Fearfully & Wonderfully Made

8th months and I'm 107 pounds down. Image on left October 7, 2019 Image on Right May 11, 2020 So where have I been? I was doing okay posting on my blog and then I stopped in February... and then time just went on and  March was all Covid... and then April and May (more lockdown) so I've been just riding the ride. And then two different friends said remarkable things to me today. One encouraged in me my writing. And one reminded me that I had a gift to give. You see I've been a bit frozen. A bit afraid of saying the wrong thing in this stressful climate. When Covid first hit and quarantine and shelter in place became a thing there was a part of me that felt pretty shallow talking about my weight loss updates. There was also a part of me that felt like "who cares what I eat? The world is ending!" And there were times where I totally failed. I overate popcorn and almonds y'all. I was emotionally eating. I was struggling. Mike laughed. He was lik...

It's been amazing all the different things that have come to the surface since I'm no longer eating my feelings. I find myself trying to find new ways to numb and distract myself. Mainly Facebook/Instagram/Pinterest. So I'm having to set a timer and let myself be on for 10 minutes and when the timer goes off I get off. I'm not going to replace a bad habit with another bad habit! I also see myself wanting to turn to my phone to kill time instead of doing the things I need to be doing... it's like I'm bored while being busy! It's been so interesting being raw and vulnerable. I feel like I'm completely open to any kind of attack. I've had to keep turning to the Lord and asking Him to be my covering. To be my shield. My protector and defender. My help in time of need. Yesterday I was down for the count. Peter had come with a virus/bug and passed it on to me and Mike. Thankful I was able to sleep a lot of the day. I chose to still do my fuelings and l...

Oh my goodness friends. I have so much energy. It blows my mind. Energy in the morning for sure... but I still have energy at the end of the day. I'm dancing in my kitchen by dinner time. I noticed I could bend over with ease to get pots and pans out of the cupboard... before I used to yell for one of my children and ask them to reach for me! I'm marveling at God at work. Can this really all happen from a change of nutrition? I can't believe I don't have cravings! I'm not a sugar monster. I'm not even sweating approaching holidays. I'm learning what I can substitute and an am enjoying feeling my body- get naturally hungry and then fueling it! I know I'm only on Day 12 but I just feel a whole new lease on life. It doesn't feel like work to get out of bed. I'm genuinely joyful in spite of roadblocks, hiccups and inconveniences. How can God be doing this good work in me? Oh my goodness! I just got to stop and praise Him for a moment. ...

I woke up at 4 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. One of those wide awake mornings plus my sweet love snoring beside me, make a great combination = wake-up time. So how many times can I reset myself? How many times can I start over? Try again? Begin Afresh? The Lord tells us His mercies are new every morning and I think it's the permission I need to hear to be reminded that I can start again, today, now, this very moment. This journey has been far from perfect. Far from ideal. But what I love is that God has graciously walked with me and shown me new truths and old truths in fresh ways. Today, I'm choosing to love myself as I am. Not for who I will become but for who I am today. I'm grateful for this body that can move and take me places, that breathes for me, that cycles blood, eliminates toxins, and allows me the nutrition I need to be healthy. There are so many paths to take when it comes to weight loss. But I know the foundation remains the same- a lifest...

I love how God is always bringing things together in my life. How He slowly and surely guides and directs my paths... leading me, guiding me, giving me new resources. I love how so many different things converge into one thing.... My life has been on a path of transformation for a while. I have gone from a person who struggled with what other people thought of her to one who is so enraptured by God that others opinions have greatly diminished. I have gone from a victim: of sexual abuse, of difficult circumstances to a hero of my own story who sees every challenge as an opportunity, every difficulty as another story to tell to encourage, serve and bless others and every suffering as a means to draw nearer to Christ. I have shed a lot of my perfectionistic tendencies for good enough... If something is worth doing, it's worth doing imperfectly. I am learning to run, literally. It's the craziest thing. I would never have seen myself as a runner. I'm not an elite athlete...