Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Bud believed his doctor really did have his best interests in mind. Bud wouldn't have dieted if anyone else had told him he should, but his doctor carried a little more weight. Bud kept to the diet because he felt it was the right thing to do. Trust was a big factor in making everything work. Trust is a big factor in anything we try to do. Giants of the Christian faith were able to do such great things because they trusted that the Lord was with them. We, perhaps not giants of the faith, need to rest assured that we can trust God and that He will do everything He can to help us lose weight.
Today's thought: The only thing God will let down is my weight!
Proverbs 3:24
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.
Janice remembered long, sleepless nights where she tossed and turned, feeling guilty that she had cheated on her diet or merely crying because she was so enormous. Thank God those nights were long gone. Being fat was not just a physical trauma, but an emotional and mental one, as well. She never realized how much her peace of mind was dependent on her waistline until she took off the excess weight. Now, she had wonderful nights and wonderful days. Her life was transformed. God had been so good to her. She felt she'd been given a new life. This time, she was determined to take care of it.
Today's thought: Losing weight promises a new lease on life!
2 Peter 2:9
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.
Woody had a weird dream. His hands and arms got so flabby that he couldn't reach out and pick anything up anymore. Before him stood a long table filled with marvelous things to eat, but he was unable to take anything. He woke up sweat-soaked and shuddering. It had seemed so real! He caught a glimpse of himself in the dresser mirror as he sat alone in the night. He was getting awfully plump. Maybe somebody was trying to tell him something. He was no fool. They say that God moves in mysterious ways, and maybe that was true. No reason to push the old luck. Tomorrow the diet begins!
Today's thought: I remember when my eyes could be bigger than my stomach!
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Jerome stepped up in front of the huge audience. Not too long ago, Jerome wouldn't have been caught dead speaking publicly. All that changed when he found he had something to talk about. Jesus Christ had changed his life, and he wanted the whole world to know. Jerome truly believed that anything was possible for him, now that Jesus Christ was the center of his life. That same confidence can be ours when we turn our lives over to Jesus. Christ transforms us and enables us to do things that we doubted were possible before. Trust the Lord to help you lose weight, and watch the miracle begin.
Today's thought: I become more spiritually as I become less physically!
2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
There are times when the hunger pangs get to be almost unbearable. A person gets shaky, she feels weak-kneed and light-headed; it almost feels like an illness. Hunger makes us aware of how really weak we are. A person who is hungry is a person who is humble. It is good for us to realize that we need help, that we are not always able to stand on our own two feet. In those times of weakness, we learn to rely on the true strength: the power of Jesus Christ. Christ comes to us in our moments of weakness, to strengthen and support us. Praise God that He never lets us fail for very long.
Today's thought: Hunger makes me weak; losing weight makes me strong!
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).
Kelly believed God would help her. At least, she wanted to believe that God would help. Sometimes she wasn't so sure. She'd begin to doubt, then fear would set in, and she'd comfort herself with a bowl of ice cream or a chocolate bar. Then she'd get mad at herself, she'd pray for help once more, and the whole cycle would start again. If only she could stay convinced that God was with her to give her strength. Kelly knew it wasn't God's fault that she kept giving in. It was her own wavering. Perhaps Kelly's prayer should have been for strength of faith, rather than strength of diet will-power.
Today's thought: I don't think God will help me lose weight; I know it!
Job 11:15
For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear.
What a marvelous feeling, being able to stand up in front of the diet group and tell them she had lost forty-four pounds! Marcie never thought she'd see the day. She remembered all the times when, with great embarrassment, she had to confess that she was not even close to her goal. Those days were behind her. All the doubts and guilt were over. The groups had been a great help, too, as God had been. Her faith was a large reason that she was able to stay with it as well as she did. Praise God, everything worked out. She held her head high and shared her great news with the group that had helped her so much.
Today's thought: Doubting never helps get things done!
Revelation 21:7
'He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.'
Chris thought he was going to die. Why did the gym teacher make the fat kids run track? It wasn't human. His pulse was pounding so hard he thought his eyes might pop out. The finish line looked a million miles away. It wasn't worth it. Somehow he had to lose some of his excess baggage. Nobody could go through life feeling as bad as he presently felt. We need to overcome our weight problems. Life is not meant to be a struggle, but a blessed gift from God. If we will work to be overcomers, then God will bless our efforts and carry us over the finish line.
Today's thought: With each pound I drop, I move faster toward my goal!
Psalm 91:3
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
Bert woke up in a cold sweat. He had dreamed that he was lying on a beach, when suddenly the sand began to shift, and he felt himself being sucked downward. Try as he might, he couldn't twist or turn out of the trap. Every way he moved, the sand gave way. He realized that the only reason he was sinking was due to his weight. The more he fought, the deeper he sank. As the sand closed in over his head, he woke up. Quietly, he prayed that the Lord might rescue him from his prison of flesh. Immediately, he was filled with a spirit of sacrifice and commitment equal to the diet that lay before him.
Today's thought: Without a doubt, I'll win this bout!
Mark 11:24
'Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.'
Abby knew that God hadn't lost her weight for her, but He sure helped her be able to lose it. When she felt most like giving up, He encouraged her and gave her the will to go on. When she was most tempted to break her diet, He reminded her of how important it was to stick with it. When the pounds began to fall, He filled her with a deep joy that insured she would continue. She never forgot to pray, whether it was for help, for strength, or for thanksgiving. Abby hadn't lost the weight all by herself. God helped more than she could ever know.
Today's thought: I'm glad that I'm a loser. . .of weight!
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Barb hated it when her husband went away on business trips. He was her conscience when it came to watching what she ate. Besides, when she was lonely she had the tendency to eat to compensate. It was so much harder to diet when he went away. It is good to know that we have a refuge and strength that never goes on vacation. God is ever with us, and He will help us whenever we need Him. When the temptations are the greatest, then we can be confident that God will be the strongest.
Today's thought: I will turn to God when my diet gets too tough!
James 1:6
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Sybil couldn't understand why Bev kept praying about her diet. It seemed so silly. Sybil was a good Christian, but she didn't bother talking about such trivial things with God. God had much better things to do than watch people lose weight, didn't He? Still, Bev seemed to be doing much better on her diet than Sybil was. Bev didn't struggle with temptation as much, and she was much better at saying no when she was offered rich, fattening foods. Maybe Bev had something. Her prayers were obviously a help to her, and Sybil had nothing to lose but her weight. Sybil decided to ask Bev for some guidance.
Today's thought: Too much doubt rules weight loss out!
Proverbs 18:10
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Every few weeks or so, Ellen would go off by herself to her grandmother's farm for a day alone. She would fast for the entire day, and each time hunger would overtake her, she would pause to pray to God. She thanked Him for providing her with food and sustenance through the week. She thanked Him for her life in a country where she was free to do what she wanted to. She thanked Him that she didn't have to struggle day to day for survival. The times on the farm meant so much to her. Ellen found great strength in those times when hunger made her feel so weak. It was good to take time to be thankful.
Today's thought: I'll try not to think of what I don't have, but what I do have!
Isaiah 43:5
'Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west.'
It didn't look like it was going to work out. Becky wanted to lose a few pounds before the dance. It wasn't any big deal, but that made it worse. She'd had almost six weeks, and in that time she hadn't lost any weight at all. She kept telling herself she had plenty of time, but time had slipped away. Now it was too late, and she felt terrible. Why had she been so stupid? Why hadn't she taken it more seriously? Not only did she feel bad because she was overweight, but she also felt guilty and hopeless. Somehow she had to learn to knuckle down and stick to what she needed to do. With God's help, maybe she could.
Today's thought: Today I lose weight; tomorrow's too late!
Psalm 9:10
And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
It was nice to see that the church cared so much about the ladies' group that dieted together. At the annual church planning board dinner, it was suggested that a low calorie menu be offered. Dieting was so much easier when other people understood and cooperated with you. It was gratifying to be supported by the church as if by one's own family. God had been good to the ladies of the church. God's love should be apparent in our churches. The church should be a place where we know we will be affirmed and supported. God never forsakes His children, and His children should be careful not to forsake each other.
Today's thought: No matter what, I'm not on this diet alone!
