In the second half of 2014 I had some challenges in my fitness journey that derailed me a bit from my "good habits". Family schedule, work travel for husband and a minor injury contributed to my setbacks. When fall came and my road blocks had passed, it then became more of a mental battle. I struggled to get unstuck. I needed a reboot! But the winter proved even more difficult.

With the support of Heather Traves Gymnut Fitness and my bootcamp girls I found my reboot!

After a few months now of building consistency in my workouts and better food choices I am finally feeling myself again. And it hasn't been about loosing weight or seeing changes in the numbers on the scale. Although seeing numbers go down would be a bonus I am content with just feeling better! I have more energy, I don't feel weighed down and sluggish  (bad food choices will do that to you), and I feel stronger!

If you have been struggling in an area in your life, maybe it's not fitness or food choices, but maybe it's consistency in your time with the Lord or time with your family, just take that small step and get started! Find some accountability!  Ask God to help you! My friends, He will give you he POWER, LOVE, and SELF-DISCIPLINE! 

Join me on my new Facebook Page for Unpolished Rubies and keep reading here on my blog to see more of my journey in fitness & food and how God is providing power and discipline in my life! 

April 1st, a day that pranks are played and even the most conservative of people are compelled to get into mischief! Though all in "good" fun, it just might have brought a bit of temporary shame for allowing yourself to be blindsided by someone's shenanigans! Have you ever been played the fool? 

The trurh be told I was undoubtedly FOOLED.............

No, I was not innocently tricked by my children.
Or playfully pranked by my husband.
Not misled by a family member or duped by the girls at boot camp........

I'm sorry to say that I had been FOOLED by much more than a little April fools joke! And for way too long!

THE WHISPERS OF THE ENEMY! 


My dear Rubies, Satan is a master in his craft! He knows our weakness and if we are not careful we can be blindsided by his lies.

I have struggled with self doubt a good part of my life. A bit of a perfectionists, I can be my worst critic. Satan uses those opportunities and when unchecked my mind will entertain these self defeating thoughts. The enemy desperately does not want us to believe truth. God's truth!

After competing and being in the best shape of my life I struggled to accept that I simply could not stay (healthy) as lean as I was. Though I knew I would gain some of my weight back I allowed defeat to enter my thoughts as the pounds began to find their way back.  I blogged about some of my physical challenges and life changes that contributed to my defeating thoughts in D IS FOR......DIET?, CONFESSIONS OF A SUGAR ADDICT and LETTING IT GO. 

The sad truth is that my mind entertained thoughts that I would NEVER say to someone else. In fact I was encouraging others to think the opposite of what my own mind was telling me.

So why was I allowing debilitating thoughts rule my mind while refusing to let others think this way?

I have many times used  Psalm 45:10-11 to encourage my church youth girls over the years. But, did I really believe this truth myself? I desperately wanted to. But this "truth" that I have known was obviously not penetrating my heart.

Oh, my sweet friends look close at this verse. DO NOT miss the first part.

It specifically says to pay close attention!
Why is what the psalmist is about to say so important?

" Forget your people and your father’s house."

What do we women often do? We carry the opinions of our people; our family, friends, people we interact with , those from our past (maybe prior to our Christian life). Wherever they originate they can lead to comparison, in which can lead to self doubt; then self defeat.

Scripture says to leave it behind. Friends, I also have a hard time letting things go! I often replay conversations, humiliating instances, and mistakes in my mind. 

"What was that person thinking when I said that?"
"How did it sound to them?" 
"I wonder if they took it the wrong way?" 
"I feel so dumb. I wonder if anyone saw that?" 

Why do I torture myself so much with the replays and degrading self talk?
 I want people to like me......I want them to think "good" of me! Yes, often times I'm concerned about my behavior and how it will bring glory to Christ. I don't want to make mistakes or say things to hurt people or hurt my testimony as a christian. Trying to live a life above reproach is not a bad thing however when I begin to over analyze my words and actions to the point of degrading myself (the Kings daughter) and putting those thoughts above what GOD says I am, THIS IS SIN!  
 
So more importantly the question is, 
What does God think of me?

The King (our creator and God) is Enthralled by YOUR beauty!

Accepting and confessing my thoughts as sin is undoubtedly hard but, accepting that my God is enthralled by my beauty may be even more difficult. Non the less I must replace those thoughts with TRUTH ! 

I can no longer entertain thoughts of self-doubt, defeat, and thoughts full of fear! I MUST set my mind on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy!  I CAN NOT be FOOLED by the lies of the enemy!

My dear Rubies, I pray this is encouraging to you! And my hope is that if you struggle as I do that you will also discover for yourself God's wisdom and truth. I challenge you (as I do myself) to set your mind on God's Word guarding your heart and mind against Satan's deceptive whispers! 

To find great some great resources of encouragement in the area of confidence hop on over to my THINGS I LOVE  page to find several  BOOKS & BIBLE STUDIES  I have read. I highly recommend   A CONFIDENT HEART by Renee Swope. Renee Swope  is one of my favorite Proverbs 31 Ministries writers. In this book she takes you through some of her own struggles with self doubt and defeat and what she discovered through God's word!