God’s strength leads me through my life.  Without Him, I am unable to accomplish ordinary tasks.  God helps me let go of negative emotions like anger, greed, and jealousy.  I am a mess without His guidance. Negative thoughts pop into my mind.  My gut instinct is to nurture anger and fear.  I fight the urge to focus on the negative in my life and dwell on “what if” it gets worse.  As I have become older and more spiritually mature, I hate the way negative thoughts feel.  Not only do I feel the anger and anxiety, I know I am out of step with God’sRead More →

My selfish wants stand in the way of my devotion to God.  These self-seeking wishes divide my heart and make my spiritual walk wishy-washy.  I fear never getting my desires fulfilled.  My unwillingness to surrender these wants keeps me from growing closer to God. James 1:8 is, “Their loyalty is divided. between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”  (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).  Divided hearts are detestable to God.  He commands us to completely surrender to Him.   When I have one foot chasing my wants and the other trying to follow God, I can’t doRead More →

Stress is my constant companion.  I wish for of peaceful days, but end up surrounded by trials and troubles. Sometimes I turn a minor inconvenience into a larger complication by my reaction to stress.   My mind replays a unfavorable scene over.  I rehearse possible endings for situations, creating the worst possible scenario.  My reactions to stress create a larger problem that what I started with. Isaiah 43:1 is, “But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you… he who formed you …;  I have summoned you by name, you are mine. (Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011).  God has namedRead More →

Sometimes I chase my wants, forgetting other tasks I should do.   Most of the time my selfish wish is not fulfilled.  I focus on this desire, unable to stop thinking about how much I “need” it.  I start believing that nothing goes my way and I am unlucky.  Feeling defeated, my emotions drive me to food. Philippians 2:3 is, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”  (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).  When I take the time to pray forRead More →

I trust in God in all situations and problems.  He never fails and guides me through my darkest trial.  Food can never help me find answers or guidance; it temporarily helps me feel better.  Recently, I gave in to stress and turned to food.  After all this time, I should know better.  I felt bloated and emotionally spent for slipping again. I realized my misplaced trust needed to be shifted back to God. Proverbs 3:5 is, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;”  (Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011).  When I trust my own strength,   I becomeRead More →