God is bigger than the boogie man!!!

Last week I was given the privilege to lead Wednesday night youth group at our church. I talked about getting rid of the baggage in our lives. Unpacking those bags and making more room in our hearts for the Lord. We watched this video. I honestly just spoke about what the Lord had been putting on my heart in my own life. Evidently it was exactly what some kids in our youth group needed. I am so glad I followed the Lords still small voice in my heart.

Then this past Sunday we had small group as usual. We just started a new Bible study over the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan (I always want to say Jackie Chan..LOL) anyways....new study. We are in a new group and I am enjoying getting to know some new people! I have already read this book in the past but this time we are doing a somewhat in depth study with it. I LOVE IT. After we got done with the study this week we went off by ourselves and went to a quiet place in the church and just took some time to pray. The challenge was five minutes then meet back in the classroom. I ended up being the last person back and it really only felt like two minutes. The Lord just really grabbed my heart about everything through the past week that He had been teaching me.

I have been SOO OCD about this whole baby thing. One moment I am fine, the next I am ready to try again, the next I am ready to adopt, foster care etc etc. It's this huge pendulum of emotions. I know that's normal but I have been letting it 110% consume me. I just can't shake it. It has taken over my life and my heart. Really that is my "Baggage." Well during that prayer time on Sunday night the Lord really grabbed a hold of my heart and shook some sense into me. I have got to get my focus fully back on Him. HE should be the one thing consuming my every thought and breath. He should be the one I obsess about day and night. 

So I'm giving it all to the Lord. I have made a commitment that for the next nine months my lifestyle is going to be different. It's going to be for the Lord. I have got to get my life under control and for HIS glory and then I believe He will give me the desires of my heart. I have neglected so many thing and have been scrapping by and I'm done. I'm done only being lukewarm. I have got to get back in the game and be smokin' hott!!! So for the next nine months I'm going to get control. I'm going to eat the way I know I should and see if that will help relieve the symptoms of my PCOS. I'm done with medications and doctors and doubt. I know that I serve the ALL-MIGHTY physician and HE can cure anything if we honor Him. So I am going to do my best. This means no junk food, VERY little to no sweets, no soda, less carbs etc. And I am working out. I've already seen results after just a week and a half of working out and eating healthier. And this is not really about loosing the weight. That is not my focus. My focus is that my body is HIS temple and I have to honor it. If I can't do simple things like honoring the Lord with my temple then why do I deserve the privilege of carrying His blessings?! Outside of healthier choices I am going to be in the word more and be spending more time in prayer. And lastly I'm going to stop focusing on the past and the what if's about our little family. My nine months will conclude on Halloween. Not that that has any special significance but that just works out to roughly nine months. I pray all of you around me will encourage me and support me through this. I know it's not going to be easy but I know that's what the Lord is calling me to do. I would appreciate your prayers!

At the end of this season I pray that I am free of these chains. I hope I can look back and say, "Look what the Lord has done in me because I have listened to His calling."  

I love you all!
God Bless!
Love,
Stephanie Rachelle