Half Way Update.

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." James 12:11

Well it’s a little more than halfway through my challenge --17 days in to be exact and I have good news to report! First and foremost, I have more energy. Getting up at the crack (I mean the serious crack) is getting easier. It also only takes me 1.5 cups of coffee to come alive rather than my usual 3. AND I can now drink that first cup with my eyes open. So something interesting happened last week, my mom go admitted to the hospital late Sunday night. As the only child in Texas with a valid driver’s license not to mention over the age of 18, I became a regular visitor of Harris Methodist. In all honesty, it would have been completely easy and not unlike me to just say...you know what this is too hard, I'll start my challenge after she gets out and my life gets back to normal. Then proceed to eat mac and cheese from the cafeteria and stop by Target to pick up some red wine to eat with spaghetti. But in my ever increasing wisdom slash maturity I have realized that life never gets back to normal. There will always be something that comes up unexpectedly that gives us the excuse to stray from our way. That line of thinking is essentially what got me to wear I am. So I made a decision, I'm not going back; I don’t want to go back. I choose to move forward in my plan and stick to it. It's hard sometimes and a little painful honestly, but I know that remaining disciplined will produce that peace and results that I so badly want. Today, on day 17 I can say I made it. My mom is out of the hospital and I am ok. So--the results so far besides drinking coffee with my eyes open. I have lost 10 pounds! I can’t stress enough how much I love this Eat Clean Diet Recharged by Tosca Reno. I feel like it is the answer I have been searching for all of my life. Now I know this whole challenge isn’t just about eating, but that is a really big part of it for me. I will admit that I didn’t stick to the running--I barely had time to sleep, but last night I had a great run, 4 miles in 50 minutes (which is good for me) and it’s the weirdest thing, my favorite place to run is the cemetery behind our house. It’s so peaceful and it always causes me to reflect on life and the inevitability of death on this earth and how truly my only hope is in eternity with Christ. I know... that sounds crazy...I also think of my dad every time I run through there. He is not buried there, but I guess it’s just that quiet place among the trees and the graves that I can think of my dad in heaven and his life on this earth and all of the good memories I have of him. This post went to a random place that I wasn’t expecting, but there you have it. Things are well. Stay tuned for progress updates and picture posts about Wyatt…I promise!



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This is the way walk in it.

I tend not to be an out there "super spiritual" person...especially when it comes to sharing my revelations or intimate prayers with the world. But today, I am putting myself out there and writing this. Maybe it will encourage or maybe you can relate in some way.

Over the last year or so, I have had such a difficult time disciplining myself to have daily prayer and meditation. I want it to be a part of my life and I know it should be a part of my life, yet I will allow pretty much anything to disrupt that time. We hear about being a friend of Jesus and I truly have experienced the love of God in my life...but I am so easily sidetracked by the worries and anxieties of life that I just don’t take the time to pursue Him. There is also a part of me that is afraid of what I will find... A reprimand or maybe a call to be a missionary (please Lord no) I am not really sure sometimes what God would ask of me. But as I grow older and wiser, I am more assured in the fact that he created me to be me and my purpose and destiny will not be turning into someone I am not.

So with that said part of the goal in my 30 days of change is to sanctify a time to pursue that friendship with Jesus and learn to live better. I want to become the best version of myself in all areas physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. So this morning, I got out my journal and my bible. Before opening my bible, I just decided to write. For me, when I write, things are more real. I feel like I have a tangible record of my prayers, my thoughts and my growth as a person. Embarrassingly, sometimes my non-growth. It can be frustrating that I am still lamenting some of the same things that I was 10 years ago. But that’s another thought for another time.

In my prayer, I just asked that God would have something for me something for this day and I happened across Isaiah 30, particularly this verse just stood out for me,

"How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:19-21 partial

I feel like a part of this prayer has already been answered. He is answering my prayers as soon as I ask. I have had to hit a place of finally giving in. Turning to him and saying--I don’t know how to do it. I dont have the strength on my own. I am confident that the things he has shown me even in the last two days are the voice of the Lord, saying "This is the way; walk in it"





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