Missed It? Made to Crave Re-Runs

I just received this email and thought I'd pass it on for any of you who were interested in the Made to Crave webcasts but missed them the first time around- 

Made to Crave Webcast Re-runs Starting Tuesday, February 22nd

We've heard your cries, your pleas, your requests and your many emails asking us to re-run the Made to Crave webcasts. So, we've made special arrangements to re-run the webcasts on demand for the next 6 Tuesdays!

We're calling them "Tell a Friend Tuesdays!" For 24 hours, starting tomorrow morning, we'll re-air Week One of the Made to Crave webcast on demand. All you have to do is go to http://www.madetocrave.org/ anytime tomorrow starting at 6 am EST, and you'll be able to see Lysa, Tonia, Kathrine Lee, and Dr, Chilton chatting it up.

Invite your mama, your sister, your girlfriends, your neighbor you like, and even the one you don't like. You won't want to miss this unique second-time-around opportunity!

We'll be doing some fun giveaways every Tuesday on Lysa's blog too! (http://www.lysaterkeurst.com/)

See you there!
Blessings,

Holly Good
Executive Assistant to Lysa

You can read my series of blog posts about Lysa's book and the webcasts by clicking here. 

Happy Monday! 

Love,

Tweet

Princesses Show Off Their Heart Hairdos and Final Made to Crave

We were all so proud of the girls' Valentine's Hairdos this morning, I wanted to show them off:

The girls woke up and asked for hearts in their hair this morning.  I didn't know if that was possible, but figured Google is good for everything.  : )  We stumbled on this amazing hairdo site here and decided to give it a shot.  It's a miracle we made it to school before the tardy bell, but it was very easy and so much fun.  

I hope you all have plans for snuggling your family today and remembering the greatest Valentine of all:

Don't forget tonight is the final Made to Crave webcast.  You can watch it here.  I'm so thankful for all I've learned from Lysa these past six weeks and for the honor of being a part of her blog tour. 

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! 

Love you!

Tweet

But Why?

When it comes to my weight struggle and food issues, I've asked, "why?" a lot.

I've often thought of the whole thing as a big, unfair curse.

I can't count the multitude of prayers I've lifted concerning these issues. Prayers to be beautiful, prayers to be a certain number on the scale, prayers for help on this diet or that diet, and even prayers that God would spare my daughters from inheriting my issues with food and weight so they will avoid the same heartache.  

One of the lessons I've been learning lately is that this whole thing is anything BUT a curse. 

Looking back over the course of my lifetime, I cannot think of a single issue that has sent me more consistently to God than this one.

 

In the past God has used this struggle to: 

• Draw me closer to Him
• Humble me
• Get me on my knees
• Reveal my need for Him
• Teach me of His (and others) love for me just as I am
• Inspire me to more maturity
• Show me how unsatisfying anything will be that I crave more than Him

 And now God is continuing to use this struggle to :  

• Deepen my dependence on Him
• Refine and mature me
• Lead me to repentance
• Prompt me to use the resources that are mine in Him
• Teach me I am stronger than I think I am because He is great in my weakness
• Alllow me to know Him more (something I long for)
• Demonstrate that He is enough and all I need
• Show me where my true worth lies
• Confirm His great and undeserved love for me
• And to lead me to victory instead of defeat

I'm embracing the journey because this journey and all these things He's doing through it are

 

GOOD!

 

I'm embracing this journey and realizing it does not have a beginning nor an end. It is something I will keep working on my whole life, but the results will be worth it.

 

But, what if this battle with food isn't the curse we've always thought it to be? What if it's actually the very thing, if brought under control, that can lead us to a better understanding of God? What if we could actually get to the place where we thanked God for letting us face this battle because of the rich treasure we discovered on the battlefield?

- Lysa TerKeurst, Made to Crave, Chapter 10

 

*****************************
Only two more webcasts left! Tonight I'm looking forward to seeing Mandisa talking with Lysa. Here's the link to the webcast which will air at 8 PM (EST). Don't forget to adjust for your timezone. If you miss it, it will air again tomorrow at several times throughout the day on the Made to Crave website.

 

See you there!

 

Love,  

Tweet

Made to Crave Monday: A Pot of Stew and my Tower of Bricks

I lost 3.1 pounds this week. 

I've lost 10 pounds since Christmas. 

And I'm excited about this, I really am, but not in the same way I have been with past diets.  This time around I'm happy about the pounds coming off, but I'm even more excited about how I'm changing in a way you can't see or measure.   

Last night I went out to dinner with some girlfriends to celebrate our friend's birthday.  While we were chatting, I shared a little about my weight loss and the success I'm having.  They congratulated me like good friends do, but I told them, "Losing weight is something I've done before.  The true success will be if I am able to keep it off." 

And the most amazing thing happened after I said that.  As the words came out of my mouth I realized that for the first time in my life I truly believed I could keep it off this time.  I felt something connected with my weight loss journey that I've never felt before: 

HOPE

I'm working my way through the Made to Crave book, I'm reading Lysa's e-book devotional Craving God (which by the way Amazon is still offering for free here), and I'm watching the free webcasts each week on the Made to Crave website. 

I've enlisted two people I love to hold me accountable, and I'm following the new Weight Watchers Points Plus plan which is the perfect fit for my body. 

And I'm learning how to replace my craving for food with a craving for God. 

And I'm learning how to have victory over this cycle that has owned me for way too long. 

Thank you, Lord.  : ) 

Not a Wise Trade

Lysa's guest post last week really spoke to me and the image of Esau trading his birthright away for a pot of stew hit hard.  How many times have I traded the good things God wants for me, the abundant life Jesus offers me, for a pot of stew?  For something of far lesser value?  I have many, many times. 

So my mantra lately when I'm faced with the temptation of something off my plan is, "I do not want to trade my birthright for a pot of stew." 

I'm learning I'm "made for more" than a cycle of defeat and I'm not making that foolish trade anymore. 

My Tower of Bricks

But I'm weak and I still stumble when I am faced with temptation, so the other lesson I'm learning from Lysa is to run to prayer when I'm faced with the temptation.  

This is not easy.  Most of the time I don't want to pray because I don't really want the help.  I want the cupcake.  : )  

But in the book she offers a mental picture that I grabbed on to.  It's the picture of a tall tower of bricks- my issues with food.  Every time I'm faced with temptation and pray for help instead of giving in, I see myself pulling off one of those bricks and laying it down where I'm paving my path to victory.  I love that picture, and have been leaning on that concept a lot lately. 

I'll share more next Monday.

Book Winner:

I was so sad that I could not locate the winner of my book drawing.  Without an email to contact her, I tried searching for her on Twitter and elsewhere without success.  

So somebody else gets to be a lucky winner today.  

Random.org said the lucky number was 3, and here's the winning comment:

Evan and Nathan said...
             I would love to read this book. Sounds like a book I'll read even if I don't win the giveaway.
- January 10, 2011 6:41 AM

Congrats!  I'll email  you to get your mailing address!     : )

Don't forget the webcast tonight at 8 Eastern.  (If you are like me, you'll need to adjust for your time zone)  You can view it here or here and it will be replayed several times throughout the day on Tuesday if you miss it. 

See you there! 

Tweet

Guest Blogger: Lysa TerKeurst

I'm so excited and honored to have Lysa TerKeurst, author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, here today as a guest blogger.  Don't forget that tonight is the next installment of her free 10-week webcast series based on the Made to Crave book.  I'll have more info at the bottom of the post about the webcast. 

Desperation Breeds Defeat
Based on Chapter 16 of Made to Crave

Thought for the Day:
 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)


I was walking through the airport when an incredible aroma suddenly grabbed my attention and taunted, “Do you know how happy I can make you?” A candy shop had just made a fresh batch of nutty, caramel popcorn.

I felt my knees get weak, because I love caramel popcorn. I started to rationalize buying this special, thinking, “I can’t get this flavor at home, and I’ll take half home to my kids.” In that moment, a new truth God taught me during my healthy eating journey popped into my mind and saved the day: desperation breeds defeat.

In the book of Genesis, the Bible tells an interesting story about twin brothers who illustrate this point. The elder son, Esau, was favored by his father, Isaac, because of his prowess as a hunter. In contrast, the younger son, Jacob, was a quiet homebody. One day, Esau returned home from an unsuccessful hunting trip totally famished, and demanded some stew from his brother. “I’ll give you food,” agreed Jacob, “but first, trade me your birthright.” Esau replied, “Okay, I’m so hungry, I’m about to die.” So Esau traded the honors due to him as the firstborn son for a simple meal of stew.

Upon first glance, it’s easy to ridicule Esau’s decision. I cannot imagine selling your whole birthright for a pot of soup. But I had to look at my own life and ask, “What great thing have I traded for so little in return? How often do I trade healthy food for junk food? What temporary pleasure have I craved so much that I gave up lasting victory?”

Desperation does indeed breed defeat. But God promises answers for desperate situations in 1 Corinthians 10:13:

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

The “way out” that God provides is the ability to decide in advance what I will and will not eat each day. I plan my meals right after breakfast when I’m feeling full and satisfied. The absolute worst time for me to decide what I’m going to eat is when I’ve waited until I’m depleted and feeling hungry. So I prepare a healthy snack to have on hand or keep in my purse.

When I’m unprepared or I’ve rushed through a proper meal, my stomach screams for something quick. And quick options usually come in a variety of unhealthy temptations, just as I experienced at the airport. However, that day I had decided ahead of time that I would keep an apple in my purse for a snack, rather than trade my healthy progress for something like caramel popcorn.

Let me be clear. I’m not saying that we should flee food. However, we must prevent the control that food can take over our lives. If we purposely begin to think before we eat, we’ll be better able to see the way out that God promises when we are tempted.


For more information about Lysa TerKeurst and her book Made to Crave, please visit:

www.MadetoCrave.org

Thank you so much Lysa!  If you'd like to participate in the free Made to Crave webcast series Lysa is offering, you can watch it tonight on the Made to Crave website or at http://www.ksbj.org/ at 8:00 EST (adjust for your timezone).

They'll also replay it again on Tuesday at 12 noon EST, 3pm EST, 8pm EST, and 10pm EST for anyone who misses the live show.

And I'll be back next Monday to share more about the book, the webcasts, and how they are impacting me personally. 

Also, JenD. you were the winner of the Made to Crave book giveaway, but unfortunately I don't have a way to contact you. Please let me know how to get you your prize. If I don't hear from Jen before next Monday, I'll announce a new winner.


Thanks again, Lysa!  Happy Monday everyone!

Tweet

Made To Crave: Winner Announced and A Free Kindle Book

It was exciting for me to see the great response to this giveaway, and the great response to Lysa's new book in general.  The webcast last week seem to be a huge success, and I'm excited about the impact her message is going to have on all of us. 

Personally, I'm hopeful about what I'm learning as I'm reading this book, and I look forward to more growth in this area of my life.  I'm honored that Lysa allowed me to be a part of her blog tour.  Thank you, Lysa!

I hope you'll continue to join me each Monday for my blog series "Made to Crave Mondays."  I'll be sharing what I'm learning from the book and the webcasts and other extras relating to Made to Crave.   

Next Monday, Lysa will be here as a guest blogger sharing a devotion on temptation, something I'm discovering I need help with in a big way.  : ) 

The Winner

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...The Winner!

I used Random.org to help me select the winning comment and here was the result:

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 10

Comment #10 was:

JenD. said...

I would LOVE a copy of this book...just saw the webcast and it was great!   January 10, 2011 6:06 PM

Congratulations!  Unfortunately, Jen, I couldn't find a way to contact you from your comment.  Please email me at everydaybecky (at) gmail (dot) come and let me know your mailing address.  I hope you enjoy the book as much as I am enjoying it.   

Free Kindle Book:

And for those of you who did not win, I have another gift for you.  I just discovered last night a free Kindle book by Lysa on Amazon.com called, Craving God: A 21 Day Devotional Challenge to Accompany Made to Crave.   Click here to get your own from Amazon.com while it is still free.  You can get Kindle for PC to read it on your computer if you don't own a Kindle. 

Happy Friday!  See you on Monday!

Love,

Tweet

Made to Crave Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed.  The winner will be announced later today- 1/14/11. 

I remember as early as the second grade being aware of my weight and sucking in my tummy so I would look prettier to the little boy I had a crush on.     

By the time I was twelve, I went on my first real diet, beginning a cycle of gaining and losing, gaining and losing, that spanned the decades from that 12-year-old version of myself walking into my first Weight Watchers meeting ,to the "34-year-old, 30 pounds over my ideal weight" self I am today.  Believe me when I say, I have tried them all. 


The last thing I need is another diet book.


Although I am a huge fan of Lysa TerKeurst and Proverbs 31 Ministries, when I heard Lysa's latest book was to be on weight loss, I have to admit I rolled my eyes. 

(Please forgive me, Lysa)  

The idea of reading one more book on this subject felt painful, and I doubted Lysa, a pretty Southern girl, could really understand those of us who have battled this issue our whole lives.  But I'm happy to say I was wrong!

For one thing, as I'm reading Made to Crave, I'm learning Lysa does "get" it.  And for another thing, this isn't another diet book.  It's a Bible study designed to help find satisfaction in God instead of food.  It's a Bible study designed to point the way to victory and to discover keys to lasting change.


And that is definitely something I need. 
(long for, desire greatly)        


Lysa explains the purpose of Made to Crave here: 

So, I'm reading Made to Crave and I hope you'll join me. 

Three Exciting Announcements: 

1.  Lysa is offering a FREE 10-week Made to Crave webcast series for anyone with access to a computer.  All you have to do is go to www.MadetoCrave.org  at 8:00pm EST every Monday, and you’ll be able to participate from there. (Please note these times are Eastern Standard Times. You will need to adjust for whichever time zone you are in.)

2.  Each Monday between now and February 14th, I will be hosting a blog series called, Made to Crave Mondays where I'll be sharing my personal journey reading the book and participating in the webcasts, as well as guest blog posts and video segments from Lysa about Made to Crave.

3.  Lysa gave me an extra book to giveaway to one of you!  Just leave a comment below letting me know that you would like to read Made to Crave and you will be entered into the drawing. 

The drawing is open to U.S. residents only and will end Thursday, January 13th.  I'll announce the winner on Friday, January 14th. 


Additional Entry Options:   

All you have to do is leave a comment below to be entered, but if you want extra chances to win, leave a separate comment for each of the things you do below. Each comment is an entry.

1.  Follow my blog through Google Friend Connect or Networked Blogs (see sidebar) or let me know you already do.

2.  Follow me on Twitter @BeckyAvella and Tweet about this giveaway.

3.  Follow @LysaTerKeurst on Twitter

4.  Like Lysa TerKeurst on Facebook by clicking here

5.  Blog about the giveaway and leave me a link to the post

I'm excited and hopeful about this journey for you and for me. 


Is anything too hard for the Lord?  - Genesis 18:14 

Love,

Tweet