Good Day Pudgy Girl Followers!
How are you? Have ya'll been well? I pray that is so. This last Saturday, I ran the SHHS Early Bird 5k, 2015 for the sixth time. I've lost track, but I believe since I began this journey of physical and spiritual fitness that makes my 13th or 14th 5k race. I run to push myself and stay active. I do not race competitively, I simply sign up to do 5k's so I keep running every week with a goal in mind, oh and for the t-shirt of course!
For any new readers I'll recap, In September of 2009 I embarked on a mission to lose weight and find fitness. At that time I weighed 260 lbs and was 273 lbs. (pregnant with my son) at my heaviest. I went from 260 lbs down to 163 lbs in the next year. Losing 97 lbs has been a wonderful struggle of self discovery, and I will always struggle with food and weight issues. I know that. I have used no magic program, I just count my calories faithfully, staying between 1200-1400 per day and try to exercise 3 or more times a week. Since my weight loss, I've had a third baby, and gained about 60 lbs with that pregnancy, That caused a lot of stress and concern. After having the baby, I lost 20 lbs and have been struggling up and down with the last 40 lbs for three years now. Ugggg! It's been a lot harder to lose the weight since I'm getting older, however, I am still working at it. I took a break from running for awhile, and now I'm finding I am enjoying it again. My 5k times are terrible, and it feels like starting over, but the key here is I'm not giving up I will keep putting in the miles and counting the calories all the way back down to 160 lbs. (my goal weight)! I won't give up because the prize is worth the effort!
As I put time and effort into my physical fitness, I am constantly working on staying spiritually fit. My prayer life is a daily and sometimes constant source of encouragement from my Heavenly Father. After all, prayer is our communication and conversation with the Savior. It also holds in it such power as we can not humanly understand. I have different facets to my prayer life, and one of the most important privileges I have as a Mother, is praying for my children. Not just a privilege, but a responsibility to pray for their very souls, lives, health, spiritual growth, protection, understanding, etc. It is our jobs as parents to be the proponents of prayer for our children. It is also our job as parents to lead by example.
You can't give away what you don't possess. If you don't know the Savior in a personal relationship, you can't effectively witness for Him and pray for others. Your prayers will not be effective for a couple of reasons:
1. Unconfessed sin separates us from God, so that He will not hear.
“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities (sins) have separated you from God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that He will not hear” Isaiah 59:1-2
2. We don't really believe God can answer them.
“But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does” James 1:6-8
I don't want to get too theological or "deep", I just want us to arm ourselves with the truth. The truth is we need to pray daily for our kids. The truth is in order for our prayers to be effective, we must be right with the Lord ourselves. Let's go to battle friends, and use prayer as our weapon against the enemy. Let's be in the Word of God daily so we are filling our minds and hearts with the power that comes from the Bible.
Like we must work to stay fit physically, we must work to stay spiritually fit as well. Let us not give up on reaching our goals. The goal is always worth the effort! Lord, bless you friends as you strive toward health!
In His Service,
Pudgy Girl
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible. Show all posts
Monday, November 9, 2015
Monday, April 6, 2015
Lent, Easter, Then What?? Motive Check!
Dearest Friend,
Did you go to church on Easter last weekend? Did you participate in a Lenten tradition, like prayer and fasting? Why? Obviously I can't hear your answers, and they're not for me to know, I'm asking to get you to ask yourselves, then question your motives. This is something I do a lot. My husband Terry is the critical thinker. The motive questioner, if you will. When I say this or that, he often says, "why?" I've adopted this into my own personal thinking now without him even asking. So let's us try this personal motive check together, you and I.
When you went to Easter Service last weekend, did the minister give an invitation for you to pray and accept Jesus as your personal Savior? Or did he give an invitation for you to re-commit your life to Christ? Did you do it? Did you walk forward and publicly pray at an alter, or raise your hand and admit to the confession of your sins and acceptance of Jesus? Why? Were you thinking about getting home and getting dinner on the table? Mentally checking on the ham? Were you apathetic about that whole part of the service, as if his question was intruding on your thoughts or ruining a perfectly "nice" church service? What exactly were/are your motives for not accepting Christ as your personal Savior? Could it be that you feel there is time closer to the end of your life for praying that prayer? Or do you feel since the Lord is a loving God, He couldn't possible send you to hell? Have you done some things in your past that couldn't possibly be forgiven? Is that it? You feel to tarnished, too unworthy? Whatever, your reasons and motives are, please know this... it is a lie. It is an excuse fabricated by the enemy who is the king of lies and excuses.
Let's move back to you. What if you did make that choice for Christ, and you need this encouraging word? What is threatening your joy or your choice of salvation? Do thoughts and decisions from your past whisper to you in regret? The hopes of a baby dashed again and again like Sarah and Abraham in Hebrews? Or the deep desire for a romantic relationship? How about the fear that your children will never heal from your divorce? The unspoken fear that abortion is unforgivable? Is it drug use or pornography addiction? Or is it the angry word you spoke yesterday keeping you at arm's length from your husband or child or parent? Really, my friend what is your reason for keeping Christ out of every part of your life?
Know this, God was faithful in His promise to Abraham and Sarah in giving them a child of they're own. God was faithful to Jacob by keeping his offspring as numerous as the grains of sand. In fact, God's promises are numerous and He kept them. He will be faithful to forgive you, change you, give you the peace that only comes from Him, and He is faithful to give you eternal life. He is true and ever faithful. The enemy is the lie, and we mustn't fall for it one more minute. DO NOT fall for the reasons and excuses he's throwing up to you to keep you from coming to the saving and forgiving power of Jesus Christ. Pray forgiveness, repent and walk in your inheritance that is freedom in Christ Jesus!
So you missed your opportunity to accept/re-commit/be encouraged in Christ on Easter. SO WHAT! Today is a new day, and the resurrection is still true today. Easter can and should be celebrated everyday! Don't wait another minute, pray today. Not sure what to pray? Not sure who to ask for help or what to read or do? I will help you. I want too! E-mail me today Melissa@TheWrightsMinistries.com When you're tempted to doubt or be fearful or listen to the lies that call you a failure or bring up your past remember this. If you accept Jesus you belong to the Creator of the Universe and you are a child of the living God. Accept your right to live in peace and joy that is Christ!
In service to Him and Sincere love to you,
Pudgy Girl
Did you go to church on Easter last weekend? Did you participate in a Lenten tradition, like prayer and fasting? Why? Obviously I can't hear your answers, and they're not for me to know, I'm asking to get you to ask yourselves, then question your motives. This is something I do a lot. My husband Terry is the critical thinker. The motive questioner, if you will. When I say this or that, he often says, "why?" I've adopted this into my own personal thinking now without him even asking. So let's us try this personal motive check together, you and I.
When you went to Easter Service last weekend, did the minister give an invitation for you to pray and accept Jesus as your personal Savior? Or did he give an invitation for you to re-commit your life to Christ? Did you do it? Did you walk forward and publicly pray at an alter, or raise your hand and admit to the confession of your sins and acceptance of Jesus? Why? Were you thinking about getting home and getting dinner on the table? Mentally checking on the ham? Were you apathetic about that whole part of the service, as if his question was intruding on your thoughts or ruining a perfectly "nice" church service? What exactly were/are your motives for not accepting Christ as your personal Savior? Could it be that you feel there is time closer to the end of your life for praying that prayer? Or do you feel since the Lord is a loving God, He couldn't possible send you to hell? Have you done some things in your past that couldn't possibly be forgiven? Is that it? You feel to tarnished, too unworthy? Whatever, your reasons and motives are, please know this... it is a lie. It is an excuse fabricated by the enemy who is the king of lies and excuses.
Let's move back to you. What if you did make that choice for Christ, and you need this encouraging word? What is threatening your joy or your choice of salvation? Do thoughts and decisions from your past whisper to you in regret? The hopes of a baby dashed again and again like Sarah and Abraham in Hebrews? Or the deep desire for a romantic relationship? How about the fear that your children will never heal from your divorce? The unspoken fear that abortion is unforgivable? Is it drug use or pornography addiction? Or is it the angry word you spoke yesterday keeping you at arm's length from your husband or child or parent? Really, my friend what is your reason for keeping Christ out of every part of your life?
Know this, God was faithful in His promise to Abraham and Sarah in giving them a child of they're own. God was faithful to Jacob by keeping his offspring as numerous as the grains of sand. In fact, God's promises are numerous and He kept them. He will be faithful to forgive you, change you, give you the peace that only comes from Him, and He is faithful to give you eternal life. He is true and ever faithful. The enemy is the lie, and we mustn't fall for it one more minute. DO NOT fall for the reasons and excuses he's throwing up to you to keep you from coming to the saving and forgiving power of Jesus Christ. Pray forgiveness, repent and walk in your inheritance that is freedom in Christ Jesus!
So you missed your opportunity to accept/re-commit/be encouraged in Christ on Easter. SO WHAT! Today is a new day, and the resurrection is still true today. Easter can and should be celebrated everyday! Don't wait another minute, pray today. Not sure what to pray? Not sure who to ask for help or what to read or do? I will help you. I want too! E-mail me today Melissa@TheWrightsMinistries.com When you're tempted to doubt or be fearful or listen to the lies that call you a failure or bring up your past remember this. If you accept Jesus you belong to the Creator of the Universe and you are a child of the living God. Accept your right to live in peace and joy that is Christ!
In service to Him and Sincere love to you,
Pudgy Girl
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Request Granted
Good Day Pudgy Girl Followers,
First order of business today, physical fitness accountability. I've notice how hard losing weight has become since having my third baby. Nearly two years after having her, I'm still staring down my last 40 lbs to lose. I'm also older, maybe that is a contributing factor. I've messed with my calorie intake and I think I'll carefully cut an extra 300 calories out of each day for a couple weeks to see how that goes. I'll keep you informed on my progress. Training has become a little bit slower with the return of the high temperatures and humidity. However, we're still getting it done. It's been wonderful having my sweet Terry running with me. He is such an encouragement. Now, on to the spiritual fitness accountability.
Have you ever really considered if you were granted any request of your choosing, what would you choose? Of course you've thought about it, we all have. I have often felt and said, if I could have anything, I'd want to have my house paid off, be completely debt free, take an exotic family vacation, have a new Prevost bus to travel in. How about you? In 2 Chronicles 1:1-3 King Solomon pleased the Lord in his obedience and offerings and the Lord said to him, 7..."Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Do you know what that king asked for? He asked for wisdom and knowledge to lead his great people. Wow! How very unselfish and kind. The Lord of all the universe was impressed, in fact He was so please with Solomon that he granted his request. Because Solomon was so unselfish in his request, the Lord chose to grant him wealth, riches and fame as well as wisdom and knowledge. I read that chapter today and I felt conviction of selfishness. I want to be like Solomon, eager to be a good leader and steward over what God has entrusted me. The job He's called me to do. I pray the Lord helps me be the best servant that I can be, and not a selfish wish maker. Now, after hearing about Solomon, what request would you ask God to grant you today?
Serving til Jesus Comes,
Pudgy Girl
First order of business today, physical fitness accountability. I've notice how hard losing weight has become since having my third baby. Nearly two years after having her, I'm still staring down my last 40 lbs to lose. I'm also older, maybe that is a contributing factor. I've messed with my calorie intake and I think I'll carefully cut an extra 300 calories out of each day for a couple weeks to see how that goes. I'll keep you informed on my progress. Training has become a little bit slower with the return of the high temperatures and humidity. However, we're still getting it done. It's been wonderful having my sweet Terry running with me. He is such an encouragement. Now, on to the spiritual fitness accountability.
Have you ever really considered if you were granted any request of your choosing, what would you choose? Of course you've thought about it, we all have. I have often felt and said, if I could have anything, I'd want to have my house paid off, be completely debt free, take an exotic family vacation, have a new Prevost bus to travel in. How about you? In 2 Chronicles 1:1-3 King Solomon pleased the Lord in his obedience and offerings and the Lord said to him, 7..."Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Do you know what that king asked for? He asked for wisdom and knowledge to lead his great people. Wow! How very unselfish and kind. The Lord of all the universe was impressed, in fact He was so please with Solomon that he granted his request. Because Solomon was so unselfish in his request, the Lord chose to grant him wealth, riches and fame as well as wisdom and knowledge. I read that chapter today and I felt conviction of selfishness. I want to be like Solomon, eager to be a good leader and steward over what God has entrusted me. The job He's called me to do. I pray the Lord helps me be the best servant that I can be, and not a selfish wish maker. Now, after hearing about Solomon, what request would you ask God to grant you today?
Serving til Jesus Comes,
Pudgy Girl
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