Shame, embarrassed, hopeless, failure. These are the words that have constantly been running through my mind for several months. Most recently as I’m staring at a picture of myself on Facebook that someone took. Do you ever feel the same way? Living a healthy lifestyle has been one of the hardest battles that I’ve faced and just being honest the last several months have been a complete disaster!
My willpower to say no to that snack in the office kitchen isn’t the same as it used to be. My work out routine isn’t what it used to be. I debated back and forth of giving up this blog because of my weight gain. But as I was scrolling through Facebook River Artist Mandisa posted something that hit exactly how I was feeling head on. She is also dealing with weight gain after significant weight loss.
It said: When the devil tells you that you should be ashamed to tell others they’re Overcomers because your jiggly arms prove that you’re not, PRAISE GOD THAT YOU’RE STILL HERE, YOUR STORY IS STILL BEING WRITTEN, AND LIFT YOUR JIGGLY ARMS HIGHER!
That was an overwhelming moment for me, I laughed, I teared up, I realized that I’m NOT alone, God is still here in this journey with me through the good and the bad. There are tons of people that are feeling the same way that I do right now.
I want to encourage you if the words Shame, embarrassed, hopeless and failure are words you use to describe your journey. Today, replace those words with Strong, Proud, Hopeful and Fighter. I may have fallen down a time or two but the important part is that I’m getting back up and you can too!
Mandisa says it best, so remember this “When I feel anxious and hopeless that I’ll never overcome the struggles that I always seem to face, I’ll speak life by saying, “I celebrate the truth that God began a good work in me, and will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. I am not a mess. I am not a failure. I am not a mistake. I’m just unfinished.” (Philippians 1:6)
You are unfinished! Feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me if you need some encouragement or a healthy lifestyle buddy! I would love to hear about your journey! J
-Olivia
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