Hi, Everyone.
I've said, before, that patience is a tough one, for me. I want what I want, and I want it yesterday! However, I'm learning to "let patience have her perfect work" in me. Today's devotion, from my personal journal dated May 16, 2007, speaks of being diligent, and diligence is the sister of patience. While weight loss isn't mentioned specificially, it will be affected by diligence.

Flashback Friday Devotion #38 [My Everything]

     This morning, Chris (my husband) woke me up at 5:00 (so I could get ready to go to early intercessory prayer group), and as I was taking my bath, I began to sing, "He is my everything, He is my all, He is my everything, both great and small. He gave His life for me, made everything new. He is my everything, now how about you?  Some folks may ask me, some folks may say, 'Who is this Jesus you talk about everyday?' He is my Savior, He sets me free, This is what I'll tell you, what He means to me:  Like honey in the rock, sweet honey in the rock, for He tastes like honey in the rock. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good, for He tastes like honey in the rock."
     That old song got me thinking about how Jesus IS my "all." In Him, I really do have everything I need. It reminded me of the verse that talks about how God has given us all things, through His power. I found that verse and read much more, in II Peter 1:3-10.
     It's so good, I'm going to quote more of those verses than I normally would. God had much to say to me today! I just love Him!
     "His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue). By means of these He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.
     "For this very reason, adding your diligence [to the divine promises], employ every effort in exercising your faith to develop virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy), and in [exercising] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness (piety), and in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love. For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep [you] from being idle or unfruitful unto the [full personal] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)..." [Amplified Version]
     Just look at that progression of exercising and developing! Just like God's promises, there's a "my part" and a "His part." God says to "add [my] diligence" to His promises. The old lazy "me" wanted the result and manifestation of every promise, without the work. The new "me" says, "I'm ready to be diligent!" I'm ready to be diligent, because I want everything God has for me. I know He will help me do this.

Today, on a scale of 1-10 (low to high), how would you rate your diligence? If it's on the lower end, consider your progression of exercising and developing, to see if there's a quality that needs to be "pumped up" in your life. Remind youself that if Jesus is your all, you have everything you need. Listen to this sweet couple singing "He Is My Everything," which brings back fond memories of sitting around the camp fire at Youth Camp and singing choruses just like this one.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ETF_j_yYEM

Blessings,
Mary

Don't you just love romance? This is so fun to watch from afar. Thanks for the update.
Have a blessed day!

Hi, Everyone.
While the scripture passage for today's devotion is the same as the original devotion I wrote about a year ago, the rest is new, which [drum roll, please] means that hopefully my writer's block is gone! I pray that's the case, anyway. I did feel the Lord's help in writing this, which was oh, so sweet. :)  I plan to continue posting the remainder of these older devotions, unless the Lord nudges me otherwise, but I am thinking about a new study theme for the Life Plan Devotion, and I can use this time to do some research and reflection and prayer and more. :)
Please pray for those having surgery today and those recovering from surgery. If you have any prayer requests, feel free to post them or PM me. I do love hearing from you. It blesses and encourages me.

Life Plan Devotion #165 [Mercy]

John 8:9-11 [NLT] "When the accusers heard [Jesus say, 'The one who has never sinned throw the first stone!'], they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman [who had been caught in adultery]. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, 'Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?' 'No, Lord,' she said. And Jesus said, 'Neither do I. Go and sin no more.'" [Note: Information in brackets added by author, for clarity.]

     The woman from this passage in John, having been caught in the sin of adultery, deserved (according to the law) death by stoning.
     I wonder what she thought, as she surely felt her life was in the hands of this man called Jesus. Maybe she didn't even know who He was, but the Pharisees seemed to "know" Him, and they were asking Him what should be done with her.
     Perhaps she held her breath, for fear that Jesus would use or abuse her, and then give her up into the hands of the crowd waiting with rocks in hand. But Jesus did not see the adulterous woman through the eyes of the law. He saw her through the eyes of mercy, and when we realize that it is through the eyes of mercy that God sees each of us, we will look around and see that no one is standing nearby, to accuse or stone us.
     Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve, but does mercy give us a license to sin? No. The reason is that sin carries natural consequences, which is why, when Jesus says that He does not condemn her, He adds, "Go and sin no more." That is not the tone of a stern judge, but the tone of a wise Father.
     It is the same for you and for me, today. We sin, and justice demands payment, but payment was made 2,000 years ago, and when we turn to the Cross, accepting Jesus' sacrificial payment for our sin, Mercy says "No, I'm not gonna let you go. I'm not gonna let you slip away. You don't have to be afraid. Sin will never take control." [lyrics from Mercy Said No]

What this has to do with weight loss: Even with believers on the weight-loss journey, there is often a fear of regain, and if that fear is not confronted and replaced by faith, regain will be the result. You see, your body will follow the lead of your heart, and your heart will follow the lead of your mind. If you're thinking, "Food has control over me," it does. If you're thinking, "I'm afraid I'm going to gain all the weight I've lost," you will. But oh, my friend, if you will listen, you can hear a still, small voice, called Mercy, and it will be saying, "No. Sin will never take control." You just have to decide to which voice you will hearken.

Today, listen to CeCe Winans as she sings "Mercy Said No," and rejoice in the fact that if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, God sees you through the Blood of Jesus and the shadow of the Cross, and be determined to see yourself the same way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_SjhKJgqGg

Blessings,
Mary

Good Tuesday morning everyone!  Time to rise and shine! Today is going to be great! Got my Folgers in my cup!

Now for the rather....would you rather be woke by music on your alarm or the beep? Me? The beep! I can't stand the loud music this early!!...! So, give me the beep! Then again, i haven't used an alarm in years!

Please keep Lucy's mom in your thoughts and prayers.  They transfered here from Healthsouth Rehab to Huntsville Hospital yesterday evening.  She has cellulitus in her leg and the incision sight is still draining from the surgery 3 weeks ago.  Please join with us in prayer that this will heal.  She is exhausted!  The poor woman hasn't gotten to enjoy ONE day since she has moved here.  My heart goes out to her today.

Y'all have an awesome Tuesday!! 

Hi, Trish.
You're in my prayers, for healing and God's provision.
Blessings,
Mary