A Witness Against Myself

"So Joshua said to the people, 'You are WITNESSES against yourselves, that you have chosen the Lord for yourselves to SERVE Him.'" - Joshua 24:22

I have started a journey . . . of eating healthier . . . years ago.  I have learned a lot.  But in my weak efforts to loss weight or tone up, it hasn't amounted to a "hill of beans".  Except for the fact that overall I think I DO eat a bit healthier.  At least I have broadened my horizons and learned to like\love foods that I hither to have not liked or been accustomed to eating very often.  For instance:  okra, lots of fresh spinach or sauted spinach, zucchini pizzas, Greek yogurt, avocados, quinoa, sauted cabbage, roasted cabbage, black beans, hummus salmon, baked tilapia, sweet potatoes, red cabbage salad, red beets, green tea, coconut oil candy, liquid flavored stevia,  kalamata olives, etc.

I've always known that I have some bad habits health wise.  Eating before going to bed is\was\still sometimes still is a H.U.G.E. temptation and lack of self-control.  Also, I usually have tended to eat more than I should.  Yeah . . . not a good idea if one wants to shed a few pounds that have been accumulating over the last twenty years.  Oh, and should add, I shy away from exercise with LOTS of excuses and reasoning's that I don't have time.  Mostly, the real reason is that I don't FEEL like it! How sad is that!?

The past few weeks, I have lost a few pounds.  This I attest to the fact of two things - using self-control and accountability.  Fasting regularly this fall taught me the most important thing of all.  I CAN GO WITHOUT FOOD!  I can eat less.  I can be in control of this thing called hunger in my life.  I can go without eating brownies even though the kitchen\living room area is permeated with chocolate sugary goodness's that we make to bring the man of the house and the children of the house great delight.

Accountability plays a crucial part in this thing of self-discipline.  I was part of an accountability program\group for one short week that a friend of mine got together.  Being part of that was a large step in helping me realize that it can be done with challenges, encouragement and goals.

This morning in my devotions, I was challenged by the above verse in Joshua.  And even though I don't have a group to be accountable to, I do have one friend that communicates with me most every day.   She has graciously granted my request at this accountability thing with eating.  And as I remembered again this morning, that I do have God.  I am a witnesses against myself.  God is watching.  God's power strengthens.  God's power sustains.  God has enabled me thus far . . . I want to continue on and grow.  Grow in self-control, in being open, in encouraging others, in being victorious in this area of my life.