by Lucy | Apr 28, 2010 | biblical counseling |
My name is Lucy and I’m a chocoholic. Years ago I hid my delicious addiction. Sneak a choc-key here. Sneak a choc-key there. Yes, I do have a pet name for my sweet.
{It rhymes with Rocky, as in Balboa.}
Then I realized 3 things:
1. Dark chocolate is healthy for you. Its antioxidants zap naughty free radicals that contribute to illness like cancer. Just don’t eat it for breakfast.
Oops! I do that. Rationalization: Morning here is evening in Australia. So HA!
2. Eating chocolate — whatever type — boosts endorphins, the feel-good neurotransmitter.
Of course I could exercise and crank endorphins. Nah. Too sweaty.
3. Chocolate gives me another reason to thank God. Yep, even for the little things. Like chocolate. And big things, like this amazing promise we Christians often forget: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
No condemnation means without guilt. You are guilt-free because Jesus clothed you in his righteousness the very nano-second you believed he is who he says he is: the Lord of Lords, the King of kings, Savior.
Are you hooked on him?
He created cocoa beans, you know. 😉
You Are Blessed,
by Lucy | Sep 29, 2009 | biblical counseling
Got food issues? This is the second of three posts on food addiction. Let’s face it together.
The licorice lie: Food makes me happy.
Yeah, right. Food makes me happy for, like, ten minutes.
The truffle truth: God gave us food to enjoy.
Say what? I enjoy food too much. Too much chocolate, too many chocolate-chip bagels. I’m too depressed NOT to eat because at least for a few minutes I don’t have to feel. I’m sick of feeling hurt. I’m sick of feeling lonely. I’m sick of sick. I’m sick of me.
Does this sound familiar?
You may have swallowed licorice lies whole. Now they are worming their sticky sweetness into your thoughts and emotions. Not pretty.
Elyse Fitzpatrick writes in Idols of the Heart, “Let’s face it: we’re glutted on the joys and pleasures of the world, and our minds remain unconvinced that the joy of the Master is all that much better. ‘The attractions of this world and the delights of wealth, and the search for success and lure of nice things’ (Mark 4:19 TLB) crowd out love for God.”
So how do you become convinced to put food in its proper place?
1. Pray. Heart-humbling, Spirit-led and regular confession and repentance are the only weapons that weaken the stronghold of idolatrous thoughts and desires. When you or I confess our neediness and sin, God gives us grace. It’s a promise. The apostle Peter wrote, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)
Follow your confession with repentance. Think of repentance as a U-turn. You’ve been going in one direction, dangerously close to the edge of ice cream mountain. Now you’ve realized your error and confessed it. You turn the opposite direction and follow God into the spiritual Promised Land of abundant joy. Here you desire what God desires, and what he desires is your obedience because he knows what you need: Him.
2. Put to death your food idol. By the power of the Holy Spirit – you won’t be able to do it on your own – determine to honor God in your thoughts and actions.
An example: You catch your reflection in the mirror and begin to trash-talk (i.e., “you’re so ugly” or “you won’t succeed at loving yourself thin”). Say to yourself, “This is a lie. I am made in the image of God. I have beauty and value.” And, “With God’s help, I will succeed and love myself well. And if I slim down, great.”
Another example: After a stressful workday, you don’t feel like eating well. You want to pick up a carton of ice cream, turn on the TV and tune out. Though tempted, you can choose a route home that steers you clear of grocery stores. Once home, you can pop an easy meal into the microwave and enjoy it, guiltlessly.
3. Put on praise. Let me illustrate with another example. Julie ate when she felt lonely. The lonelier she felt, the more she turned to food for comfort. The comfort lasted a moment, then she felt mortified and desired more comfort from more food.
A Christian, she confessed her sin of turning to an idol (food) instead of God, who promises to be with her always. Then she did a U-turn and walked away from the pantry. Recognizing that she is not alone, even though she often feels lonely, she sang praise choruses.
While these three steps sound easy – a child can learn them – follow-through is tough. Old patterns hang on like stubborn stains. Satan tempts you where you are weakest. Your sin nature still wants its food NOW.
So what’s a girl to do?
Pray. Put to death your food idol. Put on praise.
As. Long. As. It. Takes.
In the end, this is the question you must ask: Whom do I love most? When you continually believe that God loves you and wants your very best, you will choose him over anything. . .even chocolate.
You Are Loved, Lucy
P.S. Do you need a very affordable guide to help you overcome your food addiction? Consider Love Yourself Thin, Discover the 7 Secrets Slimming Down, God’s Way. It’s only $7 and it works. Get it at my webstore.
P.S.S. Please subscribe to this blog if you are among the many Christian women who could use some encouragement. While you’re at it, put your sweet smile in the Google Friend Connect box. Easy, fast.
by Lucy | Sep 28, 2009 | biblical counseling |
Got food issues? This is the first of three posts on food addiction. Let’s face it together.
My college survival kit: wheat thins, pizza and Diet Coke.
And more Diet Coke.
I do not recommend my college survival kit. I managed to get decent grades — even was graduated with honors — but at a price. I felt frazzled and fat.
My weight was fine. However, I all but starved myself by day for gut-buster pizzat night. Once or twice my pizza bloat led to nasty thoughts — you fatso, you idiot, you idiotic fatso — and a stop by the women’s dorm potty. I pressed my fingers to the back of my throat, while praying to the porcelain god, and gagged.
Failure, failure, failure. I couldn’t even vomit. Flipping and flopping like a fish, I fell asleep to self-condemning thoughts and Diet Coke dreams.
FAST FORWARD A DECADE.
I finally got a handle on my eating or so I thought. I plugged the pop and went vegetarian.
Words like couscous, tempeh and Rice Dream freckled my conversations, like
“Ooh, you musttry teriyaki tempeh over couscous. . .leave room followed by Rice Dream.” I know booooring. But it was my thing back then. Now it’s Starbucks. No froo-froo drinks. Only tea so strong it could grow hair on your chest. Well, my chest.
Almost daily a box talks to me: “Welcome to Starbucks. May I take your order?”
My always answer: Black iced tea, no sugar, no water.” That’s right. . .I drink tea leaves. Not.
I drink the Starbucks iced tea with no extra water. I think I’m addicted. Wait. I know I’m addicted.
“My name is Lucy and I’m a tea-aholic.”
Did you know you can be addicted to almost anything? Shopping, pornography (yep, even us girls), Facebook, bunco, gossip, work, Twitter, romance novels, perfectionism. And, of course, food.
Food addictions are among the worst to have. You can’t not eat.
Addiction is idolatry. Instead of putting God first, someone in danger of a food addiction sneaks snack cakes from the pantry and rearranges the boxes and cans so on one will notice. In fact, deceit is a hallmark of addiction.
A former coworker used to bake a cake for dessert, then in her weakness, slice big wedges, smash them between her teeth, and fearing her husband would find out, bake a second identical cake. What happened to the first cake?
Plop plop fizz fizz.
She ate it and felt horrible. Worst than her stomach ache, she lost self-respect. The lies, the deception, the realization that she couldn’t help herself until. . .
Watch for tomorrow’s post: Licorice Lies, Truffle Truth
You Are Loved, Lucy
P.S. I invite you to subscribe to Real Hurts, Real Hope, my blog that comes out three times a week. It’s for Christian women who could use some encouragement. While you’re at it, why not add your sweet smile to the photos on this blog’s Google Friend Connect? Thanks.
P.S.S. As always I ask you to send me your prayer requests and I’ll pray for you. It remains confidential.
