my sugar up so I was fine..but I must plan better.

I hate ants. They get everywhere in the summer if you're not careful. I just wanna wipe them out. Actually, I have wiped them out, literally, in my house. I was bothered by them getting in the house from the deck. I doused them with windex (it drowns them) and then I wiped them up. WALLA. DUMB ANTS!

But the Word of God commends these little creatures. UGHHHH!!!!!

"Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest." (Proverbs 6:6-8)

Now I KNOW we are not gonna allow an ant to have "ONE UP" on US. NO WAY. Let's focus on planning today. Remember if we "FAIL TO PLAN, WE PLAN TO FAIL!"

Lord Jesus, help us to plan our meals, exercise, and most importantly, seek Your face daily. Let this be the day that we encourage ourselves, as well as others, to focus on planning for success. Thank you!

XtremeFaith

Unified Prayer

Day 39 (counting backwards!)

I love that our church has dedicated this week to prayer. Things happen when the Body of Christ gathers together to seek God's face. I love how the Holy Spirit weaves hearts together to seek God with singleness of mind. There were so many people praying and lifting up each other's needs tonight..it was like a thunderous cry to God.

I was thinking that we could unify our hearts in prayer today. Many in our group made it through day one pretty good, and we praise God for that! But there are some that struggled with one thing or another. We know that there will be adversity anytime we seek to advance the Kingdom of God. We are the Kingdom of God. Taking care of these temples will take time, patience, perseverance, and a tenacious spirit to make it to the finish line.

I know we have our prayer partners, but let's remember our biblical health coaches as well. Lord, we ask you to cover them with the Power of Your Blood. We come against every device from hell that would seek to destroy them and the vision you gave to them. Father, we lift them up, as well as our entire group, and we speak the victory of Jesus over all of us. Jesus, you said, "It is finished." We rest in the finished work of the Cross, especially during difficult times. Amen.

Enjoy your day sisters! Thanks for all the emails, but keep them coming. Recipes, tips, testimonies..whatever you want to share that would be beneficial to our success! BLESSINGS!

XtremeFaith

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

Countdown!

DAY 40 "Lord, give us grace for the race!"

Hey everyone! Sorry this devo is so late! Had some "technical" issues today. Of course! It's Monday and it's the very first day of our 40 day journey to wholeness. IT WOULD BE JUST LIKE THE DEVIL TO TRY AND MAKE EVERYTHING GO WRONG. BUT WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED! (Only the weight shall move, dumb devil!!!)

I like the email I got today from Sister "Wisdom" (love her). She said quite simply, "I want to eat to live and not live to eat." She also mentioned that this journey "all comes down to choice" stating that the Lord says: "Choose this day whom you will serve, God or mammon (she said that is another name for her bodacious buttocks...ok..ok "fat butt" is what she really said LOL but I like the other term)

Sister Wisdom is, um...well...she is wise. Duh. As a matter of a fat, oops I meant fact, wisdom like that comes from trial and error. I respect women like her. Ones that have made mistakes, learned, made them again, learned and still keep pressing on despite shortcomings. We can feel free to share with a person like this. If they know their weaknesses, how would they ever judge us for ours?! This type of person is secure in God's workmanship in herself as well as others.

Sister "Rock-Hard-Abs" called me to see how I was doing. She is one of my prayer partners in this journey. Well, one thing led to another in our conversation about this Maker's Diet, and the next thing you know, I am hearing bits and pieces of her testimony. Tears filled my eyes. This is what's important in this journey..relationships, and giving GOD the glory!

Yes, she really does have an awesome physique (jealousy is a sin..whose jealous??? who cares if she can bounce a quarter off her stomach? I can bounce 50 and would never know they hit me with all this insulation I have) The thing I love about her is she may be fit, but she wants to be a disciple of learning what to eat. We are finding out about all the hidden poisons in foods we thought would otherwise be healthy. I used to think a big mac meal, super-sized, with a diet coke was healthy. Who would've known? Just watch the movie "Super Size Me" and you will never want fast food again. (especially where he pukes his guts out..yuk.)

Let's thank God for this race we are in. Most importantly, let's commit our efforts to Him. I have heard many of our husbands have joined with us. WOW. Look at the multiplication taking place already. What began as a vision for two desperate souls with a burden for God's people to be healthy is spreadin' like wildfire. Also, I find it just like our God to put "Running the Race" as our pastor's vision for our church for 2010.

He mentioned that he ran a race years ago. At the very end he was tired and weary, but his friend came up and ran alongside him, encouraging him all the way to the finish line. What a friend! May we all be like that to one another during this race, until it's complete. Let it burn in our hearts that "I am my sister's keeper." The lifespan of your sister could very much depend on these next 39 days. Be a part of preserving her life! Amen!!!

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." (Proverbs 16:3)

XtremeFaith

An Acquired Taste

Part of the Maker's Diet consists of drinking goat milk rather than cow's milk. Hmmmm. I didn't say "Mmmmm." I said "Hmmmm." It says here, on page 140, that goat's milk is very digestible in the human body. It takes 20 minutes to digest verses three hours for regular milk. It is filled with vitamins, enzymes, and protein. Hmmmm.

So I poured a glass of this milk and drank it down fast. With my nose plugged. For a few minutes. If I can't taste something it won't make me gag. When I brush my teeth, if I go too far back, I gag. My dentist has written "Strong Gag Reflex" on my file. So I am very cautious when trying something new! Much to my surprise it was not baaaaaaaaad. (oh, that's a sheep's noise, goat's bleat..sorry!) Really, it was good. It has a thicker texture than regular milk but other than that, it's not baaaad (oops) at all. This journey may not be so baaaaad after all. I couldn't resist.

The body is made up of many parts. And what good would those parts be without one another? No good. The toe can't be without the foot. The fingers can't be without the hand. You get the idea. I believe the heart of these two biblical coaches is to help us lengthen our lives. With tenderness and love, these two gals are gently giving us information...for LIFE.

Hats off to these two women of God for taking the "road less traveled." They have tolerated criticism, jokes, and being labeled "fanatics", but it did not stop them. They have a burden to see the Body of Christ function at its most optimum level. And they do so by using God's manual for His creation, His Word. I pray we all take heed while we are still blessed with healthy lives.

And here's lookin' at you "kid" (really, no pun intended)...I toast to all of us that are on this journey together. May God bless our efforts to take care of His creation!

"For the body is not one member but many....God has designed the body ...so that there will be no division in the body but that its parts would have equal concern for the other..." (1 Cor. 12 14-25)

XtremeFaith

A New Journey

Ahhhh the excitement of embarking on something new! I love the beginning stages of commitment! There is energy, excitement, anticipation! Rah! Rah! Rah! We have our pom-poms out and we are ready to tackle whatever lies ahead of us.

There is a group of us ladies (and men) from church that have decided we need to grab the bull by the horns (or ourselves away from the chocolate cake) and enter 2010 with a desire to be healthy: body, soul, and spirit.

This will not be easy! However, we have purposed, as a team, to seek the Lord to help guide us into an ocean of healing, wholeness, learning, and victory in the area of what God intended for our temples. With WonderWoman and SuperChick (terms of endearment for our Biblical Life Coaches) at the wheel, what do we have to lose?!! Unwanted weight, for one, and very bad eating habits for another. We have alot to gain, but with God's grace, it won't be pounds! We will obtain knowledge that will help steer us to the shores of change, not just temporal satisfaction.

Our information will come from the book by Jordan Rubin titled, "The Maker's Diet". We set sail on Monday, January 11th, towards our destination to know and understand what God really intended for us to digest, since the beginning of time. I don't know much about the book, but I understand the author took his information straight from the Bible.

I invite you to journey along with us as I write to uplift and encourage our brave group. We know that there may be storms ahead. We have bound our hearts together to weather these as a team because: "Together Everyone Achieves More." I look forward to journaling the ups (and downs) of what we go through. More than this, I look forward to all the wonderful praise reports to share!

This weekend, I know several of us are going to buy whole, clean foods to replace the refined ones in the fridge. Some of us will bid goodbye to foods that will break our hearts..sniffle sniffle. I had a funeral for my friend, Chocolate. It was bittersweet. Eh-hem, no pun intended. I got a text from Sister J telling me she found a zero calorie dressing that I will love. She really sounds excited (!) about her new found treasure..and very eager to have me get the same one. Misery loves company. Ooops. Did I write that?

So tally-ho mate! Ay-Ay Captain! Let's push off land with anticipation in our hearts for healing waters to wash over us!!!

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.." (Zechariah 4:10)

XtremeFaith

Stop. Breathe. Pray.

Sometimes we just have to stop and do what God allowed us to do at the very beginning of life..breathe.

Hustle and bustle. Runnning around here and there. Cell phones. Emails. Text messages. Work. School. Work. Work. Work.

Is there time to just sit and relax? And breathe? Of course it seems like there is not a second to spare. We have to make the time to stop doing and just be.

TIME is a gift from the Lord Jesus Christ. I often take time for granted. For example, I would like to pray for hours at a time, but let me just check my email really quick Lord. In case there are prayer needs. Yeah, ok, hours later (meant for prayer) I am still "checking my email." Interruptions. Time wasted.

Lord, I will take this phone call "really quickly" and then I will get into prayer. Oops, I ended up praying with the person on the phone. "See, Lord, I am doing Kingdom work!" Praying is great. However, when my tank is running on "E", I must make time for Him to fill me up.

Jesus wanted His disciples to stay awake and pray with Him. They fell asleep. I feel like I am "asleep" even when I am awake. I am running, running, running and by the time I get positioned in prayer, sleep finds me quickly. How terrible I feel!

Lord, teach us to BREATHE while we still have breath and to PRAY while we are upon this earth. Teach us to do what you did best while you walked this earth, commune with God. Teach me, Lord, to pray. And to be a human being that you desired me to be. Father, forgive me when I put everything else in front of my time designated for you. I don't want to be found on empty if a crisis hits. I want to be fillled with the power of God found only in prayer.

XtremeFaith

Food for Thought

"Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial..." (1 Corinthians 10:23)

I love chocolate. But it does not love me. We have a love/hate relationship.

I don't discriminate either. I love any type of chocolate..dark, white, milk, with nuts, without nuts, crispified, small squares, kisses. Why stop at candy? How about cakes, cookies, muffins, donuts, cupcakes? Did I mention cupcakes? No party is right without them. Well, sort of.

I have a confession to make. A few summers ago, a very good friend of mine came over with the family and a dozen cupcakes in tow. I thought they were for us to have right then and there. I won't say how much I ate, but it put me in a "sugar coma" for around 5 hours. I later found out they were part of her daughter's birthday celebration we had planned. I figured the cake was good enough..why did she need the cupcakes too??? And I only had a "few"...hmmm..not quite.

I am finding out, as I get a little (key word is little) older, that sugar has a real bad effect on the joints as well. My daughter just made a fresh cake today. You know, it's a good thing. We are trying to rid our house of all the refined products we have so we can start eating "clean". She made a devil's chocolate (properly named) cake. The smell was so sweet. And nothing like warm cake..you would be proud of me..no icing. But somehow, with only her and I at home, almost half that cake is gone. She is lookin at me, I am lookin at her. Someone did it! Wasn't me!

But now, I'm feelin' a little weird. I feel "loopy". Like I used to feel back in the day after I had a "few". I don't like this feeling. And I got up to turn the heat down and my joints hurt. Hmmm. I should not have had that warm, chocolate, sweet smelling cake. No, I am serious. I was on a "clean" streak and now I fell into my daughter's sin. Ok, it was not her fault, but she helped.

Now I am wishin I could turn back time today and just have thrown the .99 box of junk out. No wonder they call it "death by chocolate". I may not die from it, but I feel really out of control. My skin is itching. Head pounding. And my thoughts are coming to me at a rapid rate...so fast that I can't really think of what to write because there is information overload right now.


WW and SC warned me about this. They told me what sugar does to the body. I heard them. I believe them. But I thought "just a little" won't hurt. Hmmmm. I was wrong.


"Lord, help us to make right decisions. Not just with our eating, but with all the things we face daily and have to decide upon. Let us not allow our flesh to lead us. Teach us to discipline ourselves to make right choices no matter HOW GOOD the temptation looks. And Lord Jesus, this ain't just about chocolate...no, this can be about anything that would stumble us. Thank you Lord for leading us back on the path of healing. Thank you, Gentle Shepherd."

XtremeFaith

He Knows Me

"Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you." (Jeremiah 1:5)

Ok, this really blows my mind. The Creator, God, knew me before He ever formed me. This is incredible. Do you ever have those times where you wonder if God hears you? Sees you? Or if He even remembers who you are? I have gone through those times too many to count. Yet, God never tires of proving His immeasurable love for me. He never, ever will get tired of telling me over, and over, and over, and over again. (I got tired just from writing that) Thank God that HE NEVER STOPS COMING AFTER US.

There are times I don't like myself very much. I go through periods of time when I wonder whether or not God likes me as well. I can be really great and then I can be really, really bad. Like yesterday. I did something so wrong that I wondered how God could ever forgive me. Don't worry, I didn't rob a bank, or harm anyone. I didn't go to a bar, or leave my husband.

It's just that the closer I get to God, the more my sin breaks my heart into pieces. Trust me, when I first got saved, I could cuss someone out while holding a bible in my hands, ten fish stickers on the bumper, and 30 crosses on my neck. And not really feel all that bad about it. I was not ready to die to my flesh yet. Not anymore. Anything that breaks fellowship with me and the Holy Spirit cripples me. I understand how King David felt when he told the Lord not to take the Precious Holy Spirit from him. (Psalm 51:11) That is my worst fear. Honestly, I would rather die than lose fellowship with the Holy Spirit. When I sin, I go into hiding.

But He comes to find me.

Just like He found them: Adam and Eve. He came looking for them. And He comes looking for us when we have sinned. How amazing is that? He came looking for me yesterday..with a whip? With condemning words? With the "you should know better than that" speech? No, that is what the self-righteous do to me. BUT GOD does not do that.

His goodness, His unfailing kindness and love leads me to repentance. He came to me with songs in my heart last night. I felt Him washing my feet in the spirit realm, cleaning me off. My tears flowed freely. I asked God to forgive me. This morning, I chose to afflict my soul with fasting (Psalm 35:13). Not just with food. But with the cell phone, the computer, and anything that would draw me away from His presence. It's not that I didn't receive the forgiveness of my God. It's because of His forgiveness that I chose to chastise my flesh. Flesh wants its way all the time and has to be denied. He must increase. I must decrease. (John 3:30)

"But God demonsrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) I don't know about you, but like the Apostle Paul I felt like one of the "chief of sinners." Bars, theft, fornication, lies, abortions, these are just the few..but CHRIST died for me because of God's love WHILE I was still sinning. I don't dare to boast in my sin. I boast in what Jesus Christ did so that I could be FREE from my sins in the past, the present, and the future. All because of God's unstoppable love. Nothing stopped God from finding me, because all along, He knew me.

Father in Heaven, help us to get a revelation of your unfailing love for us. Help us to run to you, not from you when we fail you. Help us to realize that you "know us" but love us anyway! Your love is unfailing and nothing can stop your love, Father. Forgive us when we don't trust you to love us beyond our faults.

XtremeFaith