“And He said unto me, ‘My grace is sufficent for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Most gladly therefore will I glory rather in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in privations, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Well, it looks like I have almost made it through. These last thirty-six days have been a real adventure. I’ve cut out my processed and refined sugars and carbs and have survived a 1200 calorie/day diet. My body is feeling clean and happy. Without going into unnecessary details, those of you that have a clean system can appreciate the experience of everything running smoothly and efficiently. 🙂
My weight has remained fairly consistent, although, my clothes are fitting properly again. I will be going to see my Naturopath today to discuss next steps. I’m actually surprised at how pleased I feel without losing tons of weight – the decision to start feeding my body with better fuel makes a huge difference in my body-image. I am ready, now, to start the weight-loss process. I am still unsure which road I will take, but I know that these forty days of learning self-discipline through a closer dependance on God was the hardest part. Although I didn’t particularly pray every time I sat in front of a box of Timbits, I attributed my ability to decline that sugary goodness completely to God. I know he has given me self-discipline in this area and will continue to give me the power to resist putting things into my body that are not beneficial. 36 days ago, if I had been asked if there was anything God couldn’t do, I would have answered, “He can’t control my eating.” Now, I have nothing to say to that question. I have tested the power and faithfulness of my Heavenly Father and, just like the Bible says, He proved Himself. Unfortunately, the best way to increase trust and dependence is to be in a position where I am rendered helpless. If I never put myself in this state of deprivation, I would have continued to doubt God’s strength in my weakness. Afterall, how can the truth of 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 be experienced if I refuse to let go of my control and present my weakness to Him?
As I reach the end of my journey, I am feeling simply thankful. I felt all the prayers of both my moms and dads and everyone else who was alongside me in this and I am so thankful for the heavenly strength i was given to develop the foundation of a lifestyle of wise choices. I’m thankful for friends who texted me and gently reminded me to blog, who sent little notes of encouragement, who made concerted efforts to apologize when bringing junk food to a party and who asked me how I was feeling along the way. I’m thankful for the opportunity to live in Burlington where there are so many options when making good choices. I’m thankful for Brad, who prayed with and for me almost every evening, and supported me by taking the same journey and cleaning out his eating patterns, as well as consistently reminding me that he loves me the way I am at any given time.
I have already downloaded an extension pack of my “Zombies, Run!” app, and will be starting my yearly habit of working up to running 5km. This will be my last blog, but I will still enjoy sharing my progress with you. Please feel free to keep me accountable as I continue to make healthy lifestyle decisions and depend on God for strength in my weakness.
Thank you all, again, from the bottom of my strong and efficiently-running heart! 😀