Prayer Journal #19

 From the Joyce Meyer devotional for today:

I

Father, I ask for Your supernatural help to grow stronger in the area of my life in which I need strength.  Help me also to do everything I need to do in the natural realm to become the person of strength You want me to be.   In Jesus' name.  Amen.

 

This devotion really spoke to me this morning.  Why? For several reasons.  I need to gain strength in three areas of my life.  One is spiritually.  Over the past several years my faith has grown, mainly because of devotions with Rhonda and Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies.  Plus church 'attendance' has been stronger lately, either watching Jim online or attending services at Delphi UMC.  

Let's focus.

An area of my life which I needed to grow stronger is exercise.  My movement was becoming very 'old lady-ish.'   I felt creaky.  I felt old.  I felt like my movement was stilted and hard and I just wanted to sit.  That is the best way to put myself into the immobile category.  I dreaded even walking to the Party Barn.  I hate to admit it but just walking out to the barn was something I didn't want to do.  Let me tell you....not walking doesn't do anything to increase one's strength and endurance.   Honestly, I was terrified of going to the Biltmore and having to walk everywhere.  That is why I suggested an alternative plan and we are skipping a stop in Asheville in two weeks. I was terrified.  The thought of visiting Disney World again...ever....is terrifying as well.  I don't want to be in a scooter, but I know that I can't walk around the parks in the shape I am in now.  So that is a focus.  Plus just being able to feel healthy again is a goal.

Another area----weight loss.  This has been a struggle for most of my life.  I loved the way I looked and felt during the summer of 2006.  I had lost 40+ pounds. I was wearing a size 8-10.  I felt great!  Then I went to the college, stopped going to WW, and the pounds crept back on.  Now I am wearing size 16 again and XL tops and I look fat, in my eyes.  I need to monitor my food intake.  I need to be more conscientious about NOT grabbing food and snacking.  I need to eat only at mealtime and make better choices.  I need to cook more.  All of these are goals as well.

I know that a focus in the devotion today is growing in faith and becoming a stronger Christian, but Joyce does talk about other areas in our lives that need help.   It doesn't matter what the area is, I need to ask God to show me what I need to do in order to become stronger and then do it and do it, and do it again.   

Amen.