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Manna Issue 25
#1
Manna Issue 25

Ecclesiastes 4:9 "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Computers have forever changed our society. We do things with our computers that people could have never envisioned. The widespread use of the Internet has made a tremendous impact on our daily lives. The Internet has transformed into a world of its own. You can do anything from finding a date for a Saturday night, to finding an E-mail address of a distant friend that you haven't spoken to in years. The use of the Internet has been growing exponentially for the last couple of years, and will continue to do so in the future. More and more people are feeling left out unless they participate in this new phenomena. The main way that the growing use of the Internet has changed our lives is the manner in which we are able communicate with each other. People use E-mail instead of the post office, or they use chat instead of the telephone. In many ways, using E-mail can be a more efficient method because it can travel around the world in seconds. And that brings us to the subject of the availability of support for dieters that was never able to be fashioned before the advent of the computer as it is now.

Without the computer I might have a "food sermon" running through my head, but I would have no one to hear me out as you do. This is my avenue of reaching out to dieters and telling them, "I know what dieting is all about. I know its hardships, estrangement from those who know no restriction, and I want to support you. I don't want you to go it alone, and I know that God doesn't want you to also." I could not find the statistics that I once had that showed that dieters that had support were three times as likely to have success as those who did not have support. You will just have to take my word on this. Positive support makes all the difference in the world. How many of you are so fortunate to have that type of support system in the home? Perhaps you have parents or spouse that encourages you, or children that need to diet with you with their enthusiasm, or an occasional friend or two that wants to begin a diet with you and challenge you to be faithful. This system is not available to all dieters so that is who I am trying to reach today with love and understanding, and perhaps a few suggestions along the way. There is a saying, "If you want to soar with the eagles, quit trotting with the turkeys." So, if you are trotting with turkeys who just don't understand what dieting is all about, who undermine your efforts, or says, "I don't see any difference," or "You have been down this road before with no results," or "Why bother, you'll only regain it again," you will need to find your very own support system and this is where the Internet excels where there is no equal.

My husband was so supportive of my efforts on my first attempt, but the component that was missing was that he has never in his 64 years ever had to go on a diet. Ah, one of those with a perfect metabolism that, I might say, eats to no end each day, and never gains an ounce. Oh, we all know that type and are quite suspicious of them, so we still need to look further to find someone that will truly empathize with us. This calls for much more than sympathy. This calls for an I can and do relate type person! I am a search engine fanatic. It is like having a library in my home without having to drive into town to visit our local branch. So I popped in the words, weight loss support and came up with well over 3/4 million places of sanctuary. I did the same search and added the word Christian and came up with over 50,000 results. Generally the people who visit these sites are seeking out a new way to help lose weight. They have tried diets and pills, but they just don't work for them. What they found out was that a strong support system was the only thing that would make a difference. So by now, you must be saying "Yes, so what is your point?" Point being, I have seen on the message boards so many saying, "I don't have the support in my household" and using that as an excuse for the failure they are already setting themselves up for. Do you know this verse? (Psalm 27:10) "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up." God sends support in ways other than we expect or perhaps even want. First and foremost our support system must come from the Lord and He is readily available to each and everyone of us. We must be comfortable enough to talk to Him before meals, after meals, and whenever we are tempted to overindulge. We must pray, open our Bible for a verse that comforts and carry on a running conversation with Him about our ups and downs. And then we must either find a Christian support system for ourselves or willingly offer ourselves to others to help them through the process. Either or any way, support is what will keep you interested in your own dieting attempts.

I have always been pretty much of a lone wolf, but through dieting I have learned why support is so essential, something I had never understood before, or perhaps because the many choices were never as available as they are now. But as we will see this is nothing new, only more widespread and available now. In the early days of the Methodist Church, members were expected to agree to six common disciplines or "Rules" found in The Works of John Wesley (1816). To meet once a week, at least. To come together at the hour appointed, without some extraordinary reason. To begin (those of us who are present) exactly at the hour, with singing or prayer. To speak each of us in order, freely and plainly, the true state of our souls, with the faults we have committed in thought or deed and the temptations we have felt since our last meeting. To end every meeting with prayer suited to the state of each person. To desire some person among us to speak his own state first, and then to ask the rest, in order, as many and as searching questions as may be, concerning their state, sins, and temptations

The value of support was introduced in the church as in this example here, and for Christians have now spread through the means of the Internet causing us to gather together on a daily basis if we so desire. If you are not convinced yet that support might be the ingredient that is missing from your diet, please read this story and you will discover, as our verse says today, "Two are better than one." (Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.) The Lonely Ember: "A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the play of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet fascination. As the one lone ember's flame diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. Just before the pastor was ready to leave, he picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, 'Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.'" Author Unknown

If your dieting efforts have seemed to have gone dead and cold like this ember, seek out support. Someone or someplace where you can gather when you need a pep talk, a prayer, someone to share a burden with. Your ember can come alive again. God can guide you to a place of refuge where you can not only receive support, but give it to others and be blessed in doing so. Awhile back a Weigh Down Co-coordinator needing to diet contacted me from my web page and made this accurate statement along with this generous offer. ".......It also occurred to me that the time when I was most successful -- I lost 30 pounds within a few months -- was when I was the coordinator for Weigh Down. I was motivated by the fact that I was an example for the women in the program and they were looking at me to help them. I was thinking that if I were in a similar position again and was accountable to other people who are trying to lose weight, I could be successful again." Here is her thoughts for our readers on the value of support: "There are three sources of support and encouragement you can draw from on the weight loss journey: God, family, and friends. 1) God helps by speaking to you through His word and the time you spend with him in prayer. (I suggest the neon colored cards, that are more noticeable). Admit to him that overeating IS a sin (gluttony) and you desire to repent (change your ways). Ask him to show you verses which will motivate you in your personal struggle.Write those verses on index cards and tape them to your kitchen cupboards, mirrors, the refrigerator, food boxes, or anywhere that temptation seem to pull you. 2) Your family can help you by being more aware of how their eating habits make hinder/benefit your success. Tell them what foods are your weaknesses and ask them not to buy them. If you prepare the meals, ask someone else to take a turn (to eliminate snacking while cooking -- which is one of my struggles). If someone else prepares the meals, ask if they would be willing to try different recipes (low-cal, low fat). Plan to go for a walk with one or more of your family members each day. It is a great time to open the communication lines while increasing your activity level! 3) Your friends are another vital part on the road to your goal weight. I have arranged to go a friend's house once a week to "weigh-in". Be accountable to someone...ask him/her to call you regularly (a few times a week) to "check-up" on your eating habits. He/she could talk with during time of day when you have the most trouble to get your mind off the food. And of course, you should do the same for your friend if this person is also trying to change his/her eating habits. In case you haven't noticed, for each of these sources of encouragement to be effective, you must be active in telling them you need help and asking them to stand beside you. You will need to open yourself up to them and be honest about your areas of weakness. This is difficult, I know! I found that it is a matter of swallowing my pride (realizing I can't do it on my own, like I thought). You will find that your Father God, your family, and your true friends will be delighted to give you support."~~Submitted by Brandi

God will bless and help you if you will reach out to others and be their support system also. A testimony from Brandi was that giving support spells success. Think about it until we meet again next week. Prayer: Heavenly Father, yes, sometimes I feel alone in my efforts, but I realize that it is something in my life that I can change if I desire. I would love an understanding ear, support, friendship, prayer partners or whatever else You might have to offer. You have given me Grace Today as an example of "freely give, freely receive." I note in that well known Scripture that freely give comes first in importance. Help me to be a contributor. Remind me that You even sent the disciples out two by two for a reason, and that the early Christians gathered together daily. Guide me to where I might find companionship of others like-minded, and I will give You all the honor and glory and praise, in Jesus' name. Amen
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