Day 5: A Hungry Soul

Overeating has become a huge American epidemic. The root of most overeating issues derive from emotional eating, and I believe at the core of that, is more than a hungry stomach, but a hungry soul. 

A hungry soul is far more dangerous than a hungry stomach. To a hungry soul, anything appears to be good.  Sin takes a luring disguise. Slowly but surely, the hungry soul becomes tainted with spots of sin and victory is lost. 

There is only one thing that will truly satisfy the soul--and that is God's word. Victory goes to the soul that is satisfied by Him alone! 

"A satisfied soul hates the honeycomb, but to a hungry soul, every bitter is sweet." -Proverbs 27:7. 

When you use God's strength, word, and comfort to satisfy you, the craving for even "good" things is diminished. I'd much rather invest in a lifetime of soul satisfaction than a meal that provides 4 hour satisfaction! 

Day 4: More Beautiful

In our beauty-obsessed culture, I get so tired of the focus and value put on the outward appearances.  We have become a society quick to judge by looks.  One of my dear friends Rose put it into perspective:

"I heard an old queen of England was asked how she stays so beautiful. She responded 'when you are so beautiful on the inside, you can't stop it from showing on the outside.'"

So true. There are those people you're just drawn to and maybe don't know why, but inner beauty has a rich lure.  Selfless hearts who put others first is prettier than any good makeover.

That's part of my draw to the Miss America Organization.  I constantly fight the "beauty pageant" stigma, as most pageants are regarded as overly glamourous and produce pretty models but not necessarily relatable role models.  I describe the Miss America Organization as the intersection of inner and outer beauty, and that I respect.  While we can't control our genetics, birthmarks, or facial features, we can control a beauty that is much richer and lasting--on the inside.

Day 3: Growing Closer

One of my favorite concepts is in Luke 9:23 "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." One of the biggest things I face when making food choices is the question of beneficial vs. permissible.  Yes, it is permissible for me to eat ice cream at 10pm, I won't die. But...is it beneficial to me, my body, or my goals?  As much as I love cookie dough ice cream, the answer is no. Lysa TerKeurst writes in her book Made to Crave about growing closer to God "by making the choice to deny ourselves something that is permissible but not beneficial--and making this sacrifice for the sole purpose of growing closer to God." 


So the challenge is passing up the permissible and focusing on the beneficial. We are created to be victorious with the strength of God, and each have great callings and purposes in life. But too often, it seems people settle for mediocracy and coast by in the zone of comfort.  However, we weren't made to just get by; we were made to thrive! So why would I want to allow the permissible things in my life to hold me back from my full potential? To quote one of my favorite MercyMe songs: "This life was meant to SHINE!" I'm on a quest for a shining victory and denying those permissible temptations for the beneficial sake of growing closer to God.

Day 2: Soul Workout

I spend about 12-15 hours a week working out, usually a combination of my morning run, working with my trainer after work, dance class, night time walks, and a random fitness class here or there. I probably spend the same amount of hours preparing food, eating, or thinking about my food for the day. And then there are hours of selecting outfits, shopping, and time spent in front of the mirror preparing for the day (well, I'm a fan of the 10 minute prep plan--hair in bun, mascara and a little blush!)

How many hours do I spend a week working on my inside appearance? Despite what we face daily from this world, I have to stop and remember--we are so much more than our wardrobe collection, our fabulous hair cuts, tan skin and makeup embossed faces.  I want to be more beautiful on the inside and spend more time giving my soul a workout.  I desire a stronger spiritual peace and a defined character. I want to know and become the person God had in mind when he created me.

My 40 day fast is more than protein, fruits, and vegetables.  I am applying the same energy to my food choices to my spiritual nourishment. We should honor our bodies as temples and gifts to do God's will, but we can't forget to nourish our souls. These bodies die when we pass, but our souls live on forever.

Just as we pursue six packs and beach bodies, God is pursuing us.  Why not pursue Him and open the door to His call? He is knocking.

Day 1: Journey to Victory

We all have our weaknesses, the little things that seem to be calling our name around every corner as we search for an excuse to reward ourselves.  My weakness is food, mostly in the form of desserts and late night nibbles.  For the past few months, I've put my struggle with food under a microscope because I didn't want it to keep me from winning the coveted Miss California crown.

We live in a culture that loves the New Years Resolution concept.  We set lofty goals to achieve self betterment, imagine living a life free from our weakness/temptation, and put the plan into action.  Just as the gym population goes from overcrowded in the month of January back down to normal in February, sticking to the plan goes out the window.  Discipline is hard, self control...even harder.

I may have found the secret to sticking to the goal: fasting. If I'm giving up dessert to look good in a bikini, although I may try hard at first, sooner or later I'll be hungry and find a way to rationalize and cave into splurging. After all, the only person I'm letting down is me! But, when I set aside something to sacrifice for God, that is someone I sure don't want to let down.

Jesus said "If you want to be perfect [whole], go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, come follow me." -Matthew 19:21. After some contemplation, this verse hit me--Jesus is talking about more than just money. He is referring to any abundance we have. We are to give up the one thing we crave, desire, or want on a daily basis more than we want God.

Food has been used as temptation from long ago. After Jesus fasted 40 days in the desert, he was tempted with food, and responded: "Scripture says: People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God." -Matthew 4:4 NLT.

So, what's the point of these random thoughts? They have led me to dedicate the next 40 days to denying the temptation of certain foods.  This is about more than winning a crown, this journey is about removing a big roadblock on my walk of faith in order to grow closer to God...and that is the best prize!