Last Year's Word: A recap {Obedience}
Before I can get to this year's word {2012}, which is coming soon, I wanted to recap on last year's word - obedience.
This is just a snippet of what I wrote last January:
"Here's the bottom line. As hard as this might be, I do want to grow; in my relationship with Jesus, in my relationship with others, in areas that will improve my health, both physically and emotionally and mentally. I don't want to be stagnant. I don't want to be the same Alysa today as I was five years ago; growth is important to me."
I also wrote: "OBEDIENCE. And by obedience, I mean, being obedient to God, His Word, and what He would want me to do this year. I can tell you right now the tangible thing I know He is asking me to do. He's asking me to be obedient in getting healthy. In taking care of my body. In eating better and exercising more. I start this year with lots of HOPE that I can lose more of the weight that needs to be lost. There were plenty of times this past year when I would plateau in my weight loss. And the reality was, I would plateau because I wasn't being obedient. I wasn't doing the hard work. I was eating the extra cookies knowing that was not the right choice."
And so as I reflect on twenty-eleven I think there was some growth. Definitely. In all honesty, I don't think as much growth happened at the beginning of the year as did over the last few months, but that's okay - as long as it happens, right? I think by the time the summer came around I was just plain worn out.
I couldn't get my act together. I'd start with watching what I was eating and then before long I'd give up. Lacked hope. Lacked determination. Lacked obedience.
And if we're being brutally honest, I'm not sure I gave my word much thought this past year. Not sure why. I think it just slipped off my radar. Lame, I know. But that's okay.
I will say that as I reflect on the past few months, since October 18th when I walked in the doors of Weight Watchers, I have seen a marked difference in my obedience level. Something inside kicked into gear and I have had a sense of urgency in obeying God and getting healthy. In stopping with the excuses. In taking the time to take care of myself.
Not sure why, but having a really hard time coming up with much to say about this so perhaps I will close by saying that as I've walked in obedience the past few months it has opened up such a sense of freedom. Freedom to be me. Freedom to take care of me. Freedom to be the gal that God wants me to be. He wants me to be healthy. He wants me to look in the mirror and like who He made me to be. He wants me to encourage others by sharing my struggles and journey.
He wants me to be obedient and He knows the end result of obedience. A deep sense of joy and freedom, surrounded by the Hope that He offers.
So I will continue on the path of obedience, specifically in regards to my health and taking care of this "bod" He gave me.
I suppose that obedience really is a life-long thing.
A journey that has freedom as one of its great rewards.
Here's to continuing on the path of obedience.