These past few months on the blog I have been talking a lot about gluttony, food addiction, and control. (see below for more info on these specific topics). You know I'm not going to mention these topics without providing some healing prayers for you! Below is a recap of this month's prayers. They are aimed at using the power of the Holy Spirit in order to live steadfast, self controlled lives. Please note that this doesn't just pertain to food and our eating habits, it pertains to all areas of your life. Please feel free to use the prayers in whatever areas of your life you feel are not controlled by the Holy Spirit, just know that the focus on this blog and of these prayers is food.
1. Lord I pray against any temptation that may come against me to over-indulge and over-consume food. I thank you for your promise that I will not be tempted beyond my ability to refrain. I ask that you would reveal any area where I am over-indulging or over-consuming that I may not be aware of, so that I can repent.
2. Lord I ask for a sound mind and self control in ALL areas of my life. Lord I especially pray over (your weakness). Please fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit in order to stay self controlled, so that this weakness won't control me.
3. Lord, please forgive me for all the times I've used food to fill a void that only you were meant to fill. Help me to realize when I am emotionally eating, and when I let food have more control over my life than you do. Lord, I don't want to have any other Gods before you, including food. I invite you to be the one and only Lord of my life.
4. Lord, give me the desire to continually die to myself and to my flesh. Help me to instead live in the spirit, and live for you alone, doing everything for the glory of God.
You can find more information on the following topics by clicking on the links below:
Gluttony
Food Addiction, Is It Real?
Sugar Addiction
Self Control and Discipline
10 Steps to Dealing with Sugar Addiction
52 Weeks, 52 Prayers
Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
10 Steps to Dealing With A Sugar Addiction
"Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?"
Proverbs 6:27
It is vital for your health that you remove as much sugar, especially hidden sugar, from your diet as possible. - Notice I didn't say remove ALL sugar from your diet! (If you have no idea what the term "hidden sugars" means, go read the previous blog post.) Below are some steps to help eliminate sugar cravings and a sugar addiction.
1. Reduce or eliminate caffeine. The ups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and blood sugar swings. When dehydration and low blood sugar set in, our body gets very sluggish. This causes the body to crave sugar in order to give us an instant boost that we so desperately need. By eliminating caffeine, it helps to stabilize blood sugar and reduce sugar cravings.
2. Drink water. The human body doesn't have a mechanism to communicate thirst. I know you're thinking cotton mouth, but cotton mouth is actually not usually associated with being dehydrated. It usually occurs for other reasons. So, when we are dehydrated, the body will do all sorts of weird things in order to get our attention. It will tell you that you are hungry, even though you really aren't. It will also start craving sugar, so before you go for the sweets, have a glass of water and then wait a few minutes to see what happens.
3. Eat sweet vegetables and fruit. They are sweet, healthy, and packed with nutritional goodness! The more you eat, the more you will satisfy your cravings with a natural and healthy form of sugar. If you aren't sure which fruits and veggies qualify as "sweet," contact me here for a full list.
4. Use gentle sweeteners. Avoid chemicalized, artificial sweeteners. These types of sugars only make sugar cravings intensify, causing you to eat much more sugar in the long run. Instead, use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, honey, brown rice syrup, dried fruit, stevia, barley malt, and agave nectar. These types of sugars are more easily digested by the body, so they don't give you near the adverse side effects that other sugar does.
5. Get physically active. Start with simple activities, like walking or Holy Yoga. Start with 10 minutes a day and gradually increase. It will help balance your blood sugar levels, boost your energy, and reduce tension. All of these are stressors that cause you to crave sugar.
6. Get more sleep, rest, and relaxation. When you're tired or stressed, your body will crave energy, mainly in the form of sugar. These cravings are often a result of being sleep deprived, going to bed late, or waking up early for months, or years on end.
7. Evaluate the amount of animal protein in your diet. Animal protein is naturally very bitter. When you eat too much of it, the body will crave something sweet (sugar) to off-set the bitter taste. This doesn't mean you should avoid animal protein altogether. By contrast, many people who don't eat any animal protein also crave sugar. This is because animal protein is one of the primary ways your body receives energy. When you aren't eating enough animal protein, the body will crave sugar in order to get the necessary energy that it is missing. Every person has a different limit to how much animal protein is right for them. Experiment and listen to your body.
8. Eliminate fat-free or low-fat packaged foods. Please please please do not get tricked into thinking that fat-free equals healthy! These foods contain high quantities of sugar to compensate for the lack of flavor and fat, which will send you on the roller coaster ride of sugar highs and lows and leave you in a constant state of sugar cravings. Taking the fat out of foods and adding in a ton of sugar is actually much more unhealthy than eating the food in it's natural full fat version.
9. Avoid soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit juice, and other flavored beverages. I don't care how healthy these claim to be, stay away! These drinks are loaded with sugar, and most of them, including fruit juices, have close to zero nutritional value. My rule of thumb is, if there is no nutritional value in something, it should only be eaten, or drunk on special occasions. A specific caution: soft drinks are now the #1 source in America of hidden (added) sugar.
10. Slow down and find sweetness in non food ways. Your body does not biologically need sugar, but it does long for hugs, time with friends, workouts, massages, relaxation, etc. When life becomes sweet enough itself, no additives are needed! This is especially true for emotional eaters. Next time you are craving sugar, consider your emotions and how you FEEL at that moment. Give your body some self love and self care instead of grabbing for the cookie jar.
A special bonus tip: try using spices when you cook. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods.
All people respond to sugar differently. These are just basic guidelines that will help to relieve your sugar cravings. For more detailed information, that is specific to your needs, contact me here, for a sugar detox consultation.
Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Sugar Addiction
With all the talk of gluttony and food addiction lately, I wanted to write about the most common food addiction that I see in my clients: sugar addiction. Studies vary a lot on how many people in America are addicted to sugar, but from my experience with working with clients, the number is above 90%! Why so high? We'll get to that in a second.
*Before you exit out of the blog thinking that you can't possibly have a sugar addiction because you hardly eat any sweets, consider the fact that most of the sugar we eat is hidden in foods that aren't classified as "dessert" and aren't particularly sweet at all.
In 1689 the first sugar factory opened in the United States. The amount of sugar consumed by the colonists shot up with a regular supply of sugar available for the first time. It became common practice to add sugar to porridge at breakfast in the morning.
At this time, the average colonist consumed 4 lbs of sugar per year.
In 2008, the average American consumed over 100 lbs of sugar per year.
In comparison, the average American consumed only 8 lbs of broccoli in 2008.
In America, experts consider 10 grams of sugar per day to be considered safe. Anything above that is considered toxic to the body.
The average American consumes 30 grams of sugar per day!
So what's the big deal with eating so much sugar?
Sugar is what we call an "empty calorie" food. This means that there is no nutritional value at all in sugar. There are no physical benefits to your body. In fact, as we digest sugar, our body actually has to pull nutrients from other sources in the body in order to digest it. This depletes the body of vital minerals.
Long Term Risks of eating too much sugar include:
Warning signs that you have too much sugar in your diet:
When I was a freshman in college, I was at my most unhealthy. Between dorm food, beer, ice cream every night, and a major lack of veggies, I was on a diet full of processed, sugary foods. At that time, I had 6 of the 9 symptoms listed above on a daily basis. I thought that was normal. I didn't know any different. Today, I don't have any of these symptoms because I have very little sugar in my diet. If I do splurge and start eating too much sugar, I will start to get headaches and a frog in my throat and those two symptoms are my cue that I need to back off.
It took me a LONG time to get rid of all my symptoms, mainly because I didn't know where the majority of my sugar was coming from. Now, when a client comes to me addicted to sugar and suffering from these symptoms, with a few changes, their symptoms are usually all gone within two weeks. The key: hidden sugars. If you're suffering from 3 or more of these symptoms and don't know where to start, schedule a free consultation with me. Click here to get started.
Hidden sugars are exactly what they sound like. Foods that have a lot of sugar hidden in them, and in my opinion, foods that you should stay away from! These foods all contain more than 10 grams of sugar in one single serving, which, by definition, makes them toxic to the human body. Foods with large amounts of hidden sugars include:
Sugar is considered to be an addictive food for two reasons:
1. Eating a tiny amount of sugar leaves you wanting more.
2. When a person cuts sugar out of their diet, they will experience withdrawal symptoms and intense cravings.
Because sugar is so addicting, food companies know that a lot of sugar in their products will get you addicted to their products. That means more sales for them. Think about the foods that you gravitate towards. Most of them are probably loaded with hidden sugars, hence why you naturally pick those foods to eat. You are feeding an addiction that you didn't even know you had.
The only way to truly know where hidden sugars are located is to read the labels on the back of your food. Check to see how much sugar is in the different foods you are eating. It isn't always what you think. Here's an example of how hidden sugars can trick you:
The Sugar Test:
Lemon Poppy Seed Clif Bar
16oz Frappuccino from Starbucks
Chocolate Glazed Donut from Dunkin Donuts
One of these items list above has only 14g of sugar, another has 21g, and the third has 44g of sugar. Which is which? Most people would say that the donut has the most, and the Clif Bar has the least because a donut is a "dessert" and a Clif Bar is "healthy."
In reality, the donut from Dunkin Donuts has the least at only 14g of sugar!
The Frappuccino from Starbucks has the most at 44g (which is more than 4x the amount of sugar that is considered safe to consume in one day!!)
The Clif Bar has 21g, which means this so called "healthy food" is actually toxic to your body!!
So how do you monitor your sugar intake? How do you keep your limit below 10g per day when a "healthy" Clif Bar has 21g of sugar in it? What about the fact that you NEED your morning Starbucks? What do you do if you're suffering from many of the warning signs listed above? Next week, I will post a follow up blog specifically on this topic. You can also schedule a complimentary consultation with me, where we will discuss your current sugar intake, find all the hidden sugars in your diet, and set up a plan to rid you of your current symptoms.
Folks, sugar isn't something to mess around with. It is a major contributor to the top causes of death for both men and women in the U.S.!
Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
In 1689 the first sugar factory opened in the United States. The amount of sugar consumed by the colonists shot up with a regular supply of sugar available for the first time. It became common practice to add sugar to porridge at breakfast in the morning.
At this time, the average colonist consumed 4 lbs of sugar per year.
In 2008, the average American consumed over 100 lbs of sugar per year.
In comparison, the average American consumed only 8 lbs of broccoli in 2008.
In America, experts consider 10 grams of sugar per day to be considered safe. Anything above that is considered toxic to the body.
The average American consumes 30 grams of sugar per day!
So what's the big deal with eating so much sugar?
Sugar is what we call an "empty calorie" food. This means that there is no nutritional value at all in sugar. There are no physical benefits to your body. In fact, as we digest sugar, our body actually has to pull nutrients from other sources in the body in order to digest it. This depletes the body of vital minerals.
Long Term Risks of eating too much sugar include:
- Creates mineral deficiencies.
- Suppresses your immune system. This symptom shows up in the people who are "always sick."
- Directly causes obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Cancer cells feed on sugar. When there is an abundance of sugar in the body, cancer cells thrive. Without sugar, cancer cells die.
- Directly linked to anxiety and depression. As the amount of sugar in the average American diet has increased, the amount of depression medicine prescribed has gone up at the exact same rate.
- Forms free radicals in the brain. In the short term, this causes migraines. In the long term it leads to Alzheimer's Disease.
- Arthritis. Because sugar causes inflammation, it can make mild arthritis much worse.
Warning signs that you have too much sugar in your diet:
- Migraines or regular headaches.
- Achy joints
- "Frog" in your throat; feeling like you always need to clear your throat.
- Irritable Bowl Syndrome (IBS). This diagnosis is used when a person has a digestive issue that doesn't have a clear diagnosis. Sugar irritates the stomach and digestive tract in many people.
- Acne
- Itchy eyes
- Swollen gums
- Acid reflux
- Regular skin problems such as eczema, rashes, fibromyalgia, etc.
When I was a freshman in college, I was at my most unhealthy. Between dorm food, beer, ice cream every night, and a major lack of veggies, I was on a diet full of processed, sugary foods. At that time, I had 6 of the 9 symptoms listed above on a daily basis. I thought that was normal. I didn't know any different. Today, I don't have any of these symptoms because I have very little sugar in my diet. If I do splurge and start eating too much sugar, I will start to get headaches and a frog in my throat and those two symptoms are my cue that I need to back off.
It took me a LONG time to get rid of all my symptoms, mainly because I didn't know where the majority of my sugar was coming from. Now, when a client comes to me addicted to sugar and suffering from these symptoms, with a few changes, their symptoms are usually all gone within two weeks. The key: hidden sugars. If you're suffering from 3 or more of these symptoms and don't know where to start, schedule a free consultation with me. Click here to get started.
Hidden sugars are exactly what they sound like. Foods that have a lot of sugar hidden in them, and in my opinion, foods that you should stay away from! These foods all contain more than 10 grams of sugar in one single serving, which, by definition, makes them toxic to the human body. Foods with large amounts of hidden sugars include:
- Soft drinks
- Fruit juices
- Non whole grain carbohydrates (this includes any rice that's not brown rice)
- Yogurt (this includes fat free and greek yogurt)
- Barbecue Sauce
- Others include: canned veggies, baby food, cereal, peanut butter, tomato sauce, and salad dressing. (these aren't as bad as the others listed above, but should still be eaten in small amounts).
Sugar is considered to be an addictive food for two reasons:
1. Eating a tiny amount of sugar leaves you wanting more.
2. When a person cuts sugar out of their diet, they will experience withdrawal symptoms and intense cravings.
Because sugar is so addicting, food companies know that a lot of sugar in their products will get you addicted to their products. That means more sales for them. Think about the foods that you gravitate towards. Most of them are probably loaded with hidden sugars, hence why you naturally pick those foods to eat. You are feeding an addiction that you didn't even know you had.
The only way to truly know where hidden sugars are located is to read the labels on the back of your food. Check to see how much sugar is in the different foods you are eating. It isn't always what you think. Here's an example of how hidden sugars can trick you:
The Sugar Test:
Lemon Poppy Seed Clif Bar
16oz Frappuccino from Starbucks
Chocolate Glazed Donut from Dunkin Donuts
One of these items list above has only 14g of sugar, another has 21g, and the third has 44g of sugar. Which is which? Most people would say that the donut has the most, and the Clif Bar has the least because a donut is a "dessert" and a Clif Bar is "healthy."
In reality, the donut from Dunkin Donuts has the least at only 14g of sugar!
The Frappuccino from Starbucks has the most at 44g (which is more than 4x the amount of sugar that is considered safe to consume in one day!!)
The Clif Bar has 21g, which means this so called "healthy food" is actually toxic to your body!!
So how do you monitor your sugar intake? How do you keep your limit below 10g per day when a "healthy" Clif Bar has 21g of sugar in it? What about the fact that you NEED your morning Starbucks? What do you do if you're suffering from many of the warning signs listed above? Next week, I will post a follow up blog specifically on this topic. You can also schedule a complimentary consultation with me, where we will discuss your current sugar intake, find all the hidden sugars in your diet, and set up a plan to rid you of your current symptoms.
Folks, sugar isn't something to mess around with. It is a major contributor to the top causes of death for both men and women in the U.S.!
Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Food Addiction.. Is It Real?
Because of all the talk we've had with gluttony on the blog lately, I wanted to make sure to address this issue of food addiction. Again, like gluttony, it is something that is never talked about, but is mentioned in scripture.
So first off, is food addiction a real thing? Yes. Absolutely! Just like alcoholics use alcohol to control, or bury, their emotions, so too do food addicts use food to fill emotional voids. The definition of "food addiction" is not having control over what you are eating, when and how you are eating it, and not caring about the possible harmful side effects of the food you are consuming.
Food addicts will often:
- eat too much despite consequences, even dire ones, to their health
- be preoccupied for large amounts of time during the day with food, food preparation, and meal planning.
- be roller coaster eaters; always trying, and failing, to cut back on food intake.
- constantly feel guilty, anxious, and paranoid about eating and especially over eating.
*Notice that NO WHERE in these detailed definitions of a food addiction does it mention weight. One does not have to be overweight in order to be a food addict. On the flip side, just because you are overweight does not mean you are a food addict!
Addiction of any kind boils down to a lack of control. Being an addict means that a substance, whether food, alcohol, drugs, gambling, etc. controls YOU instead of you controlling it.
Food controls many many people without them even realizing it, and you may be one of them. A great exercise to do in order to test your relationship with food is the breakfast experiment. This is a great gauge for how much you allow food to control you.
The Breakfast Experiment
Monday - Eat only whole grains for breakfast. This includes whole grain bread, whole grain pastas, rice, quinoa, etc. Nothing processed or "white." (no oatmeal either). Drink coffee or tea
Tuesday - Eat a pastry of some sort. Whatever you prefer, but only pastries (something dessert-ish and sugary). Drink coffee or tea.
Wednesday - Eat only dairy for breakfast. This includes yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, cheese, and any other dairy product you prefer. Drink only water or milk.
Thursday - Eat only cereal for breakfast. Any kind will do. Drink coffee or tea.
Friday - Eat only protein for breakfast. This includes eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, beans, and vegetables. Drink coffee or tea.
Saturday - Eat only fruit for breakfast. Any fruit will do. Drink only water.
Sunday - Eat only vegetables for breakfast. Any veggies will do. No dairy, no protein, no grains. Drink only water.
*Wait at least 2 hours after breakfast before eating or drinking anything else. This includes COFFEE!
**Consume whatever you wish throughout the rest of your day.
**Consume whatever you wish throughout the rest of your day.
By conducting this breakfast experiment, you are forced to give up your normal eating habits, routine, and all of your control over what you consume first thing in the morning. If this happens with ease and you are able to enjoy the breakfast experiment and the variety it brings then you do not suffer from a food addiction.
However, if you obsess about the food you ate a breakfast, if you're having major food cravings, if you find it extremely difficult emotionally to eat something that is out of the norm for breakfast, then you need to analyze how much control food really has over your life.
This is an experiment that highlights how food makes you FEEL, not just while you're eating it, but how you feel 2, 4, and 10 hours later. Analyze how different foods make you feel physically and also analyze how foods make you feel emotionally.
Is there a day that you really want to skip, or that you flat our refuse to do? Ask yourself why? What is causing this attitude? How is control playing a part in that? Most people will not do the vegetables on day 7 simply because they don't like the taste. However, that is the healthiest type of food you can put in your body. By refusing to participate in day 7 you are purposely abandoning healthy foods and choosing an unhealthy alternative, which is one of the definitions of food addiction listed above. Yikes!
(health issues that prevent you from participating, i.e. an allergy, do not count here)
However, if you obsess about the food you ate a breakfast, if you're having major food cravings, if you find it extremely difficult emotionally to eat something that is out of the norm for breakfast, then you need to analyze how much control food really has over your life.
This is an experiment that highlights how food makes you FEEL, not just while you're eating it, but how you feel 2, 4, and 10 hours later. Analyze how different foods make you feel physically and also analyze how foods make you feel emotionally.
Is there a day that you really want to skip, or that you flat our refuse to do? Ask yourself why? What is causing this attitude? How is control playing a part in that? Most people will not do the vegetables on day 7 simply because they don't like the taste. However, that is the healthiest type of food you can put in your body. By refusing to participate in day 7 you are purposely abandoning healthy foods and choosing an unhealthy alternative, which is one of the definitions of food addiction listed above. Yikes!
(health issues that prevent you from participating, i.e. an allergy, do not count here)
As christians we are called to be alert and of sober mind. We are called to be self controlled and stead fast. We are called to control our flesh and live in the spirit by the power of Jesus Christ. Living in the bondage of any addiction is sin, and Jesus wants to set you free from that!! It's what he died on the cross for. If you are reading this and you struggle with an addiction, please please know that you can be set free by the power of Jesus Christ! Please know that no addiction is stronger than the Holy Spirit, who is alive and active.
"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," Mark 14:38
No true-er (I think I made that word up, but just go with it) words have ever been spoken in regards to addiction. The flesh is weak! It constantly needs to be exercised in order to stay strong.
A great habit to get into that will help to discipline your body and mind against food addiction is fasting. This does not have to be a complete no - food fast. This is more a fast from something that has the potential to control you, i.e. coffee or chocolate. I strongly suggest fasting from one food/beverage at least one week per month. It can be a different food each month, but it needs to be something that your flesh has a weakness towards. Commit to fasting one week per month through the rest of 2014. I guarantee that it will change your entire relationship with food, for the better!
I started doing this at the beginning of the summer and it rocked my world. I had no idea how much I let food control my life. I was shocked at how hard it was to fast from just chocolate for only seven days! Towards the end of September, I'll be writing a post sharing my journey through that fast, but for now I'd love to hear your stories. I want to hear about your breakfast experiments and your fasts, the challenges and breakthroughs that you experience.
I also encourage you to try the weekly prayers this month. We are focusing solely on discipline and self control with regards to gluttony. For more on that, click here.
If you need additional support with food addiction, including where to start once you know you have a problem, schedule a complementary consultation with Abby. Click here to get started.
Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
A great habit to get into that will help to discipline your body and mind against food addiction is fasting. This does not have to be a complete no - food fast. This is more a fast from something that has the potential to control you, i.e. coffee or chocolate. I strongly suggest fasting from one food/beverage at least one week per month. It can be a different food each month, but it needs to be something that your flesh has a weakness towards. Commit to fasting one week per month through the rest of 2014. I guarantee that it will change your entire relationship with food, for the better!
I started doing this at the beginning of the summer and it rocked my world. I had no idea how much I let food control my life. I was shocked at how hard it was to fast from just chocolate for only seven days! Towards the end of September, I'll be writing a post sharing my journey through that fast, but for now I'd love to hear your stories. I want to hear about your breakfast experiments and your fasts, the challenges and breakthroughs that you experience.
I also encourage you to try the weekly prayers this month. We are focusing solely on discipline and self control with regards to gluttony. For more on that, click here.
If you need additional support with food addiction, including where to start once you know you have a problem, schedule a complementary consultation with Abby. Click here to get started.
Wishing you all Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Self Control and Discipline as the Antidote to Gluttony
In July, I wrote a blog post about gluttony. Not surprisingly, it hit a nerve with a lot of people. I had many people tell me that they didn't realize that they had an issue with gluttony until after reading the blog. So, for the month of September, I wanted to expand on this topic and focus the weekly prayers on self control and discipline with regards to gluttony.
{to read the blog on gluttony, click here}
{for those of you who have no idea what the weekly prayers are, start here: 52 weeks, 52 prayers campaign}
First, a little background on gluttony:
WHY IS GLUTTONY SUCH A BIG DEAL TO GOD?
Even though gluttony is not talked about much today, the Bible is clear that gluttony is a sin. Gluttony is an outward, concrete, literal example of FLESH. We, as followers of Jesus are called to die to our flesh and to live in the spirit. When we live in the spirit we are steadfast and self controlled with our focus solely on Jesus. When we live in the flesh, we are only concerned about ourself, we look for instant satisfaction, we are greedy, and gluttonous.
Self control is the antidote to gluttony. This is why we will be focusing our prayers this month on self control and discipline. We will be praying for self control not just with our food and drink choices, but in all areas of life that affect our health. So, whether you suffer from emotional eating, sugar addiction, alcoholism, or are a workaholic, I hope you will join in with us as we pray for self controlled and Christ like behavior.
To find the prayers each week:
Follow me on Instagram, @abbyshroka or like us on Facebook by clicking here, to see each week's prayer.
{to read the blog on gluttony, click here}
{for those of you who have no idea what the weekly prayers are, start here: 52 weeks, 52 prayers campaign}
First, a little background on gluttony:
- Gluttony is not just about food. The actual definition of gluttony is to over-indulge and over-consume food, drink, or wealth items to the point of extravagance or waste.
- Gluttony is more about a lack of self control than it is about food. We, as followers of Christ, are called to have a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7) and to be self controlled (Galatians 5:22-23). We should not allow anything to control us, whether that be food, alcohol, wealth, sex, career, etc. When we over-consume and over-indulge, we are not acting with a spirit of self control, but are giving in to desires of our flesh.
- Gluttony is a sin when we use food, or anything, to REPLACE Jesus, to fill a void that Jesus alone is meant to fill. God is a jealous God, and he wants NOTHING to come before him.
- The more we let food fill the voids in our life, the more we focus on ourselves, instead of focusing on God. We, as christians are called to continually die to ourselves and to live for Christ. No matter what we are doing, no matter what has happened during our day, we do everything with Jesus in mind. 1 Corinthians 10:31 sums it up best, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
WHY IS GLUTTONY SUCH A BIG DEAL TO GOD?
Even though gluttony is not talked about much today, the Bible is clear that gluttony is a sin. Gluttony is an outward, concrete, literal example of FLESH. We, as followers of Jesus are called to die to our flesh and to live in the spirit. When we live in the spirit we are steadfast and self controlled with our focus solely on Jesus. When we live in the flesh, we are only concerned about ourself, we look for instant satisfaction, we are greedy, and gluttonous.
Self control is the antidote to gluttony. This is why we will be focusing our prayers this month on self control and discipline. We will be praying for self control not just with our food and drink choices, but in all areas of life that affect our health. So, whether you suffer from emotional eating, sugar addiction, alcoholism, or are a workaholic, I hope you will join in with us as we pray for self controlled and Christ like behavior.
To find the prayers each week:
Head over to our website each week where the current week's prayer will be posted on the right side bar.
Follow me on Instagram, @abbyshroka or like us on Facebook by clicking here, to see each week's prayer.
If you missed last month's prayer topic (nagging aches and pains), click here.
Wishing you Health, Hope, & Happiness
Abby
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