I want the flowers but not the work. Isn't that the way it is with many things in life—we want the results but have no desire to put in the work required?

God, I recognize I am made for more than the vicious cycle of being ruled by food. I need to eat to live, not live to eat. So, I keep asking for Your wisdom to know what to eat and Your indwelling power to walk

Don't buy into what the scale says or doesn't say. Trust the effort you are putting into getting healthy. And keep going! Not only are there changes going on in your body that you can't see, there are changes going on in your spirit—with your discipline, your courage, and your willpower. Keep going!

God, I recognize I am made for more than the vicious cycle of being ruled by food. I need to eat to live, not live to eat. So, I keep asking for Your wisdom to know what to eat and Your indwelling power to walk away from things that are not beneficial for me.

Moment by moment we have the choice to live in our own strength and risk failure or to reach across the gap and grab hold of God's unwavering strength.

Honestly, I am made for more than a vicious cycle of eating, gaining, stressing — eating, gaining, stressing … I am made to rise up, do battle with my issues and, using the Lord's strength in me, defeat them—spiritually, physically, and mentally—to the glory of God.

In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.3 I am fascinated by this research

It is possible to rise up, do battle with our issues, and, using the Lord's strength in us, defeat them —spiritually, physically, and mentally—to the glory of God.

I used my cravings for food as a prompting to pray. It was my way of tearing down the tower of impossibility before me and building something new. My tower of impossibility was food. Brick by brick, I imagined myself dismantling the food tower and using those same bricks to build a walkway of prayer, paving the way to victory.

We are supposed to maximize God, which keeps our weaknesses in perspective.

Through relationship with God, man is finally capable of doing that which he was incapable of doing on his own. That's what walking in the Spirit is all about.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. (PHILIPPIANS 4:8)