Biggest Loser - Week 6, missed Week 5!

Hello again! I totally missed last weeks check in! Thursday of last week began a pretty stressful week in the Vander Helm household! We are over the hump now Praise God, but it totally slipped my mind to blog about my journey.

I just got back from my Biggest Loser meeting. I have to tell you again I love getting together with this group. Some I have known for quite a while and others I have just met, but they are all such encourager's! Everyone seems to enjoy being there and hearing what everyone is doing and how everyone is doing. We spur each other on, just like in my live verses for this year "consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds". And well eating well is a good deed because it is taking care of the temple of God, right!

I'm not exactly keeping up with most of the group on the devotions, but I feel I am right where God wants me. The devotion that stuck out to me this week was entitled "The Peace of God".
It talked about a subject that is very close to me "stress eating". Does anyone know what that is?! The verse that she used to begin the devotion is so precious to me as well - You will keep in perfect peace him/her whose mind is steadfast because he/she trusts in you. (my emphasis added) Isaiah 26:3

I have had to remind myself of this verse and my life verses of Hebrews 10:23-25 several times this week. To hold unswervingly to the hope that I profess!

Hear are a few insights from the book (Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss) that I want to share with you tonight:

"We typically feel stress when we are subjected to circumstances that we feel powerless to change or control." - Boy can I relate to this one!!!! But as I typed I have to remind myself of:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.

On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

We demolish arguments and every pretension

that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,

and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I do not have to control every situation, and believe me after this week I realize how little control I have! There is victory in that! I can rest in His power! Now I know this, but it is over time becoming more and more true! Thank you Jesus!

"Other people appear to be calm, but instead of a true inner peace, they have artificially generated calmness through substances they use to help them cope". Mine being food! Oh I can talk a good talk about peace, but when the rubber hits the road, how do I react?! Not always Christ centered, if I can be complete honest! True inner peace comes from my Heavenly Father -

Philippians 4:6-8

Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,

whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy

—think about such things.

Who doesn't know these verses, but do we claim them everyday?!

I am so thankful for what God is teaching me, and I hope some of this blesses your heart too!

Last week I had gained 1.1lbs

This week I lost 4.7lbs

But most of all I feel I've gained God!!! I want to leave you with this wonderful benediction:

Hebrews 13:20 & 21

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.

Amen.