One day at a time...

You've heard the expression "one day at a time"...it's a line in an old gospel song - it even used to be the name of a 70's tv sitcom. The expression makes sense...days come only one at a time anyway. Knowing that and trying to live in that knowledge has been difficult for me most of my life. I'm always trying to plan my future, whether it's a day in the future...a week in the future...or a decade in the future. While planning is important at times, it can often be crippling for me. Allow me to be a little transparent on this one.

Maintaining an ideal weight has always been a struggle for me. Partially, it's in my genes - very slow metabolism - large bones - blah, blah, blah. I've used all of those excuses before, however the bottom line is if you take in more calories than you release - you will more than likely gain weight. I know how to eat properly, and I know how to exercise, but for me - food is an emotional comfort (regardless of the emotion). I have been very successful in the past at losing weight only to gain it back again. I really thought I had it licked this last time only to discover my strongholds and weaknesses remain. I finally reached the point where I realized nothing would work, because I was trying to do it on my own. I would cry out to God for help, but then I would never actually allow Him to help. I would make a week of menus and exercise plans and fail after one day and then scrap the rest of the week's plans. This vicious cycle repeated itself over and over, until now...

Partially, I'm confessing this for accountability. Putting things in print for others to read will automatically open the door for questions about how I'm doing, and I welcome them. So, what's different about this time you ask? After spending time in prayer and fasting a few weeks ago, this time - I'm taking all of the nutrition and exercise knowledge I already have, and I am applying it one day at a time! Sounds simple right? Well, in a way it is. I begin each day before God's throne dedicating the day to Him, asking Him to walk me through each challenge and temptation and allow me to be successful THIS day. I don't look ahead to tomorrow - I'm only looking at my behavior on THIS day. You would never realize that something this simple could end up being so huge, but it has really changed me. Now, when I fail (and those days happen), it's one day of failure - not a whole week or month just thrown away but one day! I needed the nutrition and exercise knowledge also, but this was the missing piece. Simply allowing God to work in and through me one day at a time has been amazing! I now live each day doing my best to walk in obedience to Him, and by faith, I know that He's pleased with me and will reward that obedience one day!