One of the books Jerry and I came home with from the SCWC is entitled Faithfully Fit, written by Claire Cloninger and Laura Barr. I am only a few pages into the book but I already know it is not like any other ‘shed those pounds’ books I have thumbed through or partially read. I can see right now that appetite and surrender are both the problem and the solution.

Additionally, I have decided I have been praying the wrong prayers before meals. Certainly, we are grateful for our meals, for the tables upon which they rest, and for the hands that prepare them. And certainly, we would like for the meat and the potatoes and the cheesecake to nourish our ‘temples’, but praying like that thus far has not made me Faithfully Fit. As I said, I have many pages to go to complete this book, but I already see a startling difference in it. It does not say START TODAY. It reminds me of the Lord when He said to count the cost.

Luke 14 (NKJV): 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?   source

Cloninger and Barr suggest their readers take a week to pray and to gather certain materials before setting out on their recommended 40-day journey to becoming Faithfully Fit. I think I just might learn something this time! But back to my mealtime prayer. I think I need to not only think before I eat but think before I pray that mealtime blessing. The prayer I am working on is this: Lord, You know I have a problem with appetite and apparently with ‘surrender’ too. So before I consume this meal, I am asking for the strength to surrender my physical appetite to You. And I am asking that I be willing to allow You to satisfy all my hungers so I will not go looking for this food on my plate to comfort me in ways it is not designed to do.

And that’s as far as I have gotten. How about if we revisit this one day next week? I should have learned some more by then.

In the meantime, maybe a little cost counting in other areas would be a good thing. A little figuring here, a little figuring there, maybe a little time to ‘sleep on it’ (wait 24 hours) would give us time to Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4: 16 NKJV and decide just whose idea is this anyway! Notwithstanding, if you have affirmation and confirmation from Father that He has given you a green light on any project, then go for it – no more waiting! Otherwise, I think we would be wise to Pray and Wait.

Father, we continue to be grateful for the doors of thought and ministry that You are opening to us and we continue to desire to be faithful to You. We ask You to guide us as we approach all projects, thoughts, and ideas that come to our minds daily; help us choose wisely, help us wait according to wisdom, and help us advance according to wisdom – grant to us this wisdom as You describe in James 1. And Father, as we call our prayer requests to You, we commit their needs to You in Jesus’ name.

As I post this it is 84°F and mostly sunny in Baghdad, Iraq & the time there is 8:38 AM ADT- on June 20, 2007

James 1 (KJV): 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.