I wanna know

I was listening to Air1 in the car during lunch and Anthem Lights’ song “I wanna know you like that” started playing. I was singing along when I realized that these words were really a prayer for me. I really do want to know God in a personal way and to live my life in a way that Christ did while he was here on earth.

Then…the conviction hit. If I want to know God “with every breath that I breathe and I wanna help other see” then I need to work on my relationship with God. I need to grab my bible instead of my nook. I need to put down my iPod touch, not play a game of Hanging with Friends, and pray. I have so many idols…including eating, that I never realized how much I put in front of God.

I will never know God in the way I want to unless I work at it. I need an exercise schedule for God just as much as I need an exercise my body. I need to make the right choices with food to keep my body healthy and I need to make the right choices with my spiritual life to increase my relationship with God.

Read these lyrics…I hope they touch you as much as they touched me today.  

I wanna know

Just today
I heard a story of a pastor far away
Who watched his church walls fall with the rain
With tears in his eyes
Here is what he had say
"Let's reach the ones that will rebuild this place"

(Chorus)
I wanna know You like that
To live, to love
With everything I am
To give it all
I wanna know You like that
To become
A man after Your heart
And not look back
I wanna know You like that

I wanna know
I wanna know
I wanna know...

Like David did
He lived a life this world cannot forget
He'd fall so hard then get back up again
Then face the giant knowing he would win
Because You were with him

Chorus

With every breath I breathe
I wanna help others see
And I will never stop
'Til everybody's singing (X2)

Chorus (X2)

I wanna know, I wanna know
I wanna know, I wanna know
I wanna know You like that (X2)

fresh brewed life

Book Description
With wit and wisdom, Nicole Johnson leads readers in a journey of awakenings.
Living a fresh-brewed life requires that women encounter a beautiful awakening in three areas. First, to God as they respond to His tender, passionate love for them; second to themselves as they embrace their identities as women, their gifts, and their dreams; and third to others as they learn to love and communicate in ways that bring joy and closeness.
In this substantial revision—including new chapters and a study guide—of the successful 1999 Fresh-Brewed Life, Nicole offers a freshly brewed, wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee guide to living life to the fullest. She encourages Christian women to recognize the areas in their lives where they are sound asleep—and let God wake them up again.
Readers will find a heartwarming, honest book that’s good to the last drop.

Fresh-brewed life was a great book. It was honest and unique. It definately made me feel like I wanted to cuddle up on the couch and snuggle with the book and a cup of coffee. Although I feel some of the book was typical of women's devotional books, it was still a great pick me up or gift book.

Weight loss blog

On this weight loss journey I am starting, I am also going to blog! Please join me on my weight loss blog: Missie's Reshaping it All!

Making a healthy change

You have read how I have struggled over and over with weight loss. This week I hit a low. At work we had a special week for customer service week that centered around food. Monday was breakfast pizza, Tuesday was popcorn, candy and pop, Wednesday was dips (lots and lots of cream cheese based dips), today is caramel rolls and tomorrow is a potluck. Uffda. Instead of trying to stick with Weight Watchers because I did so well last week, I let it all go.

I realized this morning that being a Christian takes self-control and will power. Temptation comes at us from all angles. I have learned (mostly the hard way) to stay away from people and activities that make me sin. I did not realize until today what a sin my eating was. I am a glutton for food – and punishment.

So, I am once again going to start down the road to weight loss, but this time I am going to put God in the driver seat like I do for the rest of the things in my life that I find tempting. I have a problem with food…I cannot stop. This one is above and beyond me…I need help from above. Also, a couple of my friends have found out that they have diabetes and I am worried that without a little weight loss and a big change of lifestyle, that will be me. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and one of the biggest issues with the syndrome revolves around insulin. Quite a few of PCOS develop diabetes, along with a lot of weight gain. I need to get right with food to get right with my health.

My goals for weight loss:

• Lose 25 pounds
• Gain self-confidence
• Learn self-control
• Be healthier
• Look better in my clothes
• Exercise at least 3 times a week
• Look sexier for my husband

I also decided to aspire to a rewards system to give myself small milestones along the way! Here is what I came up with:

5 lbs lost – Pedicure

10 lbs lost – Bare Minerals Eye Colors

15 lbs lost – Massage

20 lbs lost – New clothes

25 lbs lost – Dandelion tattoo

What do you use for weight loss inspiration? What books have inspired your weight loss journey? I would love to know!

Courageous

My bible study group and I went to Courageous tonight. I didn't really want to go to the movie (tired, other things I need to get done) but I really enjoyed it. One of those movies that left you feeling inspired.

Courageous is about a group of four men who are in the police force together and another man they meet along the way. The men have their struggles and see a lot of the bad in the world. After a tragedy in one of the men's lives, they dive into the word. One man inspires the rest to become better fathers, husbands and believers.

Although geared towards men, I still felt like I got a lot out of the movie. My husband and I do not know if we are going to have a child, or if we even can, but knowing that he could stand up and be a father like the men in the movie is awesome. How amazing would it be if all the men in the world would stand up for their own selves, their wives and their children. And women, we need to obey God in our roles too. Even though it isn't specifically addressed in the movie, the wives were always behind their husbands, encouraging, inspiring and loving them.

The part I loved the most in the movie was when one character took his daughter out to eat. Instead of giving her the "true love waits" speech he took a new approach. He tells her how much he loves and cherishes her. He cares for her heart and her well being. He asks her to let them help her find the right boy and when that day comes that she does meet the right boy, he will be there to extend him a welcome into the family. He did give her a ring with a heart and to me it seemed like he cared so much more than just asking her to wait for marriage until she had sex. He wanted to be there for her at all costs and to really help her understand how precious she really is to him and God.

Suit Up

I love “How I Met your Mother.” In its six seasons we have grown to love all the characters. Marshall and Lily’s super cute romance, Ted’s quest to find true love, Robin finding herself and Barney. Oh Barney. There is a lot we could say about Barney…but one thing I would never have imagined is learning a life lesson from Barney.

If you have ever watched the show you know that Barney has a “catch phrase.” Whenever Barney is going out, doing business or any other crazy scheme he comes up with, he shouts into the air, “Suit UP!”

I almost hate to admit it, but Barney is onto something. He suits up to be prepared for all situations. And we as Christians are called to “suit up” too.

Ephesians 6:13-19 calls us to put on the full armor of God, to suit up in the armor of God. And I have found that without the armor I am completely unready for what may come my way; including the devils schemes that Ephesians warns us about.
So how do we suit up? It is a daily choice. We need to physically and spiritually dress ourselves every day.

The Belt of Truth. Our truth comes from the word. If we are not in the word daily, studying, memorizing, absorbing, our pants will (almost literally) fall down when we are questioned.

The Breastplate of Righteousness. We are called to be righteous, to have a higher ethical standard. That will set us apart and guide us away from unrighteous and trying situations.

The Shield of Faith. Faith is hard and there are so many around us that are against what we believe. But we must continue to believe and have unfailing faith.

The Helmet of Salvation. Knowing and acting on the way, truth and life that comes from believing and knowing Jesus Christ as your savior.

The Sword of the Spirit. The word of God and understanding from the Holy Spirit.

And the final way we are called to “Suit Up”? To pray. Always pray. We are called to be alert, so along with the prayer we must always be listening to God.

These are not easy, but without the word, faith, salvation and the Holy Spirit, I know that I cannot witness about my faith, I cannot stand firm against temptation and I can easily walk away from my beliefs.

I have stumbled, I have stopped doing the things that keep me close to God, and in turn, I have messed up. I have regrets and wish I could have traveled back and told myself to hold firm, to find a Christian organization right away at college and to always read my bible.

But, I didn’t. But, luckily, we have a forgiving father. I can start a fresh with the knowledge I do have now and choose to “Suit Up” everyday.