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December 5

James 1:12
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Shelley was thrilled when she was named homecoming queen. It had been a dream of hers since childhood. When she knew she was in the running, she began to diet. Weight had always been a struggle for her. This time she had great motivation, and that made all the difference in the world. She prayed for God's help, and He gave her the determination she needed to diet-and to win the crown. The crown of the pageant was one thing, but Shelley knew God had given her much more than that. Through faith, she had received life everlasting and a share in the victory of Christ Jesus.

Today's thought: My diet will end, but the lessons learned from it will last a lifetime!

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December 6

Psalm 92:4
For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

Brent never knew how happy he would be when he lost weight. All his life he had toyed with the idea, but the costs always seemed much greater than the benefits. It wasn't until the weight came off that he truly realized how great being thinner really was. He felt better, he looked better, and he enjoyed life in general so much more. He could do things he'd never dreamed of before. Even picking things up off the floor without panting and groaning gave him special pleasure. Brent couldn't thank God enough for helping him find a new life. It was great to be alive!

Today's thought: God makes the joy greater than any amount of sacrifice!

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December 8

Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord they God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Toni had a dream that she was entering a room where God was. She couldn't really see Him, but she knew He was there. For some reason, He was very happy with her. He was making her feel very good, and she could tell she had done something to please Him a lot. When she gathered up her nerve, Toni asked God what she had done to make Him so happy. 'Lose weight,' was the reply. When she awakened, she felt the greatest joy she had ever known. She had really wanted to lose weight for herself, but to think that God was pleased with what she had done made the victory twice as sweet.

Today's thought: I will rejoice with God as the pounds come off!

December 9

Acts 2:21
'And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

Barbara was so thankful. She had come so far, but lately the stress had been overwhelming. When she was under stress, she liked to eat. She was so afraid of blowing her diet that it just added to the stress. She was nervous and on edge all the time. One evening, while she had some time alone, she settled down to read her Bible and pray. It was one of the most peaceful experiences she had had in weeks. She felt renewed and strengthened by the experience; so much so that she made it a nightly routine. It got her through the stress, and it kept her on her diet. By God's graces he triumphed.

Today's thought: I admit I need help, but it's good to know that God offers all the help I can handle!

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December 10

Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Joan's doctor had told her to make a list of what was really important to her. Her husband and children headed the list. Her health was next, then her pets. She also wrote down her mother's ring and some furniture that her father had made when he was a young man. Her doctor asked her if she wanted to lose all that was on the list, and she told him 'Of course not!' He told her that she had to lose weight or she wouldn't be around long to enjoy the things she truly loved. If those things were really more important to her than food, then she was going to have to prove it. She asked God for help and then set her mind toward losing weight.

Today's thought: Compared to the truly important things in life, food is pretty pathetic!

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December 11

John 3:21
'But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.'

Jack was so proud to show off his wife, Eileen, when they went home for the holidays. Over the summer and fall, she had lost sixty-five pounds. She looked great, and Jack was proud of her. She had worked so hard, and he felt she deserved some credit. It made Eileen feel good to know it meant so much to Jack. God had been good to them both. He had given them patience to deal with each other, and had blessed them both with strength and encouragement. It was true that when a person worked to do what the Lord wanted her to do, He crowned her in victory and allowed her to bask in the limelight for awhile!

Today's thought: I don't care if I come into the limelight, as long as I become light!

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December 12

Matthew 5:8
'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.'

Denise wanted to do what was right. She was a good person, and it never occurred to her that her weight problem might be displeasing to God. Her friend tried to tell her that it didn't mean God didn't love her. What she meant was that God likes it best when we take the best care of ourselves possible, and that extra weight wasn't doing that. Denise pondered what her friend said to her for a long while, then resolved to try her best to lose weight. Apologetically, she prayed to God and asked Him to help her as she tried to set things right. The prayer of a person pure in heart and full of kindness speaks loudest into the ear of the Lord.

Today's thought: I wish my heart could teach my mouth to say 'no'!

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December 13

Revelation 2:7
'He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.'

Beth and David made a deal that they would diet through the week but treat themselves to a night out each week at one of their favorite restaurants. Restaurant night became the best night of the week. Both Beth and David agreed that they had never enjoyed their food so much as when they only splurged one time a week. They grew to appreciate how good it really was. It helped to make even ordinary meals special and delicious. God has offered us special things to eat. He has created so much to make our lives interesting and varied. We must enjoy these things discreetly and unselfishly. If we will enjoy them within God's plan, then He will reward us with fruit from the tree of life, which will be the finest food we could ever want.

Today's thought: God's food is eternal, and it isn't fattening!

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December 14

Hebrews 10:36
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Paula woke up in pain. Her stomach was cramping, and she felt ill. It must have been the diet pills. Her friend had told her they were safe and they'd help take off weight three times as fast as normal. Why had she listened to her? She knew pills weren't the answer, but she wanted to lose weight fast. She never had been very good on patience. Her mother told her to pray for patience, but no, Paula thought she had a better idea. The truth was, there was only one way she was going to lose weight, and that was through perseverance and patience. Her mother was right. If God would give her a second chance, maybe together they could make it work.

Today's thought: Nothing takes off weight faster than devotion and commitment!

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December 15

Luke 1:49
'For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.'

Carolyn felt good about herself. She was in her own apartment, working full-time at a job she loved, and she was looking better than ever before. God had been so good to her. She was afraid when she first set out on her own, but she knew He was looking after her. With God on her side, she felt she could accomplish anything. God had set her feet on a good road, and she was going to try her hardest to stick to it. She wanted everyone to know what God had done for her, and she planned to do nothing that would allow anyone to doubt. The power of God shone brightly through her life, and she was glad.

Today's thought: I want my diet to be a sign of God's grace!

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December 16

Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Doris stood at the window, watching the first heavy snow cover everything outside with a blanket of white. She sipped a cup of tea and reflected on the year quickly fleeting. So many good things had happened. Certainly there had been bad, too, but mostly it was good. She couldn't imagine why she was so blessed as to have so many things going her way. The Lord had looked kindly on her this year. She had never felt so healthy and good. The year had seen weight loss every month. She finally was beginning to look like she'd always dreamed she could. The Lord could take credit for that, too. There was no way Doris could have done so well if God hadn't strengthened her.

Today's thought: I gladly receive all the benefits the Lord has to give, as long as they're not fattening!

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December 17

1 Corinthians 9:24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Todd wasn't getting anywhere with his diet. It was on and off, at best. He just couldn't stick to it. He'd never been good at discipline and conditioning. How many times had he been kicked off high school teams for not practicing? He just didn't have the killer instinct. He didn't want to win badly enough. We'll have difficulty losing weight if our heart isn't really in it. If we're going to run the race for weight loss, then we need to be serious about winning it. Pray that God will strengthen both your heart and body, so that when the race is finished, you'll receive the prize.

Today's thought: Help me remember that I'm not just running away from fat, but that I'm running toward God's design of who I should be!

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December 18

Matthew 6:21
'For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.'

Grady thought he was pretty smart, hiding the chocolate bars be-side his bed. He would do well on his diet during the day, but at night he would go wild eating chocolate. Every day he would talk a good game, saying how much he really wanted to be thinner, but when the lights went out at night, he would undo all his fine talk by sneaky, fattening action. When he was caught, Grady merely shrugged it off, saying he wouldn't do it again. The next night, Grady fell asleep with chocolate thick on his breath. Actions often do speak louder than words. Where our treasure is-that is, what's really important to us-there will our hearts and actions be, also.

Today's thought: Make my diet important enough to me to keep me from temptation!

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December 19

Hebrews 12:11
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Jeremy was good for Lisa. Whenever she did something she shouldn't or ate something that wasn't on her diet, he was quick to chastise her for it. She hated when he did it, but that made it all the more effective. There were times she wanted to throttle him, but most of the time she wanted to kiss him. He was the reason her dieting was working, and though sometimes it was annoying, she wouldn't change it for anything. God will help keep us in line, if we let Him. We need someone to watch over us; to keep us out of mischief. God will make sure we last until we triumph, if we will allow Him to do so.

Today's thought: The call of fattening food is not as loud as the call of God to do what's right!

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December 20

Revelation 3:21
'To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.'

Gramps promised Kathy that if she would lose forty pounds by Christmas, he would take her to Bermuda with him. Kathy could hardly wait for Gramps to see her. She'd topped out at fifty-three pounds lost, and had a note from her doctor as documented proof. At first, she never thought she'd make it, but a lot of prayers, sweat, tears, and sacrifice had made it come true. She had never worked so hard for anything in her life. Even without the trip, she felt she'd received reward enough, but she planned to hold Gramps to his promise, anyway.

Today's thought: I'd rather be overjoyed than overweight!

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December 21

2 Corinthians 2:14
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

Rose was hoping for some miracle to appear in her Christmas stocking. Another year was almost gone, and she hadn't lost any weight. Each year she swore things would be different, but nothing ever changed. Rose just didn't have any commitment at all. She knew no one would lose the weight for her, but she kept hoping it would melt away on its own. Dreaming won't make our weight disappear. We need to take positive steps on our own. However, we have God to help us. He will carry us when we are too weak to continue, and He will encourage us when we feel depressed and hopeless. God offers us victory in the face of failure. Accept God's help, and a miracle will indeed happen.

Today's thought: I know what I need to do to lose weight, and with God's help I will do it!

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December 22

Philippians 3:13
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.

Wendy had a hard time putting her past behind her. Christmas had been torture for her as a child. Everyone would talk about 'poor' Wendy, who was fat and awkward. Everyone always picked on her, and they never let her eat the things she wanted. Every single person had some sage bit of advice for her. Even though things had changed a lot in the past couple of years, she still dreaded the holidays. She was trim and svelte, and no one could do anything but admire her, and still it was hard. Old demons die hard. Dieting requires much more than physical transformation. It also calls for emotional healing, and the one sure source for that is God.

Today's thought: The past is fast fading away. I'm headed for a trimmer me!

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December 23

Colossians 1:13
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

Christmas was going to be extra fun this year. Lois hadn't told anyone that she had lost a good deal of weight. More than that, she had been so depressed by her weight problem in the past that she hadn't been much fun to be around. She felt so much better about herself, and she definitely felt better about the holidays. Her life had been lived in the darkness of depression, but the light of God had broken through, much like the star of Bethlehem broke through the Jerusalem sky two thousand years before. The wise men had found the baby Jesus by following its light, and Lois had found a new life of her own, led by the very same saving light of God.

Today's thought: The lightness of my body is due to the light of Christ!

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December 24

2 Thessalonians 3:5
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

Nancy sat in the warm glow of the firelight, looking at the sparkle of the Christmas tree. What was it like that very first Christmas morn? What must Mary and Joseph have been feeling? Imagine the anticipation and wonder. Nancy's mind wandered to the fact that she had lost so much weight through the year. Suddenly, she was embarrassed by a thought. She had thought her diet was so important; she had been so impatient trying to lose weight. Compared with the magic and wonder of this night, and all that it meant, her diet seemed pretty insignificant. She owed everything she had and everything she was to Jesus Christ. It was a joy to welcome Him into her heart once again this blessed Christmas Eve.

Today's thought: The day-to-day gifts of God pale in comparison with His greatest gift: His Son, Jesus the Christ!

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December 25

1 John 4:10
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

God has given all to make us happy. He has blessed us with a beautiful world, a wonderful life, and many opportunities for fulfillment and joy. He asks that we respect His gifts and endeavor to be the best people we can possibly be. To help us, He sent His only Son to come into this world as an example. We can know God's desire for us through His Son. Not only did His Son come as an example, but as a Savior, to allow us to be reconciled with our God. All that we have received is from God. On this glorious Christmas morn, make a gift of your life to God. Give Him the only thing that truly matters: You!

Today's thought: If I can in any way be used, help me bring about peace on earth and goodwill to all God's children!

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2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

The army had been good for Stan. When he was younger, he was completely undisciplined. The army had taken care of that. He had to work his tail off to get into good shape, but it was worth it. The short period of affliction he suffered through helped him in so many other ways. The folks back home couldn't believe the change they saw while he was home for the holidays. God disciplines His children on occasion because He knows the lasting lessons we need to learn. Diets help us grow in maturity and fitness for the kingdom of God.

Today's thought: A gain in discipline means a loss in weight!

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December 27

Revelation 2:17
'He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.'

Donna thanked God for giving her a whole new life. Losing the weight had only been part of it. Donna had fervently prayed for transformation, but she never bargained for all that God would do for her. Her attitude was transformed from one of doom to one of hope. Her appearance was transformed from one of dumpiness to one of beauty. Her emotional stability had been transformed from one of teetering on the brink to solid rock. She couldn't believe it, but she was a totally different person than she had been a year before. The God of miracles and life had certainly worked in Donna's life. He's available to work in ours, also.

Today's thought: With God's help I will lose weight, lose hate, and lose my desire to denigrate!

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December 28

1 John 5:5
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Burt couldn't help but rub it in. Terry had claimed to have found the diet breakthrough of the century. He lost seven pounds. Greg got hold of some miracle pills, and he lost eleven pounds. Craig had mortgaged his house to buy a membership in a health club. He managed to lose fourteen pounds. Burt had simply told his friends he was going to lose weight on the Jesus plan. Whenever he got hun-gry between meals, he was going to go off and read the Gospels. They had all laughed long and hard at him, but he who laughs last, laughs best. Twenty-eight pounds had dropped because of the Jesus plan. There's nothing like it.

Today's thought: God can do for me what nothing on earth can!

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December 29

Matthew 4:11
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Victory! Steve felt he'd really run the good race. No matter how great the temptations had gotten lately, he had been able to withstand them. Christ was pulling him through the roughest times yet. Each time he beat back the temptations, he felt better than ever. It was as if God was rewarding him by making him feel so good. The pounds were coming off, and it was actually beginning to get easy. Steve never thought he'd come to say that. Steve was convinced. If God could make a diet tolerable, then God really could do anything!

Today's thought: I will not take part in devil's food!

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December 30

1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Leah remembered the question her pastor had asked, 'What do you think God wants you to eat?' At first, it had seemed like a silly question, but the more Leah thought about it, the more she realized there really wasn't any food God didn't want to let her have. It was the quantities and frequency of consumption that Leah realized God would disapprove of. Moderation in everything was the rule she needed to follow. She felt so much better. Her diet didn't need to be a lot of heavy sacrifices. All she needed to do was develop some self-control, and with God's help, she would.

Today's thought: Let my eating and drinking offend no one, especially God!

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December 31


Ecclesiastes 9:7
Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

There will come a day when the diet is truly over. We must endure until that day with a strong spirit and an earnest desire to please the Lord. We have been blessed with much, and in some cases, too much. God has been good to give, and He will be equally good to help take away. Remember the Lord every step of your diet. Call upon Him for strength, for comfort, for hope, and for courage. He will hear you, and He will be sure to answer you. In time, you will come to that day, not too distant, when you can eat your bread with joy and without guilt, drink and make merry, and stand confident and proud that you have indeed glorified your Lord.

Today's thought: I will be a conqueror, through the mighty love of God.