May 9, 2012 - You're Not The Boss of Me

Hey gang, This was part of my devotional for Monday and it keeps coming back to my spirit: Life is no fun when we let our feelings run the show. Feelings change from day to day, hour to hour, even moment to moment. They often lie to us. In short, we cannot trust our feelings. But we can choose, as Christ followers, to ignore false emotions and live by truth and wisdom. Let me give you some examples. Perhaps you have found yourself in a crowd of people and felt as though everyone was talking about you. That doesn't mean they were. Maybe you feel that nobody understands you, but that doesn't mean they don't. You may feel misunderstood, unappreciated or even mistreated, but that doesn't mean you are. I want to tag off this and say - just because we feel hungry, doesn't mean we really are. Sometimes I have to really STOP and ask myself if this is really hunger or is my flesh desiring its WANTS???? That's critical to determine. Sometimes when I'm tired or frustrated my flesh still tries to drag me to my past. I have to remind myself that I ate an hour ago and have refueled properly and then I really have to listen. Is this hunger? If yes, and I just ate, water or fruit is a good choice. If I haven't eaten in awhile - I eat. There is that fine line that we must examine and ask God to give us wisdom. We cannot eat every time our flesh cries out.......sometimes it's really just a test! No more prison for us. Right? So listen well today and REALLY don't allow your flesh to dictate your future health. We would never allow a child "testing the waters" to control our lives. Tell that flesh, "you're not the boss of me!" wink PK

May 8, 2012 - Did God Really Say?

Good morning all, I think some people feel it's "easier" to fight cancer than obesity. UGH! We have to remember this promise found in Matthew 8:17: So God’s promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said, “He healed our diseases and made us well.” That is a promise - and God doesn't lie. Now for us - it's not just a one time healing and it's done - hear me out. Our healing manifests in our MIND - our CHOICES - the WILL to make the CORRECT choices and KEEP MAKING THEM. It's not like cancer where it is removed forever and one goes into remission. This is a journey of daily choices BUT GOD HEALED US and GUIDES US to make the right ones. AND - we have to not allow LIFE to cause us to return to our past. I know that's hard. But some of us"self medicate with food" and that strikes a chord of compassion with me. I lived there for so mangy years! I do take medication when I need it - but self-medicating with food only seems to lead to crash and burn rapidly! YIKES! That's why our family is so important to me and realizing that Jesus TOOK obesity like a sack upon his body FOR ME helps me to see that God made a plan BUT I cannot "SELF" do MY plan. Let's thank God for these things today: 1. We are healed according to Matthew 8:17. 2. Our mind is healed and will make the correct choices to maintain that healing 3. Food is FUEL for our body and NOT COMFORT for our soul 4. We will not allow our wants (for various kinds of food) to bring compromise into our daily choices 5. God has given us abundant life through Jesus Christ - we choose to accept and FIGHT for that abundance Self-medicating with food is like playing Truth or Dare with satan. I can hear him whispering, "Did God really say............" YES, MATTHEW 8:17 DOES SAY!!!! If you are looking back and slowly gaining - look forward, look up, get on the scale daily, and ask God to RENEW in you the truth His Word. He made us well - let's live life as well people and refuse to allow the things of our past to place sickness on us again. Amen? Choose life and eat to live, PK

May 7, 2012

Good morning - what an absolutely beautiful morning! It stormed last night and the air is so fresh and cool. It's amazing how that happens. I so love mornings like this where I can drink coffee, talk to ya'll, read the Word, and just bask in the beauty of God. Congrats this morning to Jenny Vaughn who did her FIRST 5 K run! You go girl - so proud of you and to Wendi P for getting underneath her next weight goal AND getting a house. We celebrate with those who are celebrating. Yes!!! And a BIG thanks to all of you who prayed for my trip. All I can say is God did amazing things from start to finish. I had a few obstacles to overcome but God had His way and spoke to His girls. I preached for about 40 minutes and then women waited in line for up to 90 minutes for prayer. My heart was so touched at so many who are suffering and then I received an email last night for someone that felt she was supposed to come for prayer but didn't really go to the church and wasn't sure she could but needs a touch from God desperately. She contacted the leadership at the Tabernacle for my email address and reached out. PTL! SO many are trapped and have suffered so long they have NO JOY. It breaks my heart. I especially want you to join me in prayer for a young lady (maybe 10 or 11 years old), who waited about 30 minutes for me to pray for her, who asked me to pray that her daddy would get saved. While I prayed she cried, I cried, and all around cried. The daddy's name is Lance and I am asking God to do a quick work and bring that family to wholeness. The pastor's wife says she comes EVERY week to the altar to pray for her daddy's salvation. He name is Mackenzie. Mother's Day is this weekend and I know this is a BIG "go out to eat" weekend. We CAN do this - check everything. I went to lunch last week with my pastor's wife and there was a jalapeño ranch offered with the grilled chicken salad. I was very careful to have the waiter check to see if the ranch was made with sugar. When he checked, it was not. So, ranch on the side, stick the fork in the ranch, and grab a lot of salad - next bite no dressing. At some places they bring 2-3 containers of ranch - I never even use a whole one any more - too many calories. Also, be mindful that when they say grilled - it is often "grilled" with butter and steamed means butter added. I have learned to be very specific. SOOOOO - let your family bless you- go anywhere you want - eat a healthy, balanced meal and make a dessert that you can enjoy with everyone following your meal. What a perfect plan! Love you guys more than you know - start planning today for your weekend celebration. "We plan to fail when we fail to plan." PK

May 4, 2012 - God's Table is Prepared

PRAISE GOD.......it's raining. It's been almost three weeks here with no water. I thought about going outside and standing in the water and just laughing out loud. Thanks Wendi girl for helping declare RAIN. On Monday when I sent out that blog - we had been weeks with no rain and another 10 day spread with no rain. I started calling the water out of the skies and reminding God that we were desperate - I WAS DESPERATE - for him to rain on the earth and in my heart. To ME......the rain brings peace and hope and life! I have both doors open now and the sound simply calms my spirit. I am leaving this morning for Sarasota, Florida to speak at a spring, women's event in the morning. Please pray as I am believing for healing in several areas as I share my testimony. I KNOW God protected my marriage, mind, finances, integrity, etc. during the darkest of days so he could use my journey to pull the captives from prison and receive SO MUCH STINKIN GLORY THAT IT BLINDS PEOPLE. God is NO respecter of persons and he is MORE than able to do the same thing in all our lives! My husband's journey and my daughter's health have placed things in me I would NEVER have gotten anywhere else and for that I am grateful. Now I turn and proclaim - "even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will FEAR NO EVIL, for the rod and staff of OUR GOD will COMFORT us - He prepares a table before us in the PRESENCE of our enemies." I could shout! Obesity is an enemy and yet God's table is prepared right in FRONT of my problem. I chose to eat from the King's table and not the fast food line at McDonald's. :) Gotta run - finishing my final notes for my message. PK PS - the new life group based around healthy eating doesn't start this Sunday, but 1st Sunday of June if you wanna attend. Kisses!

May 3, 2012 - Speak God's Word To The Mountain

Good morning, I heard from some that you are a wee bit tired or discouraged. One of my readings this morning from Joyce Meyer does a great job of encouraging us to KEEP SPEAKING to our situation. Sometimes our situations are so consuming we comfort ourselves with food and then get discouraged. Maybe this will encourage you today. It SO did me. I leave for Sarasota in the morning to speak at a women's event Saturday morning. I would love for you to pray for the women to whom I will minister and for me that they will "see" me and "HEAR" God. I'm just the vessel. PK Speak God's Word to the Mountain When Jesus said that we are to speak to the mountain, commanding it to be lifted up and thrown into the sea, He was making a radical statement. See, we usually talk about the "mountains," or challenges, in our lives, but God's Word instructs us to talk to them. And when we do, we must respond to them with the Word of God. In Luke 4, when Satan was trying to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, the Lord responded to every trial by speaking Scripture. He repeatedly quoted verses that met the lies and deceptions of the devil head-on. We have a tendency to try this for awhile, but when we do not see quick results, we stop speaking the Word to our problems and begin once again to speak our feelings. Persistence is a vital link to obtaining victory. Constantly speaking the Word is powerful and absolutely necessary in overcoming any problem or negative situation. Know what you believe and be determined to stick with it to the end. ******this is ONE key to the success of our life's journey. PK Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, remind me daily to speak the Word to the mountains in my life. Every time I give in to complaining or despair, fill me with Your peace and boldness and prompt me to speak Your will and move mountains!

May 2, 2012 - Sir Isaac Newton

Good morning to all, I like water aerobics without the dome - lots of green trees, etc. It was a really good workout. :) I was thinking last night how difficult it is sometimes to move from a place of just "holding still" (in all areas of life) to moving AGAIN. Sometimes the initial outlay of energy just "doesn't" seem worth the effort. Moving the heavy weights through the water was tough, but the toughest part was in my mind. I KNEW from past classes how tough it was going to be to maneuver them through the resistance BUT ONCE I GOT GOING - it was easier. That's true about a lot of things. We remember in our minds (and in our stomachs) how hard it is to stay on plan........we have family functions coming up, graduations, it's difficult to get the water in while working, on the weekends our spouses want to go out to eat, we have to cook and plan ahead of time.........etc, etc, etc. BUT......once our minds have started it's sometimes easier to stay in motion. It really is. Issac Newton had three laws (basically) that really relate to motion. One of those states that an object IN MOTION will remain IN MOTION until energy from an outside force is exerted against it. It is HARD to start but once started you stay in motion until something gets in the way. THEN, we can slow down or even stop. AND, it takes a great amount of energy to start again. I know for myself it is hard for me to restart something. I have done that so many times - so this time I have purposed to not restart, but continue. The basic laws of physics really do apply to our health journey as well. We purpose in our minds to never stop or slow down and then we FIGHT against all odds or objects that would challenge our resolve. I know it's hard to make such a stand against obesity when we cannot see the future, but we REALLY can. We know that heart disease is REAL and stems from unhealthy eating in most cases; we know diabetes can be controlled with healthy eating and effects of "staying in motion." These are just two - start naming things that doctors are now linking obesity to and the picture is not pretty. We have a chance to start IN MOTION towards a healthy future or we can sit still and "hope" the statistics and facts concerning the future of those following an unhealthy food plan are not true. I'd rather not roll the dice. I'd rather get in motion and stay in motion. Starting and re-starting is HARD work and I am afraid I will eventually decide starting again is not worth the effort and accept my fate. NO.....NO......NO! Let's get in motion with our food, with our exercise, and with our attitudes and then.......let's STAY IN MOTION. Loving you today, PK

May 1, 2012 - The RIGHT Fuel in My Engine

The heat is on! WOW......I cannot imagine what August will bring and the drought too. My husband who loves our yard and various plants has chosen to plant nothing this year due to the drought. It took us sometimes 2 hours (several days a week) last year to water everything thoroughly. SO.....my yard is in "maintenance mode" with the drought coming, no need to spend the money on high-maintenance items. UGH! Water aerobics starts back tonight and I am so excited! Hopefully they have the pool heated as the dome has been removed. YIKES! If you're near the Kedron area, come to the aquatic center and join us tonight at 7. It's a hard workout, but fun. Also, all the new LIfe Groups at NCC are being promoted for the next two weekends - so my new Healthy Eating one will launch the 1st Sunday in June. People are gathering at my home ONE Sunday night a month for a healthy share-a-dish, laughter and prayer for our health issues. This is not just for NCC folks, so if you wanna attend - you can! My house - each 1st Sunday - 6pm-8pm - bring a healthy food item to share AND COPIES OF YOUR RECIPE. YUM! The scripture in Romans 6:16 says, "Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?" Paul is really encouraging the new believers to stop giving into their own desires and temptations as our emotions are so powerful. They really are. Let's take our journey - we are clipping along and following the plan and little by little we begin to excuse the things we know to do. For me, maybe I eat nuts instead of getting in my veggies as they are quick and easy. But just that became a trap for me. I realized by last week that I wan't cooking as I should and I was okay with nuts and an apple a couple of times a day. STOP. I had to readjust my attitude this weekend. I got myself back on the plan and already my spirit is lifted. My cells cannot live off nuts and fruit - even if "I don't feel like cooking." I hit a "bump in the road" in my personal life and instead of eating sugar or starch, I just quit following the plan and started grabbing what was easy. That DOES NOT fuel my cells, or give me energy. I noticed by last week I was so tired and sluggish, and I felt like I was in a rut. Sorry - gotta be honest. This accountability helps me. :) So Saturday and Sunday I started back with eating meats, veggies, and fruits in their right balance with the healthy fats and by yesterday I could so tell a difference. The moral of this: get your veggies and fruits in each day - vary the color and kind - and don't substitute nuts as a veggie. Nuts are great in moderation but our veggies have those vitamins and fiber we need! Try eating some of them raw and some cooked daily. My flesh that LOVES nuts is not the BOSS of me. I had gotten to a place of carrying nuts in my purse and not taking my lunch. NO! So, I am choosing to obey the plan and REWARDING myself with some nuts when my veggies and water have been consumed. I will be a "slave" to the plan of God for my life which is to fill HIS TEMPLE with the good things he created as fuel for me. It's like going to a pump and getting bad gas - my car is going to run poorly. Same concept. I choose to obey the rules of right eating and give my body every chance to live a long, productive life. How about you? Are you on plan and refueling well? If so - FABULOSO! If not, pack your lunch with a lean protein and fruit. Let's chain ourselves to life-giving foods. YUM! Have an awesome Tuesday - God is BIG enough! PK