At the beginning of the year, my 2019 goals were:

Eat better, Drink water, Walk more.

I am a pretty good goal getter, but this is hard.

I started out the year doing a 21 day fast of no sugar and I felt awesome! So awesome, I kept going for 60 days. Then my son had his 11th birthday and I allowed myself a small piece of cake. I had been saying for weeks and weeks “I just know that if I allow myself to eat that stuff again, it will eat me alive.” I was right. Monday was 43 days since I ate that first tiny slice of cake. Monday, I ate 3 pieces of cake while watching a series on Netflix.

So, what do you do when your goals go to pot and you have to start all over?

1. Admit you have a problem and ask for help: Monday night I went to bed and I said, “Lord, I am usually really good at this goal stuff. I can’t do this without your power and strength. I need you Lord to take control of my will and bend it to your will and way.” Some of you may be thinking “who cares! If you want to eat three pieces then eat three pieces!” That’s the problem, I didn’t want to eat them. I was compelled to do it. It was a fierce, fervor of overt desire to eat it. Listen, my word for the year is DELIGHT. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. So, I understand that this desire of my heart, that is cake, did not come from a delighting in the Lord. It is coming from delighting in Netflix. My snack life surrounds the act of binge watching TV.
2. Listen for the help you asked for: Tuesday, I woke up and had the thought to make a protein shake for breakfast and take with me yogurt with banana and strawberry’s. When the Lord gives you tips you have to act on them. According to Mel Robbins, she says, “we have 5 seconds to act on a thought, instinct, intuition, or prompting before it is lost. The 5 second rule is a tool for hyper-intentionality, action, and identifying moments in your life where there is tremendous opportunity and joy.” I had the opportunity to drive my day a certain way and end the day feeling the joy of accomplishing what I set out to do.
3. Thank God for every step of victory: Today is Wednesday! Yesterday I drank the recommended amount of water, I ate food that at the end of the day I didn’t go to bed feeling awful, and I even got a walk in for the day. Today I am so thankful. Why did I ever think that I could do this without God? Obviously, I am crazy and think something awesome about myself, but to be totally honest all three of these areas I have failed in for 20 years. I am done failing. I am great at many things because my God has graced me to do it. This area. I am in desperate need. I praise God for His power and strength. I thank Him for the Holy Spirit who speaks, leads, directs, corrects and convicts. I need it! 1 Cor. 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

I don’t know how to overcome unless I lean on the victory Jesus has given. So this is my declaration: I lean on the Lord to help me overcome and rise above any desire that the body craves that is not rooted and grounded in Christ. Today I declare the death of cake in my life! You shall not overtake me!

Thanks for Listening,

Starla