Catching up...Foodie edition!

Hello out there!! I am alive, and I have missed writing to you all! I thought I would just do a catch up edition of my blog posts, since I am home sick today :( I got some kind of stomach bug and it has not been friendly, let me tell you! I have been an absentee blogger, and for that, I apologize! 

But rest assured, life has been pretty awesome lately! I have been getting used to my new job and absolutely love it. I have also been working hard at my side job as a Beach Body Coach! God has been so good to me and has blessed this "hobby" of mine immensely, and for that, I am grateful! I have so much fun working with people and helping them achieve health and vitality. I firmly believe God created me to do this, and I am so excited to see where this all goes! So I am loving work, loving my patients, loving being a beach body coach, and loving this green vest which I have been wearing way too much this summer!

Meals have been on point lately. I'm happy with the way I have been sticking to my goals! I have also had a rude awakening as of late, and since writing helps me think things through, I have decided to share my thoughts and revelations on my blog.

As most of you know, I have been on and off a gluten free diet for a couple years. Per my doctor, I have a severe gluten sensitivity and must stay away from it.

This is the rx my doctor wrote me back in November, when she kindly reminded me that I NEED to be gluten free! I found it this week in my wallet, and realized that I need to start taking care of myself and my body, and treat it the way it needs to be treated. 

I basically have been eating gluten like there is no tomorrow, even though I know that I feel 100% better in all aspects of my life when I am totally gluten-free. But, my friends...bread is my favorite. Like, I used to live for free bread and butter at restaurants when I was growing up. I believe in honesty, and I believe in sharing my story, which is why I am sharing this all with you today. I have been in denial for a while about my need for a gluten-free diet, and even wrote a post about being in denial back in November. It's been a roller coaster for me really, especially because I do have emotional connections to my favorite foods! And since getting married in April, I have just really enjoyed having a morning toast with my hubby, sandwiches at lunch, pastries at parties, and all things gluten.

SO, I have decided this week (aka yesterday as I was nursing my unhappy tummy), to go back to a gluten-free diet, and I am hoping that you all will keep me accountable! I need to accept that I have an intolerance, and I need to take care of it. 

I realize now that thinking that I can't live without (insert food here), is just giving food too much power. And ain't nobody got time for that when trying to serve the Lord, serve my husband, and serve people in the best way possible! So, yet again, I am going to follow a gluten-free diet, and will post about my journey, in hopes of regaining my health, my clear skin, my happy tummy, and my overall well-being! And, you know, to listen to my doctor too! :) 

And, since this is a catch-up post, foodie edition, here are my eats as of late!

My husband BBQ'd the most perfect chicken for us last Sunday after church. Paired with some rice and yummy kale salad!

Lazy girl meal: chicken, black beans, quinoa, and enchilada sauce

Kale salad yet again, with a lentil, brown rice, and spinach mush!

Last, but not least, SHAKEOLOGY! The superfood shake I never leave home without! :) 

As far as workouts go, I have been doing the 21 day fix program and love it! There is actually a huge sale going on right now on the 21 day fix + shakeology! They are being sold together at an all time low price! If you are interested, I would love to coach you though the program! Please go through the "Contact Me" tab and send me a quick message if you would like some more info. If you order the program through me, I get to be your coach and help you every step of the way! 

I have also been running more lately. I have really and truly missed running. I used to run half-marathons and live for my 7-8 mile daily runs. After busting my knee a couple years ago, I just can't run like I used to. But I am determined to get back into running shape, at least for shorter distances, since it used to be a huge part of my life and I want to bring it back! 

Ok, random ramblings over. I really hope to be more on top of blogging for you all! I have a few posts in mind that I would like to bring to fruition! Stay tuned, and thank you all for following and reading! 

Where are you found?

"More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith..." Philippians 3:8-9

During one of my quiet times this week, these few verses got highlighted in my brain. I found myself asking myself, "where am I found?" over and over again throughout the week. It was a question that intrigued me, unsettled me, and caused me to rethink many aspects of my life and thoughts. Paul's words are cutting, convicting, and truly depict the biblical reality that the word of God is the sword of Spirit (Eph. 6:17). It makes us think and reevaluate the position we give Jesus in our lives. Paul makes his view very clear; he considers everything to be worthless compared to the value he places on knowing Christ, his Savior and Redeemer. Wow. Instead of just skimming past those verses, let them really sink in. Read them over again. Pray. Now read them one more time. 

I find myself being "found" in so many different parts of my life and grasping at anything and everything around me for identity, value, and peace. Whether it is being the best dietitian I can be, a loving new wifey, a worthy daughter, a selfless friend, and a "good Christian" (whatever that means), there are so many ways I can make myself feel that I am falling short as a person. I can measure and compare myself to others and find areas where I am not working hard enough, loving hard enough, or just plain BEING enough. But why am I finding my worth in these things? Why am I FOUND in these things? Paul sure wasn't. He was found in Christ through his faith, and calls us all to do the same. He calls us to count everything worthless compared to knowing Christ. 

Every time I've read these verses in the past, they've seemed so distant to me...so vague. I often wish someone would just flat out give me a checklist of how to fulfill so many things that we are called to do in the Bible and the type of people we are created to be in Christ. I wonder what my life would look like if I were truly found in Christ the way Paul was, instead of my being found in my career, looks, health, wealth, and every other idol we as humans create for ourselves. 

After journaling and praying about these verses, I realized that being found in Christ, for ME, would mean that the loss of any of those above things wouldn't matter, because I would be found in Him, I would KNOW HIM, and that joy and satisfaction would surpass any other worldly achievement I reached. It would mean more to me than a pay raise, a pat on the back, or another pound lost on the scale. Those things wouldn't match up to the value and worth of knowing Jesus Christ more and more every day. 

And how do I go about knowing Jesus more intimately? By really and truly dedicating time in my day to spend with Him. And not only time, but dedicating my mind, body, spirit, and every sense to HIM. Yes, I have a daily quiet time, but to be honest, I often forget what I read in the Bible or which short devotional I skimmed through before rushing off to work. My brain gets bombarded by so many other worries, stresses, and even joys, that I often put that quiet time I spent with Jesus on the back burner instead of keeping it at the forefront of my mind all day long. I go through the actions, read, pray, but my mind wanders off to my to-do list, to my worries, and to all the things that I could be doing instead. But God doesn't deserve that. 

My prayer and desire is that God brings to my mind all the things that He has taught me. I pray that I can find a way to remember and cherish the glimmers and gifts that He bestows me with. I want things to STICK, you know what I mean? I want to learn and absorb and find myself not being able to get enough of Jesus.

Lord, help me desire YOU more than anything else. Help me to be FOUND IN YOU, and YOU alone, no matter what distractions come my way. When I feel overwhelemd, overworked, and like I am not enough, I pray that I find You in the midst of those thoughts. Help me refocus on You, and to remember who YOU say that I am and not who the world or even I am telling myself that I am. Strengthen my brain and mind to absorb and remember all You teach me, and to be truly present in my time with You. Help me believe your truths, and may everything else count as "rubbish" compared to the surpassing value and worth of knowing You, Jesus. Amen. 

Just Do You

Just do you. This is a phrase two of my best friends have been using lately and it's really stuck in my mind. Too often, we try to grab hold of things that make us like everyone else. We want to be part of the next big thing, the newest diet or workout program, or whatever it may be. But it all boils down to doing what works for you. Hence the saying, just do you.

Lately, I've been trying to just do me. Last week, I was very sick and home bound for about 3 days. After day one, I was already antsy. But I knew I needed to rest. These days at home gave me so much time to think and reflect. I haven't had a pause in my life for months, and even though I was SO sick and never want to be that sick again, it gave me a much needed opportunity to rest and reflect. As a registered dietitian, I tend to relate things to our health and food/fitness choices. I see it all over the place on Instagram and social media, and I am guilty of it myself. Grabbing on to a new diet or new restrictions because of the promises these programs make, running more and more or lifting heavier and heavier, and even dreading whichever program you are following because it just isn't you.

After much thought, I realized all of that just doesn't work for me, and it probably doesn't work for most people. The running 4-5 times a week doesn't work for me anymore (or my knees, or my hip) as much as I want it to. Eating mounds of animal protein at each meal doesn't work for me. Having eggs for breakfast every single day just doesn't work for me. Now don't get me wrong, I love healthy foods, I love running, and I LOVE eggs. But I also love my sanity. I love waking up feeling rested, and not having sore knees. I have been loving my walks in the sun lately up and down the hills around my house. And sometimes, I just want some oatmeal or whole grain toast for breakfast instead of yet another scramble for the fifth day in a row. You have to find your own kind of healthy, a lifestyle you will stick to. A lifestyle that brings you MORE health, not more anxiety, stress, or insanity.

This is all part of just doing you. You don't have to follow anyone or anything else. You don't have to answer to anyone. Just do what works for you, and enjoy every day that God has blessed you with. Being healthy is part of enjoying this life and being effective in whatever you set out to do.

I've had a burden on my heart to write this post, and I hope these ramblings help someone out there today. So find your "healthy," find whatever workout you'll stick to, find whatever food choices make you healthy and happy, and just do you.

An Attitude of Joy: January 19-25

I have been missing a key component of my life lately. A piece that God has given me and even willed for me, and yet I have not taken His free gift. That gift is joy, part of the very title of my little blog here. Lately, I have felt such a burden on my heart. The past few weeks have been stressful, hard, and busy. Very very busy. I hate using that excuse, but I've come to terms with the fact that it's true. In 90 days, I get to marry the love of my life, which means it's a joyful time and a stressful time all rolled into one.

This week, I am choosing joy. I'm choosing to do everything relying on God's strength. Because the joy of the Lord is my strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

I want to find the joy in every part of my blessed life. Because life is meant to be enjoyed. I want to be joyful at work, with friends, on quiet evenings at home, during phone chats with my fiancé, and also while I am working out and taking care of the body God has given me. I've lost joy in that as well.

Sometimes, health and fitness are not fun things. There I said it. I'm a dietitian and love healthy eating, but sometimes it all gets to be too much. I want the joy restored in this area of my life. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says "so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." I am convinced that if this whole health and fitness thing was 100% given over to the Lord and done for His glory, it would bring us joy. There would be joy in taking care of the body God has given us, joy in giving ourselves whole foods that have been created by God's hands and not a machine, joy in having a treat now and then, joy in going for a run, or sleeping in and having a day of rest. All of these aspects are part of health, and they should all bring us joy.

With that said, this week I am going to pray with all my heart that God restores unto me His joy. In every crevice of my heart and life, I want God to be present. Even as I make my plan for the week here in this post, I want God's blessings and fingerprints to be all over it. I firmly believe that God cares about every aspect of our lives, and wants everything surrendered to Him. So here it goes. My plan for the week!

Foodie plan :)

This past Sunday, my mom cooked up a storm since we had my future in laws over for lunch! That means only one thing for this week: LEFTOVERS! Here are my meal options!

Pre workouts: Banana w/nuts like this AM :)

Toast w/PB

Breakfast: Protein waddles/pancakes like this AM as well!

Scrambles Oatmeal Egg wraps

Lunch/Dinner: Leftover pollo asada Leftover roast Potatoes, salad Turkey burger Meatballs with spicy arabiatta sauce Kung Pao chicken from TJ's (so excited to try this!)

Pretty yummy options if I do say so myself! My mom and I made sure to stock up our home with good food this week. Hopefully that means healthy home cooked meals all week and not spending too much money on eating out!

Fitness:

Monday: I had my training session this morning (back and biceps), and it was killer!

Tuesday: 4 mile run (still training for my 10K and it's in less than a month! So excited!

Wednesday: leg day! Stairmaster and hoping to fit in the TIU Love your Body workout in as well

Thursday: logbook workout from my trainer (chest), run 3 miles, and circuits with Hanna in the evening!

Friday: training session again, cardio mix 3 miles

Saturday: 5 mile run

Sunday: log book (arms), cardio mix 3 miles

And there we have it! Here's to a great, joyful, God focused week everyone!

Perseverance is HARD

Today was a hard hard day. But I am so glad it's over, and that God helped me push through.

It all started with a wonderful quiet time this morning! All the passages I read had to do with following God when he calls (from Abram to the disciples) as well as the concept of perseverance and to just keep going. I started the day praying that God stays with me and knowing that with Him, I can persevere and make it through anything.

BOY was that tested today!! I got to work, and it was just one thing after another. One mistake, one problem, one unhappy client, one frustrating counseling session, just one negative and challenging thing after the next. I found out about a mistake I made last week, about which I became very sensitive. I hate making mistakes in any area of my life, even though I am pretty good at it (hey I'm human). It was still hard to get through. All I wanted to do is clock out, come home, cry it out, and give up on the day.

But I had also had this awesome quiet time with the Lord this morning all about persevering, pushing through, and following Him no matter where He takes me. I was torn. Do I wallow in my miserable day and give up? Or do I hold on to the promises God revealed to me this morning? I kept reminding myself of what God had taught me. To push through the day. Even when the day was pulling me down.

And before I knew it, it was time to clock out. I was able to leave. I finished up my day, and even left work with a smile on my face. And it was ALL God. All His work in my heart, and Him reminding me of who He is and that He is with me. I am so glad I didn't just throw in the towel and run away from the day.

Sometimes, we have no choice but to keep doing the things. And by "the things," I mean the everyday things we have to do no matter how we are feeling. Like going to work, doing your work, helping and loving others, having lunch, driving, etc. We have to be strong. And the only way to get through the tough times is through Christ and His strength.

I encourage you all to just keep pressing on. Even when it seems impossible. My day was rough, but I know it must be nothing compared to what some people are going through. Nothing at all. But I do know that God promises to be with us no matter what. Let us persevere through the good and bad times, knowing all along that God is with us and for us, guiding us the whole way.

In the World, not of the World

Hello out there!! Sorry I have been MIA lately. Life has been busy with Christmas, work, and wedding stuff. And I have purposefully taken some time off of my Instagram, blog, and social media in general. I have used this past week to really reflect on what is important to me, what God has taught me this past year, and where He wants me to go from here.

I have come to the conclusion that life is just weird. We live in a world of constant self centeredness and yet are called to be selfless and loving. We live in a world of indulgence and yet are called to self control and discipline. We live in a world that worships anything and everything and yet are called to worship our one and only God in heaven. It's just weird, right??

This past week, I have realized the areas in my life that I get sucked into the world and forget where my heart belongs. I get so caught up in the every day stresses of life, as well as things that are inherently good such as health, family, wedding things, etc. But all of those don't mean anything unless God is in the center of it all. I have realized that I can't lose focus of Him, or everything starts falling apart. I need to always stay tuned to God and what His plan and will is for me. Like the verse above says, we need to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things.

The way I see it, earthly things will always be there. We need to make ZERO effort to focus on these things. They are all around, almost bombarding us daily. The struggle is staying SO connected to God in our everyday life that we set our hearts and minds on Him, and approach these earthy things in the way He wants us to. He put us in the world after all, but not OF the world. I am praying that God shows me how to do this in a way that glorifies Him.

I am still reflecting on my New Years resolutions and goals and will post them sometime in the next few days. I hope you all have a safe and happy New Years Eve with friends and family!!

Arrowhead Musings

We all have had those unforgettable weekends. Whether it is at a church retreat, vacation, or simply a wonderful few days spent at home, some weekends will be ingrained in your mind forever. Well, that was this past weekend for me. I know I mentioned in a previous post about what a wonderful weekend it was. I had a fun and joyful time with my fiancé, family, and friends. But there are so many things that God taught me that I never want to forget. I probably will, being human and all, but I know God will keep reminding me, speaking to my heart, and will not give up on growing and teaching me. Writing has always helped me sort out my thoughts, so I thought that I would write out some of the things I learned in order to refresh my mind and be reminded of God's goodness and blessings upon me.

*God's creation is absolutely beautiful. *God wants to change our hearts, and turn our world upside down. *Let go of myself, and let God work through me. * God can renew my mind and fill me more and more with Him. * I desire to be used by God in whatever way He sees fit. * Being crucified with Christ means I can let go of me, and not be dictated by my past failings because God has made me new! * It is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me! * Attitude means everything. * Gratefulness needs to be a part of my everyday life and world view.

And then a few more things... * Donuts bring people together. * It's really hard to workout in high altitudes...but my fiancé is a trooper for waking up at 6am to do boot camp with me! * It can rain, then be sunny in the mountains within an hour. * I shouldn't be afraid to play sports...even though I am no volleyball champion! * Having fun...is really fun! * Letting my "little cousin" drive me in a go cart...best decision I've ever made! Haha :) * My family means everything to me.....I love them more than words can say. * I really miss my Asdghig Auntig... * Even uncomfortable beds can give you incredible rest. * It's amazing how much you don't use your phone when you are away with those you love and in God's creation! *Appreciate every seemingly little and big thing that God brings your way. A grateful heart brings joy.

Thank you Jesus :)

Psalm 27

Psalm 27

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? 2 When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3 Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.

4 The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. 5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. 6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.

7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! 8 My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” 9 Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation! 10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.

11 Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me. 12 Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done; with every breath they threaten me with violence. 13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.

14 Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

I have been reading this passage over and over for the past week. So many thoughts have been bouncing around in my head about it. Every time I read it, I gain new insight and understanding into what the psalmist (David) is trying to express. I love that about God's word, it is alive and active! Never gets boring and never stops being relevant. My fiancé mentioned this passage to me last week at a point where I was feeling pretty down about different things going on in life. Even though I have read this passage countless times growing up, it came alive to me this past week to a point where I could just not get enough. I began mediating on it and rereading different verses and began to see and understand more and more how God is always with us and how I should not live in fear. I thought I would try to write out my reflections on this passage in the hopes of organizing them in my mind, and maybe motivating some of you to read it as well! This passage was a great comfort to me, and I know it will be to anyone else who reads it as well!

The first part of the psalm immediately starts out by saying the Lord is our light and salvation. Light shows us the way to go, and the Lord does just that. He clarifies our way and decisions. All we need to do is go to Him and remain in His light. The verses go on to say that the Lord is our fortress and protects us, so why are we afraid? I am such an overthinker/worrier and am constantly afraid of some "what-if" that ends up not even happening. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of things in life that are perfectly legitimate things to be afraid of. But with the Lord at our side, we can stand in confidence (v. 3). It may feel like we are at war and that we are surrounded by constant attack, worry, hopelessness, or any other negative association with this world. But God is at our side, and we can remain confident in Him!

I love how David expresses how much he desires and longs to be with God. I want that longing for God and only God. In verse 4, he says that the ONE thing he asks for and seeks is to live in the house of the Lord and delight in Him. The more we know God, the more we will delight in Him, and the more we will WANT to know Him. I've realized that the best way to know God is to ask God to open up my heart to His presence and goodness, immerse myself in His word, and stay in constant communication with Him.

One of the most profound parts of this psalm for me was verses 7-8, where David says that his heart has heard God's call, and his heart responds back to God saying "Lord, I am coming." I love this. I realized that David's close relationship to God (he was, after all, known as a man "after God's own heart") made it possible for him to hear the Lord's calling, and for his heart to respond to his God. Our hearts can be so distracted and full of many other things in this world that we can hardly hear the soft call of God to come to Him, spend time with Him, and rest in His presence. I want there to be CLARITY in my heart. I want nothing to stand in the way of God's communication and call to my heart, so that when I hear it, I can respond as David did: Lord, I am coming! To me, this means not spending time or energy on anything that will draw me away from God, and cause me to fall father away from Him and His love. This also means trusting in God, going to Him in times of trouble, and believing that He is who He says He is, and He will be there and comfort me always, just as verse 9 says about how God has always been David's helper.

David also asks God to "teach him how to live" (verse 11). I realized that so many times, I am unwilling to learn new things, especially if they mean a disturbance in my everyday routine and life. David had a teachable heart. He constantly wanted to learn from the Lord and be willing to grow. This has become my prayer, that the Lord would grow me and strengthen me, and teach me how to live for His glory and purpose, not my own. David ends this psalm by saying he is confident he will see God's goodness in the land of the living. He is confident that God is good, all the time. He wants to wait patiently for the Lord, because His timing is perfect (hey, it's a cliche because it's TRUE). I love that he uses the words "brave" and "courageous." He calls us to be those two things, which means it actually is possible to be brave, courageous, and not live in fear. This goes right back to how he starts his psalm about not living in fear and not being afraid, because God is with us. Only the Lord can enable us to be brave and courageous, because He is our light, and will lead us to His goodness.

Oh, how I love the Word of God! The more you dig into the Word, the more alive it becomes. I pray that this desire never dies in my life, and I also pray that all of you can experience the joy of relationship with the Lord as well!

Take My Thoughts Captive

Lately, I have been trying to be more intentional about my thoughts. My thought life is very jumpy and inconsistent. I tend to have full-faith about things one moment, then be crippled with anxiety and worry the next. I turn to the Lord during these times, but it is very difficult to keep my eyes and mind fixed on God when there are constant distractions and problems coming my way. Anyone else? I feel like life is always going to throw us waves, and I would love to just swim in the storms that come at me knowing the Lord is with me even in the turmoil. I think having this type of peace starts with have captive thoughts. I use this phrase a lot and it is often a staple in my prayers during times of worry, anxiety, or feelings of defeat. This concept of "captive thoughts" was first brought to my attention while reading 2 Corinthians 10. Verses 3-5 jumped out at me:

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

I've memorized this verse because it has become a constant companion for me in times of distress. I love the promise that God equips us with weapons to demolish our strongholds. Strongholds are anything that take us "captive" and consume us whether it is work, school, family, striving for good health, worry, anxiety, etc. Many of these things aren't bad by themselves (for example, being healthy is great! Having a good job to support your family is wonderful!) But, anything, even good things, can become a stronghold if they take the place of God is our lives. Psalm 18:2 states, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (emphasis mine). God is the only one that can secure us as our fortress, deliverer, rock, shield, and stronghold. But isn't it so like us humans to get swept up in our thoughts, problems, and lives that we turn these into our focus, our motivations for security, and essentially our strongholds? These thoughts, as 2 Corinthians states, can set themselves up against the knowledge of God. Thoughts like "if I have that job, car, dress, significant other, etc, my life will be so much better and complete" can often turn our motivations upside-down and cause us to focus on "worldly-things" instead of "God-things."

But! Thank the Lord He has equipped us with weapons to demolish these strongholds! We can tear down these "arguments" and "pretensions" in our heads that place worldly things before our relationship with God. When worries and anxieties come, which, let's face it, they inevitably will, we can turn to the Lord and ask Him to equip us with weapons that demolish these thoughts. We can put on the full armor of God. Ephesians 6:13-18 states,

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."

These verses seem pretty dense, but they are basically telling us to take up the armor that God freely gives us through His promises, forgiveness, grace, and WORD. The more we know about God, the more we can use these weapons against our destructive thoughts. And how do we know more about God? By taking the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" and becoming so familiar with who God is, what He promises, and what He has done for us, which is all recorded in His word!

Knowing more truths about God will help us focus on who HE is in times of anxiety and worry. When these times come, we can ask him to take all of our thoughts captive and make them obedient to HIM! God has equipped us with the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), and we can use this power. We can ask God for wisdom and believe that He will give it to us (James 1:5). Galatians 5:1 states, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." God set us free to be and live like we are a FREE people, not to still be captive to destructive and anxiety-driven thoughts.

However, we cannot have captive thoughts that are obedient to Christ without the help and power of the Holy Spirit. We must ASK God to help us in our thought-lives. We must acknowledge that the Lord's thoughts and ways are greater than any of our worries, problems, or even aspirations and dreams. Isaiah 55: 8-9 state: "“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." We have to trust that God has a better plan for us because His ways are higher than we can ever imagine! Trust me, this is SO hard for me. It is difficult to focus on what God is doing at times when things just seem so overwhelming you can't fathom how it will all work out for your good. But the Bible even has something to say about that :) Romans 8:28 states: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

I am trying so hard to be more intentional about what I think about. We simply have to believe what the Lord says. Believe that we can demolish strongholds by asking for the weapons that God has promised to us. Believe that we can ask God to take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. And lastly, believe that God will work all things together for our good! :)

Think About Such Things

"Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable; if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things." Philippians 4:8 (NIV) I have a confession to make. I struggle in my thought life. A LOT! I find it very easy to get down on myself, get stressed out, focus on all I have to do and all I am not doing, and just bask in all my worries. My mom shared this verse with me recently and, even though I am very familiar with it in the "memorize-in-Christian-elementary-school" type way, I had never truly reflected on it until now.

Most of the time, I want a practical, clear cut way to apply the verses of the Bible to my life. When someone says "trust the Lord with it!" and dismisses my thoughts, as if all my worries will disappear, I often want to know a practical, step-by-step approach to trusting the Lord, as well as what it actually looks like strategically to trust God. How is that lived out on a day-to-day basis? How does that look to those around me? These verses in Philippians seemed to finally answer these questions for me this morning.

Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy...THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS! It's pretty clean cut, simple, and practical if you ask me. We have a lot more say about where our minds travel than we think we do. After all, why would Paul (through the power of the Holy Spirit) instruct, even command us to think about such things? That implies that we have some say in the matter, doesn't it?

I want to claim this God-given strength that I have over my thought life! I want God to take all of my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Him (2 Corinthians 10:5). But how does this actually work? Practically? :)

I believe that we flat out have to ask God to give us the strength to glorify Him with our thoughts. We can't do this alone. Our human mind is one scary place...or at least mine is! I know I can't focus on what is true, noble, pure, right, etc without His power working in me. In those moments when life gets tough and we are so quick to be negative and get down on ourselves, a quick prayer of "Lord, I need You. Take control of my thoughts and help me focus on what is pure and right and praiseworthy!" could make a huge difference in the direction our hour, day, week, or even life goes.

I also believe that prayer is not a magic formula where you plug in all the right words and BOOM God comes through. If it worked like that, we would only rely on our abilities. I believe prayer is a state of mind where, all day every day, you are in tune with the Holy Spirit, realizing that God is God and you are not, and turning over all the day's activities, thoughts, and worries to the Lord. Acknowledging that only God can help us "think about such things" will help us rely on Him instead of our usual human reaction which is typically "just suck it up," "get over it," or "distract yourself." We need to get comfortable with being a little uncomfortable in the moment, take that discomfort to God, and let him turn our harmful, worrisome, and destructive thoughts into beautiful thoughts and words that He will use for His glory.

"...for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose." Philippians 2:13