Hi again, everyone, and Happy Monday!

Janet, welcome to the group. It's so wonderful to have you here with us. It sounds like you have lots of experience and wisdom to share. I need all I can get, so I'm thrilled to meet you.

Well, I left the safety of my little nest today (have been on vacation/home spiritual retreat since June 2), and already I feel so challenged. I had planned to fast today, but ended up breaking that with a snack at 10am, and will now have a Subway sandwich for lunch. Not horrible, but I can feel my dependency on food already pulling me back in. Am I really that weak? Amazing how quickly that ugly monster rears its head.

My schedule this week is fast paced and stressful. I'm back to the job I hate, the pressure that wears, and the negativity of co-workers that crushes. And I work for a church, for Pete's sake! That makes it so much worse. "Church" is supposed to be a last bastion of goodness. But I've worked in ministry for seven years, and it's quite an eye opener. People are people, whether in the church or the secular world.

It's easy for me to spout wise advice when I hide in my safe nest, not challenged by the pressures of job, traffic, responsibilities, etc. But it's here in the real world that faith is proven. I have much to learn. Thanks for being here to listen and understand.

Much love in Christ -

Happy Monday!

I have had a really great day today. I've done really well eating today. PLUS I went to the gym. 30 minutes cardio, and 30 minutes of weights. YIPPEE! It feels so good to have one day down.

Have a great night! God Bless,

Angela

Thanks to all for the welcome. I'm sooo glad I can join you on this walk to freedom!!

Tracy- I can sense a change in attitude in you and that you are back on the right track! You can do it!!! We can all do this together!!!

Dana- I can relate with you. When I went to Las Vegas to be with my mother, I ended up working as a secretary for the church she was attending (about four years) until they closed the building. One thing I've learned over the years-no matter what attitude others have, I don't have to let that affect me. And just maybeeee....some of that eternal optimism will rub off on them!!

Here is something that helped me:

Hello Everyone-JUst had to add my two cents worth for the day! I fasted til noon yesterday to prove I am committed to doing this. No hunger was felt until noon. Then after work I went to the gym and did 45 minutes cardio. I am thinking I will ride my bike to work today even!

I will stay focussed today God willing! Have a great day everyone! I'm off to do day 2!

Blessings and prayers to you all!

Tracy

Dana K -- the pull of food is like the pull of the moon on the ocean. Know what you mean there!

At times I feel driven.. . . . and then I focus on the scale soooo much - I want to be thinner now. It's just as much of a battle as worrying about food. I like the verse my mentor sent me. . . . .

Gal 5:17 The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should.

Gal 5:16 If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires.

I pray for all of us today -- that it be a new day and that we will serve God and focus on Him and not on self and flesh! Lord, break the chains of addiction and help us to focus on you and nothing else!

Psalm 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Good Morning my Dear Sisters in Christ!It is going to be a lovely day today!
Robert and I woke up at 3oam and went for our morning walk very early, we usally don't get up until 4 or 4:30am so we were truly early birds this morning!
Oh how the birds are singing their little hearts out this morning! It is truly a wonder of God to behold. I think they are praising God! It is beautiful! Just like Jesus! Beautiful, Beautiful, Glorious!
My husband is on day 4 of the Lords table and since he cannot read or write, He has a profound learning disability so I read him the lessons and help him with his answers. He is doing quite well! So in a way Tracy I started back on Day 1 with my hubby. We are on day 15 of the 40 days for 40 years National Prayer and fasting call. We are doing great and it is all to the Glory of God! He has poured out strength and stamina upon us! We know it was His calling because of the Grace He has given us to do it. Sisters surly we Love and serve an AWESOME> GLORIOUS>WONDERFUL>GOD!
I love you all so much and I am so happy that we are all here at the LORD'S Wonderful, bountiful table, together!
I may not be car less after this thursday. My youngest son Daniel said he found a older used car he wants to buy for me, for about $500.oo He kept apologizing over and over that it was a old car and said it looked pretty bad but I told him, it didn't matter to me, I will be so happy to just have wheels to go when I want! His gift is a sacrifice and I pray God will bless him for it. $500.00 may not seem like much to most people, but it is nearly 2 paychecks for him and that is a huge sacrifice. So I am Thanking God for His goodness and for moving on my son's heart to help his Mom get on the road again.
I am so excited for thursday to get here!
1st thing I want to do is go to the hospital and get weighed!
Love in Christ your sister and friend, Gwyn

Hey Ladies,

I thought it might be fun to share some NEW IDEA'S! I'm always looking for new healthy ways to change my lifestyle.

I'll start:

1. I keep a Bible by my favorite chair. So when I sit to watch t.v. or just want to relax it's always there.

2. I am trying to eat more whole foods. I have learned that you can sweeten up about any food with raisins or pieces of apple. I have been eating grape nuts in the morning with sliced apple, walnuts and cinnamin, DON'T even need the sugar.

3. I wake up before the family is awake so I can have some quiet time with the Lord.

4. I don't take shortcuts, I do as much walking as I can.

5. I use a bouncy ball to do some exercises. (The exercise ball.) I can actually do sit ups using it and it's easy on my back. I also just bounce and squat it's easy on my knee's.

6. I use straws to drink out of. I seem to drink more when I use them.

I hope these are helpful to some of you. I would like to hear your idea's.

I praise God for all of you. I hope you are all well. Keep up the excellent work.

Amy
280/250

Amy, those are great ideas! Thanks for taking the time to list them all. All of our little changes turn into a total lifestyle change, don’t they?

Gwyn – WOW! I can’t even imagine being awake at that early hour, much less exercising! Way to go, lady! And congrats on your car (hopefully). What a blessing your son is. What a sacrifice. That must just warm your heart.

Flower, thanks for your understanding and words of encouragement. The verses you quoted are quite powerful – exactly what I needed. I love the book of Galations, don’t you? It’s like a mini Romans.

Tracy, yay you!!! I’m so happy that you’re feeling some success with your decision. This isn’t easy. If it was easy, everyone would do it. It takes courage, grit and humility to walk this road. Many blessings to you, friend!

Janet, that poem made me smile. My attitude is great everywhere except work. Good grief, what’s wrong with me? I pray all the way there (about 40 minutes), have peace in my heart about serving with a humble, willing & Godly attitude, and then it’s gone within 5 minutes of walking through the door. I pray throughout the day, and I sometimes even go off alone and spend some time with my bible, just to stay sane. I won’t list the many challenges associated with this sick & struggling church – financially, emotionally & even spiritually – but I know those are simply “side notes” to my attitude, not excuses. As Paul writes, we’re to be content regardless of circumstances. Until God answers my longstanding prayer for a different job (and trust me, I’ve pursued that relentlessly), I’ll assume he wants me there for some reason and continue to chase peace of mind. It ain’t easy! Please pray for me. For some reason, my workplace is 90% of my struggle. I’ve gained 25 pounds since I started working there. However, to be honest my attitude of discontent goes way back. Ugh!!

Angela, what a great day you had! Your enthusiasm is contagious. You go, girl.

Me? I’m doing awful. My eating is non-disciplined, I haven’t exercised in two days, and I didn’t have time for my TLT lesson yesterday. But I’ve continued to pray and spend time in the bible, and that’s been wonderful. And today is a new day.

Time to get ready for work! Blessings all of us, on our Wednesdays -

Hi Amy --

Thanks for the tips -

I'm just trying to eat more fruit and vegetables - fresh stuff -- and this time of year makes it easy. . . .

You've inspired me to try that big ball -- my Mom has one and doesn't use it. I may go get it today and try it out. My husband and I have been joking about getting that Ab-Lounge -- perhaps the ball will do the trick for me -- I hope I don't fall off of it! That worries me! Ha-ha!

Praying for us all -- as my marker board on the fridge currently says -- BE VIGILANT! Be ready for temptation and the battles of the day!

Dana K --

Oh, I will be praying for you -- I can totally understand about the job thing. Plus, being a church secretary is NEVER easy. I've never been one, but I always worry about our own chruch's secretary. Whether a church realizes it or not, we put through a lot. They here all the crap, know the crap, and live the crap -- hey, church's have it too! It's just harder for some reason coming from a church.

Try working for HIM and not for THEM. It sounds as if you are. . . . and it's easier said than done!

Hi Friends -

Question for those further in TLT than I am: I've just finished day 10, and I love the theme (become satisfied through the spiritual food & drink of Christ, rather than physical food). It's amazing and life-changing. Seriously. I'm pursuing that avenue and know I have much to learn.

But I feel like my lessons are basically spent answering questions that reiterate the theme over & over. I'm starting to run out of ways to phrase the theme in different words!

For those who are further ahead, is there more to learn besides repeating this theme? I'm certainly not saying I've got it mastered - I have SO far to go in my walk with the Lord. But I get it now. Truly. Would my 30 minutes be better spent in the Word than re-writing the "feast on the Lord and turn away from sinful overindulgence" sentence?

I apologize if this sounds negative, because I certainly don't mean it to be. Just having a challenge with time for my new priorities (prayer time, bible reading, food prep, exercise) and want to make sure these 30 minutes of TLT are necessary and teaching something new, even if using the same theme.

Blessings!

DanaK.
Remember this scripture: Romans 10:17
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Is not the WORD OF CHRIST all over, in and through The Lord's Table lessons? If you will get out your lexicon and look up the greek and hebrew meaning of that word "hearing" in the context of that scripture, you will see that it is in the repetitive form. Meaning over and over and over and over and over again. I believe that is what they are trying to firmly establish in our hearts and minds. If we truly "Got the message and have experianced full deliverance" then why are we here at 3 fat chicks? Is it not the same Word we have been reading out of the same bible for years and years? Why are we doing the course "The Lord's Table?" Is it to benifit the Lord? If we truly get it, then why haven't we got it? I am speaking to myself as well for I have struggled with those very same thoughts at times.
The Apostle John writes to young men - "You have overcome the evil one." and "You are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one." How do I know I am progressing in the Christian life? When I begin winning battles. The Word of God becomes my sword, with which I defeat the evil one. The "young man" in the Lord is characterized as one who walks in victory over the enemy by the indwelling Word of God. In my case, this means I am no longer living in the sins of overeating, but I am acquiring the tools from Scripture to be strong in the Lord and overcome the evil one. Not that Im sinless, just that Im now beginning to walk in victory.
I praise God that JESUS led me to THE LORDS TABLE! For truly I was born again for the past 26 years and truly I by my own willfulness, chose to stay a little child! I now see that in my own eyes I thought I was a full grown mature Christian woman, I knew the Word and knew it well. I had read the Holy Bible many times over, I stayed in His Word and even went to Bible Collage to learn more and more. But now I know, In my eating and stubbornness and WORST of ALL SPIRITUAL PRIDEFULLNESS, I was none the less a little fat babe in Christ laying on the floor kicking and screaming "I want my baba!!! I know many, of my loved ones and friends who are in that very same boat and it breaks my heart. For the 1st time in my Christian life I see how it also breaks Gods Heart, For how can a babe throwing herself on the floor in tantrums screaming "DONT TOUCH MY FOOD", "I want my food! I want to fill my stomach", "I want food to be my comfort!" I dont want to endure disipline and grow up, just let me alone to to do things my own way!" Ever,come into maturity? If I would not have received the revelation of Christ, when he showed me that I loved food more then I loved Him, I think I would have remained on that cold hard floor kicking and screaming in my chains and shakles of bondage to sin, to this very day and possiably unto the day they laid me to rest six feet under, pushing up daisys! I believe that I am now after 6 months of inspired discipline in my eating and finding true freedom and deliverance that comes only from Christ I have come into the 1st stages of the Young man. If you would have asked me this question before then I would have said, Oh I am a mature Christian! know the WORD! Here let me rattle off a whole bunch of memorized scriptures! I have been saved since I was 19 years old. Truth is I will say it again, I was a fat, a very fat little baby full of full of self willfulness, full of denial, full of pridefulness and bent on the destruction of the Temple of The HOLY SPIRIT!!!!!
May the God who led you to come and dine at The Lord's Table grant you peace, understanding and patience. May you keep your appointment and commitments to stay the course.
In the Name of Jesus I pray Amen.

Gwyn, thanks for your wonderful and inspired (as usual!) post. I agree wholeheartedly. I have much, much, much to learn and so far to go in the Word. I wouldn't dream of turning away from that for anything! Scripture is being revealed to me in a new way, now that I'm looking at my lustful eating for what it truly is.

My question is, do the study questions in TLT change? Our lessons all give thoughtful scriptures that we examine through the context of overeating. And then we're told, "Give your thoughts on this passage." The answer is basically always the same, only rephrased: Only Jesus can satisfy our true hunger and thirst; we must feast on his Word; our love of food is prideful idolatry... You know what I mean? I don't feel the course has presented anything new since the "light bulb" went on after the 3rd or 4th day. The message is the same every lesson. Obviously a message that I need - don't get me wrong! But could my 30 minutes of lesson time be better spent reading God's word, rather than giving the same answer over & over & over again?

Maybe this is something I need to discuss with my mentor.

By the way, yesterday was a better day! Thanks, everyone, for being here!

Dana -- know what you mean about spending time perhaps doing something else -- this is my SECOND trip around the 60 days. . . .the first time through, I was amazed how the scriptures spoke to overeating. . .verses I knew and had read were suddenly popping out at me! By the second half of the 60 days I was kinda just going through the motions, but I knew I needed to keep the habit of doing the lessons - at least to keep me focused. Barely lost any weight so -- I'm working on a second time through (going on day 27) I've gleened different things then from the first time -- some days hit the nail on the head - like today -- other days, just so-so. I've learned to pray over the lesson before I start it and that has helped - I pray God open my eyes to his truths and that I truly learn to LIVE them!

Todays stuff: We may still have the desires, but we are enabled to NOT gratify them, as we live by the Spirit. Our fight is not so much with overeating, it is in maintaining our walk with the Lord.

For me -- I needed this, I'm so in the habit of trying to lose on my own, that I spend my days trying to force the flesh to do what it doesn't want to do. Forgetting to call on the Spirit and wait for it's leading. With Christ, I can do this -- I just have to live every moment for him!

Don't be discouraged with your lessons -- like I said, some days hit and some don't. What hits for me, may not hit for you!

Praying for everyone -- have a good day all!