day forty-five...being transformed

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Church tonight was amazing. Pastor Brian Brodersen taught on Romans 12...which is a pretty common and popular passage, but it really hit me more than usual tonight. And what makes it even better is that my health coach, Charlotte came up to me afterwards and we talked about it...confirming all that the Lord spoke to me about.

This health journey I am on is a transformation of my body. But not only am I changing on the outside, I am changing on the inside as well. This is also a heart issue. I can deny food and be bitter about it, or I can deny food and rejoice in the Lord for the great victory He just allowed me to have.

This is a slow process but one I have to go through—to get healthy and to grow spiritually. I encourage you to read Romans 12 and meditate on it. If you are open, the Lord will surely share something with you. Heed it and take it to heart.

Breakfast
Once again I slept in today. Tomorrow is going to be a fun wake up call getting back on my normal schedule...not really. :P So once I did get up I made myself a mocha shake and then headed to church.

Morning Snack
I brought a chocolate crunch bar with to church so I would be able to eat it right after church was over. We always seem to talk afterwards and I get caught without a snack, but this time I was prepared and ready.

Lunch
After church we went over to my grandparents house and helped them put up their Christmas lights. During the middle of it, I ate a Chipotle salad that consisted of lettuce, steak, fajita vegetables, and pico de gallo. I went to lunch with my parents earlier and just got mine to go. It's actually pretty funny how easy it was to say no to black beans and rice. God is good. :D

Afternoon Snack
After we got done helping my grandparents, we went to Home Depot and got our Christmas tree...a 9-foot Christmas tree! I just love Christmas...like a lot. This is my all-time favorite holiday. While putting up the lights and ornaments I snacked on some mixed berry cereal crunch.

Dinner and Dessert
We barely finished decorating the tree when we left to go to church. Once I got back home, I ate my last two meals at the same time so I didn't have to wait up just to eat again. I ended up making a chocolate chip pancake muffin in a (Christmas) mug and a chai latte. Perfect and delicious pairing.

Well, that is all for today. Don't forget to read and meditate on Romans 12.

xoxo,
Toni

day seventeen...who do you please?

I will keep it short and sweet tonight, but I just have one question to ask you. Who do you please? Is it yourself? A spouse? Parent or sibling? Your flesh or your spirit? Tonight at church we read a verse in Romans 8 that said, "So them, those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8). This hit me like a ton of bricks and made me really think about who I am trying to please. It was only last month that I was living a life solely devoted to my flesh and feeding my sin of addiction to food. I did not realize at the time that because of my fleshly desires, I could not please God. Really makes you think about who you are pleasing.

I can say with confidence now that I am living wholeheartedly for the Lord and am walking in His steps more than ever before. Through this Medifast program, I have been able to deny my flesh those things it longs for and instead fill up my spirit with the things of God. And with the Lord's help I am able to walk in His ways and please Him.

Breakfast
Sunday's seem to be my late start day. I tend to sleep in, which causes me to eat my breakfast later on in the day throwing my meal times way off. This morning I woke up and had a pineapple mango smoothie around 10am.

Lunch
I went to church around 11am and didn't get home until about 1pm, so it was definitely time for my lean and green meal for the day. I made a new dish today that I think you guys will love. Sundays from now on are going to me my "try new things" day. And hopefully by Monday or Tuesday I will have the recipe for you all. So today I made spaghetti using zucchini and added some marinara sauce and sausage to it...oh, and a little bit of melted cheese. Delish!

Afternoon Snack #1
After two or so hours, I ate my first snack of the afternoon. I had some pizza bites and drank lots of water. For some reason these bites are super dry, resulting in me drinking about 24 ounces of water. But I see it as a good thing!

Afternoon Snack #2
I then had a smores crunch bar as my second snack of the afternoon. I can't tell you enough how much I love these. They are so stinkin' good! I could easily eat these everyday, all day.

Dinner
I ate a tad late today, because I had to wait until I got home from church...which was around 9pm. I will be honest, I don't like eating too late because I feel kind of gross in the morning. I don't know what it is. But...I have to complete my meals for the day even if that means eating late. I will just have to wake up earlier on Sundays in the future so I don't have to stay up late.

Dessert
I tried to pick a small, light meal so it doesn't sit in my stomach too long as I am going to go to sleep for the next 8 hours.

Remember to feed your spirit rather than your flesh so you can please the Lord and not yourself or someone else. God is the only one who matters.

xoxo,
Toni