How Artificial Sweetener is just like Worldly Temptation

Three days ago, I decided to embark upon a portion control and exercise program to get back in shape, have more energy and eat healthier. The program is pretty popular and is more about lifestyle change rather than functioning as a fad diet. We all know that if you eat good, nutritious foods and exercise, you can maybe lose a little weight and maintain a healthier you, RIGHT? Of course, those things are easier said than done. Over these three days I have actually enjoyed the nutrition part, felt fuller and even though the workouts have been kicking my out-of-shape butt, I feel so much stronger. Having said all that....my struggle with diet soda is FOR REAL.

This program, like so many others, requires that you cut out food and beverages that are filled with chemicals and preservatives and return to more clean eating. Of course that means no artificial sweeteners and NO DIET SODA for me. I thought this was a no brainer and it would be no problem. I was wrong.

While I was out shopping the other day, I realized my water bottle was empty and that I was going to have to refill it (especially since it was such a hot day here in sunny Florida). Wanting to get the beverage situation over with and get to the healthy lunch I had packed, I went through a drive through to get a bottle of water. The images of those refreshing fountain sodas with ice, that had been strategically placed to sell sodas, were absolutely calling my name. I'd like to say that I held my ground, remained strong enough to resist the temptation, but guess what? I bought the soda.

I didn't drink it at first. The soda sat in my cup holder, taunting me. I even pulled out my phone as I sat in the parking lot to search internet message boards for some type of justification that I could still get the weight loss results I wanted if I didn't cut out the soda. It was a DIET soda, right? It may not be totally healthy but no one would know, right? The justifications got louder and louder in my head. After I ate my perfectly balanced lunch of a spinach salad with grilled chicken, I went in to take that first drink of the soda that I was craving so badly. The straw met my lips and...YUCK! The soda was way too sweet and I didn't even want to drink it! It tasted so bad, I ended up pouring it out and getting the bottle of water I should have gotten in the first place.

So what had happened to me? Where was the delicious, refreshing soda that I had wished for and wanted so badly? I took to the internet to find out. Turns out that artificial sweeteners (like the sucralose that is found in diet sodas) actually make things taste sweeter. This I already knew (that's why you usually use less sweet-n-low, equal or splenda than real sugar). The amazing thing was that because I had cut out all the bad stuff and been eating clean for just 3 days, my "neutral level" or "baseline" taste for sweetness had reset and I was satisfied with the things that were healthy and not what I had previously perceived to be as sweet. Making a habit of eating healthy had actually made not eating healthy distasteful! This experience and new information was totally what I needed. I realized that I didn't need soda. Water or tea flavored with lemon or other fruits could be even more satisfying and good for me too.

Another thing that dawned on me after this little scenario played out was this:

Artificial sweeteners, full of their chemicals and man-made materials are similar to worldly temptations and distractions. The more you drink, the worse it is for you. Your baseline for "sweetness" can quickly stray from what you know to be healthy. Your relationship with God and spirituality, your discernment between what is right and what is wrong can quickly be compromised by those temptations that seem so sweet by the world's standards. The more we nourish our minds and hearts with the word of God, the happier and healthier we become. We find the temptations and questionable behaviors distasteful when we are focused on all that is true and right.

The bible gives us guidance on how to be in the world but not of it. We should feed ourselves with His truth, rather than things that are unhealthy in the spiritual sense:

1 John 2:15-17 ESV
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Matthew 4:4 ESV
But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Galatians 5:16 ESV
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Philippians 4:8 ESV
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

So don't mess with your baseline for "sweetness" - get out there and eat right, both physically and spiritually. Your overall health will be better for it.

I'd love to hear your stories or thoughts on how this may apply to your life. Feel free to comment and share.

God Speaks to Us Where We Are-Even Through the Phone

I was just sitting here doing my daily bible reading and realized that it is truly a sign of the times that I am reading the bible on my iphone! With the application I am using, it is so easy to change the translation, search, bookmark, read, follow a bible reading plan and have it all at my finger tips. Since I take my phone everywhere, I always have the WORD at my side. It has actually encouraged me to refer to it more, what a blessing! I can pull it out while I am waiting somewhere or when I am a passenger in the car. While many say that technology takes us away from what is important, I have to say that when used correctly, it can be a tool to help us grow in our walk. Never before has the good news been so available and accessible to so many. God is using it to speak love into the lives of those that will listen.

I shared this poem before on the ECM blog awhile ago and will share it again in the context of this post:

Cell Phone vs. the Bible

I wonder what would happen if we treated the bible like we treat our cell phones?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back when we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?
What if we upgraded it to get the latest version?
This is something to make you go...hmmmm...where is my bible?
Oh, and one more thing, we don't ever have to worry about our bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!

So I have found a way not to have my cell phone at odds with the bible, but working together with the word as a tool to help me grow my spiritual walk. God is so good, He will speak to us in so many ways (even through my cell phone!) How great is it that He meets us right where we are?

Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God.
Luke 11:28 NIV

I love this Mercy Me Song. It talks about letting the Word of God speak. Whether it is through your phone, the counsel of another person, a fleeting thought, an act of kindness, traditional bible reading or in deep prayer; take the time to listen to Him, reflecting on His word. He will meet you and speak to you right where you are.

*Please Note*
You must scroll to the bottom of the page to turn off the music before playing the video.

Faith and Deeds Go Hand in Hand

As the body without faith is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
James 2:26

This strong statement from the book of James urges Christians to live out their faith. It does not mean that we are saved by our deeds, but that our deeds will reflect what is truly in our heart. We will in essence "back up" our faith in what we do. To us as Christian Moms, this word from James is extremely important. We are charged not only to instruct our children on having faith but also to live our out our faith on a daily basis, providing an example for our children to follow. Stepping out on faith ourselves, even when it seems to defy reason, is the best lesson we can give our children.

Earlier in the passage James uses the wonderful example of Abraham (verses 20-23) to illustrate how faith and deeds go hand in hand:

20. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21. Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22.You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." and he was called God's friend.

God knew Abraham's heart, of course he knew that Abraham had faith. God asked Abraham to make that faith complete through action. Abraham was obedient, and in turn God honored the desire of Abraham's heart, which was that his son not be harmed.

If you say you trust in the Lord, strive to match your actions up with that statement. Be obedient to his call, even when its hard or when it doesn't make sense to you. Yes, it is a struggle to do this sometimes. The enemy tries to use fear to keep us from acting. We can act on our faith with confidence because we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). When we do this we give our children a wonderful example of faith and deed in action.

Scripture Reading: James 2:14-26

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Be Still-Get out of the Way!

Children are such a gift from God, aren't they? I am always so amazed at God uses my children on a daily basis to teach me something new. Here is yet another story of how a simple everyday occurrence can reveal a truth that God wants us to understand.

Yesterday, as my almost four year-old, Lilly, and I were walking out of a building, she saw a young woman with two small children walking slightly in front of us. The mom was holding a baby carrier and a baby bag. The second child seemed to be around 2 years old (needless to say she had her hands full!). Seeing that the woman needed help, my daughter rushed ahead and pushed the heavy door open for her. While Lilly was excited about helping, there was just one simple problem. The door was so heavy that in order to keep it open, Lilly had to push with both hands and brace the door with her foot. This forced her to stand right in the way so the woman and her daughter could not get past her to get out!

Touched by her enthusiasm and kindness, the woman exclaimed,"Why, thank you, sweetie! You are such a big helper!"

After briskly jogging to catch up to the situation, I gently moved Lilly from the doorway and held the door for the woman so that she could go out. We laughed about the situation and chatted a bit. She thanked us both and commented on how helpful Lilly had been.

This sweet little situation reminded me of how we as believers sometimes get in the way in our efforts to help someone else or even trying to help ourselves. Of course, we have the best intentions at heart. We may want to share Him with others, help in a desperate situation, or take care of a problem of our own accord. In the case of trying to help ourselves, we can be a bit like drowning men that cannot be rescued until we stop thrashing about. Sometimes in our enthusiasm, we stand in the way of the work that only God can do for us and for others. The word tells us to listen carefully to his guidance, stay in prayer and ask him what it is he wants us to do. Sometimes he just wants us to be still, pray and trust him. He is faithful! When we get out of the way, He will open the door in HIS perfect timing and all-knowing way!

Is there a door in your life that needs to be opened? Are you praying for a loved one or trying to help a friend? Are your arms and legs straining and you feel the door is closing? Whether it is for yourself or another person, take the time today to do as Psalm 46:10 says Be still and know that I am God. He will open that door for you.

"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Luke 11:19

Have a Decision to Make? Follow HIS lead!

As moms, we are always making decisions. We may be facing decisions on small details or major decisions that will change the course of our lives. The outcomes of some of our decisions affect not only our lives but the lives of our whole families! Will we stay home, will we go to work? What will we teach our children? How will we interact with our husbands? Will we volunteer for this event or that one? How will we run our business? Will we live here or there? The list of decisions goes on and on! If you have ever felt perplexed or burdened about decisions, big or small, don't be fearful. As children of God we have the best example to follow when it comes to those decisions that we are asked to make. When God came to earth in the form of His Son, Jesus, He not only died for our sins but left the best example on how to live a Godly and holy life.

Consider one of the most important decisions Jesus had to make, the selection of his twelve apostles. He knew that he only had a short time on this earth and that the men that he chose to be apostles must be men after the heart of God Himself. They needed to be strong, caring, righteous and more. This was a very important decision indeed!

In Luke 6:12-13 we read:
One of those days Jesus went out to the mountainside to pray, and spent all night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them who he also designated as apostles.

As God sent to earth in the flesh, Jesus went to the Father in prayer. He took time away from the hustle and bustle of teaching and healing to go out to the mountainside. It was just him and the Father above! Not only did he pray for guidance, he prayed all night long! If the Lord himself felt that prayer was the only way, shouldn't we also?

Are you facing some tough decisions in your life today? Don't feel overwhelmed, God will show the way. Take this perfect example from Jesus and spend some quiet time with God-just you and HIM. He will give you the wisdom and guidance that you so desperately need if you seek His face and listen for His answer.

Portion Control of the Spirit

If you have every been concerned with your health and weight (which most if us women are at some point) you may have heard a lot of advice on how to lose weight, be healthier and feel great. As a mom, you may also be concerned about how to teach healthy habits to your children as well. One of the most effective methods that I have found in maintaining and losing weight is not fad dieting but simple portion control. Over the years, the fast food industry has focused on value, offering more food for your money-and most other food establishments have followed suit. Super size and all-you can-eat buffets have become the norm. It is difficult for the average American to even understand what a good portion size is anymore. As responsible stewards of the bodies that the Lord has given us it is important for us to learn more about this concept and bring our ourselves and our families back to appropriate portion sizes.


This phenomenon, referred to as "portion distortion" can apply not only to physical food, but food of the spirit as well. What are you putting on your spiritual plate, and it what portions? Are you filling yourself with oversize portions of worldly pursuits (that can be compared to high fat, high sugar, high calorie foods?) or are you filling yourself with the perfect portion of God (comparable to balanced diet of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, milk, protein, and small amount of "good fats").

In our media-rich, advertising centered, fast paced society, it is a difficult for us and particularly for our children to resist the temptation to distort our spiritual plates with those "high calorie, low nutrition" things of the world. Money, power, beauty, and material items are just some of the things that are falsely promoted as "the American Dream". While there is nothing wrong with any of these items in and of themselves, the oversize portions of our hearts and minds that they occupy can become a barrier in our relationship with the Father. Sometimes we end up putting those things before him, without even realizing it has happened.

Lamentations 3:24-26 tells us how we can resist those temptations, confirming that the Lord himself should be our "portion":

I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

When we wait quietly on the Lord, spending time with him and his word, he is the nutritious portion that we need to lose the "weight of worldliness" and feel healthier and happier on a spiritual level.

Proverbs 23:1-3 instructs us all to practice physical and spiritual "portion control":

If you sit down to eat with a ruler, notice the food that is in front of you. Control yourself if you have a big appetite. Don't be greedy for his fine foods, because the food might be a trick.

As you begin this glorious new year that the Lord has given us, join me in practicing and teaching our children the value of spiritual "portion control" (and a little physical portion control never hurt anyone either!)

Happy New Year!

Hello to all and Happy New Year! I pray that you had a wonderful holiday season and are having an even better 2009.

As he new year is now upon us, many of us are reflecting on goals, aspirations and New Year's resolutions. We may be tempted to focus on fitness, business, personal, or financial goals during this time. I know I certainly am! (especially with those 20 lbs I want to lose) Though all of those goals are an important part of our lives, the Lord constantly encourages us to put Him and spiritual goals first. Ask Him about how you can be the mom, wife, sister, niece and friend that the Lord calls you to be. Through prayer and the study of the word, we can all find the balance and peace that He wants us to have as we embark upon all that we are called to do. What spiritual goals will you set for yourself this year? Write them down in a journal or somewhere you visit often. Share your goals with a close friend, family member or prayer partner so that you can ask each other about them once in a while. Focusing on the spiritual first will allow everything else to fall into place, making for a happier and more fulfilled 2009!

May the Lord lead your hearts into God's love and Christ's patience. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (NCV)

Feeling Down? Reach Out to Lift Someone Else Up.

We all have those times in our lives that we are feeling a little bit down. It could be due to circumstances, an unkind word, our health or some other obstacle we face. As busy moms, it is sometimes hard to look outside of that feeling because we are so busy.

When you begin to feel down, don't dwell on your problems, take the opportunity to reach out and lift someone else up. There is no greater joy than helping another! A kind word, a small gesture, or an act of love can make all the difference in someone else's life. The Word tells us in Galations 6:2:

"By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ."

With this in mind, please enjoy the following story written by Nanette Thorsen-Snipes.

Love is the Answer

My day began on a sour note when I saw my six-year old wrestling with a limb of my azalea bush. By the time I got outside, he'd broken it.

"Can I take this to school today?" he asked.

With a wave of my hand I sent him on. I turned my back so he wouldn;t see the tears. I touched the limb of my favorite bush as if to say, I'm sorry.

I wished I could have said that to my husband earlier, but I'd been angry. The washing machine had leaked on my lineoleum. If Jim had just taken the time to fix it the night before...I tossed my husband's dishes in the sudsy water. Later, I lugged wet clothes to the Laundromat. Thinking of how the love had gone out of my life, I stared at wall graffiti, feeling as wrung out as the clothes in a washer. I hung up shirts, then left for school to pick up my son.

I knocked on the classroom door and his teacher motioned for me to wait. She whispered something to Johnathan and gave him crayons.

"I want to talk to you about Johnathan,"she said when she walked over to me.

I steeled myself for the worst. I had had a fight with Jim, my son had broken a limb off my favorite bush, and now this.

"Did you know that Johnathan brought flowers to school today?"

I nodded, trying to keep tears in check. I glanced at my son coloring the picture. His hair flopped beneath his brow. He brushed it away and grinned at his handiwork.

"See that little girl?"the teacher asked.

Watching a bright-eyed child laugh out-loud I nodded.

"Yesterday she was hysterical. Her parents are going through a divorce. She said she wished she could die. I watched her bury her face in her hands and say,'Nobody loves me.' I did all I could to console her, but-"

"I thought you wanted to talk to me about Johnathan."

"I do." She touched my arm lightly. "Today your son walked over to that child, and handed her some pretty pink flowers. Then he whispered, 'I love you.' "

My heart swelled with pride for what Johnathan did.

I reached for his hand and said to his teacher,"You've made my day!"

Later that evening, I pulled weeds from around my lopsided azalea bush. My mind wandered back to the love Johnathan showed to the little girl and the biblical verse came to mind: "Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest is love." My son practiced love but all day I had only thought of how angry I was at Jim.

I heard the familiar squeak of Jim's truck breaks as he pulled into the drive, and I snapped a small limb bristling with hot pink azaleas. I felt the seed of love God had planted in my family begin to bloom once again in me.

My husband's eyes widened in surprise as I handed him the flowers. "I love you." I said.


Remain Blessed,

The Glad in God Game-Teaching Kids to be Grateful in Every Circumstance

Did you ever notice that it is pretty easy to teach children to be thankful when we have abundance and easy times in our lives? Think of a birthday party when your child was fortunate enough receive multiple gifts. Perhaps you had distributed a wish list and every gift turned out to be something that he or she desperately wanted. After opening each item, you heard the child exclaim, "Thank you, thank you so much! Its exactly what I wished for!" As the mom, you felt a wave of pride, having observed an appropriate outpouring of gratefulness on your child's part. "I have instilled a thankful heart!" you thought to yourself, "Praise the Lord". Easy as 1-2-3 right?

Now lets turn to that time when life took a difficult turn, the time that everything that you wished for seemed so far out of reach. Feeling thankful and teaching your children to feel thankful became so much harder didn't it? In those harder times, it became even more important to remember the loving character of God, keeping in mind that He will provide us with everything that we need. Phillipians 4:19 promises:

And my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

As His children, we find comfort in His promises and can always find something to be grateful for!

When I was 16 years old, my mother was called home to the Lord after a prolonged battle with diabetes and other health issues. That year for Thanksgiving, I was confronted with the daunting task of making a Thanksgiving Dinner for the first time ever. Now one thing that has to be considered in this story, is that I was a terrible cook! It was somewhat of a joke in the family that I could burn anything (though my father was pretty bad too!)! I remember the anxiety, fear, loss and sense of inadequacy that overwhelmed my whole being when faced with this seemingly impossible task. On one occasion, several weeks before Thanksgiving, as tears rolled down my face, I told my father,"I can't do it! I just want mom back! She could make a great dinner that we would all love."

In that moment, my father said to me, "Amber, you can do it! God has given us the means to have food on our table! He has also blessed us with a wonderful church family that is full of many experienced cooks. I know that they would be happy to give you some guidance. Let's be thankful for all that, mom would want us to." When he said that, I felt so comforted. Though I did not see it right away, God had provided me with the resources that I needed to get the job done. I was truly thankful!

That year several women from the church took me "under their wings" and taught me how to make a turkey and several side dishes. I ended up making a great Thanksgiving Dinner! As we sat down to eat, my father thanked the Lord for the food that He had provided, the cook that had prepared it, the blessing of our church family, the opportunity for togetherness. I will never forget that Thanksgiving and the example of thankfulness that my father helped me to see.

As parents, it is our example that teaches our children to have an spirit of thankfulness. Do we bless the Lord even when the road of our lives gets a bit bumpy? Do we thank God, even for less than perfect circumstances?

We can learn from the old, familiar story of Pollyanna, a young girl who liked to play the "Glad Game". When she wished for a doll to come in the missionary barrels, she received a pair of crutches instead. Her father, who was a minister, then taught her the "Glad Game". He explained that the object of the game was to try and find something to be glad about in every situation. Pollyanna then decided that even though the crutches were not the doll that she wanted, she was glad that she did not have to use them! This "Glad Game" eventually helped Pollyanna through much more difficult times as an orphan, even transforming the attitude of a whole town from discontentment to gratefulness!

As Christian parents, we can take "Glad Game" a step further. The next time something doesn't go quite how our children wanted it to, ask them to find reasons to be "Glad in God". Look for the blessings that the Lord provides, the silver lining that is always there for us as His children. Teach them to live out 1 Thessalonians 5:18:

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

For instance, when it becomes dark outside and the kids are sad to see the day come to a close, you could say to them, "Let's play the Glad In God Game! I'm glad that God made the stars. Did you know that the darker it gets, the easier it is to see them?" This thankful attitude will be contagious. Encourage the kids to be creative in what they are thankful for. You will be surprised at the things they will come up with!

I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
--Psalm 69:30

This post is part of the No Place Like Home Thanksgiving Celebration! See What that's About Here!

Turn on the Light

Do you remember when you were a child and everything in your room seemed to be a looming, purple, polka-dotted, three-eyed monster once the lights went out? There were goblins outside the window and witches in the closet, all just waiting to jump out and get you when you least expected it. If you were like me, you hid your head under the covers, with eyes wide, wishing that someone would just turn on that light! After all, the monsters were scared of the light and would surely leave if only someone would turn it on. As a mom, you may have seen the same fears in your own children and spent many a night looking under the bed for a giant that somehow got under there. He would miraculously disappear when the light of your flashlight chased him out.

As adults, most of us grow out of those irrational fears that we had when we were children, understanding that with dark comes shadows and that trees (not goblins) tap on our windows. The light illuminates our world and keeps the monsters at bay. In our maturity, we have "turned on the light" to understand that there is no danger. Though we may not believe in actual monsters anymore, we still face many emotional, circumstantial, and spiritual "monsters" in our lives.

The good news is that the Lord has given us His Son, His spirit, and His Word to act as our spiritual lights! As we mature in our Christian walk, these lights only shine brighter, eventually shining right through us to bless others! As we live in the spirit, meditate on His Word, and seek Him, there is nothing to fear. Consider the promise of Psalm 34:4

I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivers me from all my fears.

Additionally, Psalm 18:28 tells us that He can turn our darkness into light:

You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

Jesus Himself said it best in John 12: 46 when he declared:

"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."

What monsters are you facing in your life today? Whatever they may be (troubled relationships, financial issues, anxiety, fear of the future, difficult circumstances, health issues, etc.) He can deliver you from them, if you will trust in Him.

Cast your cares upon Him, for He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Turn on your eternal light by allowing Him to guide you through the darkness. Those looming, purple, polka-dotted, three-eyed monsters of your life won't stand a chance!