Last year the day of our archery competition was long and busy. I spent the day with parents and students, recording scores and serving as the archery range official. It was one of those days that teachers have where we end up with a work day that began and ended in the dark. I wearily gathered up my girls and drove home where lambs needed to be bottle-fed, homework needed to be done, supper needed to be cooked and so- on while I received constant emails and texts. I could feel the pressure building. I began to restlessly roam the kitchen and pantry. I ate tortilla chips, dried fruit, almonds and kept telling myself that it was fine because it was healthy. It was terrible. It didn’t matter how much I ate, I wanted more, as if there was an emptiness deep inside that I just couldn’t fill. Finally, the girls were in bed and I simply shut my phone off. I sat in my chair and let out a deep breath. The cravings stopped, the urges left. The stillness, the sound of the wind passing by the house, the soft breathing of our pit bull, it all settled into the deepness of my soul. Rest. That was all I really needed. Rest. God will provide your time of rest if you trust in Him. I think of the story of Jesus and the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus, weary and heartbroken after the death of John the Baptist, goes to a quiet place to spend time with God in prayer. However, He ends up preaching and feeding thousands of needy people before He is finally able to get away and find that quiet space. Yet, God provided Him with all the strength and wisdom He needed to get through that situation. The next time you are restlessly craving, stop and ask yourself what you need rest from. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 Journal Prompt: When do you find that what you need the most is rest? What kind of rest? Physical, mental, emotional? Do you take the opportunity when God provides it? If not, how could you begin to do so?
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One thing I love about taking a long break from a destructive habit, is that I can’t make exceptions. I remember, back in the day, when I was on this diet or that, I would always find a reason to make an exception and eat something “off plan”. My exceptions were anything from a birthday party to a rough Tuesday. Before I knew it, I had “exception-ed” my way out of most of the days of the past few weeks and the weight packed back on. In order to be liberated from an intense addiction to sugar, I took a six week break from sweet treats. On the third day, someone offered me doughnut holes covered in powdered sugar. I felt like the world froze as I stared at the offered treats. My mouth started to salivate. I could taste the them and feel the texture in my mouth. However, I had drawn a line in the sand. So, in a voice that didn’t even sound very sure to my own ears, I said, “Oh, no thank you. It was kind of you to offer.” I grimaced. I felt rude and deprived. The other person didn’t even seem to notice. They just shrugged and moved on. As the doughnut holes got farther from me, I felt the tension release. Wow, I thought, I just did that. And the world didn’t capsize. Taking a long break from the vices that call to us like sirens, gives us the chance to see that the world did not crumble around us when we didn’t give in and have the ice cream or the glass of wine. In fact, we find that life just goes on, and our bodies sigh with relief as the energy from a healthy body flows through us. We can do this because we make no exceptions that send us running back to the old pattern. We don’t even need to give people a lot of detail or post all over social media our vows. Matthew 5:37, NLT, says “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.” In my experience, people don’t usually need to know much as long as we stay kind, firm, and drama-free. Journal: What is your plan for the unavoidable offering of exceptions? How will you handle the situation so that you commit to the line in the sand and embrace healing? It was bizarre. My feet took me restlessly to the pantry. I saw all the food I shouldn’t eat and settled for a moderately healthy bowl of popcorn. I ate it. I sadly stared at the empty vessel and wished the contents had been endless. Then my eyes drifted back to my computer and the accounting that needed to get done. To be honest, I was throwing a very sophisticated, adult-like tantrum. My thoughts were, “I don’t want to do this. I want to do something fun. I just want this to be over…” So, I grabbed the popcorn, hoping the crunchy pieces would take the edge off and appease the frustration. However, as soon as the last bite moved down my throat, the frustration moved back in. I went to God, and asked Him to help me with my fear. Fear that I was missing out on the fun of life or that I would not complete the task well. He calmed my anxious thoughts. He reminded me that He has given me good things and that the work I do for my family is blessed and vital. As I obediently did His will, He would provide for me. God offers peace and strength that never runs out. We never get to the end of that “bowl”, wishing the contents had filled us and healed us. Fueled with God’s promises, I buckled down to work. I used the “Sprint Method” that I learned while writing. I set a timer on my phone for a few minutes and challenged myself to get started and get as much done as possible in those few minutes. Then, the ball is rolling and my apprehension for the task melts away. “But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:14, NLT Journal Prompt: What are you trying to distract yourself from today? How can you trust God to meet you in your need? Today I was excited about the challenge, eager to get started. To dig in. To see change. I thought of the Israelites leaving Egypt and their lives as slaves. God commanded them to leave, to go far away. The Israelites celebrated their salvation…until it got hard. In fact, every time things got rough they turned to Moses and said, “Why did you take us out of Egypt just so we can die here?” (See Exodus 14 and 16). They couldn’t trust that God would provide without the false security they felt from their life in Egypt. In Egypt they were abused and enslaved, but it was an evil they were accustomed to and could rely on. However, with just God and a large desert in front of them, they weren’t so sure of themselves anymore. That is so many of us who have developed habits that crush our health. These habits form when we look to anything other than God for pleasure and comfort and control. For years, sugar and alcohol were habits I incorporated into my life to take the edge off of stress, fear, and anxiety. It enslaved me. It called and promised, but in the end the momentary relief did nothing for my long term problems. This is what I love about the 42 Day Fallout challenge. We’re leaving our life of slavery and trusting God by leaving those false or temporary pleasures and comforts behind, trusting Him with the health and future He has promised. The farther we move away, the more we find the space to lean on God to bring the peace our lives crave. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them. The Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31: 6-7 Journal Prompt: Why did you have this habit? How can God provide for you what you had hoped to get from that destructive habit? I have been anxious to launch a podcast for a long time. In fact, it was my goal for 2021 but then some big changes in our family life meant I needed to put that dream on hold. This year, coaching women on weight loss has been an amazing experience. As I help women work toward their goals, the issue of ending bad habits and developing positive ones comes up often. So, I decided to launch my podcast in a big way, creating a six week experience for anyone who is determined to fall out of love with a habit that doesn't serve their life and their goals. This is completely free. You simply sign up so that you can receive announcements, notices, and links during the podcast launch. To take this challenge, follow these steps:
I can't wait to get started. You won't regret taking the time to do this for your life. This life coach is not a licensed health professional. Always consult your physician or mental health professional when considering health changes or weight loss regimes.
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by Lora ArmendarizYou Can Do It!Do you want to fall out of love with a destructive habit? The first 42 episodes of this podcast are a resource for anyone who wants encouragement and information as they take a six week break from a habit in order to fall out of love with it. Archives
April 2024
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