I missed you guys this week as my trusty laptop was, well.. not so trusty and decided to crash on me. Not good for this girl but I'm coming to you from my new shiny computer and happy to be here! This week, I've really been mulling over what I wanted to share with you, praying for the right topic that would reach you and lift you up as you navigate your way to a healthier and happier you and this topic kept coming to mind "Input, Output". So, lets dig in!

My question to you today is what are you putting in your body, mind and spirit? Sure, we can address the foods that we choose and how they affect our body, but I want to dig deeper. There is so much negativity in our world. Our culture puts so much emphasize on beauty and perfection, yet the overall support for one trying to improve their health is often low and full of discouragement. People, whether it's intentional or not, love to tempt us and lead us away from the direction we desire to go. Even worse, we may be told we won't succeed. We may come up against resistance for cooking healthier meals or called "obsessive" for working out daily and enjoying it. This negativity has a huge impact on not only our success, but the way we view ourselves. We have to put a stop to this and we have to surround ourselves with things that are positive, things that will lift us up and give us hope. We need daily encouragement and a constant reminder that we are loved, valued, and strong enough to overcome any obstacle we may face.

Finding a strong support system can be a huge blessing as we work through the daily struggles of weight loss and improved help. Having someone there, cheering you on and being your soft place to fall when you slip up is so comforting and makes a world of difference. However, the only problem with that is that we are putting a lot of faith in someone (or a group of someones) that could easily let us down. It's reality, we are all human, and just like us your support system may come and go as their interests and needs change. But, there is one support system that never fails, one that is never changing and never ending in support and encouragement and that is through Jesus Christ. Psalms 94:18-19 says "When I said “My foot is slipping, your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." Isn't that an amazing promise to us? When we feel like we are slipping, when our schedules are crazy and we are tired and feel like we aren't making any progress, our Lord will support us! When we are stressed and having a rough day, we can find peace in knowing that the King of Kings is on our side cheering us on. We also see in Psalms 18:18-19 ^"They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me." On our rough days, days where we are feeling week and lacking self control or even self worth, God has made a promise to us that he will give us support, he will rescue us because he loves us! I love the word delighted that is used, what a special word to use towards someone, don't you agree? We are pleasing to God. He delights in us, in all of our mess and mistakes, he still loves us and is ready to scoop us up and rescue us whenever we need it. When's the last time your workout partner did that?! :) 

When the world is falling down around you, when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel on your health and fitness journey, remind yourself that your support system is greater than any obstacle out there. Surround yourself with him, whether it's through listening to Christian music in the car or doing a daily devotional. When you put the word on God in to your mind and spirit, you are going to find the most amazing unfailing support. You will be constantly reminded that when your strength comes from God, Nothing is impossible. Don't let the negativity that surrounds you be the ending factor in your story. Let the triumph that comes from your Lord and God be your success story!