With the annual tradition of the promise to blog more, I am
writing a little note hours before we leave for the airport for year five of
teaching at IAS. This year I will be
teaching some of the classes I taught last year (which is great), and taking on
a new class, 7th Grade Science!
This summer was a good one.
I was able to rest a little bit, work a little bit, travel a little bit,
and spend time with family. Recently, I
was able to stand as a godparent for my new niece Kiera. During this time, the pastor talked about how
Kiera was reborn, how her sins were washed away and she was made new. This is something that has stuck with me. However, looking at the family pictures with
Kiera, I could only think of the sin that was so clearly visible on my body.
I have had one sin that has just been gnawing away at me for
the past couple of years. I was able to
keep it at bay, and in the past had more self-control and discipline. It is something that I have turned to this
year when I was depressed, when I was anxious, when I was sad I had lost a friendship, when I
was stressed to work, when I was angry, when I was bored. That sin was eating. Eating a lot.
Not just fruit or vegetables.
Eating anything. Gluttony.
There are several Bible verses on gluttony, but the overall
one that always sticks out to me (which doesn’t just apply to gluttony, but any
harmful activity to the body, such as adultery, drunkenness, and recreational
drug use….)
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you, whom you have received from God?
You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies”-1
Corinthians 6:19-20
I think the worst sin is that I have been turning to food
before turning to God for comfort and peace.
This food is a “broken cistern” or something that I am trying to drink
from for refreshment, instead of living water from the Father that can quench
any hunger I have.
This problem has grown into a huge huge plank that is in my
eye. I have never been this size before,
and it is really starting to affect my physical capabilities.
So it is time for a change.
And in this change, I do not have a goal to lose weight, but to find
health. I think in the past I have only
focused on the numbers on the scale, which lead to very unhealthy eating habits
and patterns. Also, I have a husband who
embraces his wife's natural curviness and would be very sad if all of those
curves would go away. I think my goal is
going to be to be in shape, treat my body right, eat right, and be
healthy. Healthy in mind, body, and
spirit. Last year that was a fail….this
year…maybe it won’t be.
Please keep praying for me as I go on this journey. Pray for the start of the school year. Pray for self-control and discipline for
Miguel and I as we continue to be teachers at IAS. We will not be going home for Christmas this
year, so pray that we will be refreshed from God during this long time away
from the states. I will use your prayers
as support J. Also, please keep praying for my mental
health. As some of you know, I have
depression and anxiety, and I have been doing my best to work through some
stuff. While I do have a psychiatrist in
Suriname, it is a prayer that I will be able to find a Christian counselor that
will be willing to help counsel for me for an affordable rate J.
I really hope to keep people updated more. I have found that one of my triggers for
depression is checking Facebook. I have
found that everyone seems to be winning at life right now, and I am falling
quite behind. I know that is not always
the case, because everyone has their struggles, but I get in that mindset when
I check social media. So, I will not be
on Facebook that much, but still using Messenger if you want to get in
touch.
Since, I will not be using Facebook as much, I intend to
blog more. I want to keep you updated
about prayer requests and my progress in this health journey. It will be a way to hold me accountable. I want to embrace the knowledge, that just like Kiera, I have been born again as well!
Who knows what the year will bring? God does!!!!!
