A beacon of light in the darkness…
Wow. I managed to schedule this post and it was completely empty. SORRY folks! Ugh. I am not perfect. That is actually funny though.
The beacon of light I wish to share is this:
Many good people believe that being hard on themselves makes them better. And it does- but only to a point. Think bell curve. It’s beneficial to push yourself to be better, but kicking yourself for NOT being better doesn’t help you. All it does is make you feel worse about yourself, which makes you sick.
If self-hatred in all its myriad forms is what makes us sick, then it stands to reason that the only cure is radical self-love.
Loving yourself enough to stand up for yourself when someone is mean to you. “I deserve better treatment.”
Loving yourself enough to stop drinking soda and eating fast food, and fasting or eating a lean salad with fish instead. “I deserve to be healthy.”
Loving yourself enough to go running, even if you don’t want to. Loving yourself enough to lift weights, even though it’s really hard when you start out. “I deserve to be strong.”
Loving yourself means saying no to poison. Loving yourself means getting angry that you’ve allowed yourself to languish under your current circumstances and demanding in that instant that you do better- and then believing that you can do it, because you DO deserve better.
Loving yourself means realizing that Jesus’ work on the cross covered your life in its entirety and that you do not need to beg or plead for God to hear you. Loving yourself means realizing that God’s power is already inside of you, and working within you, every day. It’s the little voice that tells you not to eat that ice cream, or to go to bed on time, or to put down the chocolate bar. That’s God’s power nudging you into health- or trying to. When we don’t listen, it gets quieter next time. That’s why I advise fasts. Start with a single 24 hour period. You’ll hear God’s voice better. There’s a reason I preach fasting and prayer. It genuinely brings you close to God. If you want answers or need breakthrough, fast for two days. Water is always included, and I do pinches of salt. It helps. And it works.
Radical self-love means finding the Christ within you- and treating yourself as the vessel in which God dwells. It means NOT staying up all night browbeating yourself over your mistakes or failures. Christ died for them all. Give them to Him, and let them go. Trust Him to lead you out of your dark places.
All I can be is a lighthouse, friends. Lighthouses can not rescue drowning sailors, nor do they feel shame for being dry while those same sailors are wet. They stand tall, shining, hoping to give those swimmers hope that they are nearly there, that they can make it if they just reach deep and push a little harder.
You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. I believed this. That was the only thing that pulled me out of my pit- and it worked. If I can do it, anyone can. That is a fact and a promise.
You can do the 3-day water only fast. You can break your addictions. You can eat better. You can start cooking more. You can start that running habit. You can make it through a Whole 30 Clean Eating challenge. YOU CAN.
(Read my post about Eat This, Not That if you want to start swapping your junk food for healthier stuff that tastes good. I got you.)
Worthy of mentioning- Scientists just proved that dandelion root cures cancer in mice. I highly recommend you find some organic dandelion root powder (that hasn’t been sprayed with RoundUp, mind you) and mix one part dandelion root with three parts mixed greens like Bloom Probiotic Greens. Drink on an empty stomach in warm water every day. Thank me later.
And that, my friends and loved ones, is my parting message. Just hold the light, friends. Hold the light. Jesus believes in you. He thought you were worth all that trouble. You might as well believe in yourselves, or you set your own opinions above His. Probably not advisable. Hahahaha.
The answer is, of course, scissors. (Inside joke. If you know, you know.)
*flashes a peace sign*
