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Through "Live Well!," Darlene Schacht reveals to women how the spirit influences our soul, and how our souls greatly influence the choices we make for our bodies and lifestyle. By feeding and nurturing our spirit and soul, we free our bodies from the captivity of sin, bringing glory to God and peace to our lives. "Live Wel!l" offers freedom by empowering women with one easy solution: In order to successfully make change and to recapture that which God intended for us, we need to tune into a new channel—and to begin to channel His strength.
Darlene's articles have been published through local newspapers and in her own book The Mom Complex. Darlene has also been published in print through the magazines: Emphasis on Moms, Beautiful One, and Celebrating Life. She has been published in several online publications such as, "WT Online" and "Christian Worldview Network." Darlene is a contributing author in both, Grace Givers: Amazing Stories of Grace in Action (Thomas Nelson), and Life Savors for Women, (Tyndale Publishing). Her writing talent and design skill, combined with determination has placed Darlene at the hub of this rapidly growing online ministry, as founder and editor of CWO. Christian Women Online has brought about a new wave in the ability to reach out to people both to share faith and to minister to them.In addition to writing "Live Well!," Darlene can be found at her website, DarleneSchacht.com __________________________ Note: We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. __________________________ _______________________ send this page to a friend: _______________________ Flee and Pursue
Chapter fourteen tells us that his first wife deceived him, enticing him with tears for seven days, until he finally gave in. I can't imagine my husband letting me get away with that now, but I do remember using that method of manipulation a few times myself during the early years of marriage. Again in chapter sixteen, we read about yet another woman, Delilah, who for the love of money, sought out to discover the source of his strength. And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; that he told her all heart. —Judges 16:16-17a The story of Samson who’s secret to strength was that of his hair, may well typify the power we have when God is on our head, but I see that it also illustrates the power that persistence holds to weaken our strength. Even the strongest of men become weak when faced with temptation time and again. Speaking of which, my sister and I did a pretty good job of weakening the strength of our parents. This is probably why our family was familiar with the "222" tablet. 222 was like an aspirin with a shot of caffeine—great for headaches. My mom would pop one of those in her mouth, and my sister and I could pull each others hair out all day. And yes, we usually did, which is probably why Mom and Dad were well stocked. I have a 222 for you today too, but instead of popping this one in your mouth, pop it into your thoughts: 2 Timothy 2:22, Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. That verse stands out to me, because of the 2-fold solution if offers in fighting temptation:
If only Samson had a bottle of those resting by his bedside, he might have fled from the women who persisted to trap him, and pursued a woman strong in faith and devotion. Are you fleeing the habits that have caused you weight gain? Have you stopped strolling down the potato chip isle, put the chocolates out of site, and cut down on cola? Good, and while you're doing all of that fleeing, I hope that you also vigorously pursue better choices as well. It's about balance. ie. Here's what I'm giving up... Here's what I'm adding in... If an alcoholic quits drinking, but doesn't join a support group, cling to the Lord, or make drastic life changes that will keep her on track, she's walking alone on a slippery slope. Fleeing is only half of the solution, pursuing is the other. Likewise we need to pursue better choices if we hope to make lifestyle changes. Pursue the rich things in life such as goodness, love, knowledge, self-control, perserverance, and above all, a Christ-like character. All things that nurture our Spirit. That's where we'll find the source of our power—that's where we'll find our strength! For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. —2 Peter 1:5-7 ©2008, Darlene Schacht *We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. ______________________________ Bloggers: You may post the “I'm Choosing to Live Well” button in your sidebar if you wish, so that others will recognize it and find this page. Just copy and paste the code from the box below.
_______________________ Is Meekness a Weakness?
Because of this ministry, and my focus toward it, I am continually finding scripture that speaks to the struggle. I'm encouraged with the knowledge that God understands our desire to lose, and gives us the tools necessary to win. So this week, in our home Bible study group we talked about meekness. How does that relate to appetite? It completely relates when you understand what the true meaning of the word is, and how it applies to our life. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Let’s look closer at the word meek: So the idea is that a meek person is someone who is gentle, tolerant, patient, and long suffering, and someone who is submissive to their Lord. Contrary to the way the world would see it, meekness does not equate weakness—in fact it’s the exact opposite. Meekness is being strong yet controlled. When studying the word I found that the Greeks would often equate meekness with the taming of an animal, such as a horse that was broken in as apposed to one that is wild. This reminded me of our old Pit bull, Bailey. With her incredible jaw and body strength, she was capable of doing severe damage, and yet she was the meekest animal I have ever met. We knew she was a good pup when she first rolled over on her back to greet us—a submissive sign that we recognized. By the time Bailey was a few years old, she was trained to respond well to her leash. She was also trained to stop at each corner, and look both ways before crossing the street. One evening while out for a walk, Bailey was harassed by a dog one-tenth her size. The little dog charged across the street with a bark far bigger than his bite. I knew that Bailey could take the little squirt out with one gulp, but instead of retaliating, she remained under control. Following the lead of her master. I look to Jesus whose very life was a reflection of His desire to follow the Father. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. –Isaiah 53:7 And the same meek and gentle, Jesus Christ… ...entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those selling doves. —Matthew 21:12, NIV Always ready to defend His faith, yet never defending Himself. Therein lies the strength of the meek, in the ability to control ones passions and desires. If we learn to control our passions in the small things of life, we equip ourselves to be further controlled in the larger issues. On the other hand, if we let our emotions rule us, we become a slave to them. It is not good to eat much honey; so for men to search their own glory is not glory. He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. Jesus equipped Himself for ministry by fasting in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights, bringing His body under subjection to the spirit, can you say no to an extra brownie or two? Can you say no to pop and grab water instead? Each time you let your passions rule your choice, you are letting them rule you. Isn’t that a discouraging thought? Can you imagine how great a force we could be if we could live a life of meekness in the same manner as Him. We become a conquering force not only able to reject the next binge, but to stand up for our faith when the going gets tough. If controlling our appetite weren’t of great importance, why would fasting be of any use? It’s a form of self-denial, and any healthy denial of self teaches our soul that our Spirit is the one in charge. Losing weight is great, ladies, but our pant size is not what bugs us the most, is it? It’s our failure to control our appetite time and again. It’s the overwhelming feeling that we’re in bondage to food. It’s the feeling that we’re trapped in a body that has control over us. That’s why we want change. That’s why we need change! The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. ©2008, Darlene Schacht *We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. _______________________ Weight Loss
101
A lifestyle change involves resolve and resolution that our mind alone cannot achieve. To want is not enough. It’s enough to leave us discouraged when we desperately want to see a change, but we discover that change doesn’t come without effort, determination, and commitment to ones goals. For those of us who struggle to lose weight, life can feel like a never-ending upward climb in which every slip has us sliding further down the mountain. Knowing that God holds the power of deliverance in his hands, yet failing to see that miraculous deliverance taking place in our heart can lead us to wonder, why? Why doesn’t God simply deliver us from our fascination with the fridge? Why do we have to take the long, treacherous route through the desert of testing in order to reach our goal? He understands those moments of despair where we call out to Him, but He also sees the steps necessary to get us to that place we desire--where the land is flowing with milk and honey, but, miraculously, none of it sticks to our hips. The first step is learning. What would it be like if our children graduated high school without ever passing a grade? If they received a diploma without taking every necessary class required to complete the grade, simply because they willed it to be so? We’d have graduates of little understanding, undisciplined, and unable to face the real world. In the same way, we must learn to retrain, not to refrain. God could deliver us from the desire of food so that it was nothing but tasteless, but why would we want that? Food is a gift from the Lord. What isn’t a gift, however, is our reaction to it--when we worship food for something it’s not. Or in other words, worship the created more than we do its Creator. God has given us internal signals, called huger and full. If we want to reach the land of weight control, then we must understand the difference between “hunger” and “desire.” Dictionary.com defines the two this way: Desire: A longing or craving, as for something that brings satisfaction or enjoyment. If you look at the difference, you’ll see that hunger is a physical signal that cues us to eat, and that desire is an emotional signal that longs to be filled. The simple life-changing lesson is this: wait for the physical signal of hunger, which is usually a grumble or subtle burning sensation in the stomach, before you begin to eat. Once you have sensed that feeling of physical hunger, eat what you want. God has given us an abundance of food, and has never asked us to lay off carbs, fill up on veggies, or drink milkshakes instead of our lunch. What he does expect from us is to be moderate in all things, and to care for the temple we’re in, which includes wise, realistic choices in the food that we eat. Once we have that lesson learned, we also need to learn to stop when we’re full. That’s tricky for most of us, since we don’t usually sense that feeling of fullness for about 20 minutes. That’s about how long it takes for the brain to recognize what the stomach already knows. So the best thing we can do is stop when we’re “satisfied” not “stuffed.” Satisfied. When we can say I’ve had enough. I might want a bit more, but I don’t need it. Eat slowly. Since those around you are likely eating larger volumes of food than you are, finishing first isn’t fun. This gives us an opportunity to learn what our kids already know. Watch children eat, and you’ll see that they often put down their fork, and they engage in conversation between bites. In fact lunchtime is usually more of a social activity than it is about food. It often takes a child longer to finish a little bowl of food than it does for us to finish a larger portion. So follow that lead. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ©2008, Darlene Schacht *We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. _______________________ The Fruit 'n Focus
Let me be specific. She was already an active member at both church and the gym. She had already cut down on her portions. She was already drinking water like her lips were on fire. What she wasn’t doing was keeping her eyes fixed on the author and finisher of her faith—Jesus. She was sinking and swimming—swimming and sinking, until she put God first in her daily routine. She is just one of many women I know who have lost weight by changing their focus. Matthew 14:22-33 illustrates this power in what I like to refer to as “eye contact.” This is the story of Peter, a man—one of the twelve disciples—who stepped onto the water with the best intentions. Peter, despite the storm that surrounded him, was willing to take a walk of faith. An interesting thing about this story is that Peter initiated this walk of faith—not the other way around. "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." Do you want a permanent change in your life? Are you willing to see what the power of God can do? Then take that step of faith. Like Peter, get your feet wet, and move forward. Trust. Right about now insecurity is probably telling you that you can’t. Oh, I’ve had the same voice nagging me all day—all week in fact. Each time I look down at the muffin top. Every time I’ve had a little too much. Any time I try to do it on my strength alone. But there’s another voice that powers me to press on. The voice that speaks softly but surely through each storm I face. “Come,” He says. And I know it’s the voice of my Savior hoping that once again I’ll lift my eyes until they’re locked in place with His. Hoping that I’ll trust Him every step of the way. Why is it that when our eyes are fixed on Him we become an unsinkable force? It’s because the fullness of power by the Holy Spirit moves through Him. We find it simply stated in Galatians: So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. I’ve read Galatians 5 many times throughout my Christian life. In fact I’ve memorized several of the scriptures in that chapter itself, but one day it spoke to me in a way it never had before. It was the answer to my struggle with food. If I repeat this passage throughout the Live Well journey, bear with me, it’s simply because I believe that it’s key to success. Let me also pull the other verse out for us: For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. You see it’s impossible to live by the flesh if we are truly walking in the Spirit. Here's an exercise to prove it: look up from this page for a minute and choose one object across the room. Once you have chosen one object, I want you to look at it for a count of 30 seconds, and while you’re looking at it, give it your full attention. Ready? One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three… Done? Good. Now did you notice that when your eyes were fixed on that one object, the rest of the room was out of focus? Sure, you could still see the room, but whether the pillows were tossed about or the walnut table was hosting a coffee ring had no bearing on your thoughts for those 30 seconds. In fact I’ll venture to guess that you never thought about over eating for that brief moment in time. Now, let’s stretch our time out to 24/7, and replace that object with Jesus Christ. That’s how we walk in the Spirit! It’s impossible to visually focus on two things at once. I’ve tried it, and yes I’ve looked ridiculous with my eyes trying to divide and conquer, and I failed. What happens when we try to focus on two things at once is that both objects get blurred. It’s the same way with trying to walk in the Spirit and flesh at the same time. Because they are contrary to one another, the result is that we don’t know what we want. The Spirit supplies all that we need to live well. Do we eat because we feel unloved? Do we binge because a bout of depression landed heavily on our day? Did a tiff with our spouse knock us off our game? Are we losing patience faster than weight? Are we getting a little grouchy accepting the changes we’ve made? Do we need reminding that God’s faithfulness never ceases to amaze? Living a Spirit-filled life can conquer each and every one of these obstacles. Living well doesn’t mean that we reach out in search of self-control, but rather that we reach out to God. It calls for us to live a Spirit-filled life that produces fruit in every aspect of our life. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Do you see the importance of each fruit? Can you line them up one by one with the struggles you face? Do you see how the fullness of the Spirit brings completeness to ones life rather than the quick fix the world is accustomed to taking? If not, I challenge you to pull out a pen, scratch down the specific difficulty that you face, and match it up to a fruit of the Spirit that conquers. Fix your eyes on Jesus by getting to know Him. Learn everything you can about His life. Who were His brothers? What disciple was known as the one whom He loved? What was His last prayer in the garden? These are just some of the things we can learn. But the story of Christ didn’t start at Matthew, nor did it end at John. The Old Testament is rich in prophecy, and the New Testament reveals the gift of His Spirit to the church. There are so many ways to fix our eyes on Christ. Listen, and you may hear His voice calling, “Come…” ©2008, Darlene Schacht *We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program.
_______________________ Eight Keys
to
If you’ve been reading—and living—Live Well! for a while, you have already done some soul searching to discover the changes that you’d like to make. You may have sat down to develop a plan, invited God along for the journey, and taken steps to live out that plan in your life. Good. Hopefully you’ve discovered success along the way and are determined to keep on running. That’s a great place to be. Now we’re ready to take a look at the future. Living well is not merely a lifestyle; it’s the means of getting to the destination we so desire—freedom. Imagine being able to enjoy three bites of a brownie without the desire for more. Picture yourself choosing a salad over pizza for lunch, because it’s just what you are hungering for. Envision yourself being the comfortable size you’ve always dreamed you could be. God has designed a life for each of us, which includes the hope of our freedom, it’s waiting for you, and it’s not that far from your grasp. The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn. Isaiah 61:1-2 NIV Freedom. Did you read that?! What a glorious hope for those who are living in bondage to food, or women who are trapped in a body that they feel is not theirs. Free·dom: The power to exercise choice and make decisions without constraint from within or without. (www.dictionary.com) That is His hope for you—freedom to choose. Isn’t that what His plan was for us all along? His hope for you is not that you remain in bondage to the desires of this world, but that you move out from the darkness of your bondage and into the light of His freedom—that includes your freedom from the bondage of food. How do we know that once we reach that place of freedom we won’t wake up and find ourselves in the exact same chip-craving, food-stuffing, guilt-ridden place that we started in? Because this time we’re doing it God’s way—relying on His strength to set us free: So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36, NIV But that’s talking about sin, how can that relate to our struggle with food? Isn’t it different? Well, let’s answer it this way--what is sin? The technical definition is in the translation of the Greek word: hamartia, which is “missing the mark.” And why do we miss it? We transgress the commandments of God in lieu of our pleasure—the Spirit at war with the flesh. But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. Romans 7:17-20, The Message Sound familiar? Reminds me of the guilt sessions I’ve often hosted in my brain just before nodding off to sleep with a full gut. Let’s face it--we’re not alone in our struggle with food. Countless women struggle with the same pull to the fridge as we do, desperately hoping to find a way out. The sad fact is that many women live their entire lives in bondage, never discovering the keys to unlocking the door. We can. The Word of God contains every key that we need to unlock our freedom and live a victorious life. A few months back we talked about freedom and the importance of getting there, but this month we’re going to uncover eight of the keys that will carry us through:
©2008, Darlene Schacht *We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. _______________________________ 3 Ways to Change
This month we’re focusing on eating habits--exchanging the bad for the good. Overeating, eating the wrong foods, and eating for comfort are few among many habits we’d like to see changed. Let’s look at three ways to start doing that: ListenLooking at the thin eaters in my life, I’ve noticed that those who’ve successfully lost weight and kept it off, or those who have never been concerned about weight are the ones who exercise their ability to distinguish hunger from emotion, necessity from luxury, and appetite from passion. Essentially they eat to survive, while others survive to eat. Have you ever stuffed yourself with so much junk food, and then vowed never to touch it again? Why? What reward did you get? Payoffs will differ depending on personality: a buzz, entertainment, attention, stress relief, comfort, etc. Food can be a comforting entertainment that one seeks to fill a void when that void is calling for something else. The best solution one can find is this: “listen.” Quench AppropriatelyMany dieters who have successfully lost weight have discovered what are known as “transfer addictions,” meaning that while they’ve mastered their addiction to food, they’ve transferred their focus from one addiction to another. Carnie Wilson, famed for bother her voice and her weightloss through gastric by-pass surgery is one such example who underwent treatment for alcoholism within two years of losing the weight. Let's look at it this way: if you’re getting the desired attention you need from eating like swine on a Saturday morning, as soon as you remove the trough you’ll likely find something else that draws just as much attention to you. The alternative solution may not be a better one. Remember the story of the Samaritan woman who came to draw water? It’s found in John chapter 4. While the disciples were out grocery shopping (yeah, they were grocery shopping—check it out), Jesus met a woman at the well, and asker her for a drink. He knew that this particular woman had a void inside her that led her to thirst for something more in her life. It moved her to return to the same proverbial well time and again hoping to fill her pain with something that would last—something that would quench her thirst, until finally He came offering an everlasting well of hope. Maybe this void resulted in failed marriages time and again, since we know she had five. One can only guess, but we do know that the same Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is there for us too. Earthly things can fill the void for a moment, maybe even a week, but when we are quenched by the Spirit of comfort we a satisfied from within, no longer having a need return to the well time and again. Flee and PursueLosing weight is a life-changing experience that for many women has resulted in a spiritual vacuum of sorts. Any time we eliminate things from our life, we create a need to be filled. That’s a great thing when you’re filling up with Christ. Not such a good thing when we give up cola, but crave sugar so much that we pop chocolates all day. We’re complicated beings, aren’t we? The simple solution is to replace our wants with His (more of you, Lord—less of me), and bad habits with good. It’s one thing to flee bad habits that hinder our walk, but it’s equally as important to pursue habits that are better. Consider this verse, 2 Timothy 2:22, "Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Truly changing from within is a two-part process (while maybe it’s a trillion part process, but we’re narrowing it down to two here) that must be followed in order to achieve real success. The first is turning away, and the other is moving forward with a thirst to be filled. Consider Matthew chapter twelve where Jesus said, “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out: and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” – Matthew 12:43-45 This prophecy was in relation to those of that generation who rejected Christ, but it also serves well to describe the danger of an empty home, and importance of filling our heart with good. Let’s look at that concept in relation to living well. You can clean a house—eliminate bad habits, until your temple is swept to empty—but if you don’t fill that house with something better, you’ll eventually fill it with something worse. The goal is to concentrate on good habits in addition to eliminating the bad. Let’s look at a few ways we can fill an empty house:
If you are planning on making life changes, giving up some of the foods that you like, and ultimately taking off weight, ensure that you replace every one of those bad habits with good. Flee and pursue! ©2008, Darlene Schacht *We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. ________________________________ Living in Freedom
Living in freedom from the bondage of food is not as far off as it seems. Picture the Israelites for a moment. They finally fled Egypt, leaving a life of slavery behind them—and before they could say, “see ya’ later subjugator,” Pharaoh was hot on their tail! Why was he so eager to catch them? The answer is found in Exodus 14:8 where it says, “The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.” Imagine it this way: Say you make a decision to live well today. You decide that you’re going to start eating well, and with it, you plan to walk 30 minutes/day, starting first thing tomorrow! You’ve decided that you’ve lived in bondage to food far too long, and you want to leave it behind in search of the Promised Land. A land flowing with milk and honey, where you are free from the pull of the fridge door, where you treat yourself well, and where you have peace with yourself. So you wake up in the morning, energized, and ready to take on the world, but before you do, your nose leads you straight down the hall. That’s where you discover that junior threw up last night’s lasagna on the living room floor, and his serving of upside-down cake, is right-side-up, along with it. You put your sneakers aside, start to clean up the mess, usher the little one toward the tub, and throw his jammies in the wash—then the phone rings. “Hi, it’s me,” your husband says, but his voice doesn’t have the same jingle it usually does, in fact there’s discouragement in his tone… And the problems begin to accumulate, throwing your day into a spin, and your plans along with it. That’s when you just might decide in your heart, “I didn’t expect to deal with all of this right now—it’s too much. I’m tired, I’m stressed, and all I can think of is sinking my teeth into the nearest loaf of French bread, while zoning out on the couch. I’m better off returning to the bondage of food, leaving the thought of exercise behind, and returning to the life that I had. After all—it was never really that bad.” This thought has been echoed throughout the ages, starting way back as far as Exodus 14, when in verses 11&12 the Israelites asked “What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?’ It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" If you are in that desert of testing ladies, stay strong. Before turning around and heading straight back to the bondage you’ve lived in for years, pause to listen to the promise of God found in verse 13&14: “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.’" Be still. When you are standing in the desert of testing with your back to the sea and all you can see in front of you is the enemy closing in—be still. Stand firm, and you will find deliverance. Have you ever stood still long enough to witness God performing His work? Have you ever stood still in His presence and let Him fight your enemy? Be still. Because when you do, God will triumph over your enemy, release you from your stronghold, and you will know that He is God. God hardened the heart of Pharaoh so that He would pursue the Israelites, but when he did, God not only rescued His people—He also sabotaged the pursuit of the Egyptians by removing their chariot wheels, and finally covering them with the sea. Can you hear the sound of the Israelites rejoicing at the sight? Can you hear the sound of your own voice rejoicing when you press on in faith and let God destroy the enemy that you leave behind? “That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.” - Exodus 14:30-31 I love reading the stories from the Old Testament, because there is so much to glean from them. The events that they lived through typify our walk with Christ in so many ways. SO MANY. Whether they are about the slavery in Egypt, the time spent in the wilderness, crossing the Red Sea, or entering The Promised Land. Those stories teach us lessons that we can apply to our lives today. Paul writes, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” - Romans 15:4. “Hope,” ladies. Did you read that? That we might have hope! There is a desert of testing--yes. It will be hard, before it gets easy. If it wasn’t we’d all be model thin and run two miles a day. Life isn’t that easy, but that’s ok. Let that thought sink in for a minute: “Life isn’t easy, but that’s ok.” In fact it’s better than ok, when we consider the maturity that it brings to our soul: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” ~ James 1:2-4 God desires to triumph over our enemies. He desires to rescue you from your stronghold. He desires to lead you to The Promised Land; will you let Him? Let’s start by getting back to patience—a characteristic most of us lack. Two weeks at a gym, and women are discouraged that the weight isn’t coming off. Even a slow computer can get some of us in a tailspin. Life takes time—remember that—it takes time. If you give up and return to Egypt at the first sign of trouble you’re missing out on the blessings that God has to offer. You’re missing out on the promise He gives to trample our enemies under His feet. “With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies.” ~ Psalm 108:13 What happens at the second sign of trouble—if you plateau for a week, two weeks, or a month? If it rains just as you plan to go out for a walk—every time? Will you—like the Israelites—grumble once again, longing for the day when you ate all of the bread that you wanted? That’s what they did. Even after experiencing the crossing of the Red Sea, a miracle we can barely imagine let alone feel beneath our feet, they wanted to return to slavery, because they were hungry, and too impatient to wait on God for their food. Sound familiar? If I've learned anything from past mistakes it's this: we need to take that step of patience now—not tonight, not tomorrow—right now. Push the food to the side, today. Why? Because as I've mentioned before, living a life of sacrifice is an “act of spiritual worship.” Some might say, "It's just food—get real!" But no—it's not just food, any more than gold is just gold. When your life molds or shapes it into something that you idolize, or use to tranquilize, it becomes your golden calf. Consider the Israelites in Exodus chapter 32. They were free from slavery, as God pointed out in verse 7, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.." He goes on to say, "They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'" (verse 8) How it must pain God when He frees us from addiction, whether it be to food, alcohol, smoking, porn, binging, purging... whatever our stronghold is, only to find us returning to it once again, hoping to find tranquility; excusing the struggle we have with our weakness so we can worship and cling to the golden calf once again. God doesn't always provide the easy way out. He doesn't promise that life will be easy or free of temptation; in fact temptation is something we can always expect. But what He does provide, and promise to us is this: He'll always provide a way to escape. There's always a way out—a better way to escape from our pain—and with a little soul searching and determination, a way to leave the golden calf behind. 1 Corinthians 10:11-13, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (Scripture from the NIV) ©2008, Darlene Schacht *We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. ________________________________ The Rewards
This month, we’re talking about self-discipline: the nitty-gritty business of controlling our actions, that most of us would rather ignore than put a microscope to. In scripture after scripture, the Bible stresses the importance of controlling our bodies, our tongues and our thoughts, by exercising just that: self-discipline. To get a biblical example of discipline in action, let’s take a closer look at the self-disciplined side of the woman personified in Proverbs chapter 31:
Do some of those characteristics speak to you? Have you refused to work out because it would mean getting up a little earlier? Do you grab something quick to eat because you don’t want to take the time to get your food from afar? Do you waste too much idle time on the computer or television when you could be enriching your mind? Are you clothed with strength and dignity, or do you throw on a ball cap, slip on a ratty old t-shirt, and head out of the door praying that no one will see? Self-disciplines when applied to our life not only bring self-respect, they also bring respect from others around us:
When self-discipline is called for, many of us step back immediately, and although we may not outright admit what we’re thinking, what we’d like to say is, “Uh—no. I’m not going to sign on to anything that requires sacrifice on my part, I’d rather wait until an easier plan comes along.” And so we wait for the next quick fix that promises weight loss at no cost—perhaps it’s an all you can eat soup diet, or licking the pounds away on an ice cream diet—but we fail time and time again, because a quick fix doesn’t set the stage for tomorrow, it satisfies and gratifies the body today. Losing weight is simple. There’s no rock that hasn’t been turned, no magic pill that waits to be found. If you struggle with weight gain and a lust toward food, then it’s a battle that needs to be fought; the only question remains “Are you willing to fight?” If you stop for a minute to find an excuse, you’ve hesitated too long. If you put it off until tomorrow, you’re waiting too long. Romans 12:1, tells us that living a life of sacrifice is an “act of spiritual worship.” Some versions call it, “your reasonable service.” Reasonable. There’s nothing unreasonable about bringing our bodies to the point where they yield to the Spirit. I don’t suppose that the Proverbs 31 woman particularly enjoyed getting up while it was still dark, or lighting a fire while the others remained warm in their beds. And I don’t suppose that it will be easy for you either, the first time, you pass up a bag of potato chips, turn down some chocolate, or settle for water instead of a pop. But I do believe with no uncertainty that in time you will be happy with the changes you’ve made. Perhaps the key portion of that verse, which speaks to our heart and moves us to obedience, is the word, “worship.” Imagine that—being able to worship God by giving up a part of yourself. Being able to give up the bondage that you have with food, as an act of worship to God. All things die that we might have life. Nearly every bit of food we put in our mouth is a sacrifice in some way or another. Beef, chicken, pork, fish, lettuce, carrots, berries, nuts, and the list goes on; all once living things that have died so that we can live. Nature itself typifies the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, bringing glory to God. Dying to ones self is an act of worship because each time we do, we reflect the passion of our Lord. And with each part we give, we reap peace in abundance. Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?"
_____________________________________ ©2008, Darlene Schacht *We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program.
__________________________________________ 5 Ways to Be Content
For the last few months, our focus has been on weight loss. That’s usually the case with Thanksgiving, Christmas and especially New Years! Once all the figgy pudding is put aside we ask ourselves, how can I take off the weight? It’s tough, but I’ve witnessed many of you putting your plans into action, and I’m excited to share in your journey—so press on! But this month, as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, I’d like to shift us in a slightly different direction on our journey to Live Well. In my book The Mom Complex, I encourage women to “wade through the toys in search of the joys.” I urge them to search inside themselves, so that they can discover the path that God has placed their feet on. It’s important that we see that path today—not tomorrow, because God has already begun a work in us that’s waiting to be uncovered, dusted off and embraced. We can start by putting aside the “ifs” and the “buts” today: I’d be happier if this house was bigger… There’s a proverb that says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” ~ Proverbs 23:7. So don’t think for a minute that the discouragement you wear in your heart won’t show on your face. Happiness is one cosmetic that’s God given and free for all. I want it—don’t you? Of course we do. I’d love to wear a smile 24/7 if I could, but even more than happiness itself, I want contentment--true joy with the peaceful knowledge that God is in control. Yes—I’ll still have dreams and hopes which will point me in one direction or the other, but ultimately when I lay my desire on the alter of worship where I trust God for my life, I’ll allow God’s grace to power each step. That’s what contentment does, and it's learned by patience and practice. The apostle Paul said, "for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." ~ Philippians 4:11b, KJV Let’s look at five ways to find contentment in your life today:
©2008, Darlene Schacht *We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. __________________________________________ Develop a Game Plan
In The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom, Dr. Phil McGraw writes, “Because I have counseled so many overweight patients, I can tell you with absolute certainty why some people stay fit and others do not. If someone is successful in keeping weight off for five, ten, twenty, or more years, they have carefully planned, thoughtful goals that they hold to and live by.” The Bible also reminds us to carefully consider our plans before we set out to build: “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’” - Luke 14:28-30. In that passage, Jesus was pointing out the cost of being a disciple. Life will offer us a thousand and one reasons why we shouldn’t follow Christ, but those who have built their faith upon conviction won’t give up because they have counted the cost before hand and their eyes are fixed on the goal ahead. As the apostle Paul wrote, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:13, NIV. I often refer to Paul’s writing to the Philippians since he so vigorously writes about the pursuit of God. Can you imagine the excitement that letter brought, when by the hand of Epaphroditus it was first delivered? Rejoice in suffering! Stand fast in the Lord! Press on in faith! The refreshing and empowering words can revitalize any life when we put them into action. And the same action can be applied to all things that we set out to do. As Solomon wrote, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might!” - Ecclesiastes 9:10, NIV Therefore I'll ask--do you have a recipe for success? Have you carefully considered your weight loss goal, and detailed the means you’ll take in getting there? If you haven’t taken that very important step, I urge you to grab a pen and a paper—a pretty little journal if you have one—and answer the three following questions in detail:
The ability to envision our goal and the means of getting there brings us that much closer to achieving it. Once you have decided exactly what your final goal will be, we can start breaking it down into smaller attainable pieces. For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds this year (lets make it easy and round it off to 52 pounds in 52 weeks) we can do a little math and conclude that your focus for each week will be 1 pound. That’s it—1 pound per week! 100 pounds? Then you’re still only looking at 2 pounds/week--which is an easy enough goal to achieve--if you have counted the cost and are willing to adhere to the plan. Too often dieters will say, “I want to lose weight, so I’ll start cutting back.” And that’s pretty much the end of the plan. Believe me, if our sweethearts show up with a box of chocolates this month that we mindlessly munch on as we're watching TV, “cutting back” may not hold the same definition that it held the day before. Without a set plan to adhere to, we tend to negotiate a bit too much with the stomach, and when that happens we all know who wins out! If we accept those chocolates with the foreknowledge that a small treat after dinner is in line with our plan, we don’t have to negotiate, we can rely on knowledge rather than impulse. Two chocolates come out the the box, and the rest are put into the cupboard until the next day. This doesn’t mean that we have to start counting calories, it could mean envisioning the size of our meals and the frequency of them before hand, then sticking to the plan. This is where wisdom takes over and willpower takes a back seat. The same thing can apply to exercise. The familiar line, “I plan to exercise more often from now on!” What does that mean? “More often” can mean once, or it can mean daily. If you leave that choice up to whim, chances are you’ll opt for the minimum rather than the maximum workout experience. Be concise. Develop a plan that you will stick to. For example, if your plan is to walk for 45 minutes five times a week, map it out by deciding ahead of time when you’ll schedule your walks in, where you’ll be walking (treadmill, outside, etc.). And if you can find a partner, then jot down whom you’ll be with. By scheduling a time we move it into our life and begin to shift things around it, rather than trying to squeeze it in where it fits. Priorities have a way of squeezing out the less pleasant activities, unless we make it a point to prioritize them. In a recent interview with Larry King, actress Ricki Lake, famous for losing over a hundred pounds and successfully keeping it off for over a decade said, “It’s all in moderation; I think it’s being consistent; I think it’s being conscious of what you put in your body. There’s no magic pill, there’s no secret—it’s hard work and being consistent.” She added, “Any diet works, I’ve done them all. If you stick to it, they all work. But you have to stick to that plan.” The “plan” makes us conscious and aware of what we’re putting into our bodies and how we are taking care of them. Till next time ladies, stick to the plan, and Live Well! ©2008, Darlene Schacht *We advise that you always consult your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. __________________________________________
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About Darlene
The book of Judges tells us the story of Samson, a man of incomparable strength. He tore a lion apart with his bare hands, caught 300 foxes, slew 1,000 men with the jawbone of an ass, tore the gates from the city wall, pulled down the pillars that held up a vast house, thereby killing 3,000 people, and had a weakness for women. 
When I started out writing this column, I assumed the articles would generally be about living well—not particularly on weight loss. But as the readership grew, I started receiving feedback—lots of feedback—
Every time I struggle with weight loss—and I do—I’m reminded of my sister, Bonnie. I’ve often talked about her over at Live Well Wednesdays, as the sister who went from a size 14 to an itty-bitty 4 this past year. What facilitated the change? Was it her portion control? Was it the fact that she went to the gym every day? Was it the water she started drinking? Those are the questions the world around her is asking. The answer is that, yes, in part those things took place, but most importantly her success was a direct result of the change that took place from within. When the Spirit of the Lord became an active ingredient in her daily walk, Bonnie was able to battle the flesh. 
Eliminating bad habits is definitely not the easiest thing to do. Nail chewers have probably heard of—maybe even tried—the nasty tasting polish that reminds us to keep our fingers off the lips. And those of you who are lip lickers, have likely felt the sting of cracked lips in the winter. Habits range anywhere from picking skin, to blinking our eyes, to grinding our teeth. Most of us have them, yet most of us wish we didn’t. 
Do you hope to lose weight but fail time and again? Do you lust after food, and lack self control? If so, you're not alone. Results from the 200
By now most of us have heard that those who persevere are the ones who finish the race, but the question remains, what race are you running? It’s one thing to have a goal in mind, but if you haven’t mapped out a specific plan to get you there, the odds are stacked up against you, before you even begin. 
