At the end of December you hear a lot of people start saying things like " A New Year, A New Me!".
But here I am thinking another year has gone by and things are still the same!
No matter how dedicated I think I am going to be, I always fall short of reaching the goals that I set at the beginning of the year.
Two years ago I started this journey, and I am still at the starting line. I get so frustrated with myself! I wanted my 30's to be the best years. I will be 32 in March and I am still so far away from where I wanted to be by now. This blog was suppose to help hold me accountable but I found myself running away from it in shame. I wanted to be an inspiration to others and yet I was failing.
2017 started 3 weeks ago. For the first time in my adult life I did not set any goals for myself. I thought it would be best not to set myself up for disappointment.
Fast forward to today and so many changes have been taking place in my life. The biggest change, and the one that has had a cascading effect, has been coming to an understanding of what it means to have a healthy life.
As a Christian woman, I have come to the realization that a Healthy Life is not possible without Jesus. Because being healthy is so much more than a number on a scale or a size on a hanger. Sure people can be "physically" healthy but what is physical health without spiritual health?
How many of us have prayed to God just asking him "Please change me? Help me to _________"?
I am constantly praying this. And nothing ever changes and I get frustrated with my life and the way things are. Recently I did an internet search for "change from the inside out" and I came across a sermon series by Pastor Tom Pennington on the website The Word Unleashed. I had never heard of him, or his ministry, but I know that I know the Spirit led me to Pastor Pennington's site.
The name of the series? "REAL CHANGE FROM THE INSIDE OUT" ! And the cover image? A BUTTERFLY!!! I could not believe it! Well I could but it was still just a little confirmation knowing that The Lord was leading me. (If you are reading my blog for the first time, please check out my previous posts with the label "butterfly" to understand why this was a big deal for me.) As I listened to the message, the one thought I had was "YES! I am ready to change and lose weight". Quickly I realized that weight loss was not going to be my main, nor only, focus. Over the next 3 hours I listened to this message and my heart was being convicted and encouraged simultaneously. It was like my heart and my brain were meeting for the first time on this issue and many others. I know that may seem silly, but it is very true.
There are so many areas of my life, some I wasn't aware of, that need a change. I am not sure what 2017 has in store. I have no control over the future, and I can't change the past. But right here in this moment I can choose to make choices that will have a positive impact. I can put out the effort and start doing things (or stopping things) that will lead to a real change in my life.
A new year?
Yes.
A new me?
I am already changing with help from my Savior.
God Bless.
