Week 6 C
Guidelines and Assignments for you
For best results:
Do these assignments on the last 5 days of Week 7 after you’ve read through the material in section A and B
DAY 1
Refuse to let Satan and the world shape your self image with their lies
I challenge you to look at your thought life again – Do you take every thought captive and make sure that it is in line with God’s word? Well neither do I, but these days I try to do it at least when I start feeling depressed or just horrible for no reason. I will stop for a second and listen to my own thoughts – thoughts of condemnation and self chastisement – and declare that “THOSE ARE NOT MY THOUGHTS”
Listen, dear woman of God. Those thoughts of guilt, shame, and self hatred ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS EITHER! They come from the enemy and you don’t have to believe it. You can take your thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ as the Word says in 2 Cor 10:5
Please get out some note cards and write down these lies and the truth that stands against it. Read these with your other note cards as often as you can.
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The lie: The truth: Learn to forgive yourself for not being perfect and making mistakes. Please have some compassion on yourself.
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The lie: The truth:
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Our God does not sleep. He sees when one of His own is abused, and He will not let this sin go unpunished.
Come to God so that He can heal your broken heart and help you forgive those who hurt you. If your received healing, you will be able to move on, and Satan would loose his grip of shame on you.
However, if the Holy Spirit is convicting you of sin or something you did in your past that caused someone else pain, you can repent of that sin today and ask God to forgive you. You can also make amends with that person, if at all possible.
If you asked God to forgive you, then according to Romans 8:1 you are not guilty any more. The only thing that Satan can still lay on you is condemnation or feelings of false guilt and shame. The good news: You don’t have to stand for it! YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE!
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The lie: The truth: John 13:34 (NIV): A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
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The lie: You can not possible come to God in your filthy state The truth:
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Also stand against the lies of the World around you
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The lie: The truth:
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The lie: The truth:
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PLEASE STOP! DON’T GO ANY FURTHER TODAY!
To get the most out of this course, please apply it to your life in the bite-size pieces that I recommend. Take AS LONG AS YOU NEED, but be sure to take at least ONE DAY.
DAY 2
Refuse to let the lies of the MEDIA shape the way you view yourself
Also write down these lies and the truth that stands against it. Read these with your other note cards as often as you can.
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The lie: The truth: |
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The lie: The truth: Psalm 16:11 (NIV): You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. is to be praised.
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Teach you children the truth: Point out to your children how the media distorts true human bodies and implies that a slender body equals love, popularity and happiness. Point out the search for perfection that is futile and not in step with God’s Word.
Also teach them how the advertising industry works: It is set up to make us want things we don’t really need, or things that’s really unattainable and that leaves you with a feeling of inadequacy. This is the way they sell their products. Most diet product are just hogwash, yet people spent millions on these, trying to change themselves.
Don’t buy fashion magazines and magazines that promote fad diets: A new study shows a relationship between reading fashion magazines and certain eating disorders. Also between television viewing and body dissatisfaction.
Give up the media for a week.
Try going without reading magazines, watching TV and surfing the Internet for one week. Look for other things to do, such as visiting a friend, having dinner in the park or go to a museum or play. At the end of the week, notice if you feel differently about yourself.
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Tip: I absolutely recommend Beth Moore’s book: So Long, Insecurity: You’ve Been a Bad Friend to Us Please read this post on my blog that I wrote on this subject and about this book: The big issue of Insecurity
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PLEASE STOP! DON’T GO ANY FURTHER TODAY!
To get the most out of this course, please apply it to your life in the bite-size pieces that I recommend. Take AS LONG AS YOU NEED, but be sure to take at least ONE DAY.
DAY 3
Face your own prejudice
Challenge your own beliefs: Ask yourself the following questions:
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Do you believe that a thin person matters more, has more value, is happier and more successful?
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Are you maybe prejudice towards people that are not skinny and therefore try and control your family’s weight and calorie intake?
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Are you maybe paying more attention to and take people more serious that are slender and good looking?
How does one change this behavior?
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Awareness of the ugliness and destructive nature of prejudice, and especially an awareness of this in your own life, is the first step.
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Repentance is crucial : Prejudice is sin
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Next, start changing your behavior by being attentive to all people, and try looking deeper, beyond the physical appearance. You’ll be surprised to discover that the most interesting, funny, charming and Godly people are not necessarily the prettiest and skinniest ones.
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Also, make your children aware of various forms of prejudice, including weightism, and help them understand their responsibility in preventing these.
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Include women of all ethnic and racial groups, age groups, sizes, and abilities in your circle of friends.
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Compliment friends and family based on qualities that have nothing to do with appearance.
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Teach your children to never participate in name calling based on appearance, even if someone pretend that it’s funny. They usually still feel bad about this and might cry in private over the hurtful words.
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Tip: Please see this post that I wrote on the issue of Weight Prejudice: |
PLEASE STOP! DON’T GO ANY FURTHER TODAY!
To get the most out of this course, please apply it to your life in the bite-size pieces that I recommend. Take AS LONG AS YOU NEED, but be sure to take at least ONE DAY.
DAY 4
Start living in the present: Connect again with your body
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Appreciate your body: Reconnect with your body and reestablish a positive relationship with your body. Your body is the most valuable asset you will ever own. God has made your body something so wonderful that no money in the world could replace it. Learn to appreciate your body for what it can do, not for what it looks like.
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Focus on the things you like about your body, not the negative things. Teach yourself to look at your body as a whole, don’t zoom in on your faults.
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Pamper your body – Take a long hot bath and sooth yourself. Spoil yourself by getting a massage, a manicure or a pedicure.
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Exercise will help you reconnect with your body and make you more aware of what your body is capable of doing.
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Think deeper than the outside: Make a list of talents and gifting you have that has nothing to do with appearance.
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Learn to appreciate you uniqueness. There is no one exactly like you on this planet. God took special care to create you. He knew exactly why He made you the way you look and why you are here, right now, in this moment in time, at this specific location, surrounded by the people you know. Ask Him if you want to know why.
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Surround yourself with people that don’t judge others on their physical appearance and have a healthy self image. Avoid those who are focused on their weight and the appearance of others.
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Make a list of all the wonderful things you have accomplished with this body, just the way it is right now, without any weight loss.
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Stop ignoring your body, it is part of you.
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Buy some new clothes, jewelry and make-up. Don’t wait until you’re a number 2 to do that. You deserve it and it might even benefit from it.
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Do you tend to say bad things about yourself and your body? Try and change this habit, it will make such a difference to your self image. Talk to and about yourself in the same respectful and nice tone that you will use when talking to others.
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Carry yourself with confidence, you will be surprised at how different you will feel if you start to walk and smile with confidence.
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Stop putting off living. Live in the present. Do the activities you always wanted to do regardless of your shape or weight.
- Get rid of the “perfect image” of how you should look that you made up in your mind. Try accepting and loving yourself the way you are right now.
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Tip: Please read these posts on my blog to encourage you to take better care of yourself and start living in the present moment One day I’ll be a beautiful butterfly Take good care of God’s little girl
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PLEASE STOP! DON’T GO ANY FURTHER TODAY!
To get the most out of this course, please apply it to your life in the bite-size pieces that I recommend. Take AS LONG AS YOU NEED, but be sure to take at least ONE DAY.
DAY 5
Shape your self image
Pursue you dream
What am I here for?
Who is this girl in the mirror?
These question about you, God’s creation, can only be answered by the Creator.
The search for the real self is ultimately a spiritual one.
The apostle Paul tells us “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” This means to be realistic in the way we think of ourselves – neither too high, nor too low.
Outward thing such as beauty, thinness, houses, cars and jewelry actually contribute the least to our happiness and fulfillment.
Inward things such as serving, taking care of your hearts desires, going after your dreams are the things that bring us true joy and fulfillment.
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What are your dreams?
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What do you enjoy?
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What is meaningful to you?
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Go after you heart’s desires, there is sheer joy in accomplishing a dream.
Reach out to help others
GIVING OF YOURSELF TO SOMEONE ELSE brings great fulfillment and happiness and takes your eyes off yourself and your own problems or struggles.
Evidence suggests that those who volunteer are happier than those who don’t.
Seeing others in need help us deal with our own discontentment and giving to others makes us feel better about ourselves.
Even more important: God tells us to do it!
See what He says in
Isaiah 58:10-11 (NIV)
..and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Why don’t you give it a try?
Next time you feel that you are sinking into despair over you eating disorder and your own failures, try volunteering at a soup kitchen or a shelter. Seeing other’s in need of something as basic as food makes us look at our problems in a very different light.
Ask God how you can give of yourself and your talents to others.
He knows exactly where you are needed and it might even tie in with the purpose He has over your life.
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Tip: Books that deal with the purpose and passions in our hearts: Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge |
Scripture quotations are from the following versions with corresponding abbreviations:
AMP = THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE, EXPANDED EDITION.
Old Testament copyright © 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified New Testament copyright © 1958, 1987 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Words in brackets [ ] and parentheses ( ) are those of The Amplified Bible translators, not the author.
NIV = NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION.
Copyright © 1973, 1978 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
PS: Please help me improve the quality of our members area by using the comment box below to let me know if you pick up on any technical errors, spelling errors, or typos. Testimonies are always welcome as well:) Thank you
Amazing is all I’ve got to say! Thank u
This is something I’ve been struggling with for many years. Discovering what it is God wants me to do with my life. It’s such a struggle. I know what I enjoy but I don’t really know what I can do to pursue these things. At least without money being involved.
Spelling Correction: ‘Go after your heart’s desires, there is SHEER joy in accomplishing a dream.
Thanks Catherine! I’ll fix it:)