Just because I'm not posting........

 * I am writing this as a journal--to me--I don't know if anyone is reading it--or if it is just me talking to myself.  If you are reading--please pray for me as I am on this journey.  If you would like to join be--I could use someone to be accountable too.  If not, the Lord and I will go it together.

This book is so much what I need.  I praise the Lord daily for guiding me to this study.  I am learning discipline to reach out and read it each day.  It is improving my quiet time/ devotions and my prayer life.   I have never been one to pray for myself.  When I tell someone I will pray for them--I mean it and I do.  Often at night when I am awake and cannot go back to sleep I talk to the Lord saying, "Ok- Lord I am awake.  Who do you want me to pray for?"  I am continually amazed at the people He brings to mind.  People that I haven't thought of recently,  or situations, or sometimes it is for me.  I have also learned that I will send the persons  a quick email the next day.  I just tell them that I have been praying for them.  If the Lord has given me something definite to pray for I will tell them.  If not---just letting them know I have prayed.  I am overwhelmed when I will hear back from them--that it was something they were struggling with or a definite time of need.  I then Praise the Lord that I was obedient to His leading.

Well back to this study.  It is not a book that you pick up and read cover to cover in a sitting.  I find that I read a few pages--then I need to either spend time thinking about it or go back and reread it.  After the first few pages of each Chapter the author lists pages of  short  scriptures with short prayers. 

I started at the beginning learning about strongholds.  I had in my mind--the primary stronghold that I was praying about--along with others that at this time at not as pressing.  So each chapter and each scripture that I read I would try to think how it fit.  Some I highlighted, some I copied the reference in my devotional journal.  Then I realized-perhaps-each chapter isn't intended for me right now.  So I started looking further into the book.  WOW!

I found a chapter dealing with insecurity.  It reminded my of Beth Moore's book,  "So Long Insecurity".  So I pulled it out and started rereading it at the same time.

Then--as I continued in I found Chapter 7, " Overcoming Addiction."  I thought--now I am getting closer.  I have felt that I was addicited to food.  When I am frustrated, angry, frightened, worried, or overwhelmed, I have reached for something to eat.  And I look like it.  No matter how much I have tried to do it on my own it hasn't worked.  I have known that I am miserable, insecure, and not healthy due to my weight.  So it has been the stronghold I have been working on.   After excellent pages of insight--the first prayer with a scripture reference is:
I confess to You that I am overwhelmed by the task ahead, but I am thankful that You have authority over all things.  Heaven is Your throne and earth is Your footstool (Matt 5:35); therefore , anything over my head is under Your feet.

There are 13 pages of scriptures with short prayers.  I use them as a starting point.

Then I turned to see what the next chapter was!  THERE IT WAS!!!  Overcoming Food Related Stongholds.  Seriously, I had not looked ahead to see this was coming.  It is there for me to read, study, and pray. 

One reason I am writing this now is because I am home alone--and it would be so easy to go into the kitchen and eat everything there.  I have the craving for something--that I don't know what it is--that is when it is dangerous--I could just eat anything-everything--looking for what I am craving.  However,  the Lord and I are in this together.  He is holding me--I will not give in.

I started Weight Watchers the first week school was out.  To date I have lost officially- 10.2 pounds in four weeks. Except for the gals at the group-Herb is the only one who knows what I am doing.  I know it will be a long road--require significant discipline--and committing not just daily/ but continually to the Lord to be my strength.  I need to daily put on the full armor of God. 

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."

It is God himself who is working in my life.  He didn't "assign  a mighty angel".   God is thoroughly interested and involved in every part of me: body, soul, and spirit.