Lovestruck

Blessed to be part of the launch team for this new book by Sharon Jaynes. Y'all, it is amazing! 

If you pre-order your copy of Lovestruck by August 5th, you will receive a downloadable study guide and Scripture cards PLUS you can start reading 3 chapters of the book now- before the book even releases!

So head on over to https://www.thomasnelson.com/p/lovestruck/ and order yours today!

#lovestruckbook #sharonjaynes #preorder #marriageGodsway #romance #committment #intimacy #SongofSolomon #restoration

Refocus, Refresh, Restart

Can you believe it? Half the year is gone and we are stepping into the final half of 2019. For some it's just another day. Me personally? It is a time of reflection on what has or has not been accomplished in the areas I hoped to see change. A time to regroup, realign, reassess and row, row, row your boat LOL

There is much I hoped to accomplish, much I still want to do but my sights right now are on seeking God and asking him what the three most important things/areas are for me to shift my focus to. You see, ultimately I want to finish the year well. And while I could fill a sheet of paper with 15-20 things I'd like to do, it's inevitable that I will barely touch on each one and only do them half-way. I firmly believe that God would rather we do a few things well that will benefit ourselves and His kingdom, rather than throw our hands into too many things and have nothing substantial to show for it when the year ends.

My prayer to God did not return void but laid out exactly where I need to direct my attention. And while they are all separate things, in reality one builds upon the other and in the end will add three strong bricks to my foundation.

Focus #1: My personal walk with God and the calling He has placed on my life. At first I thought this might be two separate tasks but in the bigger scheme of things, they actually go hand in hand. Bottom line, I cannot lead well and minister to women effectively if I myself am not connected to and walking in relationship with God in the way He desires. This will require making some significant changes, but when you measure what I am laying down alongside what I have to gain? There is no comparison. Titus 1:8-9 

Focus #2: Living a healthy lifestyle. If you know me, you know this is something I have struggled with for some time. I'm not just talking about my physical being, but also my emotional and spiritual well being. I'm blessed to have stumbled upon an amazing accountability group that uses the Made to Crave 60 Day Devotional written by Lysa TerKeurst as its basis. Great news is, it's a recurring group that goes through this study several times per year. What I have realized is that this journey is not just about me getting right in the physical. Complete health is achieved when all three areas align, which means... Focus #1 helps develop Focus #2 and gets it moving in the right direction which leads into the final directive.

Focus #3: Be intentional. What exactly does that mean? Author and coach Chrysta Bairre wrote: 

"It means you are purposeful in word and action. It means you live a life that is meaningful and fulfilling to you. It means you make thoughtful choices in your life. Being intentional means you actively interact and engage with your life. You wake up every day and ask yourself, “how am I going to make this day great?” You respond instead of react. You love instead of fear. You embrace instead of expect. You accept instead of resist."

A great definition but, as a Jesus Girl, I believe it is  bigger than that. So for me it would include to live a life that is meaningful to God and to actively interact and engage with others. And my big daily question, "Lord, what would You have me do today that will make a lasting impact?"  

Now that I have actually typed these thoughts out, I clearly see that intentionality is the key to it all. 

--->> Want a deeper relationship with God? Be intentional about getting in the Word, praying, joining a bible study group. 

--->> Want to effectively lead others? Be intentional about building relationships and encouraging others.

--->> Want to get healthy?  Be intentional about moving your body and filling it with nutrients not junk. 

The list goes on, but I think you get where I'm going with this. So as we begin our journey into the next six months, take some time to refocus, refresh and restart. Ask God "what is the most important thing/area I need to work on in this season of my life?" I promise you that if you truly seek Him with a heart that is willing to follow where He leads, you will not be disappointed. Best of all, it will set you on course to finish the year well.

Love and Blessings,
Brandy

Hitting Pause

Now that we are halfway through January, I'm feeling the need to hit pause. The last few days have been busy, the couple days before that were part lazy so I am definitely not where I had hoped to be with my writing or my reading and several other things. As I look at my schedule for the weeks ahead, I see that my workload gradually increases each week which is a good thing as it means the company is finally coming out of the slow season. But I stop and think to myself, if I don't pause now... then where will I be a few weeks from now? You guessed it, even more behind than I am today.

It may be a New Year but I still continue to struggle with being and remaining focused, walking away from time wasters, putting aside quiet time and being more committed in my walk with God. Cause friends in all honesty, change is hard. Breaking habits -->> my worst being procrastination -->> is even harder. But try I must! Though I admit there are more days than I can count when I "try" to accomplish change in my own strength. HA! If it only that were possible. Yeah, it might work for a short while but true change, REAL change can only happen when we turn all our days, ourselves and our messes over to Jesus and let him lead. 

Most days I rise at 0605 so I can set my day in motion. At 0630 I hug my husband, send him out the door for work then turn on the coffee pot and start cooking breakfast. Some mornings I pray for my him; that he has a safe drive to work - cause folks, seriously, we live in Jacksonville NC on the outskirts of town and my hubs has to deal with some C*R*A*Z*Y drivers along with the traffic of folks trying to get on the 2 other bases before his exit for Camp Lejeune - I pray for his safety at work as he has to climb a lot of ladders and spend time on roofs, that he would lead well and his heart and mind would be set on God so that he can be a light to those he comes in contact with. Most mornings pass though without a single prayer being lifted. 

In the words of my girl Cheryl: Prayerlessness creates a vacancy within us. And if we are not filling the gaps within us with Jesus... that means we are leaving space; creating holes. If ya didn't know, holes create space for the enemy to slide in. And that should be the last thing we want.

So today I decided that hitting pause was necessary. When my alarm went off today, I opened my YouTube app and allowed my Holy Spirit playlist to seep into me and fill the places that I've allowed to become dry the last several days. Not saying that I didn't create space for Jesus in those days, but not as much as my heart truly desires to. I did get out of bed to see my hubby off, then let the worship play as I went about my morning, getting my focus where it needed to be. It truly is amazing how different a day can go when we make space for God. 

I've also neglected time in the Word for several days but fully intend to spend my afternoon catching up on my daily reading. This pause was greatly needed because as of late, I do not organize my days well and my time management leaves much to be desired. I have more freedom than most in my schedule which creates a lot of space, unfortunately I don't always use it constructively. So, as you can see this can be a good thing but can also create a recipe for disaster and if I don't ask God to help me get a grip on it and show me how to do better in these areas, days and weeks will pass and I will look back and see that very little was accomplished. 

My greatest desire is to grow in the Lord and while there has been growth over the years, I know full well in my heart that it could have been so much more had I just made Him my priority daily. He has SO much for me (and for you!) if only we would get out of our own way and let Him lead! Choose today whom you will serve. 

Chit Chat Corner

How's your year going? Did you start off strong but now find yourself struggling to maintain the momentum? Maybe hitting pause is something to consider. Take a look at the last 15 days. Are you still walking in those old ways or are your new habits still shining through? Feel free to share in the comments section.

Wherever you're at, I encourage you to take some time, pray and seek the Lord. Make sure that what you're doing lines up with His plans for you. 

Work the Word

Jeremiah 29:11-14a (AMP) For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call on Me and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear [your voice] and I will listen to you. 13 Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,’ says the Lord. 

Blessings in Christ,

~Brandy

Hello 2019!

A New Year has begun... how exciting is that?

Personally, I am riding on high! This morning I woke to a blank canvas waiting to be filled with fresh, new and exciting things. I think we all (well us women at least) have an eager anticipation of what's to come.

Opening a fresh new planner. Starting a reading plan. A journal full of blank pages just waiting to be scripted. Goals to get you closer to financial freedom. Nurturing of comfortable relationships. Making room for new relationships. Creating an environment for a healthier lifestyle. All this and more awaits us!

We are focused, motivated, determined, more aware. 

Ready to learn from the year that has passed and resolve to grow in new ways.

There is much that I would personally like to accomplish this year. Most important to me is walking closer with God and developing a deeper relationship with Him so that I can move forward in the calling He has placed on my life. 

A couple months ago, after much debate, I purchased a 2019 planner. There were several that caught my eye... until I saw the price EEK! Thankfully I stumbled upon a really nice one at Christian Book that ended up being right up my alley and also made my wallet much happier. There's plenty of space to plan my day and it includes a daily Bible reading plan along with a daily verse. What I love best is that it zips up so any loose items I add to it won't fall out! 

For Christmas, I received a beautiful journal from my mom which unbeknownst to her, happens to compliment my planner perfectly. This also has a verse at the top of each page and enough pages to allow writing for every day of the year YAY! My hope this year is to grow as a writer (as this is one of my passions) and be more active than I have in past years.

So here's to my first post of many in the year ahead!  

Work the Word:

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Is. 43:19)

We have all either buried things in the wilderness or left some by the side of the road. What are your passions friend? Is there something you have ditched along the way that you would like to dig up and restore? Or is God calling you to dive in and explore something new in 2019? I'd love to hear from you, feel free to join the conversation in the comments.

Blessing in Christ,

Brandy

Power of Soaking

A couple weeks ago on my Committed to Overcome page, I shared about my struggle with poor memory and comprehension. I shared the struggles I have staying focused and getting through bible study and any other non-fiction book. These are on the list of many that I am committed to overcome.

The other night I was sitting in the living room while my husband watched TV. My heart really wanted to be spending time with the Lord, working through my current study The Power of a Praying Woman. The thought of instrumental worship came to mind, so I pulled up YouTube and came upon Instrumental Soaking Worship. Talk about a game changer!

Saturdays' listening was a 3 hour one similar to what I have shared. I plugged in my headphones, hit play and literally became absorbed in my bible study for almost the entire time. The music played softly through my ears and allowed my focus to solely be on what was in front of me.

My plan this week is to use this method daily not just as a way to go deeper with God but also to help me stay focused while I learn about and work my new Avon business, when I sit down to write, even when I clean the house. We have a Roku for our TV, so I can easily pull up YouTube on there and soak the house LOL

I first learned about soaking when I went to a local Bethel Church conference here in NC a few years ago, but never put it into practice. I'm thankful God placed this on my heart as a way to draw closer to Him.<3 span="">

Here's an article about soaking prayer if you'd like to read more about it: What is Soaking Prayer?

Blessings in Christ, 

~ Brandy

This video is not the same as my first find but very similar. I pray that it blesses you and helps you grow deeper with God and brings you back to a place of focus.

Weigh In Wednesday

Well y'all, its Weigh In Wednesday and I honestly have no idea how it will go, at this point my prayer is that I just maintain. Last night we went to an impromptu birthday party where there was pizza, chips, cheese doodles and cupcakes... eek! Put that on top of a McDonald's sausage burrito before meeting some gals yesterday morning and a lunch of Cool Turkey wrap with a side of Black Bean Corn Salsa and chips while hanging out with my Golden Girls and I am more than certain my salt intake was too high LOL

Too much salt = water retention which most times = weigh gain.

So I ate a banana when I got home to help flush out the overage in sodium. But you know what? I'm actually ok with it all. While my whole purpose of joining Weight Watchers was to lose weight and get healthy, I still fully intend to enjoy life. Not every day is like yesterday, most days I eat all 3 meals at home or from my lunch bag.

Here's what I can say about yesterday. I got to spend a small portion of my morning with some great ladies that I met when I used to attend the Tuesday weigh in meeting. Lunch was spent with 10 amazing ladies, some I have known for years, others I just met this year. We got together to support a friend who recently lost her son and presented her with a beautiful necklace as a symbol of the closeness of their hearts and also our love for her. We celebrated our friendship over food and coffee, just like we do most every Tuesday. Then last night was a party with family, which we are blessed to have close by.

Back to Weight Watchers... on a good note, I tracked almost all the food I ate this week in my app. The past several week I've been slacking a bit. After 5 months of being in the program, I have finally incorporated exercise into my daily routine. Truly blessed to have lost the first 25# merely by changing what I was putting into my mouth but know that exercise is a must not just for my weight loss to progress but for healthier living over all.

So why am I ok if I just happen to maintain this week or even have a a little gain? For starters, I have been able to bring down 2 stacks of clothes from the top shelf of my closet. Majority of them have not graced this body in over 3 years, maybe more! Not NOW... the majority fit comfortably and a few will fit better once I lose another 5 pounds LOL This is HUGE! It also means that more of the every day clothes I have been wearing for years will now be removed from my closet and be given away.

Progress doesn't always show up on the scale. That is why we have what are called NSV's (Non Scale Victories). Lately the one that gets me most excited is being able to pull my pants off at the end of the day without unbuttoning or unzipping them LOL it's the little things folks, really, it is.

Thanks for following me on my journey through life :) Hope you all have an amazingly awesome day!

Blessings in Christ,

~ Brandy

Follow me on Weight Watchers connect @ committed2overcome

Follow me on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/committed2overcome

And if you love Avon, check me out @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/beautybybrandy

Self-Sabotage

I’m currently in a women’s bible study at Refuge Church in Richlands, NC called Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer. I’m a little behind (nothing new LOL) but I don’t want to rush through it as I would like to get as much out of it as God would allow me to. This morning I was studying Week 1, Day 4 and let me tell you, it really spoke to me in light of my current struggle. Let me share what God has shown me today.

#ArmorOfGod - The enemy carefully considers and calculates your current situation, taking into account your weaknesses and strengths, your interests and tendencies, your history and past abuses, everything! THEN he crafts a specific strategy to hook and reel you in.

Absolute truth right here. The last several days I feel like I have been self-sabotaging. It's been a little over 5 years since I've been under 200 pounds and now the enemy is trying to feed me a handful of lies to trip me up. He knows my weakness, knows my past behaviors and is trying to trigger all those things to get me to fall off track and not have victory in the area of my health.

#ArmorOfGod - Satan is tricky, but he is not original or creative. He’s always had the same basic game plan. And if you’re watching, you’ll see that sometimes the areas where he’s targeting you are the ones you’d already expect. By being proactive in prayer and girded in the spiritual armor, you’ll be able to detect his secret plans before the attack unfolds and you can sabotage his efforts to deceive and disable you.

What I need to be doing is sabotaging his effort, NOT letting him sabotage all the progress I have made over the last 9 weeks! He pulls from all of my old reasons for losing weight and starts throwing them at me. I know full well that I am doing this so I can be healthy and that there are no ulterior motives like trying to catch another’s eye. But because all my weight loss efforts in the past were linked to getting “skinny” because I was out of one relationship and looking for another, the enemy plays right into that.

It’s funny that I am sitting here writing about the enemy, who is often referred to as a serpent or snake and I have literally been watching a black snake slither through my yard for the last 30 minutes LOL He slinks through the grass, pops up his head then slinks through some more thinking he is not being seen. Amazingly, every time I look up from my book or computer, it has only taken me mere seconds to find him… even when he is slithering. Amazing how God works and the way he uses things right in front of us to bring his point home. What would be great is if I could always recognize him that quickly, but it isn’t always the case.

#ArmorOfGod - Our predispositions and weaknesses are what the enemy WILL USE to exploit us. Whether from our upbringing, our inborn personalities, or vulnerabilities created by events in our life, these appetites of ours inform the enemy of what bait to use when targeting us. If promiscuity has been part of your history (wow Priscilla, you must have wrote this just for me), he’ll want to keep that fire burning in your body while sending enticing offers to lead you astray. 

Knowing these things; knowing the thought process that has been ingrained in my brain in relation to weight loss; knowing how the enemy has derailed me in the past, almost to the point of losing my marriage because I took “the bait”, calls me to realize that I need a plan… a strategy born from God that will put that snake right back in the hole he came from. Praise God, my husband and I will be celebrating 10 years of marriage this July. But 5 years ago, when I lost all that weight and pride got the best of me, I let my guard down and the enemy played into all those weak spots. After that I let fear pave the way and decided that fat equaled unattractive which in turn equaled safe and that is the mindset I have been stuck in for 5 years, and likely why my weight continued to increase.

fat = unattractive = safe

Now that I know better and am more aware of the ways I self-sabotage, I know that a new thinking pattern is in order. I know that I NEED to allow God to reprogram my brain from thinking that losing weight is a tool to get the attention of others. So my plan this week is to create a list of (fat =) vs (healthy =) so that when the enemy tries to feed me lies, I am ready to fight back!

A few things on what getting healthy now means to me:

*  To be able to serve God in a greater capacity.

*  Restore intimacy in my marriage (cause when you don’t like looking at yourself, you really don’t want others to look at ya either and this can create an issue)

*  Rebuilding the Temple of the Holy Spirit that I have destroyed.                                 

     1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT) 19 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, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Now it’s time to get back on track, literally. My tracking in the #weightwatchers app has been off the last 3 days. My journal writing has been sparse and I’m just not as on fire as I was when I first started on this path. Time to look again at my why, make some small goals and continue working toward a healthier me.

I would love your feedback! Feel free to leave a comment. What have been ways you have self-sabotaged in the past or currently are in the present?

Blessings in Christ,

~Brandy