ENCOURAGED IN HEART

Last night I begged God for help.

A brownie box beckoned and it spoke loud. It urged me to get my eat on’. But I wasn’t hungry. I was just laying there on the couch, quietly reading a book and BLAM-O…the brownie box busted the blissful silence.

It was the perfect set up.

The boys were in bed and the Finkster was at the fire department. No one would know.

Addiction is secretive.

Calories eaten alone don’t “count”.

Addiction is isolating.

I missed my monthly goal weight this month. There’s no bling.

Addiction is intense.

What’s a little taste gonna do to hurt me now?

Addiction is persuasive.

My former pastor spoke about how he’d grab a spoon and eat straight from a bag of sugar. There’s no way I could judge the dude cause I’d crack open a brownie mix, add water and go for it. Yeah, that’s right…no oven involved. Addicts find different ways to get their “fix”. And last night, I wanted a “fix”.

Addiction is not pretty.

I have a very difficult time asking for help.

But I did. I asked God for help.

And God hooked me up.

I know this post won’t generate comments.

Addiction is shameful.

But I’m writing it anyway; because I’m grateful.

Yesterday morning I read Psalm 107 in my private time. Three points jumped off the page.
1. Call out to God in your desperate condition
2. He’ll get you out in the nick of time
3. Give thanks to the LORD for his marvelous love

Then the sermon yesterday reminded me that Jesus was tempted in everyway, but he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

God gave me the weapons of warfare in the morning because He knew I’d be doing battle that night. How’s that for some seriously sweet detailed love? This post is my thanks for His marvelous love. We all need a helping hand from time to time. Brownie boxes can be very loud ya know.

Maybe you’re addicted to food…
Or shopping.
Or pride.
Or alcohol.
Or worry.
Or pornography.
Or gossip.
Or rage.
Or work.
Or sex.
Or drugs.
Or being right all the time.
Or anger.
Or smoking.
Or big spiffy titles.

God silenced a very loud brownie box last night.

I want to encourage you today, whatever you struggle with, invite God in. Ask Him for help. Okay?

Okay.

Then, find a way to pay it forward…to give thanks to God.

I just did and I hope you will too.

Deadliest Catch…

Have you heard of this show? Last year, Dave and I were hooked. It’s about ship crews that race to catch the most crab in the most horrid of weather and conditions, all in the name of earning an honest (and rather lucrative) living.  After Jake, Cal and my non-sea worthy performance on vacation this past summer, I give those guys props!

But as I saw our one son eat out of boredom last month, I realized what the deadliest catch truly is (outside of not knowing Jesus) – contagious addiction.

I know where he “caught” that idea from.  And, it wasn’t Dave…it was me.

I don’t want to disrespect my parents but rather honor them.  Part of this eating addiction recovery has been looking at my life and patterns with honest eyes.  Looking through honest lenses I see that I was taught emotional eating.  I was rewarded for being a member of the “clean plate club” and that taught me to overeat and not listen to my body.  I still continue to struggle with portion control. I’m not blaming them but I did learn it as a child and perfected it as a young woman.

As my mentor, Joyce Meyer, said many times that, “she’s drawing a line in the sand and letting it (addictive/destructive patterns) end” with her. (She had sexual, physical and emotional abuse in her family.)

Then I think about some of my family members, one is a recovering alcoholic and the other (who is in heaven with Jesus today) who battled drug addiction since his teen years.  When his son got arrested for marijuana possession, I thought a similar thought as when my precious son ate out of boredom…deadliest catch.

On the surface, food seems like the “lesser” offense (when compared to alcohol or drugs) because last time I checked, eating is not illegal!  But truly any substance (food, worry and shopping included) that takes the place of God, is a false idol and needs to be remedied ASAP.  Letting anything substitute for Christ is like that “authentic” Gucci watch I bought years ago from an Manhattan street “entrepreneur” – fake and eventually didn’t work.

Do you have a “deadliest catch” that needs God?  Will you allow God to work in you to end the cycle?  It’s not just your life that depends on it…your kids and circle of influence depend on you too.