TW Summer Study - day 4

Day Four ~ A Path of My Choosing

Moment by moment, step by step, in the present...choices, choices, choices to be made.

CHOICE: Beat myself up for my failures. Step into the prison of paralyzed fear, condemnation, despair. Listen to the lies of Satan. And stay in this cycle....forever.

or

CHOICE: Allow myself to be loved by God. Allow myself to believe God and what His word says. Listen to the Holy Spirit's nudgings and conviction and teaching. Learn from my mistakes. Allow truth to line the walls of my mind. Change. Be transformed. Be saturated in God's grace and love. Be equiped and empowered to change from within by the renewing of my mind, taking thoughts captive to Christ...and move to victory step by step by step by step.

Observation (dispassionate as Heidi emphasizes) and correction are such important tools to consider and apply on this journey. Here is one I need to apply tonight...

Situation: Tonight, as I was eating supper, I had drank a big glass of water, had some salad and munched on a bit of fruit and was moving to what I was most looking forward to...a slice of homemade pizza...and a very subtle (almost imperceptible) little air bubble burp - ladylike of course:-) - escaped.

Observation: I could sense that I was getting near #5. But in all honesty I DID NOT WANT TO STOP. (I knew that in the past this little air bubble escape meant I should stop. And I would actually stop right then, no more bites. I was done.) But I have no longer been paying attention to this cue and certainly didn't want to listen to this cue as I bit into the slice of pizza...and so I kept going. I know I'm pushing my #5 hunger #'s. I am feeling greedy at suppertime, trying to squeeze as much food in as possible. And my #5's should probably be closer to #6 or #7 a lot of the time.

Correction: Slow down so I can enjoy and savour every bite fully. Be very very aware of my body's cues as I near satisfaction. Next meal STOP before or when I get that air bubble escape. NOT ONE BITE PAST! For the times when I feel satisfied before the air bubble escape, try practising by leaving a couple bites on my plate/bowl, offering them to the Lord (not just for the sake of doing it!) as a sacrifice of worship to Him, reflecting on my surrender to Him, on being mastered by Him alone.

Okay, that was pretty long winded, more than usual for my O&C's... But you know what, I needed to do that tonight! This is a big stepping stone for me....getting past fudging the numbers...

Love, love, love the phrase "On the path of God's provision under the canopy of His grace..." TW pg 39

It is so true. God DOES provide. He equips. He empowers. He transforms. I am so thankful for His word, for sisters in Christ who come alongside for the journey, for the strength He gives for each day, for His love that He pours out and makes known to me each day, for the nudgings of the Holy Spirit, for answers to prayer, for caring about the smallest details of my life... I could go on and on.

I want to stay on the path of His provision under the canopy of His grace.

Here's a favorite verse I choose to cling to.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8