Hosting someone special

         I honestly can’t describe what happened and when it happened and I refuse to make it up. Recently, I think I just got tired of being “sick and tired”. As a matter fact, I saw a post on Facebook where a friend of mines said it best, “I’m tired of my own excuses.” Honey, if that doesn’t sum it up, I don’t know what will.

        Some time last week, something in me just shifted. I mean just outright changed. I became tired of being unhealthy, tired of being inconsistent in addressing it and even more tired of complaining about it. (As if change was not within arms reach!!) [Disclaimer: I think I am gorgeous! Apart of thinking that also aided in being comfortable at this weight, living this lifestyle] I can’t say that all my life I “struggled” with my weight. As a matter fact, I didn’t struggle, I “chose”. I chose to eat how I ate, and to not work out. I chose to complain instead of act, I chose to grow comfortable in my undisciplined lifestyle. I chose to remain uneducated about healthier lifestyles and routines at the gym, and out of that decision, came being overweight. (That’s my reality, I’m not saying its everyone else’s) The more I think about it, the only thing I’ve really struggled with is being disciplined and staying committed.

         Can I be real with you all? I haven’t been doing this healthy lifestyle “thing” that long, and part of me feels uncomfortable even sharing this “shift” because I WAS a firm believer (and still am a tiny bit) in not discussing things you haven’t mastered or walked through. (**New revelation**) The problem with that mentality however is that SOMETIMES while you’re walking out certain things God gives you different revelations, some specifically for you to keep and others for you to use and share with others so that they might be encouraged to journey with you. Adopting the idea that you haven’t “arrived” at a place at which you can advise others actually is selfish and restricting. (Hear me out: I recognize that there is some wisdom in being quiet about things you know nothing about, but none the less sharing is caring—use discernment) Sometimes people need whatever resources and information you have, period. Whether it’s your optimism about a certain thing, your expertise or simply your motivation, there’s always someone who needs what you have locked inside of you! Share it, humbly.

         So today, overweight (lets be real here), still very much a work in progress, I wanted to present 3 points the holy spirit has given me in the short amount of time that I’ve been working out which has encouraged me to start and to  keep going in hope that it’ll motivate you to start, or to journey on.

(1.) Do you know how precious you are to God? Do you realize how highly regarded you are?

“You made my all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mothers womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully COMPLEX!” your workmanship is marvelous--- how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Everyday of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How PRECIOUS are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered.” –Psalms 139:13-17

         Beautiful, handsome, precious, already thought of, highly considered, chosen one, the way you are right now is perfect, and unique and just all together lovely! You were and are fearfully and wonderfully created! Do you know what this means? Do you get the depth of how loved you are? Do you even realize how precious you are to God? Before you’re able to loose weight and reach a new destination in your physical stature it is SO necessary that you love where you are! Its hard to loose weight or to take on new lifestyles when you don’t enjoy the skin you’re in because you create this false idea in your head that your value is contingent upon how you look, how much you weigh etc! I come against those thoughts and false ideas right now, and I remind you, validate and reassure you, God has precious thoughts about YOU! He made you soooo wonderfully complex and WATCHED you…paid close attention to you in utter seclusion as you were being put together in your mother’s womb, how special are you? How highly regarded are you.  I don’t care what man says, you are the bomb.com Before you read further, I need you to get this component! I need you to own the fact that you are ENOUGH where you are and how you are! Anyone who challenges that I dare you to pose the question of if their opinion is higher than God’s? Does what they think of you matter more than what God thinks? . #HowYouThinkOfYourselfMatters #HowPreciousAreHisThoughtsOfYou

2. Are you a great host? Do you know who you have dwelling inside of you?

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with you body.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

         Wait a minute, the holy spirit lives in whaaat? In where? In whose body? Hold up! I’ve heard this scripture at least 1,000 times, but it wasn’t until I started working out that I began to respect what Paul was saying. " Do you realize that your body is the temple of the holy spirit? Wait a minute, don't I have the right to sleep in, to eat whatever want,  to talk about my body however I saw fit and was feeling in that moment, and to treat it how I please? Sure, you have the right to choices, However, living this way shows a lack of discipline, a lack of self control, a lack of emotional control and on a spiritual note, a lack of respect. If I believe in the God I post about all over social media and the God I talk about in different convo’s and the God I pray to, WHY WOULDN’T I  want to house the holy spirit in a temple that is being fed correctly, being utilized in way that shows I’m grateful and being well taken care of? Why wouldn't I want to provide the best upkeep to this temple, wouldn't that say I'm responsible, mature and totally providing proper reverence to whose dwelling on the inside of me? Wouldn't it in itself attract people to me? (I'm not even looking for romantic attraction, I'm talking about the kind of glow that makes people question, "what is up, you've been glowing!)  The holy spirit began to show me my apartment, and If you know me, then you know I love for my home to be in order, smelling nice and looking presentable. How could I take care of “item/material things” in such a manner and be mindless about my temple, which houses the most valuable part of me?

         This became real when my 4:30am alarm would go off, and I wanted to go to sleep.  I don’t’ belong to myself, I couldn’t and am still striving to make sure I’m not a slave to my own desires. (Personal desires being sleeping when I could be working out, having those second and third servings, etc)  So I pressed, and I am still pressing, recognizing that this temple while it is just dust, it’s the engine which allows me to get things done, it’s the vehicle that assist in me completing the items on my to do list, which parallel’s with my God given purpose! I don’t want to be someone who can’t finish the race, or who can’t assist in ministry because I’m tired, literally  out of breath or simply fighting a health issue that really could’ve been avoided with some discipline and reverence to the holy spirit. #NotOnlyWereAndAreYouFearfullyAndWonderfullyCreated#  #ButTheHolySpiritDwellsInYou #YouHaveThePriviligeToHouseASpecialGuest

3. Things don't last without a lifestyle of discipline and commitment. 

“All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” -1 Corinthians 9:25-27

        I was studying this scripture once and came across a note that said, “Winning a race requires purpose and discipline. It will require hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation.” I don’t think I could have said it any better. One of the most practical steps that I’ve taken in meeting the goal of getting to the gym Is setting a bed time.*insert everyone says “wow” in amazement* (There will be other steps, which I’ll share later as I discover them) but for me to meet the goal of JUST getting to the gym I had set a time that would allow me to sleep, wake up feeling rested and prepared. That was hard, I saw shifts in relationship around me because it meant I wasn’t available all hours of the night to be on the phone or to hang out. I witnessed myself struggle to learn a greater level of discipline in maximizing my hours in the day (since I didn’t have all night to complete task and honestly was exhausted by evening) and also a shift in being diligent. Understanding that the first component was getting to the gym regardless of the conditions around me. In the back of my mind, my starter goal was: I want to work out the same way I brush my teeth, daily, routinely, without thinking, second nature. I wanted working out to be something I “just do.”

        When that alarm went off at 4:30 in the morning, it was never a cup of ice cream, but it got done! Lifestyle changes require sacrifice, but more importantly it requires you UNDERSTANDING the PURPOSE of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Having an end goal and understanding its purpose adds value and then you are able to better assets moving pieces in your life. You begin to assess things like:  Stay up all night and watch TV while remaining chunky, or go to bed so that when tomorrow comes you can really work on that figure and set the tone for the day? It’s a choice. One that honestly some mornings you make day by day and others you make minute to minute, none the less it’s a choice. It’s a “hard working, self denying, grueling yet rewarding choice.”

#AthletesChooseToPushThemselvesToTheLimit #NotOnlyDoTheyWantToWinTheyAlsoWantToBeTheMVP #TheyAreDisciplinedForTheGreaterPurpose

        So in a nutshell, you’re the bomb, because God says so. So much so that the Holy Spirit dwells in YOU. What type of host are you? Regardless of the type of host you’ve been what type of changes are you prepared to make to cultivate a lifestyle of discipline and one you can commit to.

       The sweet guest resides within you, the holy spirit. I pray even if you don’t know what to do, you begin to start. Small progress is still progress, you’re so worth it. Your purpose depends on you being able to get up, not feel sluggish, being motivated and disciplined to run this race.

I believe in you!

 XoxoXo,

Alicia Elizabeth

This picture was dates back to November 11, 2012.  An example of attempts, that I didn't stick with. Yet, I kept trying, and I'll continue to. Lets do this.