After birthing four babies in 5.5 years I carried 25-30 extra pounds. It doesn't sound like much but when you are barely five feet tall ANY extra weight makes a big difference. And this extra weight was impacting my mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health.
At some point during the discussion with my husband I said, "We will NOT weigh this much next year."
He agreed with me, again, that we had to make changes. We always agree that we need to make changes. It's the actual changing part that we have problems with.
My efforts floundered along with minimal success until the beginning of June. At that time I joined a focus group for Lysa TerKeurst's book Made to Crave: Satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food.Wow!! While reading Made to Crave things started changing for me. In chapter 3 Lysa's says you need a plan. So I looked around and found a healthy diet plan. In chapter 9 Lysa talks about exercising (ugh) so I found a couple of exercise DVDs and began using them. And I continued to read Made to Crave.
Actually, I didn't just read Made to Crave, I highlighted it. I underlined it. I circled it. I wrote in the margins. And on the cover I wrote quotes that really struck me.
Quotes like:
"I'm not on a diet. I'm on a journey with Jesus to learn the fine art of self-discipline for the purpose of holiness."
The "scale indicates body weight, NOT WORTH!" (emphasis mine).
"All things are permissible but all things are not beneficial." (1 Corinthians 6:12)
By the end of the summer my self-discipline had paid off. 15 pounds lighter, I fit into sizes I never dreamed I would see again! My energy level had increased exponentially and my emotions were more even-keeled. And I felt closer to God than I had in years.
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| January 1, 2010 |
Now here comes the fun part! Last week I received 2 books from Lysa's assistant Holly. One for me and one to give away to a lucky reader.
BUT I believe in the message of this book so much I am willing to buy my own copy (the final version has a few changes from the manuscript I received this summer) so I am GIVING AWAY TWO COPIES of Made to Crave.
Here are the giveaway rules:
- Visit MadetoCrave.org.
- Leave a comment on this post telling why you want to win a copy of Made to Crave.
- Comments will be closed the evening of Sunday, January 16 and two winners will be selected.
- Winners will be notified by email and have until Wednesday, January 19 to respond with their addresses or another winner will be selected. REMEMBER to include your email address when you comment. Otherwise I have no way to contact you.
20 comments:
I'd love to read it. Same song, different verse. : ) Lots of babies and inactivity in the last year and I need a kick start.
I'd more than love to read this book Stephanie. Not only am I young and have been struggling for the past 9 years, especially with my PCOS, this book would be a great focus for me since I,m trying to lose weight to try and get pregnant. As much as I try to continually make my focus on God during weightloss on my own, I could sure use some edifying and guiding tools to help!
Ps You do look great! You were teeny tiny at church yesterday! And I hope you decide to do the Rhode Races again!
Way to go! You do look great!
Hey Steph! I have been excited about this book since way back at your Pampered Chef party. This sounds like an excellent tool to help women focus on "presenting our bodies as a living sacrifuce, holy and acceptable to God."
I would love to read this book. I want to read this and get back on a healthy lifestyle. -- Alyce
I could definitely use this book.....after April. ;D I'd love to be included because this book sounds fabulous. And in April I'll be seriously working on going back down the scale to keep up with my THREE kidlets. I imagine that more energy would be a really useful thing!
Cause I need to get out of the Food Trap! I would love to crave God as much as a crave food.
Ok, so the fact that I'm even leaving a comment here is a step in the right direction. I need to do something and based on what you said, the book could be a real help to me. I'm suffering from real lack of energy these days and I think part of it is combination of what I eat and not exercising.
I would love something to help me focus my efforts!
Six months ago, my body decided to fight me at every turn. I gained almost 30 pounds. I went to doctor after doctor and got sicker and sicker. All the while, the rest of the pieces of my life started joining my body in the spiral. A co-worker recommended the book, and we were even going to read it and go thru it together. Let's just say she lost interest, so I put it on the backburner. Meanwhile, I had allowed myself to substitute "flavor" (golden oreos and spicy doritos) for comfort. I'm not about new years resolutions, I am about getting to the root of my battle with food & weight. april@faceinfive.com
I want to win this book because I've battled my whole life with emotional and compulsive overeating. I have actually looked for this type of book, but never found it. Thanks for 2 chances to win! I'll wait 'til the announcement, and then I'll order one if I don't win. And friend, you look fantastic!
aliciagwensmith@yahoo.com
Kudos to you and all your hard work! You look terrific! This sounds like a great book. I definitely have an unhealthy attitude towards food that needs to change. I have some health stuff going on that should motivate me to do that...should. Needless to say, I need an attitude adjustment! So maybe this book will help me to head in the right direction.
I JUST heard an interview on Focus on the Family (I think) with Lysa and was VERY intrigued. I'd love to win a copy.
And you look GREAT, Stephanie. Congratulations.
I would love to win this, as I like you have had multiple children in a short amoutn of time (3 kids 4 & under) and I also homeschool...with such a busy schedule food has become my mindless activity and has become an obsession over what I shouldn't be eating taking my focus away from other things... I believe refocusing on God is where I need to be and this book sounds like it could be a great help.
twnorthrip at yahoo dot com
LOVE this post Stephanie! Thank you so much - and thanks also for being a part of my test group! How cool. So glad you were able to lose weight, in the process of growing closer to God. Like I say, it's a spiritual journey with great physical benefits. Thank you again, well done my friend, well done.
I have already ordered my copy and can't wait to start reading it! but a friend is interested in the book. While we've talked about sharing mine, I'd love to be able to give her one and I need mine now b/c my Bible study group is reading through this right now ....
I'd like to win this book because a friend of mine could really use something like this in her life right now... Thanks for doing this giveaway! :)
grig at gmx dot com
Lookin' good, girl!
I am soooooo proud of your determination and success in conquering the weight situation.
What an encouragement you are to the rest of us!
I would like to win a copy of this book in order to pass it on to one of the ladies in my Bible study group. After I read it, we will probably want to do a group study on it.
I, too, am a petite and struggle with the weight thing. I've lost 15out of the 30 pounds once gained. (Four years now) I need motivation to go on and loose the other half. I hope to find it here.
So amazing how God knits pieces of our lives together.....I recently heard of this book while listening to KLove at work....my gal pal (lovely Christian who sits next to me) and I have not stopped talking about this topic since! I too have had that extra ......lbs and no real way to rid them. I really don't overeat, per se, rather I don't move enough or eat balanced enough. Any attempt to put food, health, exercise and God in the right balance cannot be anything but positive.....
Would love to get started....
Thank you for all your GREAT comments, Ladies. I wish I could give a book to each of you!!
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