The Hearts at Home theme for 2011 is Mom Revolution. It focuses on change…transformation…and ultimately growth.
Here at the Savage home we’ve been revolutionizing our eating. In January, I picked up Lysa TerKeurst’s new book, Made to Crave. My neighbor, Crystal, and I decided we would watch her six weeks of webcasts together and read the book.
Crystal and I have caught a phone conversation here and there, but both Erica and Mark have picked it up here at home and we’ve all been challenged by what we’re learning.
The concept of Lysa’s book is that we need to crave God more than food. I didn’t think I had a big problem with this…until God used Lysa’s book to put a magnifying glass on my food issues.
Honestly, I’ve discovered that I more often worship food than I worship God. You see anything that we think about, focus on, and use to meet our emotional needs is something we worship.
If there are brownies in my kitchen, I wake up thinking about having them for breakfast.
If there is candy in the house, it doesn’t last long.
If I’m stressed, I eat.
If I’m tired, I eat.
If I’m bored, I eat.
When I took an honest look at myself in the mirror of God’s truth, I had to be honest that I more often turn to food than to God.
And you know what? I’m not ok with that.
Slowly but surely, I’m turning a corner with this challenge. God’s truth is powerful. I’m using his truth to battle temptation and to find the strength to make better food choices.
Here are some powerful verses that have helped me:
- “Everything is permissible for me–but not everything is beneficial…I will not be mastered by anything.” I Corinthians 6:12
- “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16
- Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19
I don’t want anything to be more important than God in my life. So the journey I’m on is to put food in it’s rightful place. In Lysa’s words: We are made to consume food, but food was never made to consume us.
I’ll be sharing some healthy recipes as I discover them. And more of God’s truth as it becomes real to me.
Jill,
God’s timing with you posting this couldn’t have been more perfect. I too struggle with this exact same issue, turning to food more than God. And this year in BSF through studying Isaiah, it has been revealed to me more and more how food has become an idol in my life. I have been convicted about it for years, but it seems to be reaching a climax. I hope that a breakthrough is occurring. Just in the last few months, I’ve been thinking that I need some verses to cling to. I’ve been searching and have found some, but nothing that really struck me. But then yesterday, I was reading Isaiah 44 and verse 20 hit me over the head. This chapter is about idols and men fashioning idols out of wood, but I thought how appropriate it was when applied to food as well: “He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, ‘Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?'” This verse has been radiating through my head all night and then this morning when I pulled up your blog, I knew it was God speaking to me about this. And he’s given me more verses with what you posted! He is so good! I teared up and just starting thanking Him. It’s been hard finding support with others through this as well. I’m not medically overweight and when I share this with others, they just think I’m crazy because I’m not overweight. I do carry some extra pounds from having 3 babies in 4 years (my kids are 5, 3, and 1 years old). Certainly I would like to shed those pounds and be healthier and stronger. But that’s not the major issue, and it’s hard to explain that to someone else. I know in my heart it’s a problem with where I place food in my life, thoughts, etc. I will definitely be checking out Lysa’s book as it seems to speak to these exact issues. And I will be literally clinging to these verses, as I’ve written them on index cards and plan on carrying them around with me in my hands, especially when in the kitchen, so when I reach for the cupboard, the scripture is in my way!
Thank you for posting this. Thank you for your ministry. I was first introduced to Hearts at Home a few years ago when I went to the 2008 Grand Rapids conference. That has been my first and only conference so far. I have never felt like I belonged more than when I was there. I felt so much affirmation for my choice as a stay at home mom. And now I finally get the chance to go again this year. I’ll be at the National conference next month! I’m so excited! I’m looking forward to an amazing weekend with God and other moms! Thank you!
Misti,
I’m so glad that this was helpful to you. Honestly you will LOVE Lysa’s book. It is PACKED with scripture to help with this issue. I think it is exactly what you need to move to the next step.
So glad you’ll be at the conference in March! See you soon!
Lysa’s book is amazing and spot on!! I participated in a focus group for Made to Crave last summer and lost 15 pounds. Unfortunately, as November arrived so did holiday food, vacations, extended family, lots of emotions and emotional eating. I gradually slipped back into old thought patterns and old habits. Thank you for reminding me that I need to turn to God with my emotions and not food!
Me & my husband are working together on the food issues and I am leaning on scripture to help me out. I LOVED Lysa’s book & am planning on reading it again with my accountability partner!!