September 10, 2013 - Distractions, Take a Number!

Another start to a beautiful day. I thought I could feel fall in the air a couple of weeks ago, but not yesterday. Yesterday was intense heat and little air and I was reminded that the season has not shifted yet. I know our family is scattered all over the planet, and perhaps your season is different - but it feels a lot like the "dog days of summer to me." Just sayin. Again, mark your calendar for our next Life Group, October 6th, and bring a friend. I do need to know if you're coming so we can plan enough fish and chicken to cook. I have been reading in Hebrews 10 about "A Call to Persevere." I don't know about you but sometimes - SOMETIMES - it seems that healthy efforts are too binding and boring. How many times can one make a dessert with simply fruit and perhaps add a flavored whipped cream and still be satisfied? As we have journeyed to a place of understanding that our fight for freedom in our health arena is NON-negotaible, then we have to remind ourselves that our meals serve simply as refueling. I know we have talked about this several times, but when we can really digest that the taste of food and the pleasure of eating are secondary to living life as healthy adults, perseverance is easier. I am convinced of that! In Hebrews 10 the followers were reminded they had received the knowledge of the truth and they should hold on to and "never throw away" the confidence that came with this knowledge. I feel that way about us. You know our key verse from Galatians 5:1 requires US to stand firm. That reminds me that the confidence of our knowledge that we CAN be healthy and we CAN choose life will be tested. Are you standing firm on truth this Tuesday or have you exchanged the truth for unsteady ground? I want to encourage every reader to contend for the truth. Every little crack in the door to an unhealthy lifestyle needs to be sealed. If you are on unsteady ground this morning, stand up, ask the Lord for the knowledge of truth concerning your health and be willing to do whatever it takes to make perseverance your motivation from now on. I wish I could fight for your health and help ease the load for you, but I cannot. I wish someone could go and do all my workouts and prepare all my healthy food choices, but they cannot. Sometimes my life is so busy that "doing what is right" seems to be more than I can do. YIKES. That's when I have to persevere. If placing busyness above my health is always the first choice or the easiest choice, it won't take long and my health will more than likely loose it's footing. Listen, there is too much at stake. We came together for accountability and encouragement. The enemies of our health, as we talked yesterday, are often VERY PATIENT and have PERSEVERANCE that we often take for granted. This day, let us renew our commitment to hold fast to the knowledge that our health is critical and that the enemies of our health are constantly trying to gain their place. Let's not wait until a bad report from the doctor brings fear. No, let's walk in faith and make all the health distractions take a number LOWER than our health. You must fight for YOU. Have a great one, PK