#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)

#WhyWorry about life really!

#WhyWorry. I try to focus on God’s promises to drown out the worry thoughts that consume me from time to time, and I am more of a worrier than I want to admit.

I’ve read in the Bible that we all have a unique part in the body of Christ.  Ephesians 4:11-16  tells us that not only do we each have a job to do in the body of Christ, but that these jobs go beyond just helping others, they also help us too  at the same time we help out another person!

 I think God wants me to do whatever I can and exhaust all my efforts doing what I can do then what I can’t manage to do whether it is physically, mentally or spiritually, He will do the rest of what I can’t do.  I just need to trust that he will come through. That takes allot of patients sometimes more than others because he doesn’t always fix what I’m worrying about or my problem when I want it to be fixe, but always seems to when I ask but it’s on his time not mine. I’m impatient and want it now like a child. But my father knows when and why of things and what is best for me. To me trusting is accepting his promises.

Sometimes I just get a loss for words.

#WhyWorry Logically I know………………
God has a plan regardless if I worry about things that ether are happening or will happen  in the future  it may anyway.

I need to remind myself that God gave me the gift of the present moment at times and to stay in it!  Staying in it helps me. I’m here for a reason. My reason doesn’t include worry or trying to do God’s job. I have a responsibility to focus on what I need to do. That takes up enough time really if I look at doing it well that is. I need to focus more on that. When I do there really isn’t enough time left over to.

 When I remember I do try to use worry as a wakeup call.  If I think about it, I just need to stop, just see it as a clue that I need to take time out to pray more to God or read in my Bible. God always seems to point something out that I really need to hear about what’s happening for me at the time in the Bible that day.

 I realize that anytime I am trying to figure things out (worry) about my situation that I’m actually saying that I don't think God will come through with his promise to me.  I have to figure something out just in case. This is insulting to him. Can you imagine knowing about something and someone doubting that you know it already? I’m thankful that God doesn’t get as frustrated as I would about that.

I read in the Joyce Meyer’s daily devotional this morning which was very fitting for me today that: We are all eager for our situations and relationships to change, but nothing will change in our lives without knowledge of God’s Word. Change comes through prayer, and then through waiting patiently on God. While we are waiting for God to solve our problems, we are not to complain to everybody else about our situation. God tells us to trust Him. He is not asking us to trust the people involved in our problems; He is faithful to rescue us from all our troubles!

If you believe that God can use you to make an impact, have you begun to ask Him where He wants to use you? Or do you know already?

 When I start my day each morning I ask him. Sometimes I get a clear word other times I don’t. But going along my day sometimes an opportunity comes up that I’m sure is from God and I go with it.

I have to really focus on Jesus and his wants or His will not my own. To me it’s just a habit that I need to get into. Sometimes I kid myself and call worry other names, like I’m just thinking about it, or just wondering about it, or  just trying to figure things out. But when I catch myself doing any one of those things or calling it anyone of those things, I have to say STOP out loud. It is my clue that I just need to change my focus back on Jesus.

Sometimes I visualize God just  standing there, crossing his arms saying to me ”Go ahead, when you’re finished and worn out from worrying about it and finally get to the point of asking  me for help, I’ll do it for  you. But go ahead!” Then I see him having a loving smile. 

Like my sign says on my desk in my office to help me remember: “Your problems are not punishment they are just a wakeup call to re-focus.”  To me it means that I’m focusing too much on the things of this world and not my heavenly father's thoughts. Actually I heard that if I focus too much and worry too much about something that I can open the door to let the Devil take over much more. So #WhyWorry about what will happen. I need and want God to protect my problem. By praying to him about them I’m also releasing it from my body and mind by handing it over to God. I know it’s in much better hands and the outcome is going to be better than I dreamed of any solution. . He can do much more about it than I can worry about it solves nothing. It actually is a waste of my time and energy!

You see worry is something that I don’t have as much luxury having SCA ataxia. I don’t want to waste any energy on it. The stress of worrying about something I can’t really do anything about really isn’t good for SCA ataxia (nor is it good for anyone really).  I just need to acknowledge God is in control no matter what I choose to do about it anyway, God has a plan. If I do something about it I may get in the way of him being able to do something about it, like change the path or outcome somewhat. So I need to let God handle it.

This morning we found out our contractor has a short window to do some remodeling that we want to do. My husband loves to plan things in advance and gets flustered when he doesn’t have the time to figure things out.

Starting next week we just found out that we will be starting a remodeling of our master bedroom. It will be at Christmas time so it will be challenging. My husband was looking at the whole picture this morning and worrying about it he was going over how it couldn’t work out etc. I had to jump in and tell him about what we are studying this week in Chapter 9 in the Confident Heart, book, “When Doubt Whispers I can’t Stop Worrying.” 

#WhyWorry! In telling him about the chapter we just have been studying this week, I told him that ;earned that worrying says  to God that we are not showing that we are  trusting God to do his part in it. Somehow saying this out loud I was speaking to myself more than I was speaking to him.

 It’s so fitting to this situation that is going on right now. I realize looking at the whole picture is when I tend to worry too. Taking baby steps, separating thing into smaller pieces and by following God’s lead I focus more on being in each moment. I tend to gain more energy and rely much more on God’s guidance to see what I need to do and get moving on it. Having a time limit that I need to work within makes me enjoy the process even more. I get excited to see what God will do next.

 I’m able to focus more to be in the moment, much more than I used to be. I believe because I joined a group for getting off flour and refined sugars which is God based he has used my foods as lessons for me to understand him more and trust him even more. Without those things in my food plan, cluttering up my thoughts and wasting allot of my time I can be useful now and I am prepared to do what God needs and wants me to do at any given time .I have a mission! I feel useful!

  I found out that those food items really only represent things that have held me back from doing God’s mission. I see them just a challenge to see if I can overcome them (with God’s help of course I can and do). 

I guess I got into the habit of being more in the moment also by being a hairstylist. In having only a certain period of time in which to work in to figure my plan of action and accomplish it, So yes I do know what direction I’m headed but I  stay flexible enough if God has another plan come up I can change things to fit his thoughts.  I know what to do and now have directions on where to go. I love having a project it’s like a game to me to see if I can figure out what needs to be done within a certain amount of  time  that I’m given to do things in.

 It’s challenging. I was told growing up over and over again that  you know what someone is made of by how they handle something negative (challenging) in their life. It’s like when you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out of it.  God is in me so I need to do what I need to do and let God worry about what I can’t do. Don't you think?  That sure gives me security knowing that I don’t have to worry because he’s in charge and I actually get off the hook and don’t have to do anything but trust Him to work in it! Fewwwwww, I love that!!!!!!

I find it's time to boss my heart around now that I know!

Thanks for reading my thoughts today. God bless you while you choose to make it a great day no matter what comes with it!

#YesIdo + Psalm 139:1

 God gave me gifts (along with all who believe in him) to help carry out his will here on earth. Even if I have a smaller part that I need to play (like any character in a play). Like the body parts we all work together for his good. So  #YesIdo take what he  has gifted me to heart! And what he tells me I need to do down here.

I believe that God has great plans for my life and for everyone who believes in him.I believe that God will accomplish what he intends to use me for (I trust him because his plans always turn out better than mine ever could).

I realize that the Devil tries to hinder what God wants to accomplish. Sometimes he even uses someone that we love to try to accomplish his goal. I know that they don't mean to hurt me, they simply just don't understand what's happening. So I have to remember that the people around me don't know what I know or feel what I feel because they aren't aware of what God said to me personally. It may not make since to them so they try to influence me not to do what ever that is that I'm called to do.

I am very dangerous to Satan because he knows and is my thoughts because of most of my actions. And he is threatened because I follow God's will (#YesIdo) as much as I humanly can. Yes I make mistakes, I'm human. But I'm thankful that I know in my heart that God is a forgiving God. He already knows about the why and how of things. I resurrendar ever morning. I confess all of the things that I messed up the day before no matter how small they are to him.  I'm thankful he doesn't keep records of my wrong doings and my slate is clean.  In my daily talks with God and my quiet time we disscuss the day and I get my assignments to carry them out. Sometimes I plainly hear from him, other times the cituation just presents itself thought my day. But I try to remain open to go where he would lead me.

Psalm 139:1 You have searched me oh lord and you know me.

I’m so jazzed about this I have to share this with you today!!!! I had a follow up apt with a Neurologist today with a Dr. in UCSF movement clinic. He tested my gait, coordination and some Cognitive thinking tests. He said from the notes of the previous Dr. clearly what I am doing is helping my ataxia not just my symptoms with it! He said that I am surprisingly doing BETTER than I was last year with my SCA. He said it must be because of what your doing exercising n my foods (Mentally, Physically and spiritually working on being well balanced in all area’s ).

A friend of mine asked what SCA is. It stands for Spinal Cerebellum Ataxia.  It is a Neurological disease that affects everything you do. Look at it like your command center in your brain.  My Cerebellum is/was degenerating.

I was diagnosed in 2006 by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. It affects your balance, coordination and cognitive thinking skills. I was diagnosed in 2006 by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. Since that time I have improved my all over health with my foods. In fact I was able to get off all my meds and use my foods as meds!

I still have issues with my gait and a few other things but I’m constantly working on them to be better than the day before even if it’s just a little bit. My spiritual life has taken off at the same time and getting better daily. Hummm maybe there is a connection? I’d like to think there is!

I have a follow up next year. I bet it will be better yet! I’ll be working on that!  :0)

Thank you for letting me share this with you! God is so good!!!  Wahoooo!

 

#WhoIam: I am Yours!

#WhoIam

Palms 143:5 Not for anything that I have done, just because of who you are!

That is hard to grasp sometimes for me.

 #WhoIam in God, because I believe what he says I am, he gives his GRACE to me! If we believe in him anyone will receive it and it's amazing that it's free! When we believe God,  we are annotated with God's grace at that time and from that point on. I just learned that GRACE means =   G=God's, R=riches, A=at, C=Christ's, E=expense. He bought and paid for us already so that we could have GRACE. That means we have a connection to him. He forgives my past and it's as if I/we have never sinned! 

#WhoIam is a child of God's.I need to learn how to act like one and show the world that I am his. I'm in Christ and he is in me. It's not about what I can do or my activity even for him, it's about #WhoIam, and what God says I am as his child in his eye's. I read that if we believe in God then we are not of this world. [I don't really belong here] That feels good to say that because I never felt like I belonged anywhere before. I was disconnected. But now I know! I am God's child!  I'm not just any misfit, I am valuable to him!

 Because we can choose our thoughts, I choose to have my focus be with God, doing what pleases him and not everyone around me. It's not my responsibility to have to fit in or to make others happy, but it is my responsibility to share what God has done for me and live my life as God's child doing what I think and feel he would like me to accomplish for him each day. Some day's it much easier than others to do, so I'm always having something to strive for right?!

 I have been told if I'm doing the part that God has given me to do (what he wants) he will do what I can't do (finish it for me).  I need to make the move first toward doing it. Making a movement towards doing that means learning about him more through the Bible , reading books on subjects he leads me to etc. Then I will prepare myself and be ready for him to use me in anyway anytime since he already planed his outcome! Which by the way is always better than mine is! 

The analogy Mellisa gave this am of focusing more on the dirt than the gold, that spoke to me! When I do that focus on the dirt,  I'm actually insulting God and not paying attention to how he made me, or how he thinks of me or even his instruction he gives me. I'm not focusing the gold. I'm taking my will back. Once I give something to him to let him handle it I have no business taking it back and using my will on it.

I am never in a powerless position no matter what happens to me because God makes his power available to those that believe in him all the time. I just need to ask him for help!

I/We honor him when I/we show our dependence on him in the little things along with the big things. So when I learned about #Iamnot a failure because he plots my course, I feel more free to be me!

This video gives me much more courage to surrender and let God be in control of my actions. It's a great reminder for me!

I didn't do anything to cause having SCA ataxia, nor did God. But I will surrender and let him use it for his good. There has to be a reason why I developed ataxia. I really feel it's a positive one.
awareness is a big start. For me relying on God for even small things grounds me.

I'm thankful that he places the right people in my path at the right times. I'm so glad I can see that and grateful I can rely on him to make that happen.

  I feel that I only have two choices daily. One that I renew daily is to follow him.#1  I can choose to let this SCA ataxia have me, rule my life and not function well. Or #2 I can allow it to bring me closer to God's thoughts for me and let him work through me to achieve more than I ever thought was possible having ataxia  (I can do all things with Christ who strengthens me   Philippians 4:13).  I choose to let God use me here and ask him if he will work through me in someway daily by using attraction not promotion  (not by my will his).

Choosing Thoughts!: moving forward whoIam

Choosing Thoughts!: moving forward whoIam: Accepting Guidelines #movingforward Some of us have gone through life thinking that we did not need to follow any guidelines. Some...

Choosing Thoughts!: Eph 2 10 WhoIam is an Overcomer

Choosing Thoughts!: Eph 2 10 WhoIam is an Overcomer:                                      Eph  2:10  When God is for me who can be against me.                                          #...

Eph 2 10 WhoIam is an Overcomer

                                     Eph  2:10

 When God is for me who can be against me.               

                          #WhoIam an Overcomer!

When doubt comes against me, saying I'm not good enough I will remember God is for me. He says I'm his masterpiece, created to be new in Christ so I can do good things. He planed long ago (taken from "A Confident Heart" pg 114).

Out of my desperation came my food plan. After I was diagnosed having SCA I was told to take intravenous steroids treatments. My thought was I could always take them as a last resort any time. I wanted to try to stop the progression on my own with God's guidance.

 I run into people constantly that have no understanding of what I'm really doing and offer what they think are good foods. I use my food as my meds so I guess you could say I'm picky about what I put into my mouth.  Ultimately it goes to the body and effects the brain. I believe if I put Garbage in, I get Garbage out. It shows up in everything that I do. Since God sees my body as his temple I have a responsibility to keep it as clean and running as best as I possibly can.

I also feel it's my responsibility to share and expose my experience with what I've learned about the friendliness foods and surrendering everything to God. What we eat and think! We tend to think our foods are good for us (not most of the time). I try to enlighten others to some of the food additives that are in most of our foods right now are not healthy for any one's body or brain. I have to think on purpose that it's not my business to get other's to believe the same way that I do. Attraction is better than promotion!

My food plan is different than the way most other people eat. I tend to have my foods without any sauces,  or 2 or more spices in one jar organic etc. So well meaning people offer me foods that are not in my plan. Since I'm created new in Christ I am not called by any foods anymore like I used to be. I wasn't really over weight at the time because I always thought I monitored what I ate. Now all that thinking about food has left along with so many other things that foods represented. I had no idea. But I'm so thankful God led me to join Food Addicts to learn what I need to to be healthier!. I

                              #WhoIam is an  OVERCOMER  I won't quite or give in!
 Helping others is why I'm here on earth. One misdiagnoses I received that made me go to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota was that I would die within 4 years. I was totally broken then I totally surrendered my whole being because I knew that I didn't have anyone else that could help me but God! That was over 7 years ago now. God has his hand on me daily still since. I'm here for a reason and I don't forget why I'm here. To recommit each morning and get my assignment for the day. Sometimes I hear him clearly or just get a great aha thought. Some other times I have to just put one foot in front or the other in the direction I think he wants me to go that day. He speaks with me daily in my quite time and all thought the day because I ask him questions. I look forward to hearing from him, it's new every morning.

Our relationship reminds me of that program on T.V. long ago "Get Smart" He was always told "Your assignment if you choose to accept it is...................." then he was shown or just led to one thing at a time. I see that I get my assignment for the day in my quiet time every morning but from God!

I've been told that God only expects me to do what I can and he will do the rest. Meaning that God wants me to help myself as much as I can do. With his help and him working in it it will get done his way! I enjoy the help! Surrendering each morning becomes just a habit. When I see what doing that does, letting him be in control awesome things come from them. With God all things are possible! Don't you love that? I do! It's so encouraging to me. 

I can do all things with God who strengthens me Philippians 4:13

Here is my No Fail Pail with messages (Bible verses) from the King to his Princess (me).

• I was reading this morning in the Bible about Spiritual gifts and how they come from the Holy Spirit. How everyone gets a manifestation of the spirit for the common good from God. Here is a list that I found in the NIV Bible in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10
• Wisdom
• Knowledge (understanding of his words)
• faith
• healing (helping other's)
• miraculous powers (accomplishing things that we couldn't on our own)
• distinguishing between spirits
• administration

What I didn't realize that all these gifts are different levels like we have blue collar workers and white collar workers. There are:

1.  Prophets (all of us)
2. Teachers (helping other's understand)
3. Workers of miracles (changes in additives more physical)
4. Healing (helping other's)
5. Administration
6. tongs (different languages)

If anyone has any of these gifts but does not have LOVE in their heart it says in 1 Corinthians 12: 26 you have nothing. So if one part suffers (meaning LOVE) every part suffers with it.

When Renee talked about our refection in the mirror, to me it means something deeper now. In my Bible (NIV 1Corth 13: 12-13) It says that I'll know fully, we need not bring fear (shadow of doubt) to it (what ever it is we fear) or we end up seeing more of that than God (the light). Then we put up a road block (static connection) for God's love to us! So the connection is like the am/fm on the radio we can't tune in without a static connection.

I used to see God on one level (I always knew he was there) and Satan (I watched him enter my life and create many challenges daily). I saw God as folding his arms across his chest and saying "Ok go ahead, do it yourself, I'll be here when you need me or want me to intervene just call on me when you want me to step in and you can't take it anymore.).

For a long time I saw Satan just a level above God screwing with my life. Then the more I read the Bible and really learned to trust his words the more Satan's level got much lower. Now I laugh at Satan! Who does he think he is. Not only is he a really Bully that had me blinded to this order before he actually thinks he's stronger than God, but he's really not. Boy he had me fooled for years. Now I see him as being funny actually! He is where he belongs now in my mind! Much lower than I see God. That's the way it should be!!!!!!

*Thank you God for enlightening me to finally see this

 and not giving up on me. I'm sure Satan will try to screw with me some more

 but now I totally understand and I have more tools so I can fight this warfare and 

I will Overcome him with God's guidance and by my side!*     :0)