Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Hosea

My journey to health has many different roads. Weight loss is one of the long, twisting, winding  roads that I am traveling, but other roads exist on the journey, often times the roads intersect.  All the roads make up who I am and make up The Skinny on Shelly.  One of the roads that is vital for me on my journey to health is my faith.  Jesus has brought so much healing, forgiveness, strength, and grace to my life.  He is helping heal what causes me to "use" food, He gives me strength to press on, He gives me grace to get up, and helps me walk in forgiveness.

I love to do bible studies!  I love how Jesus speaks to me through them.  In the last few months I have wanted to do my own study, but honestly I just wasn't sure how, so I met with a wonderful pastor here in town.  She told me how she studies.  I ordered books and picked my first book to really study on my own...Hosea. In the midst of studying Hosea I also studied the word heal, along with it's friends healed, healer, healeth, healing, healings, and health.

I picked Hosea because I knew the basics of the story and I was drawn to it.  God asked Hosea to marry a woman with a past and a present and he obeyed.  I love, LOVE that God gave Gomer a husband.  It didn't matter what she was wrapped up in, He gave her someone to love her.  How much more does He do that for us?  So often we feel unworthy, unlovable.  We are a hot mess, but God loves us where we are just like Hosea did for Gomer. ( I am so glad He obeyed!)  God draws us to Himself just as we are. 

Through Hosea I also learned that sometimes God may lead us to a desert so He can speak tenderly to us. I was reminded that there are no prerequisites...we can come JUST AS WE ARE.   

There is so much more I learned, but we would be here all day, and I must get ready for work. 

To sum up my study:  God is in the business of healing and restoration! 

Whatever your dealing with He loves you and wants to bring healing and renewal to your life.
It doesn't matter who you are, what you have done, or where you come from. There is nothing, nothing that will separate you from the love of Christ!!!! (See Romans 8:39)


When you feel unworthy, unlovable, remember, He gives you worth.  He says you are worth His life!


 I wrapped up my study on  Hosea and thought I was done, but then on Friday I got an email about  someone named Jennifer Rothschild and her new study Hosea.  I purchased it and can't wait to study more. Check out her site: http://www.jenniferrothschild.com/   I can't wait to dive into this study to see what she learned and what God will show me through her.

I know to help me on my journey I need God's restoration, healing, and unconditional love.

Let's keep pressing on!!!

Be Thankful

My focus based on my one word, be, in April was be listening...defiantly something to still work on, but May has arrived in full force and its time to focus on a different be. 

My life has felt crazy lately. Things breaking and needing replaced, and not just simple things, pricey things.  One kid needs surgery, one needs an orthodontic consult and these are pricey.  Job changes, extended family sickness, family stresses, soccer, end of school year happenings, soccer, meetings, work...just life...and I need to be thankful for this life.

May's focus is to be thankful. 

Thankful for the craziness of life.

Have an attitude of gratitude.

There is so much to be thankful for.  Thankfulness shouldn't just happen in November.


Be.

One word.

One year.

Be thankful.