When very first starting Made to Crave, God told me that day to give up pepsi. Now for a girl who easily drank (wait for it...) three thirty-two ounce pepsis every single day, that is asking a lot! But with God I knew I could do it. I very much wanted to learn how to crave and turn to God, not pepsi. Now, I have given up pepsi before (only for like three days) and when you consume a lot of caffeine then suddenly stop, your body has to adjust. Many times you can get these horrible 'lack of caffeine' migraines. So I prayed that God would not only help me not crave pepsi but that He would help me not to get these headaches. I also asked my sweet sister to pray for me and hold me accountable. And she is doing a great job of helping me along...thank you Lisa!
The first few days were very hard and I got very tired of water. But after that initial hump, I have not really craved pepsi as much. There was one day my sweet sister texted me and ask me to pray for her as she was craving sweets and is trying to stay away from that. While praying for her, God said to me, "Worship Me through the craving." I passed that on to her. A few hours later, I started craving pepsi really bad and God brought His words back to my mind. So I started singing worship songs to Him and forgot all about pepsi. It has been twenty days today without a soda and I have not had a headache. Praise God! I do feel better physically but I also feel so much closer to God. I am learning to turn to Him in all situations.
"Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good but the good of others." I Corinthians 10:23
Pepsi, itself is not a bad thing. But it is not God's best for me. It is not really healthy and when I turn to it and not God, it puts a hold on me.
Made to Crave is not a diet. Lysa describes it as "learning to satisfy your deepest desire with God, not food." By learning to do that, losing weight and becoming more healthy will be a benefit, but it is not my goal. My goal is to learn to turn to God.God made our bodies to function a certain way. By putting unhealthy things into them, they can not function how God intended. I think we can all agree that soda, sugar, and grease are not healthy. Our bodies need to be healthy not only to function the right way, but so that we can praise Him and do the work He called us to do.
Maybe you do not turn to pepsi but you turn to greasy food, sugary food, cigarettes, alcohol, unhealthy relationships, whatever it is just recognize it.
I want to challenge you. This week, spend some serious time in prayer over this. Ask God what you are turning to instead of Him. When He reveals it, and believe me He will, be willing to do something about it. Ask Him to help you walk away from that thing and learn to lean on Him. Next, find an accountability partner. Someone you can trust to pray for you and help you through.
"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If one falls down his brother can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Let's all learn, as Lysa says, "to crave God, not food."
Sweet Blessings~
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I am glad that you are having an easy time of it with this...I know how hard it must be for I, to, recently gave up my Sonic Pop! I am please to say it's been since the middle of September for me...God is good. You are right, with Him, all things are easier! Thank you for this post.
ReplyDeleteI love what you wrote this morning..I wish you well in giving up your Pepsi and I know God will help you through it. Reading your post reminded me of all the things we all crave in this world and what it would be if we gave up things. I know when I first fasted for the first time I had to give up meals and certain things I like to do it was very hard, and even now when I fast and I give up things it's hard. Especially the sweets not desserts but sweets in certain foods. Very inspiring blog you have I pray more people read it and take it to heart by looking at their own personal lives because you truly have given us all something to think about. God bless you and your household!
ReplyDeleterepeat 1 Cor. 10:23 ALL the time! Such a great verse for making healthy decisions. I am learning to celebrate the small victories along the way, so I hope you are doing the same. Maybe you have further to go, but 20 days is awesome! It's further than you have ever gone and Jesus is the reason! Praising Him for you! Thank you for your sweet blessings of your encouragement and your honesty. I really sense that God has each of us going through our own little thing in a similar realm for a reason. What a wonderful God to give us such support in each other. Have a blessed day! Love your new look too :)
ReplyDeleteHeidi, oh I say that verse over and over! I was telling Lisa one day that I was struggling that day and kept saying "not benefical, not benefical!"
ReplyDeleteMade to Crave hasn't been out a month and it is really touching people and I am expecting great things!
God is the only one that can truly satisfy us. I want to turn to Him, not anything else. I'm so thankful to have you praying for me in this journey.
ReplyDeleteLove your new look too!
I'm kinda scared to hear what He may have for me to give up...but a great challenge and one I'm willing to take you up on. We'll see what happens :-)
ReplyDeleteWonderful post Jenifer. We all have earthly pleasures we turn to now and again, and you're right... They're not inherently bad until we use them as a "crutch" instead of seeking Him.
ReplyDeleteYour challenge is a wonderful idea, and I'll take you up on it as well. :-)
Congratulations on your victory, and have a Blessed Day!
Oh, and I meant to add to the last comment that I love the new look to your blog! :-)
ReplyDelete