#empowered

I am #empowered by: Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength! I don’t have to be strong enough he can be for both of us! So I am taking the challenge that is set up in the Bible study "Made to Crave" to replace my addictions and replace them with depending more on God's help first, before I go to fear and try to do things myself.

My plan is journaling what I am doing and what happens along the way each week on Friday. Please join me in following my journey each Thursday. My hope is by journaling about my struggles and triumphs in my life with God, not only will you help me stay accountable but it might help in your journey. You might find your life might look easier and it may help inspire you in some way! Either way I see it as a win, win. Thank you for coming along with me today!

Week 1

With God’s grace I am #empowered to continue with my food plan and exercise for my health.
This week I started out my days with this check list:

1) Each morning after opening my eyes while laying in bed, I started saying these words: “This is the day my  God has made and I will rejoice in it.”  Then I get up to drink a 8oz glass of warm lemon water. (I  get my husband’s coffee set up and pray for his day over the coffee beans.

2)  I read my devotionals to help get me started having my quiet time. I ask God to use me to help someone else in some way by attraction not so much promotion and that they can see his LOVE working in me. I ask him to walk with me to help me walk and to accomplish what he wants for me to do that day.  Then I sit quietly and listen to see if he has any assignment for me for the day. Sometimes I hear a direct word and some days I don’t. Some day’s things just present themselves and I just seem to know they come from God so I go with them.

3)  I read in the Bible where I am somehow pointed to read either by my devotionals or a directed thought that I'm given by a real quiet voice inside me.

4) I thank God for walking with me and giving me the strength to accomplish what it is that he wants me to do for the day. Then I go about my day knowing God’s with me in every step though out my day. I can just talk with him anywhere or any time, even for a second or two.

 My husband and I have breakfast. After he goes off to work I bless our house (dusting using flylady.com thought). A friend of mine and I started walking just a little at a time every other day alternating with Yoga and treadmill walking so I can try to build up some endurance to walk father on a daily basis. Having SCA ataxia because it is a Neurological disease it effects walking normally. I have been really fearful to actually find out IF I can build up and walk more. You see  most people that are diagnosed with SCA Ataxia end up in a wheel chair etc. It robs them of any normal movement that others just take for granted.

My body lets me know after I after do things if I've done too much. I listen to that and just take a nap if needed even though I don't always want to!  :0)

I listen to Christian music while putting on my makeup.  I put on my Armor Eth. 6:10-18 in NIV physically after I get dressed daily.

I have programed in my IPhone to remind me throughout the day to drink water, when to eat etc.   For me it’s an easy way to keep track of how much I drink water also. I have an alarm that goes off a few times in the day that reminds me that through out the day through God I can do anything for 12 hours (or even 15mins that I couldn’t do if I thought I had to forever. One day at a time).

It’s challenging walking and doing everything that I need to keep doing just to try to be normal (whatever normal is haha). That is why I find just surrendering to God and letting God be in control is so much easier for me to do.  

I have a small frame. I’m 53 years old but in my mind I’m much younger. Hahahahahaha Some of you might think my weight isn’t allot, but every lb over 120 makes a difference in how well I stay walking and moving or not I found.Food isn't my problem, it's walking. This study keeps me on track. See I have SCA (Spinal Cerebellum Ataxia). 
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Just a little about me: After being misdiagnosed over quite a few years and my diagnosis that I was going to die within 4 years, I freaked out and totally surrendered to God my life because it was over as far as I knew it to be. This was my bottom. With God I was given another chance.
 Only by God’s grace I was able to get into the Mayo Clinic right away. I was told usually a person has to wait at least a year to just get an apt. After allot of invasive testing I received a real diagnosis in 2006.  SCA Ataxia is a Neurological disease that the Cerebellum degenerates and takes all or most of your normal functions away. This can happen really fast or slowly over time. The Dr’s don’t quite know about SCA yet they are still learning about it. It can affect 1 in 150,000.  Ataxia means walking without order. The limbs weaken over time and a person (most of the time) ends up in a wheel chair or have to use an aid because they cannot walk with their own strength.

 I tend to blend my own thoughts on listening to how my body feels having ataxia, what I read with what works for other fellow Ataxians that experience this also and what information the Neurologist give me with God’s guidance.

After my diagnosis I let go of all gluten. Then after a year I let go of all refined sugar and all flours, preservative and additives. This was challenging because I was a Chocoholic. I joined a program called FA in recovery, which is Food Addicts because I am one. Not only do I want MORE of anything, I was a Chocoholic. I began eating only Organic when possible. I couldn’t do all this by myself. So I prayed and asked daily even to be willing and for his help. I really need to depend on God and still do daily. While having a personal friendship with him. I was able to give up refined sugars, flours and anything that comes in a bag or a box and it has made all the world of difference for me.

 I was getting an MRI every year to watch the progression of the degeneration of my cerebellum and since doing all of this with God’s grace my cerebellum stopped degenerating! I am now every other year schedule of having an MRI. They said it’s not possible to have stopped it. Well Matt 19:26  says that Jesus said “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. I believe this!

 

 My Neurologist said last week that I need to keep up everything that I’ve doing because it’s clearly working. Well you and I know it’s God that is working. I give him all the credit. I just lean into him and let him work.

I started off walking with a cane to keep me balanced but found that it makes me hunch over some and I just hate depending on it. So I held it in both of my arms just in case I needed it in a pinch. I quickly wore out my first day. Gave myself a rest the from walking the next day and started back trying again the following day.

I didn’t know one I had so much pride having to use a cane. I see it as getting old I think. I’ve always been the youngest everywhere so moving more into my 50’s is an eye opener for me. Or two that I had so much FEAR around walking.

Every day I am working on focusing on moving more thought my days now too. I find shopping at a Grocery store holding on to a cart helps me walk better and further. I was avoiding getting out more and more before but now have found a reason, a purpose, God’s purpose that will keep me going.

 I’m thankful to be involved in this study with everyone. To be a part of your journey and you mine too! Thanks for being you!  :0)