Freedom in Christ

Tough 5 Mile Run

2012-02-17T15:19:00.000-05:00

My Raw Vegan Breakfast....Getting Back on Track

2012-02-16T13:33:00.000-05:00

I shared this video as an example of what I eat most days to keep my body fueled.

DESPERATION

2011-07-24T18:06:00.007-04:00

The video that is attached is a video that my husband did last week. He is talking about desperation. When you actually get to the point where you will do just about anything to be free from whatever life controlling problem you are struggling with.

THE STRUGGLE

2011-07-10T11:34:00.001-04:00

How can I love God so much and still run to food that makes me feel horrible when I need comfort? I will answer this and more in the days to come.

Happy New Year and The Fast Starts Tomorrow

2010-01-01T21:14:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year!

I am feeling a little depressed this evening. I don't really have a reason to be depressed. I believe I am grieving the fact that I will not be eating solid foods for the next 10 days.

I am fasting because of the following.....

Isaiah 58:6-9
6 “ Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

Food has got a hold on me and I am going to get free because of the power of God!

I will keep you posted.

Idol Worship, Bitterness, and a Stubborn Heart.....

2009-12-31T08:08:00.010-05:00

Deuteronomy 29:17-19 (New Living Translation)
17 You have seen their detestable practices and their idols made of wood, stone, silver, and gold. 18 I am making this covenant with you so that no one among you—no man, woman, clan, or tribe—will turn away from the Lord our God to worship these gods of other nations, and so that no root among you bears bitter and poisonous fruit.

19 “Those who hear the warnings of this curse should not congratulate themselves, thinking, ‘I am safe, even though I am following the desires of my own stubborn heart.’ This would lead to utter ruin!

I don't even have anything to say about this scripture. It cut my heart and I am going to have to pray about it.

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

2009-12-29T11:18:00.006-05:00

Who is responsible? Who is responsible for my overeating or my eating foods that are not good for my body or for my turning to food when I should be turning to God? Who is responsible? Who was responsible when the doctor said you have 3 fibroid tumors 3 cm, 8 cm and 9 cm? Who was responsible when the doctor said you won't be able to give birth to children because you have PCOS? Who is responsible?

I have the ability to take responsibility for my behavior. I have made attempts at taking responsibility for my behavior.....but nothing has been lasting.

What will it take for me to take responsibility for my actions I often ask myself?

I have come to the realization that taking responsibility is a choice even when I feel as if I am stuck or paralyzed in my circumstances.

Today I am making a different choice.

I feel called to do a 10 day fast. I will be documenting my progress on my blog. If anyone wants to join me please feel free. I will be starting on January 2nd.

Matthew 6:25-34
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Judgement

2009-05-07T08:44:00.005-04:00

Matthew 7:1-6 (The Message)
A Simple Guide for Behavior 1-5 "Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
6"Don't be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don't reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you're only being cute and inviting sacrilege.

My husband and I were having a conversation about something that is near and dear to our hearts. I began to talk to him about how wrong he was in dealing with the situation and blindly ingnoring how I had been handling the situation. All I could do is point my fingers at what he was doing wrong and never considering my part. My husband brought to my attention that I had been ignoring my part and I just did not see that I had a part in it! After all it was him in the wrong, not me.

Well God is full of grace. He brought me to Matthew 7:1-6 this morning. Need I say more? I am still processing what I have done wrong and trying to make things right. I just wanted to say that God is faithful and I believe that since my heart is for Him she shows me my sin, I confess it, ask for forgiveness and it's over! What a wonderful God I serve!

Proverbs 7

2009-03-07T08:13:00.004-05:00

Proverbs 7 speaks of a woman dressed to seduce the unexpected soul. This chapter talks about being taken out and into adultery and fornication when your guard is down. The writer says in

Proverbs 7:1-5
1 My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your nearest kin,
5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.

God's word protects us from being "taken out" into sin. When we have His word written on our hearts and we actively do what is in versus 1-5 we have a better chance at saying not to sin.

I relate the harlot in verses 6-27 to food or shall I say overeating.

The food looks so beautiful, appetizing, colorful, and it smells marvelous! You say to yourself I can't wait to eat it....It will be so good to my soul. After all I've heard it said that "food is good for the soul". I will eat until I am filled all night. After all, I can eat as much as I want, no one will know. Or worse, the people surrounding you are just as soul hungry as you are and you feel just fine feeding your face until your soul is as full as it can get.

When it is all over, you sit or lay down and think about how horrible you feel from stuffing yourself. Is it worth it? Of course not but the cycle continues and it leads to death.

"DEATH IS THE REWARD FOR AN UNDISCIPLINED LIFE".

6 For at the window of my house
I looked through my lattice,
7 And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the youths,
A young man devoid of understanding,
8 Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house
9 In the twilight, in the evening,
In the black and dark night.
10 And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
11 She was loud and rebellious,
Her feet would not stay at home.
12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square,
Lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him and kissed him;
With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “ I have peace offerings with me;
Today I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you,
Diligently to seek your face,
And I have found you.
16 I have spread my bed with tapestry,
Colored coverings of Egyptian linen.
17 I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him,
And will come home on the appointed day.”
21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
With her flattering lips she seduced him.
22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,[a]
23 Till an arrow struck his liver.
As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it would cost his life.
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded,
And all who were slain by her were strong men.
27 Her house is the way to hell,[b]
Descending to the chambers of death.

Who Is First?

2009-01-20T23:15:00.005-05:00

You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." Exodus 20:4 NIV

Lord are you first or have I chosen another? You see I have put other things before God for so long I don't even know how to consistantly put Him first. So I have to fight to keep Him first everyday. It is not just something that happens automatically. It takes work. It is also not about how I feel. Emotions are fickle..... Happy one minute and sad the next.

I am choosing to put God first and glorify Him in my body and in my life.

I fasted today breakfast and lunch and I ate too much at my dinner time meal. I feel stuffed. I pray that tomorrow when it is time to eat dinner that I am able to practice self-control over what I eat. I pray that my desire will not be to over eat. Lord I pray that you will get at my heart and heal it where it hurts. Lord show me why I ate too much...in the name of Jesus! AMEN

An Encouraging Testimony

2009-01-19T08:02:00.005-05:00

Here is a testimony from The Lord's Table....

My love of food has kept me in bondage since I was a very young girl. I used food to comfort my loneliness and sooth my pain. What was used to cover pain as a child, ended up causing pain all through my adult years. I had been controlled by food every day of my life.

Along with food, other addictions came in to my life. All were self-destructive. When I accepted Christ in my life in my thirties, God started freeing me of some of the other things in my life.
Most of them fell away so easily, and I thought for sure He would deliver me of food issues. I cried out for many years to be freed from the bondage food had on me.

When I saw The Lords Table website address in the church bulletin, I was interested. At first I was angry, because I thought I am a Christian and I spend time with God every day. Well I learned fast I was not really seeking the Lord the way the course suggested. I started turning to
the Word, and looking there for Christ, and God really opened my eyes to his truth.

I had always been a "feeling" Christian. Did I feel God in my prayer time? Did I feel God during worship? Well, I soon learned I was overlooking the way God wants to speak to me through his Word. I was always frustrated, because I really didn't know how to get anything from the Word. Well, the one thing I have been blessed with through this course is my new relationship with the Word of God. Reading and meditating on His Word does fill that hole in our hearts and, as a by-product, food has much less pull on me than before.

I thank God for showing me my sin, releasing me from the bondage of food, and bringing me closer to Him. I now seek to eat in a way that pleases the Lord, and it is a constant learning of His ways to eat, not my old way of eating anything and everything. I know if I keep looking to Him, He will strengthen me to live in this new way with food as a fuel and not a lover.

Through The Lords Table, I have gone from 188 to 168 pounds and yesterday, my last day of the course, I was able to wear a dress to my niece's wedding that I wore to my daughter's wedding. Only God could have helped me do that.

Beginning weight: 188 Current weight: 168

Paige Stahley

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Matthew 6:25--KJV

Feasting on God

2009-01-16T23:05:00.007-05:00

So many days I went to food instead of the Lord when I was hurting, lonely, afraid, bored, happy, sad, frustrated, etc. Food was my friend. It felt so good going down. It made the emotions go away for a moment only to find that a short time later the emotions returned with a vengeance. Then I would eat again. It has been a cycle my whole life.

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. "But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels." (Psalm 81:10-12)

I cried out to the Lord over and over again. I could never stay on a diet for any length of time. I had been trying to "diet" in my own strength and I failed time after time. I gave in to my desire to eat again and again. God gave me over to my stubborn heart and allowed me to eat and eat until I was often physically sick. I did not fully realize that the Lord was after my heart. His desire is to change me from the inside out! Hallelujah! I have learned that He wants me to put Him before anything else in my life. Even food. The biggest desire of my life is to grant His desire. I am His beloved daughter and I long to be close to Him.

"Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts." (Jeremiah 15:16)

I am learning to feast on the Lord by sitting at His feet and listening to His voice as I "open wide my mouth so that He may fill it with His word".

Under the Power

2009-01-15T09:57:00.008-05:00

1 Corinthians 6:12 - All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

This scripture is profound for me because even though eating is lawful, I have allowed myself to be brought under the power of food. I have allowed myself to try to fill and empty soul with food when the only One that can fill an empty soul is Jesus Christ.

With God's help, I have started to make new choices...It is not about what I eat. It is about why I am eating. I no longer wish to eat for any reason other than true hunger. If I am not hungry I will not eat. If my soul is hungry I will choose to feast on Jesus Christ.

John 6:53-58 - 53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever."

The Lord is Good

2009-01-10T22:48:00.002-05:00

Tonight I sit in the presence of the Lord and I long for the words to tell Him really how good He is. There are really no words to articulate to Him how good He is. He never leaves us nor does he forsake us. He is good. How can I tell Him just how good He is. I say yet again that the Lord is good and His mercy endures forever and ever. AMEN

God's Healing Power

2008-07-03T11:28:00.002-04:00

This will be a very short post. All I would like to say today is that the Lord has really been pressing upon me to use His word to move me toward my healing. The word is full of His promises for us to be healed in every area of life. So my journey is to put those promises in first person so that I may take hold of what He has for me. So today I am declaring that my body is pain free in the name of Jesus. I declare that every tissue, every bone, every part of my body operates in the perfection in which he created it to work. I declare that I am an obedient humble servant of the Lord and by His stripes I am healed.

A Message on Spiritual Warfare....

2008-06-30T10:38:00.005-04:00

1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

That scripture is very interesting to me. Satan is walking around watching each one of us to see if we have let down our guard so that he can attack. So many of us walk around life without any regard to the enemy. He is watch us patiently so that he can make his move on us.

The message that I would like to get today is this.......

****Keep your mind clear of distractions and watch with expectation for Satan to try to come and destroy you.

The beautiful this is that we have already won the battle because of Christ.

I am choosing to walk through life Sober and Vigilant! Thank you Lord for the abiltiy to do so.

Illnesses I Have Suffered With

2008-06-26T14:36:00.003-04:00

PCOS, Insulin Resistance, Chronic Boils, Hirsutisim, Acne, Dark Blotchy Skin, Constipation, Irregular Periods, Infertility, Acid Reflux, Dry Skin, Vision Problems, Bad Breath, Yeast Infections -

When I eat a high raw diet all of these issues begin to heal. But they come right back when I go back to the SAD standard american diet.

More About Me.....I Have Been Sick

2008-06-26T14:09:00.006-04:00

Part of the reason that I started this blog is to document my jouney to health. This afternoon I sit here at my desk and I am supposed to be working. I am unable to focus on anything.

I am a firm believer in that which you put into your body effects your abiltiy to function. If you eat junk you will function like you have eaten junk and if you eat good you will function well because you have eaten good foods.

On this journey I have found that a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables (low in starch) minus meat or dairy products works best for me. Therefore my goal is to eat a high raw diet for the rest of my life because it makes me feel the best.

I am not advocating that everyone on earth should eat this way but it is however the best diet for me. The picture that you see of me on this blog is when I was eating a high raw diet. I was at my lowest weight since my early 20's (174 lbs). I had just gotten off of a 7 day juice fast. I felt wonderful. I am now up around 200lbs. I have not gotten on the scale in about a month so I am not sure what my weight is.

The reason for this post is that I would just like to express to you that I feel horrible. The reason I feel horrible is because of all the food that I have eaten that is not good for me. I feel as though I am stuck. Stuck in a rut that I can't get out of. It's like I have a 100lb weight on my head and I can't get it off. This is what I call bondage.

Isaiah 58:6-9
6 “ Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

Fasting breaks the yoke of bondage. God has been speaking to me for years about fasting. When I live a fasted life style healing comes. I don't really have any other choice in my life because I am miserable when I don't live a fasted lifestyle. I have such freedom and clarity when I do.

I have to prepare myself mentally and get things in place for myself so I am not sure when I am going to start. It will however be in the next few days. I will update you with my plant.

Plan:

Eat high in raw fruits and vegetables only for period of 30 day - This means no bread or starchy vegetables as well as no meat or dairy products
Work up to running a 5K at 5 miles per hour
Weight train full body 3 days per week
Full body stretching 3 days per week
Drink at least 1 gallong of pure water every day

Mercy Seat

2008-06-26T08:31:00.005-04:00

I have been sleeping later than I should as well as going to bed way too late. When I don't eat right I require more sleep and I get off track with just about everything in my life. (Right now I am not eating properly).

As I was lying in bed this morning right before I woke up completely I saw some disturbing images in my head. I won't go into detail about these images but the images represent situations that I have been through in my life that caused great pain. I have found healing for some of the situations that have happened to me and some of them I have not. I know I am not healed and have not completely forgiven in those areas because when I think of them fear and pain overtakes my heart.

Then the song Mercy Seat came to my mind. God is so awesome! Mercy Seat literally means seat of grace. Immediately I knew that God is giving me grace for these situations and he will heal my heart from this pain. He will give me the ability to completely forgive.

The beautiful thing is mercy seat was in the most holy place within the tabernacle which is where God's presence was. Because of Christ and what He did for us on the cross we have access to the most holy place, God's presence. There is grace in His presence for us. There is healing in His presence. Everything we need is in His presence.

Prayer
Lord I come into your presence and take my place on Your mercy seat where Your presence rests. Lord I choose to forgive where I have been hurt. I believe I am forgiven. I renouce fear Lord because You did not give me a spirit of fear but You gave me a spirit of love, power and a sound mind. If You be for me, who can be against me. I choose to stay in Your presence today. It is where I want to be. Search my heart oh Lord and show me my sin. My desire is to confess and repent from all unrighteousness. Thank you for the opportunity to walk with you today. In the name of Jesus I pray AMEN

Touch the Hem of His Garment - By: Sam Cooke

2008-06-25T23:00:00.004-04:00

Lyrics
There was a woman in the bible days
She had been sick, sick so very long
When she heard that Jesus was passing by
So she joined the gathering throng
And while she was pushing her way through
Someone ask her what are you trying to do

She said if I would just touch the hem of his garment
I know I'll be made whole
She cried: Oh Lord, Oh Lord, Oh Lord
She said if I could just touch the hem of his garment
I know I'll be made whole soon

She spent her money here and there
Until she had no, had no more to spare
The doctors they done all that they could
But their medicine could do no good
When she touched him, the savior didn't see
But still he turned around and cried
Somebody touched me

She said it was I who just wanna touchthe Hem of your garment
I know I'll made whole right now

Black Bean Gazpacho Salad - Recipe Presented By My Friend Koren'

2008-06-25T21:44:00.002-04:00

Black Bean Gazpacho Salad

It requires no skill to make. It’s great for a crowd and stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. And, it’s delicious. And it’s healthy.

3 cups cooked black beans, just done (not mushy)
2 cups peeled and sliced red onions (soak in ice water for 30 minutes if strong)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups sliced cucumbers (peeled, halved and seeded )
2 cups seeded and diced tomatoes
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced yellow pepper
1 cup corn kernels
½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Garnish, if you like, with lime wedges and avocado slices!
In a big bowl or directly in a storage container, combine beans, onions, garlic, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and oregano. Chill at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. At serving time, taste the salad and then season with salt and pepper, extra Tabasco or lime juice – whatever you think it needs. Serve on well chilled plates and garnish with lime and avocado.

Getting Started

2008-06-25T20:51:00.008-04:00

To live is Christ......I want to live. Not just a meager existance but I want to live the life that God called me to live. I don't want to walk around overweight, sick, self-conteous, and afraid. I have struggled with food addiction my whole life. I have used food to numb myself from the pain of my life. I am making a decision to turn things around for myself. It is time I become free in Christ. I have been on this journey for some time now. I felt it was time to start documenting this journey as well as encourage others.

I am just getting started so I am not sure what I will be doing I am still praying about everything and deciding what I will be doing. From all the years of this struggle I have so many things in my head as to what to do about my issues. My heart really wants to do what God wants me to do. I believe I know but I will save that information for another time.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV) - 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Be blessed in the Lord!
Chelsea :)