Road to a Healthier Me – Week 1

May 7, 2012

Hello everyone,

Let me tell you it has been a rough week trying to get started on my new “life.”  I think the hardest part about this little excursion is my lack of motivation.  If it was not for my sister Hilary, I probably would have blown it off this past week.  She is tough and mean! 🙂 I am just kidding, she is amazing.

I started a program called “Couch to 5K” which is a running program that helps us couch potatoes get into shape.  I almost did not make it through the first day and I am pretty sure Hilary had to push me up a hill, but I made it.  The second day was rough but I, if I can brag for a moment, did not stop at all.  Almost did but I kept on trucking.

The food portion of my journey is a little tougher then exercising because it is just me that I am cooking for, but I have come up with a plan and I am ready to stick with it.   When I was in high school, I did a program called “6 Week Body Makeover.”  This program has you eat 6 meals a day that are smaller but healthy for you.  It is designed to give you more energy throughout the day and to help you not over eat.  What I am doing is cooking my food on Sunday and prepackaging it for the coming week, so for work I just have to grab and go.

This is definitely going to be life changing, but I am ready to for this change.  I have needed to do this for a long time and I think that I am ready for it. I have decided that for a motivation and reward for my hard work, that I will be taking some form of a long vacation.  Please keep the motivation coming!  I definitely need it! I have loved hearing stories and getting helpful hints.  There is a light at the end of this tunnel and I am excited to reach that destination.

Many Blessings,

Road to a Healthier Me! — Open Determination

May 1, 2012

I have questioned posting about this topic for a couple of weeks and actually began writing this when I was at Emily’s for her baby shower.  I was afraid expose my endeavors to the world, but I think it is the right thing to do.

All of my life, there has been one thing that I have really struggled with.  I have tried countless times to get over it, but it has haunted me most of my life…my weight. This weight issue has plagued me since I was in middle school, probably because I was made to feel like the biggest kid there.  Many times a week I would walk down the hall and someone would yell out, “WATCH OUT! Wide load coming through.”

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love who I am.  The experiences that I have gone through have made me the person I am today.  I know that I am beautiful, but I also know that my body is God’s temple and right now it’s looking a little run down.

So, my pledge to you, and myself, is to rebuild this temple God has given me from the inside out.  While I restructuring my outward appearance, I also want to focus on strengthening my spiritual walk.  So, here’s the deal…I need some major accountability partners, because I know that my strength is not enough to tackle this large feat alone.  Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.  I know that I have God on my side, but I also believe that God has called some of you to be prayer warriors/motivators to help keep me in check throughout this whole process.

I will “try” to document this experience every step of the way, which will probably be a miracle in itself.  Just like my sister Tory with her cooking, I will give you the ups and downs of my “Journey to a Healthier Me” every week.  I would love feedback and helpful hints because I am a young, single woman on a very strict budget (or one who attempts to be on a really strict budget).  Please, I encourage you to give me uplifting words because they may be something I will hold onto throughout my journey.  It will take hard work, but I know this is something that I have ignored for a long time.

I want to live more like Jesus and focus on Him, not my physical appearance or limitations. I want to stop running away from my problems and start running toward my goals. Who am I kidding….I’m gonna start with walking! I don’t want to die right off the bat!

Many Blessings,

He Has Risen!!!

Apr 7, 2012

Easter, when you think about that word what is the first thing that comes to your mind?  Is it the Easter bunny, candy, baskets, eggs, or Jesus?  I hope Jesus would be the first, but for many of us something we think that is more important occupies our mind during this holiday.  I will be the first to admit that I am right along there with you.  In fact today my mother and I went shopping for the accessories to my Easter dress.  Something that I should not be wasting my money on, but yet I am guilty of it.

Jesus was born on this Earth for an extremely good reason.  He is just not another man who people talked about.  He feed thousands, healed the sick, told us how special we were and never once fell into temptation.  How amazing is that!  He is perfect. 

Would you have died on the cross for your friends, family and people who accused you of something you never did?  He did just for you and me and He arose from the grave alive and well.  The grave could not hold Jesus.  Words can not express the gratitude I have and my desire to live like Jesus grows stronger everyday.  My hope for you on Resurrection Sunday is that you will open your hearts and hear how amazing a 33-year-old man impacted the world and saved us from our sins.

Here is the historical event that has been changing lives for over 2,000 years.

Luke 22

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

 ¹ Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, ² and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. ³ Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. ⁴ And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. ⁵ They were delighted and agreed to give him money. ⁶He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

The Last Supper

 ⁷ Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

 ⁹“Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.

 ¹⁰ He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, ¹¹ and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹²He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”

 ¹³They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

 ¹⁴ When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵ And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

 ¹⁷ After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

 ¹⁹And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

 ²⁰ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.^{[a] 21} But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. ²² The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” ²³They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

 ²⁴ A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. ²⁵ Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶ But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. ²⁷ For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. ²⁸ You are those who have stood by me in my trials. ²⁹ And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, ³⁰so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

   ³¹ “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. ³²But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

 ³³But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”

 ³⁴Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”

 ³⁵Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?”

   “Nothing,” they answered.

 ³⁶ He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. ³⁷ It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’^[b]; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”

 ³⁸The disciples said, “See, Lord, here are two swords.”

   “That’s enough!” he replied.

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

 ³⁹ Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” ⁴¹ He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” ⁴³ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. ⁴⁴ And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.^[c]

 ⁴⁵ When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. ⁴⁶“Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

Jesus Arrested

 ⁴⁷ While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, ⁴⁸but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

 ⁴⁹ When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” ⁵⁰And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

 ⁵¹But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

 ⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? ⁵³Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”

Peter Disowns Jesus

 ⁵⁴ Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. ⁵⁵ And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. ⁵⁶A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”

 ⁵⁷But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said.

 ⁵⁸A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.”

   “Man, I am not!” Peter replied.

 ⁵⁹About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”

 ⁶⁰ Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” ⁶²And he went outside and wept bitterly.

The Guards Mock Jesus

 ⁶³ The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. ⁶⁴ They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” ⁶⁵And they said many other insulting things to him.

Jesus Before Pilate and Herod

 ⁶⁶ At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. ⁶⁷“If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.”

   Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, ⁶⁸ and if I asked you, you would not answer. ⁶⁹But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

 ⁷⁰They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”

   He replied, “You say that I am.”

 ⁷¹ Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”

Luke 23

 ¹ Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. ²And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”

 ³So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

   “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

 ⁴Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

 ⁵But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

 ⁶ On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. ⁷When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

 ⁸ When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. ⁹ He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. ¹¹ Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. ¹²That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.

 ¹³ Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. ¹⁵ Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. ¹⁶ Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” ^{[17] [a]}

 ¹⁸ But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” ¹⁹(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

 ²⁰ Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. ²¹But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

 ²²For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”

 ²³ But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate decided to grant their demand. ²⁵He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

 ²⁶ As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ ³⁰Then

   “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
   and to the hills, “Cover us!”’^[b]

   ³¹For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

 ³² Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. ³³ When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”^[c]And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

 ³⁵The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

 ³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar ³⁷and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

 ³⁸There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 ³⁹One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

 ⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

 ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.^[d]”

 ⁴³Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The Death of Jesus

 ⁴⁴ It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, ⁴⁵ for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶ Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”^[e]When he had said this, he breathed his last.

 ⁴⁷ The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” ⁴⁸ When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. ⁴⁹But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

The Burial of Jesus

 ⁵⁰ Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, ⁵¹ who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. ⁵² Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. ⁵³ Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. ⁵⁴It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

 ⁵⁵ The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. ⁵⁶ Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Luke 24

Jesus Has Risen

 ¹ On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” ⁸Then they remembered his words.

 ⁹ When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹ But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. ¹²Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

 ¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶but they were kept from recognizing him.

 ¹⁷He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

   They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

   ¹⁹“What things?” he asked.

   “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

 ²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

 ²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

 ³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³²They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

 ³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” ³⁵Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

 ³⁶While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

 ³⁷ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. ³⁸ He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? ³⁹Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

 ⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³and he took it and ate it in their presence.

 ⁴⁴He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

 ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension of Jesus

 ⁵⁰ When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. ⁵² Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. ⁵³ And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Many Blessings,

Answered Prayer

Mar 4, 2012

“From my distress I called upon the LORD; The LORD answered me and set me in a large place. The LORD is for me; I will not fear, what can man do to me? The LORD is for me among those who help me; therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.” Psalms 118:5-9

This week has been a week of answered prayer. I finally, after a long time of prayer and patience, landed a new job that not only will lift me up daily in my walk with the Lord, but also put my degree into motion. This, to me, is an example of how amazing God works. For many months I have been seeking the Lord in what He wants me to do with the life He has blessed me with. I was unsure about the paths that had come available and wanted to make the right choice.

At the beginning of February I was still working at the restaurant and I was miserable. I did not want to be in the food industry anymore. I was stagnant in my job with no room for growth and the customers I encountered started being rude and inconsiderate. I needed out. Every chance I got I was praying for a new job and I was looking hard, but nothing was coming available to me. Positions that looked promising fell through and my job just kept getting worse. Since I had been working at this particular restaurant for almost two years I had met some pretty amazing people and some not so amazing people. Friendships have developed and I am going to miss them very much, but I know that God had called me to do something new.

Monday the 27^th of February, I started working as a childcare teacher at my church. Praise Jesus! Answered prayer! Not only is this a stable job but I have normal hours in a doing what I love.

One of the main things that has sustained me through my job struggle is prayer. I have learned to be in prayer constantly and that no prayer is every to small. It’s also not embarrassing to ask for prayer; in fact, it’s nice to know others are praying for you and supporting you.

Do not give up! There is a saying, “If God answers your prayers then He is increasing your faith. If He delays, He is increasing your patience. If God doesn’t answer then He has something better for you!” Don’t give up and keep asking for prayer. Ask for guidance if you are like me and have no idea what God really wants for you. The great thing is that God is always on our side and he will never leave of forsake us.

Many Blessings,

Looking Upwards

Feb 3, 2012

Every Saturday morning, from January to the end of February, local Elementary students can choose to participate in a program called Upwards Basketball.  This activity not only allows the kiddos to play basketball, but they get to hear the word of God at every practice and game.  They learn  sportsmanship, hand-eye coordination, plays and drills along with devotions specifically geared at their age group.

Ethan's game face

My older nephews, Grant and Ethan, both participate and I love watching the them play.  The looks of concentration as they bring the ball down the court, the focus as they’re guarding, and the excitement when they make a basket. One of the things I love best is the understated acts of excitement they display when something really cool happens in the game. If they make a basket, the celebratory fist pump is quickly suppressed by a slight shrug of the shoulders, almost as if they’re saying, “I do cool stuff like this everyday”.

While I was watching the games, I got to thinking.  God is the coach of our lives and we are merely the player, trying so hard to make a basket and not foul out.  When we do something right, we want to jump for joy and brag to the world. However, our need to display just the right amount of emotion quickly overshadows the immense amount of excitement we are feeling inside. Seeking man’s opinion, we suppress our inner joy, afraid of standing out in the crowd.

This reminds me 2 Samuel 6:14-23

David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.They brought the ark  if the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

How many times do we hide our joy in the Lord? How often do we, like Michal, judge others for showing their love for God in a way that we consider unacceptable?  So often we are too concerned about the opinions of others that we fail to seek the approval that means the most…the Lord’s. I love David’s response to Michal’s critique, “I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes”.

When was the last time you became undignified and truly let the joy of the Lord flow through you? When did you not care about the opinion of others, but really sought to praise God with all your might? This week, I pray that we will seek to praise God with unabandoned joy, letting His love become visible for all the world to see. I pray that we can truly let go of ourselves so that we can love the Lord with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength. Dance, sing, shout…whatever…just praise Him, praise Him, praise Him!!!

Many Blessings,