Faith through People

I had a great day yesterday, very busy but very blessed. I know I don't usually blog on the weekends but I really wanted to get this down, now while it's all still fresh in my head and in my heart.

A lot of my family is still in town from my aunt's service and were supposed to be meeting up at the park. My girls played all day with their cousins and distant cousins. Everyone brought food, friend chicken, pizza and deserts of course. I ate before I got there so that wouldn't be a problem for me. Although I did indulge after several hours and had a few cookies. I guess it was an afternoon snack. I'm not that worried about it. I got to visit with a lot of my cousins and had some really good conversations.

One conversation in particular is the reason I *had* to blog. Jessica, one of my cousins, lost a lot of weight several years ago. She is extraordinarily beautiful and intimidatingly gorgeous, even at age 44. And I've heard from other's (in-laws not related to her) how beautiful she was as a young adult. She lives in far away and I rarely get to see her, she is also the mother of 7 beautiful children and is always busy. I keep in touch with her via facebook but I know her children use and update her page more than she does. So I've been dieing to pick her brain and here all about her weight loss journey and what she thinks about it now years after being able to maintain. But I didn't want to send those type of questions to her over a message on facebook. So, I've just kept them to myself.

Yesterday, we got to talking and she really opened up to me about her testimony and her journey. She really is a sweet and amazing woman. Not to mention, gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. She had lost over 100 lbs from her starting weight of around 250 lbs. She's gained some back because she felt that at a size 4 she was too skinny and is finally now happy with her size. We got to talking about life, trials and tribulations and how we've dealt with them in the past. She said for that for her, the secret to weight loss was just as much physical as it was emotional. The whole mind, body,spirit thing and that God was the driving force in why she was successful at losing her weight. She was able to verbalize so many of the same things that I've felt with my faith but couldn't put into words. It's amazing how God is constantly working through people to talk to you. It is amazing to hear and see how she has grown with Christ into an even more beautiful woman and Christian. It was oh so inspiring.

I know I heard EXACTLY what I've been needing to hear. My heart while it's in the right place needs to grow stronger with my faith. I need to pray more, believe more and most of all give God more of me.

A few verses to think about:

(II Timothy 1:7) 7 For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

(II Corinthians 12:9-10) 9 He has said to me, "“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”" Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

(I Corinthians 10:13) 13 No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Through my cousins, and other means, God has been saying, "Come to me. Give me your worries, your fears, and your triggers. I will make you strong, I will give you self control. Give me more of you, and I will then give you more of me." I know my own testimony is building and my faith is growing. I'm excited, and I can finally hear God talking to me and working within me.