Crazy Mode Be Gone

I am joining again on an online Bible study through Proverbs 31 Ministries.  This study is based on Lysa TerKeurst's Made to Crave book.  They are having a blog hop each week to help women join together through the process.

This week the topic I chose to write about is how my insecurities have often pushed me into crazy modes.

First, my main insecurity has always been to fail in whatever I am doing.  That includes trying to lose weight, learning something new, doing the best I can at work, and so much more.  So when I hit these insecurities, I sometimes go into a crazy mode.

Kevin (my husband) would be the first one to testify about my crazy mode.  He laughs, because he knows that if I have something big going on that I am going to stress myself out by doing everything to make it great.  He always dreads when I have something at the house.  I keep our house fairly clean all the time, but when people are coming over I want to make sure I have touched every last space of our house.  I know it's crazy.  I know our house has to be lived in, but I like for it to be clean.

I am the same way when it goes to weight loss.  When I decide that I am going to work on losing weight, I plan the extreme workouts.  I do them for awhile, but there is no way I can keep them up.

My insecurity of failing causes me to work and work.  However at some point, I always reach a breaking point in which I can't continue.  I have been praying and working on finding a balance with everything so I don't reach a breaking point, because when I reach the point I feel like a complete failure.  I know this is so not true, but this is just how it feels.  Instead of trying to do everything, I am picking a couple of areas and concentrating on being successful with them.

Can you relate?

Elizabeth

Determination

I am joining again on an online Bible study through Proverbs 31 Ministries.  This study is based on Lysa TerKeurst's Made to Crave book.  They are having a blog hop each week to help women join together through the process.

This week I chose to write about the word of the week, "Determination".  This word has helped me and is helping me in so many ways.  When I hear this word, I think of this scripture:

Source: http://weheartit.com/entry/11801837

When times get rough, I know that God is by my side and helping me to keep going.  With His help, I can do anything.  Determination gives me hope for the future.  I know that God has a plan for my life, and if I choose to follow His will for my life that I will be able to be successful.  I do not expect to be perfect or have a perfect life, but I know that God will give me what I need to get through anything.

This year, I am determined to grow closer to God.  With His help, I will be able to succeed in finding a good balance between work, home, and friends.  For with Him, I can do anything!

Elizabeth

A Raging Battle

I am joining again on an online Bible study through Proverbs 31 Ministries.  This study is based on Lysa TerKeurst's Made to Crave book.  They are having a blog hop each week to help women join together through the process.

This week I chose to write about "A Raging Battle".  Our prompt stated, "Food isn't the only thing that tempts to destroy our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.  What other things do you currently crave more than God?".

Mine may sound crazy.  I touched on it in my post titled "One Little Word".  I have been so overwhelmed with trying not to fail in everything I do that I have craved success more than God.  However in this craving success, I have let my family, friends, and mostly God down.  

Through my work, I have not allowed much time for God.  I quit going to church on Sunday and Wednesday nights, because I was overwhelmed creating these amazing lesson plans for school.  I quit using my musical talents at church, because I did not have time to practice due to long hours at work.  I quit having alone time with God in the mornings, because I would check my e-mails first thing and run out of time for Him.  The list could go on and on.

I want to let my light "SHINE" in 2014 by putting God first in every avenue of my life.  I know when I do this that everything else will fall into place.  I know it is important to be a good teacher, but my relationship with God should come first.  I want my students to be able to see the love of God through me, because I may be the only person that they see this from.

Photo credits to http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/e5/0a/27/e50a279e504088293bd12f362d3e2779.jpg

What do you currently crave more than God?

Elizabeth

Falling in Love of Water?

In January, I read the book Made to Crave by Lysa Turkeurst.  Oh what a life changing moment that was for me! 

Right before I began to read the book, I had decided that I was going to take out all caffeine drinks and sweet tea from my everyday routine.  I have done this many times before, but I always had a criteria for it.  (Ex. - I'll drink whatever I want at a meal but only drink water any other time.  I'll drink water throughout the week and whatever I want on the weekends.  And the list goes on.)  My life revolved around going to Sonic at Happy Hour and getting a Large Sweet Tea to drink or walking during my planning time to the break room to get a Dr. Pepper out of the coke machine.  I knew this was not good for my health, and I wanted to do better.  Therefore, I decided at the beginning of January to only drink water.  I knew I would still have to leave in milk and orange juice for the mornings, but otherwise I wanted to only drink water.  I mean I could do this right?  I could always put Crystal Light in my water if the taste got old.  Oh, how I wish it was that easy!  Thank goodness that I began reading this book right after I decided to do all this.

Now everytime I crave a sweet tea to drink, I am able to take a moment to thank God for all he has done and reflect on my relationship with him.  It has not been easy, but with God's help and my loving husband I have been able to go over 3 months with water! 

My students have even gotten in on it and have become my accountability partners at school.  My new water bottle keeps up with how much I drink a day, and they are constantly coming to see what number it is on and pushing me to drink more.  I'm so glad that I am able to be a good example for them.

I'm not stopping at 3 months so check back to see how long I last!  I encourage you to read Made to Crave.  It is a great book that will change you!