The New Year!

The New Year has turned out to have an amazing start! I am excited to say that I am successfully utilizing the Eat to Live program.  I love that I have lost 9 pounds so far and it is only the 19th of January.  I have struggled with the Exercising part as my body is not cooperating.  My headaches have intensified and so have my neck and back pains.  I have contacted the Drs., but no one has returned my calls.  I am going to continue to push myself.  How does that saying go...No pain, No gain! If we all want to strive for our goals then we have to work hard for it.  I am hoping to continue to work hard throughout this year.  I know what I want in this life and I need to continue to work hard at it.  I think the only thing that is getting me through at this point is my trust in God.  God is my rock and I am currently learning how to have more faith through daily devotions and a faith challenge and I want to share some of my new found knowledge with you!

How many times have we all heard the sayings, "have a little faith" or "keep the faith."  I know I hear those things all the time and at times I have to wonder what exactly is faith.  Do I really have faith?  I know that I consider myself a christian, but do I really have faith that God will get me through this life?  My initial answer is absolutely not! I, in no means have any faith that God can get my family through.  I worry every single day that something could happen.  Like we can't afford our student loan bills at times....I have no faith God can help with that. Or how about my health.  I have lost faith that God would help me with that in the last several months.  So for me this faith challenge is going to be hard, it is going to be a challenge, and it is going to test my limits.  I have to just keep moving forward.  Essentially I need to figure out what faith is.  I need to learn to trust that God knows what he wants me to do with my life and that even though I can't afford my student loan bills now, someday I will be provided the ability to pay for them.  I have to stop and think to myself what can I do, how can I understand God and his intentions more, and how can I act to keep my life Christian and faithful.

Being a Christian and being faithful entangle alot more than just helping others and going to church and reading the bible.  I need to stop the worry, anxiety, depression, scared feelings, and anger when things don't go the way I want them to go.  I need to start letting God direct my life.  I said this was not going to be easy for me...I like to be in control but I have to trust that he will carry me.  My favorite and most read "story" or poem as a kid was "Footprints in the Sand."  How many of you have seen that in your grandparents' homes or other older adults?  I was able to get my great-grandmothers plaque and I have it hung in my dining room.  I know the poem by heart.  The guy is worried and he had asked God to help him but when he went through the sand there was only one set of footprints.  God then explains to him that he carried him through.  That poem or story (not sure what it really is) would be considered "faith."  This is what I need to have.  I need to have trust in God that he will carry me through everything.  So where I know this new lifestyle is hard and challenging, I know that God is going to carry me through.  I know that I would not have lost a pound a day without God.  I know that God has had to be with me in order to resist my urges to just eat what my family is eating.  I know that God has had to be with me when I am exercising because my body is killing me a couple hours later but while I am working out I feel so happy and healthy.  I have to continue with this life and keep praying that the lord will bless my choices and my path in life.  So I have to be the man on the beach.  I have to have trust that God will carry me through the things I cannot see yet.  That is having faith.  The Bible states in Hebrews 11:1 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that we hope for is going to happen.  It is the evidence of things we cannot see.  I am going to need to be confident in what the lord is doing with my life.  I know that at the end of the day I pray, make decisions, and hope for the best but I also worry about all my decisions.  I have to stop the worry.  So as part of my faith challenge...I am starting a "worry jar" and I challenge you to do the same.  From now on if I start to worry about something it will go into the jar and God will carry it from there!  If you are like me and worry alot about your kids, finances, life, health, spouse, etc....let God hold those worries for you.  If I can do this, anyone can do this.  Put yourself out there and have faith in the things we cannot see! God Bless everyone and I hope your 2014 is starting off as good as mine.

God Bless,
Amanda

Ps.  Friends I pray that each of you have a wonderful week and that the Lord blesses each of you in your own way.  Good luck with all your endeavors and I hope to be writing more with my new so called "stay at home mommy" status.  Talk to you all soon! Keep the Faith!!