Today I ate a 3 inch sub for lunch (which is a long way from the 12 inch subs I downed in former years), and for supper I ate a baked potato with the works—veggies on the side. That’s the way I’ve become accustomed to eating now: smaller portions, without skimping on the flavor.

But that’s not what I want to talk to you about this month, because God has laid something very different on my heart, which is the topic of taking every thought captive:

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, NIV

But since I write Live Well, which is mainly about diet, I got to wondering what the link between a healthy diet and captive thoughts would be. And why would God choose this particular portion of scripture for us this month?

Then I turned on my computer, and started to read Sunny’s interview with Jennifer Rothschild, our cover girl this month, who said, “God began to show me when I was in my twenties the damaging effect of what I was saying to my soul and that if I didn’t control my thoughts, my thoughts would control me. He showed me the best way to control my thoughts was to make them truthful. I went on a journey going from destructive self talk to constructive, life-giving soul talk! Once I learned how to recognize lies I was telling myself, I refused them into my “Thought Closet,” relabeled them with truth and I’ve repeated the habit for years now.” (Read the entire interview here)

That’s when the pieces started coming together, and I realized that self talk doesn’t only keep us obedient to Christ, which is foremost important in our lives, it can also demolish strongholds by tearing down the inner arguments we often support with negative self talk.

You might think that self talk is something other people do, but if you stop and think for a minute you may remember a little voice not only suggesting, but also encouraging you to drop your diet when temptation set in. I hear it all the time, and sometimes that self talk slips through my lips when I say, this is the last one, one more, or this is so delicious, I can’t stop! That’s all self talk, either encouraging or discouraging you along your journey.

Imagine the power we could have had if we strongly suggest persistence, and then continue to suggest it until we persuade ourselves that it is the best choice to make. That’s taking our thoughts captive.

Until we determine that turning back is not an option we’re destined to slip up. But when we run the race with unwavering determination we are guaranteed success.

Keep running the race ladies, and till next month, Live Well!

©2009, Darlene Schacht

While speaking at the recent “A Women Inspired” online conference, I was asked if I have any motivation to press on, for those who are struggling with their diet. I was reminded of the many times that I’ve personally stared down at the scale looking at yet another plateau.

I happen to know how frustrating that can be, and how hard it is to fight negative thoughts. So in order to combat those feelings I’ve put together a list of 15 motivational thoughts and ideas to keep you on track.
Give them a read when you’re starting to feel “Mrs. Give-Up-and–Eat” moving in, and then kick her whiny butt out the door!

1. Don’t look back on yesterday with despair. Look at tomorrow with hope.
2. Train your heart and your body to yield to a faith focused mind.
3. Post your goals where you’ll see them often, along with notes of inspiration. Reminders are a good thing.
4. Do all things, whether big or small to the glory of God. For it is only by Him and through Him that we take each breath that we do.
5. Those who persist reach the finish line, while those who give up stay behind.
6. If you take two steps forward and one step back, you’re still getting someplace. Don’t give up the moment you slip up. Press on!
7. Knowledge is power, but without action it’s useless.
8. Rather than gloss over a problem, take steps toward change. Wisely dealing with a bad habit or issue isn’t the easy way, but it later brings peace to your life.
9. Why change your life tomorrow, when today is such a perfect time?
10. Take some steps today, if only a few, and tomorrow you’ll be that much closer to your goal.
11. Seeds of discipline produce a harvest of strength. Keep planting them daily.
12. Those who succeed rise with each fall. While others in a state of discouragement refuse to move on, for fear that they might fall again.
13. The road to success is paved with motivation and determination. Don’t let the speed bumps slow you down.
14. It is our job as stewards of this human vessel to guide the heart and the flesh according to wisdom, and according to the Word.
15. Each moment is a new beginning, make this one count.

©2009, Darlene Schacht

Do you trust God enough to enter His rest?

Take a look at this verse, and let it soak in for a minute:

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:10-12 (NIV)

Not only did Paul know that he would share in the sufferings of Christ, he WANTED to share in His sufferings, becoming like Christ in his death.

What was Christ in His death? Shannon Woodward shared a few sobering words in her poem this month based on Isaiah 53 listing them as: grief, fear, shame, regret, hunger, thirst, wrath, terror, judgment, and death.

Paul’s vigorous journey to the cross reminds me of the verse in Hebrews 4:11 which says, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.”

Rest and the cross—can the two be compared? Absolutely—let me explain why. When we enter His rest, we give up our fight. Like the shell of a puppet His hand takes over and begins to animate our life. It’s not easy to put down our will so that His can be done. It’s not easy to face shame for His sake or judgment or terror, but we might when we chose God’s will over ours for our lives.

What about hunger and thirst? Do you know that hunger is a running theme throughout the scriptures? God fed the Israelites on Manna for forty years to teach them that He alone sustains life. Complete dependency on Him is the eternal lesson we all must learn. Dependency = rest. Again we see this complete dependency from Jesus himself in John chapter 19:

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:27-30, NIV

When I look at lessons like that, my diet—my struggle to eat less and move more, to stop when I’m full—pales in comparison. It just one thing of many that I need to hand over to God in my life.

Let me paint a scenario. You’ve eaten a good dinner, stopped when you were satisfied and feel pretty good about the choices you’ve made. 30 minutes later the TV goes on, and the family starts rummaging through the kitchen for a television snack. Suddenly you get the munchies. Your brain starts off slow, and then goes into a wild frenzy of arguments giving you every reason why you deserve to eat more than you should. Telling you that you can break the rules “just this once” even though you know that last night, and the night before that, and the night before that, were the “just once” days too.

Say “No.”

What’s the worst that can happen? You suffer a little internal sting, while others around you indulge. As Paul said, make every effort to enter into His rest, which includes the resolution that God, and only God can sustain us.

Getting through the little lessons like these help to strengthen us for the tougher ones:  grief, fear, shame, regret, wrath, terror, judgment, and death.  It’s not easy to put down our will so that His can be done, but I promise you this, it will bring peace to your life.

©2009, Darlene Schacht

After ten years, I can finally say with confidence that I am a lifetime member of the Live Well plan. Being a lifetime member doesn’t mean that I’m so tiny I slip back into my high school jeans, nor does it mean that I don’t struggle with the desire to eat more often than I should. What it does mean to me is that I have been walking this journey day after day, year after year for over a decade.

I’m averaged-sized, and while I’d love to be micro-mini-sized, so I’d look adorable in baby doll dresses and swimsuits, I’m not. I walk and I fall; I lose and I gain. Three steps forward—two steps back. But slowly and surely I’m getting there.

I wear a size 7 pants, but if I shop at the “generous” clothing stores that stroke my ego with rock bottom numbers, I might squeeze into a size 4.  

I haven’t always been this way. As I’ve written in past articles, I wore plus-sized clothing in my mid-twenties through to my early-thirties, but I’ve come a long way, baby—and I’m not going back!

The other day as I was reaching into the fridge for some strawberries, a revelation came to mind. It was then—during that moment of choice—that I realized a key factor which has kept me from gaining back all the weight.

I had tried diets before. I had joined reputable groups. I had practiced things that I’ve learned. But the one ingredient I had been missing was this: persistence.

When you combine persistence with the grace of God, you become a dynamic living force. It’s as simple as that. Stop giving up when the going gets tough, and for once in your life, make it happen.

Next time you feel a hint of discouragement dragging you down, remember Bartimaeus the blind man who sat by the side of the road. The Bible tells us that many rebuked him, telling him to be quiet, but instead of heading their voice, he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  

The result of his persistence was the restoration of his sight. (Mark 10:46-52)

And look at Zacchaeus—a wee little man with great persistence. The Bible tells us that he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus. His determination resulted in a personal visit from Him that day. Can you imagine? We get excited about winning a celebrity lunch date, but this little guy had the Messiah over to his house for tea–well maybe coffee–who knows for sure.

Then in Mark chapter five we read about a woman with a 12-year issue of blood who pressed through the crowd just to touch the hem of His garment, and immediately she was healed.

Anyone of these people could have given up when the going got tough, but they chose to persist, and in doing so reaped the benefits that perseverance has to offer.  

We can only imagine the opportunities that we’ve lost over the course of our lifetime because we gave up just before sunrise.

Ever have one of those weeks where the plateau gets you so low that you give up all together? Have you ever wondered what might have happened if you would have waited one more week? My guess is that the scale would have moved.

And what about those nights when you get so down on yourself because you made a mistake. Have you ever thrown the plan out the window because you didn’t meet your own high level of expectation? We’re not created to be perfect—we’re created to press on:

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
-–Philippians 3:12

Stick with it! If it’s been dark for a while, have hope—it could possibly be the last hour of the night. Don’t fall asleep now, and miss the breathtaking sunrise.

©2009, Darlene Schacht

Find more articles on faith-focussed weight loss in Darlene’s monthly column, “Live Well!”

A reader recently asked me how she could overcome her constant desire for sweets. It’s a good question, since it’s a struggle that many of us have tried to defeat. The way that I see it is that we can’t control the things we desire, until our hearts have been changed. Fortunately they naturally change over time so that many of the things we once enjoyed aren’t so appealing anymore, but there are some things that we develop a passion for that never seem to go away, no matter how old we get.

Take chocolate for instance. Some of us developed a weakness for chocolate in our teens and it’s plagued us ever since. For others, like me, it’s potato chips. I just can’t seem to get enough salt. I figured that by the age of 43 this chip phase would be gone, but nope—it still rears its ugly head every time the TV goes on–or when it’s off for that matter.

So how do we separate ourselves from these passions? That question would be similar to one asking “How do I run a marathon?” The answer is simple—a sensible training program will get you there. Sure you can run without training, but all you’ll manage to get is a sprint. In order to complete in a marathon, athletes must train for months or years.

In dieting, the sprint is otherwise known as the “Yo-Yo Diet.” You start off at a great pace, but soon find out that you aren’t equipped for the long run. You can barely make a mile, never mind 26.2. A few months or a year down the road, you start again with the same uncontrolled enthusiasm you had before, and once again you lose steam. If you want to achieve long term success, you must train yourself as an athlete trains for a race—no pain no gain.

Dr. Joyce Beck, author of The Complete Beck Diet for Life, often writes about strengthening our resistance muscle, which she defines as, “a psychological muscle that is strengthened by resisting the urge to eat unplanned food.” She also says, “Life becomes so much easier when your resistance muscle is strong.” If you’re looking to find motivation and change the way you think about food, Dr. Beck’s books, The Complete Beck Diet for Life and The Beck Diet Solution are a great read.

Ways to strengthen our resistance may include:

• Passing on the junk food in the grocery store
• Making a healthy choice when eating out
• Passing on the goodies at group meetings
• Taking one trip to a buffet instead of two or more
• Eating until we’re comfortable rather than stuffed
• Limiting treats to once or twice a week, rather than daily

Our resistance is quite weak on the first three days of a new diet plan. If we can just get past the first three days, things usually seem to get a bit easier. Again if we get past the first three weeks, we start to see the muscle is strengthened and working for us.

Does this sound like a foreign concept? Compare Hebrews 12:11-12:

At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.
So don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!
–Hebrews 12:11-12, The Message

So, the answer to the question, “how could one overcome a constant desire for sweets?” is resistance training. No, it isn’t easy at first, but it does get easier the more we train ourselves to say “no.”

Saying “no” should never include a pacifier. If you’ve had enough sweets, then don’t fall into the trap that so many dieters do of purchasing low cal alternatives to squeeze a little more in. A few years back, just after I took off 40 pounds, and had maintained for a while, I decided that indulging in low-cal gelatin would be a great afternoon treat. What could it hurt?

I started to get my gelatin ready the night before (cherry is my favorite), then enjoy a large bowlful the next day, in the heat of the afternoon sun. It was working for me, until I tired of the same old afternoon treat, and started rummaging through the cupboards for something better. Pretty soon ice cream and I were bathing together in the hot summer sun, day after day.

Had I just stuck with the plan, which didn’t include an afternoon treat every day, I wouldn’t have had another bad habit to kick. A better idea would have been to plan for an occasional treat.

Imagine how our children would be if every time they cried for a cookie we handed them something sweet. Teaching our children to know when they’ve had enough is an important part of their training. It’s also a part of ours.
Learn to train yourself to eat enough, to make the best choices, and to stick to the plan. That’s how you’ll win this race!

Be strong, ladies. And until next month, Live Well!

©2009, Darlene Schacht

Find more articles on faith focussed weight loss in Darlene’s monthly column, “Live Well!”

I woke up the other morning to a voice. I’m certain it was God’s. It wasn’t mine, it wasn’t my kids, and it wasn’t my dear husband waking me up—no, it was that still small voice that speaks to the heart, when we take time to listen.  It’s the voice that always lines up with the Word, and nudges us back on the path.

“It’s not a matter of habit or lifestyle. With you, it’s simply a matter of the heart,” He said. And I knew that He heard the grumble of my tummy, which quickly turned my thoughts toward visions of drive-throughs that danced in my head.

I was reminded of the verse in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, when in chapter 6:12, he writes:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

There’s a battle going on in our hearts, ladies, and Satan wants nothing more than to see us turn our eyes away from the Father and onto the idols that the world has to offer.

I’ve tried to change my habits, change the food, change my plan of action… even change the scale to a friendlier, less-honest, version, but when I see that none of those changes have helped—I come back to the issue at hand—the necessary change in my heart.

What do I long for? Is it a closer walk with Jesus that I crave, or a fudge brownie?For years it was the high I get from food. It still is some days—too many days unfortunately, which is why I need that constant nudge from the Father reminding me that He longs to be my heart’s desire—He alone.

Again that morning, I turned to my daily devotional where He clearly spoke to me again:

Work and prayer represent the two forces that will ensure your success. Your work and My work. For prayer, believing prayer, is based on the certainty that I am working for you and with you and in you. Go forward gladly and unafraid. I am with you. With men your task may be impossible, but with God all things are possible. 

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. 
(December 29, God Calling, by Two Listeners.)

I love it when God confirms that tug on our hearts, telling us that, YES—it was Him that spoke, and that He is taking each and every step beside us. 
I’m not alone, and, sister, you’re not alone in this walk either. I hope you accept that. Do your part, and trust that He can, and will deliver you from the bondage that food has on you. 
How can faith make a difference? The answer is two-fold:

1. When we live out our faith, His weapons–which are not of this world–become ours.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. –Ephesians 6:10-13.

1. And secondly, God promises to give His people a heart with new desires so that we won’t turn to the idols–like unhealthy obsessions with food–that we cling to:

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command. 
–Ezekiel 36:25-27, NLT 

I pray that 2009 will be the year that you discover success—the year you take off the weight, and keep it off! You and He, working together—gladly and unafraid.

©2009, Darlene Schacht

Read more Live Well! articles… Click here

This news is so good; you won’t want to take it standing up! Sitting down? Good, because what I’m going to tell you this month can change the way you eat, and as a result–the way you look. The best part of it is that this transformation of body and mind will take place in the comfort of your favorite chair. Sound easy? It is! 

Do you realize just how often you eat on your feet? Most of us don’t realize it, but when we stop to count the many times we graze without thought we discover that we’ve picked up a small meal here and there without consideration. 

Do any of the following sound familiar? 

• Samples at the grocery store
• A cold pop sitting on the counter while you tend to housework
• A flavored coffee while you shop
• Tasting a few bites here and there while cooking dinner
• Grabbing a candy from your purse
• Grazing the table at a party
• Accepting the “try one of these…” from a friend
• Grabbing a cookie on the run

This type of weight gain brings the old catch phrase to mind “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach,” which isn’t just a snarky remark to toss out at a buffet line—it’s an accurate description of most human beings. If we aren’t visually satisfied with the volume we see on our plate, we aren’t satisfied with our meal, regardless of whether we’re comfortably full or not.

With any reasonable diet, you’re looking at calories-in verses calories-out, whether they’re referred to as “calories” or “points” it’s just basic math. The problems that we face when it comes to this simple equation is that we either choose to ignore the small numbers in hopes that our bodies failed math 101, or we feel cheated when it comes to mealtime because we’re facing a deficit in our account. Been there? I have—today in fact, but I’m waking up and pressing on, with a constant reminder that I am not a slave to the flesh.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. –Romans 8:12,13 KJV

The solution is to offer your body meals that are appealing to those over-sized eyes, yet not so appealing that we break the bank. How do we do this? We behave and we save. A good way to save is by sitting down each and every time we eat. If you feel like grabbing a cookie at 3:00 pm, then do so, but put that cookie on a plate in the kitchen for inclusion in your snack or meal plan. Want an apple at 3:30? Fine, but do the same—put the apple beside the cookie, and wait for your designated time to sit down and eat. Whether you’re eating at 5:00 with the family, or waiting for that physical sign of hunger, you can rest knowing that the cookie and apple are waiting in the kitchen for you. Remember, they don’t have legs—they’re not going anywhere!

By grouping our food into set meals, we combat a two-fold internal struggle we face:

1. Feeling of deprivation
2. The “I have a poverty stricken diet” mindset
    

When it’s finally mealtime, fill your plate once and sit down to eat. By placing the cookie and the apple alongside your meal, you have visual confirmation that you have enough. You may even find that you’re not hungering for that cookie anymore, and so you’ll return it to the jar.

That’s a good thing!  

Once you’re sitting down, stay seated. There’s no reason that you need to run back to the kitchen for seconds. If you filled your plate well the first time, and you feel comfortably full, you’ve had enough. That second plate of food is a sure-fire way of depleting your account.

Drink a cup of tea or sip on some water for a bit while your food does its thing, then get up from the table and walk away from the food. Remember it takes about 20 minutes for the body to message the brain that you’re full, but it will!

Lust comes in all colors and sizes, ladies. It might be a mink coat for one, a man for another, and a fudge brownie for you. Regardless of how we slice it—our bodies are constantly combating lust.

The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna! –Numbers 11:4-6, NIV

Just because we live with a longing for food, that doesn’t mean that our appetite has the power to control us. We can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us—amen? Amen! Start eating this way today, and I trust that you’ll see a difference in your mentality immediately.

And while you’re sitting, there’s just one other little thing I encourage you to do. It’s truly one of the best motivational tools that I have, and I want to share this secret with you. Grab a pen and paper or a recipe card right now, and start writing a list. List the reasons why you want to lose weight, which may include things like:

• I’ll feel younger.
• I’ll look prettier.
• I’ll be healthier.
• I’ll feel confident.
• I can wear a bathing suit next summer.
• I’ll buy regular-sized clothing.
• I’ll gain self-control.

Some of you may have written a list like this when we started out, and if so that’s great, I hope you refer to it often. What I encourage you to do—and what I do—is read the list every single morning, and again once or twice throughout the day. Every day that I do this I find that I am stronger than the days that I don’t. In fact I had a busy morning today, forgot to read the list, and therefore I’ve encountered a bit of slippage this evening. But as I’m writing, I’m remembering the reasons why I want to Live Well!

Read more articles like this in my monthly column, “Live Well!”

CWO,

I wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much I have appreciated the encouragment and info in your column.  I started reading CWO this summer and it has been a God sent to me.  In July my daughter took a picture of me that was a huge wake up call.  I got on CWO and started reading your “Live Well!” articles.  While reading I was convicted of the sedentary life style I had been living.  I was not excessively over weight, but was extremely unhealthy and could barely keep up with my kids.  Through your encouragement I began eating healthier and walking daily.  In the past my attempts at weight loss have been centered around the things of this world–appearance, ego–and though i would have some success, I would burn out shortly and go back to my old ways.  I have lost 20 pounds, eight inches from my waist, and feel better then I have in years.  The only thing that I have done significantly different is shifting  my focus from myself to my Lord.  I can now run with my kids and join my husband in his many out door hobbies.  Thank you so much for being there giving encouragment at the exact time that  I needed it.
 
Crystal Schwartz

For monthly encouragement on faith and weightloss read more of “Live Well!”

The book of Judges tells us the story of Samson, a man of incomparable strength. He tore a lion apart with his bare hands, caught 300 foxes, slew 1,000 men with the jawbone of an ass, tore the gates from the city wall, pulled down the pillars that held up a vast house, thereby killing 3,000 people, and had a weakness for women.

Chapter fourteen tells us that his first wife deceived him, enticing him with tears for seven days, until he finally gave in. I can’t imagine my husband letting me get away with that now, but I do remember using that method of manipulation a few times myself during the early years of marriage. Again in chapter sixteen, we read about yet another woman, Delilah, who for the love of money, sought out to discover the source of his strength.

And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; that he told her all heart. —Judges 16:16-17a

The story of Samson who’s secret to strength was that of his hair, may well typify the power we have when God is on our head, but I see that it also illustrates the power that persistence holds to weaken our strength. Even the strongest of men become weak when faced with temptation time and again.

Speaking of which, my sister and I did a pretty good job of weakening the strength of our parents. This is probably why our family was familiar with the “222″ tablet. 222 was like an aspirin with a shot of caffeine—great for headaches. My mom would pop one of those in her mouth, and my sister and I could pull each others hair out all day. And yes, we usually did, which is probably why Mom and Dad were well stocked.

I have a 222 for you today too, but instead of popping this one in your mouth, pop it into your thoughts:

2 Timothy 2:22, Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

That verse stands out to me, because of the 2-fold solution if offers in fighting temptation:

1. Flee
2. Pursue

If only Samson had a bottle of those resting by his bedside, he might have fled from the women who persisted to trap him, and pursued a woman strong in faith and devotion.

Are you fleeing the habits that have caused you weight gain? Have you stopped strolling down the potato chip isle, put the chocolates out of site, and cut down on cola?

Good, and while you’re doing all of that fleeing, I hope that you also vigorously pursue better choices as well.

It’s about balance. ie. Here’s what I’m giving up… Here’s what I’m adding in…

If an alcoholic quits drinking, but doesn’t join a support group, cling to the Lord, or make drastic life changes that will keep her on track, she’s walking alone on a slippery slope. Fleeing is only half of the solution, pursuing is the other.

Likewise we need to pursue better choices if we hope to make lifestyle changes. Pursue the rich things in life such as goodness, love, knowledge, self-control, perserverance, and above all, a Christ-like character. All things that nurture our Spirit.

That’s where we’ll find the source of our power—that’s where we’ll find our strength!

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. —2 Peter 1:5-7

©2008, Darlene Schacht

*We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program.

When I started out writing this column, I assumed the articles would generally be about living well—not particularly on weight loss. But as the readership grew, I started receiving feedback—lots of feedback—
from women who were struggling with weight. It was then that I realized that God was using me to minister to other women who, like me, struggle with food issues.

Because of this ministry, and my focus toward it, I am continually finding scripture that speaks to the struggle. I’m encouraged with the knowledge that God understands our desire to lose, and gives us the tools necessary to win.

So this week, in our home Bible study group we talked about meekness. How does that relate to appetite? It completely relates when you understand what the true meaning of the word is, and how it applies to our life.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
—Matthew 5:5

Let’s look closer at the word meek:

The Greek word is praeiv, translated in Strong’s Concordance (#4239) as: mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness.

So the idea is that a meek person is someone who is gentle, tolerant, patient, and long suffering, and someone who is submissive to their Lord.

Contrary to the way the world would see it, meekness does not equate weakness—in fact it’s the exact opposite. Meekness is being strong yet controlled.

When studying the word I found that the Greeks would often equate meekness with the taming of an animal, such as a horse that was broken in as apposed to one that is wild.

This reminded me of our old Pit bull, Bailey. With her incredible jaw and body strength, she was capable of doing severe damage, and yet she was the meekest animal I have ever met. We knew she was a good pup when she first rolled over on her back to greet us—a submissive sign that we recognized.

By the time Bailey was a few years old, she was trained to respond well to her leash. She was also trained to stop at each corner, and look both ways before crossing the street. One evening while out for a walk, Bailey was harassed by a dog one-tenth her size. The little dog charged across the street with a bark far bigger than his bite. I knew that Bailey could take the little squirt out with one gulp, but instead of retaliating, she remained under control. Following the lead of her master.

I look to Jesus whose very life was a reflection of His desire to follow the Father.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. –Isaiah 53:7

And the same meek and gentle, Jesus Christ…

…entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those selling doves. —Matthew 21:12, NIV

Always ready to defend His faith, yet never defending Himself. Therein lies the strength of the meek, in the ability to control ones passions and desires.

If we learn to control our passions in the small things of life, we equip ourselves to be further controlled in the larger issues. On the other hand, if we let our emotions rule us, we become a slave to them.

It is not good to eat much honey; so for men to search their own glory is not glory. He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
—Proverbs 25:27 & 28.

Jesus equipped Himself for ministry by fasting in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights, bringing His body under subjection to the spirit, can you say no to an extra brownie or two? Can you say no to pop and grab water instead? Each time you let your passions rule your choice, you are letting them rule you. Isn’t that a discouraging thought?

Can you imagine how great a force we could be if we could live a life of meekness in the same manner as Him. We become a conquering force not only able to reject the next binge, but to stand up for our faith when the going gets tough.

If controlling our appetite weren’t of great importance, why would fasting be of any use? It’s a form of self-denial, and any healthy denial of self teaches our soul that our Spirit is the one in charge.

Losing weight is great, ladies, but our pant size is not what bugs us the most, is it? It’s our failure to control our appetite time and again. It’s the overwhelming feeling that we’re in bondage to food. It’s the feeling that we’re trapped in a body that has control over us. That’s why we want change. That’s why we need change!

The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
—Psalm 22:26

©2008, Darlene Schacht

*We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program.