Bumps in the road

This is the post that I wrote a long time ago and said I was waiting for pictures to put with it...I came across it and since I'm struggling big time and am no longer just 10 pounds away from my goal (but quite a bit more) I thought I'd put it out there and hope it encourages others as well as myself - it seems carebear and I are once again on a journey - if you think of me, please pray...life is rough these days


My God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine.

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
Amen and Amen! Ask me or my travelling buddy (care bear) even 10 months ago if we thought we would be where we are and you would get a resounding NO.

But God is so much bigger than all this. He can overcome anything. He can use a young man to slay a giant. He can use a man with faith and a staff to part the waters. How about the beauty of a young woman to save a nation.
David was a man after God's own heart and Moses was a friend of God. And Esther - she submitted to her uncle and obeyed him.
Moses argued with God, but he did submit.

I struggled big time with letting go of my sin. It's so much easier to just stay in your comfort zone and keep on living the way you are used to. But God had a much better life for me. One of adventure and freedom and fun - one that I may have never known.

Being overweight has been something that I have struggled with since I was in grade 4. This was when kids first started to tease me about being "fat." There were many teasing sessions that deeply wounded me. One story is kind of funny now that I think about it, but it wounded me for many years. We were playing baseball in the gym in grade 4. I was running from 2nd to 3rd base and Andy Dallen was the 3rd baseman and was trying to catch the ball or stop me from getting to the base or something. So I was running to third base and just about there and the next thing I know is that I'm sitting on Andy on 3rd base. It was totally by accident, but I really wanted to get on 3rd base and he was blocking my way. I remember everyone was laughing and then Andy yelled "get off of me you fat cow" --ouch-- all was funny and then all was not.
I think that's when I started to dislike sports. Track and field days I would always stay home or get a note saying I couldn't compete. Sports became something that was of too much competition and I got made fun of and so I often 'didn't feel well' etc.
And so the weight heightened and widened and tightened.

I had a few weight losses around the end of grade 12, during Bethany, and in Hawaii/Brazil but they too weren't lasting and might I add some not really healthy.

It was March 2005 that a fresh seed of hope was planted in me and I joined Curves. I thought, like many times, that this was it - this was the time I would actually overcome this for good. I lost 6 pounds in the next 8 months. This wasn't quite the rate I was looking for as it would take me half my life to lose the weight I needed to lose.
Care bear started her journey around September 2005 and asked me to join. I wasn't ready to give up my flesh my food or my new clothes that I had recently purchased for big $$$. I saw Care bear being transformed inwardly and outwardly and desired that so much. Many times I would pull her aside and ask questions and just want to give up or give in. It wasn't until mid November 2005 that I finally gave. I was at the end of my rope and I was ready to surrender to God and walk in obedience to Him and walk away from gluttony. Even then I had my doubts, but Care bear was there to encourage me and lead the way.

So now 7 months later and I'm still walking this journey. And so far on this journey I have lost 44 pounds and reached a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index). The journey that Care bear and I have been on has progressed from mother/daughter to travelling buddies. And the journey is not over. I am still going to lose another 18 pounds and Care bear has another 10 to go (see care bear's story at www.carebearsunshine.blogspot.com --February 7, 2006). Care bear and I are both walking with other people on this journey of overcoming.

We are overcoming only because of the grace of God. He called and we obeyed. That's all it takes is a willing heart. God can do anything. This mountain isn't so big anymore. We are almost at the top, we've had many breathers on the way, but we won't stop until we've seen the view. We can't get the whole picture until we finish the race.
Moses obeyed and look what kind of journey God took Him on. We can expect an amazing adventure too!
I pray that whatever journey God has you on will be marked with persistence and perseverance. Don't stop until you've seen the bigger picture. Until you've seen why God led you down this path.
The view is gonna be great -- I can hardly wait!

With God all things are possible.