The Day the Blackbirds Came

By Julie Morris –

The blackbirds descended suddenly on my backyard one quiet winter morning years ago. I could hardly believe my eyes as hundreds of them arrived squawking loudly to one another and perched themselves on every branch of every tree as far as my eyes could see, even in the woods behind my flowerbeds. It felt like a scene straight out of the old Hitchcock movie, The Birds.

When they arrived, I had been writing in my prayer journal. Only what I wrote wasn’t a prayer, but a gloomy list of all of the things I hated about myself: I ate too much, didn’t exercise enough, needed to pray more and watch TV less.… The list went on and on. I remember thinking at the time that this list reminded me of one I had made so many years earlier when I was a little girl. I took the list to my mother and she hugged me, and with tears in her eyes, she told me that I was precious to her just the way I was. Oh, how I longed for my mother. She had been deceased for so many years.

A quiet tug at my spirit brought me back to the present and seemed to be saying, “Pay attention to the blackbirds, because they will show you what is happening to you right now.”

Not knowing what that meant, I went back to my list and the thoughts that had been overwhelming me. I was thinking the all-too-familiar “I wasn’t good enough and never would be…” when a verse I had memorized years earlier floated into my mind. I couldn’t remember where it was or exactly what it said, but the words penetrated deep into my soul: “Who will free me from my slavery to sin? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord! He has set me free.”

“Wow!” I said to myself, “Jesus has already freed me!” Suddenly, the shame caused by all those things on my list lifted, and I looked up and saw hundreds of blackbirds, as if on cue, instantly fly away.

Ever since then, when the blackbirds descended on me and I have felt overwhelmed by my sins and weaknesses, I have thought about those words in Romans 7:21-25 (Living Bible), “So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free.”

Julie Morris is the author of 12 books, a dynamic motivational speaker and founder of two Christian weight-loss programs: Step Forward (www.stepforwarddiet.com) and a lighter and easier version of Step Forward, Guided By Him (www.guidedbyhim.com).

The 12 Steps—Life-Changing Baby Steps

By Julie Morris –

Last month I told you about how my version of the 12 Steps helped me to lose my harmful extra pounds in 1982 and keep them off. This month I want to tell you how I began taking each of the Steps—in hopes that you might want to join me on this exciting journey.

Short Form of 12 Steps and How I Began Taking Each Step

• Step 1 I can’t! I began taking Step 1 by giving up on the idea that I could lose weight by dieting.
• Step 2 God can! I began taking Step 2 by reminding myself of God’s awesome power and His promises to help me…if I’d let Him.
• Step 3 I’ll let Him! Eating too much and thinking about food all the time were making me miserable so I made a decision to cooperate with God every day rather than complaining and overeating.
• Step 4 What needs changing? I began taking Step 4 by listing my sins and the ineffective choices I had been making. Fortunately, in Step 4 I didn’t have to do anything but list these things. God would help me with them as I worked the rest of the steps.
• Step 5 I confess! I began taking Step 5 by admitting to God, myself and somebody else the things on my fourth step list. I felt a wonderful sense of freedom after I confessed these things to a friend who was also working the steps.
• Step 6 I’m ready to change! While taking Step 6, I thought about the harm the things on my list were doing to me. For example, overeating made my blood pressure soar; it caused me to feel ashamed of how I looked; and it caused me to beat myself up over being so weak.
• Step 7 Change me, Lord! This step reassured me that I didn’t have to change myself; all I had to do was to be humble toward God—teachable, willing to do things His way, and stay close to Him–trusting Him to change me.
• Step 8 Who have I harmed? Again, I didn’t have to fix anything while taking this step; I just had to make a list.
• Step 9 I’m sorry! Originally, I thought this step just encouraged me to apologize to a few people, but I realized that it also encourages me to recognize and put a stop to ineffective ways I relate to people every day.
• Step 10 How am I doing? (Steps 10-12 are the maintenance steps, and, though they come at the end, I started doing them as soon as I began working the steps.) While taking Step 10, I realized that I had been so busy doing, that I had little time to think about what I was doing! I started taking several minutes each morning to plan my day, evaluate how I had done the day before and confess my mistakes and ineffective choices to the Lord.
• Step 11 I’m seeking you, God! While taking the 11^th Step, I realized that I had been focusing most of my prayers on telling God what I wanted Him to do, rather than seeking what He wanted me to do and relying on Him to help me do it.
• Step 12 I’m practicing and praising you, Lord! When I began to take Step 12, I thought about the word “practice” and how much Olympic skaters have to practice. I determined to practice 12-Step principles every day and to tell others about how God is helping me as a result.

Why don’t you join me today in the life-changing 12-Step journey!

Julie Morris is founder of Guided By Him, a 12-Step Christian weight-loss program you can do by yourself or in a group (www.guidedbyhim.com). She is the author of 12 books and an inspiring motivational speaker. Email her for questions about working the Guided By Him program Julie@guidedbyhim.com.

The 12 Steps–Miraculous Baby Steps To A New Life!

By Julie Morris –

There is nothing I wanted more than to lose weight. I had tried as long as I could remember to lose my extra pounds, but it felt like the harder I tried, the worse my eating became. I was completely powerless over it and I knew it would take a miracle for me to lose my weight and keep it off permanently. I had little hope of ever experiencing this. That is, until I was introduced to the 12 Steps.

For some reason, the first night I heard them almost 30 years ago I knew they were the answer! I knew that they would break down the surrender process for me so that I could quit playing tug-of-war with God over food. What I didn’t know was that they would become the structure I needed to help me surrender more and more of myself to Him every day, not just my food.

The 12 Steps have helped millions of people
The 12 Steps have helped millions of people all over the world for over 75 years. The steps I use are very similar to AA’s, but rather than referring to “God as we understand him,” our steps refer to Him by name–“God through Jesus Christ.”

Let’s take a peek at the short form of the first three steps:

Step 1 I can’t! (I give up the idea that I can lose weight on diets and willpower.)

Step 2 God can! (I know that God can help me to do the impossible and I will look to Him for help.)

Step 3 I’ll let Him! (I will cooperate with Him one day at a time.)

The Bible tells us many things that we can do to cooperate with God in the recovery process. Hebrews 12:13 explains this: “Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” I realized that I was lame (I literally couldn’t walk away from the dessert table!) and I needed to make level paths for my feet if I wanted to be healed.

The most obvious things we can do to make level paths for our feet are being honest about our weaknesses, praying for help, reading the Bible and reaching out to other Christians for accountability and encouragement.

Working the steps is a life-long process

We don’t quickly work through the steps and then just quit. The 12 Steps provide a life-long process so that, one day at a time, we are able to take baby steps toward becoming the person we want to be.

Here are the most important 12 Step principles. Consider each and put a check next to the ones that you need to start working on:

¨  Recognize when you’ve made a mistake, confess it and learn from it.

¨  Draw close to God and rely on Him to give you the desire and ability to do His will.

¨  Don’t waste your days blaming others and denying your part in problems. Clean up your side of the street. Quit trying to change other people.

¨  Practice doing things God’s way one day at a time. Recognize that your circumstances provide opportunities to help you learn and make progress toward becoming the best you can be.

¨  Share what you’re learning with others with similar problems. When you do, your mistakes won’t be wasted. When you help another person to do better, you will help yourself.

If you’re stuck in a bad habit or addiction, why don’t you consider going to a 12 Step meeting? It might just change your life like it has mine!

Julie Morris is the founder of Guided By Him, a 12-Step Christian weight-loss program you can do by yourself or in a group (www.guidedbyhim.com). Author of 12 books and inspiring motivational speaker, she is offering a “mini-retreat” January 22, 2010 in Birmingham, AL for those who want to lose weight. Email her for questions about the program or registration for the “retreat.” Julie@guidedbyhim.com.

Lose Weight by Getting to the Emotional Roots of Your Overeating

By Julie Morris, RN –

The last day of the year. Can you believe it? Last year at this time, many of you made a New Year’s Resolution to lose weight. Did you make any progress or did you lose a few unwanted pounds, only to gain them back later? Don’t be discouraged. Help is on the way!

As you resolve to lose weight in 2011, determine to get to the emotional roots of your overeating so that this year you can lose weight and keep it off!

Let’s look at each of these “Pound-Producers” and see how we can replace them with “Thinning Thoughts.”

1. Resentments are fattening. You thought it was the french fries and cookies that put on your extra pounds. The culprits were more likely the hurts and irritations you stuffed down. If you head toward the refrigerator every time you’re angry, you know I’m right. Resentments make us fat. We eat to soothe our pain. Whether from an inconsiderate mate or an overbearing boss, grudges cause bulges!

So what can we do about it? Don’t stuff your anger; get rid of it with the Anger Buster. Spend a few minutes journaling through the list below. After you’re finished, burn what you’ve written and praise God that your anger is going up in the smoke. Then, each time you get angry, write and burn another Anger Buster.

Anger Buster

• Write about why you’re angry. Get all your feelings on paper where you can deal with them. Let the hurts flow without worrying about how it sounds.
• Write a brief prayer that God will help you to see your part in the problem and give you willingness to forgive the other person.
• Now write about the circumstances from the other person’s perspective. Write how you contribute to the problem and ways you do things that are similar to the ones you’re criticizing in the other person.
• Write a prayer that God will bless the other person (list specific ways) and show you how to have a better relationship.
• List things you can do to improve your part in the relationship.

2. Pouting puts pounds on. Many of you are facing challenging circumstances and are overeating to help you cope. In 1 Peter 5:7 God tells you to cast your cares on Him because He cares for you. So cast your cares on the Lord, not the refrigerator! Don’t continue to say, “Why me?” Instead ask God, “What would you have me learn?” Then give thanks because He loves you and will help you.

3. Worrying widens hips. I discovered the antidote to anxiety many years ago when the doctor found a suspicious mass on my mammogram. The night before my appointment with a surgeon, I was such nervous wreck that I couldn’t sleep. I turned on the TV and a choir happened to be singing a soft melody… “We exalt thee. We exalt thee. We exalt thee, O Lord.” Over and over they sang those words. My mind joined in their singing and soon my panic subsided. A blanket of peace covered me and I fell asleep. Several times during that night I woke up gripped by fear, but each time as I focused on those words of praise, peace flooded my mind. The next day, I was relieved to hear that I didn’t have cancer, but I never forgot the valuable lesson I learned that night: It is impossible to worry and worship at the same time. Praise erases panic.

I pray that after reading my words you will get to the emotional roots of your eating so you can lose your weight for good in 2011.

Julie Morris—founder of the Guided By Him Christian weight-loss program (www.guidedbyhim.com), author of 12 books and inspiring motivational speaker—is offering a “mini-retreat” January 22, 2010 in Birmingham, AL for those who want to lose weight. Email her for questions or registration Julie@guidedbyhim.com.

A Christmas Prayer

By Julie Morris –

O Lord, thank You for Christmas. Help me to prepare so that this year I can celebrate Your son’s birth in a more meaningful way. Help me to examine mistakes I’ve made in past Christmases so that I won’t be caught up in an unhealthy tidal wave of Christmas confusion this year.

So often, I have gotten my priorities backwards during Christmas: I’ve been so busy buying presents for everyone else that I have ignored the One whose birthday I was celebrating. I have spent money I didn’t have to buy gifts that no one needs. I have continued meaningless traditions that include over-spending and over-eating, while cutting down on Bible study and prayer.

When I think about the reason for the season, these things just don’t make sense. But that’s one of the problems. As Christmas confusion snowballs into Christmas chaos, I don’t think clearly! I celebrate Christmas as I always have, even if the results are the same: exhaustion, debt, extra pounds and a sense of emptiness after it’s over.

Father, help me to put You first and give You what You want this Christmas. When I think about what parents want from their children, I know the three things You want most: You want my love—not empty words of love; You want me to prove my love by spending time  with You, allowing You to guide me and encourage me. You want my appreciation for all of the things You have done for me—especially the sacrifice You made when You sent Your son as my redeemer 2,000 years ago. And You want me to share Your love with others.

Lord, there’s no way I can change the way I celebrate Christmas without Your help and a determined effort on my part. So right now I ask You to help me and I commit to do these things every day between now and Christmas:

• I will spend 15 minutes every morning celebrating the real reason for the season. During that time, I’ll journal my prayers and sing praises to You while basking in the light of my Christmas tree.
• I will pray daily to find people who need my help. Whether it’s money, encouraging words or extra time, I will share with them cheerfully–out of love for You.
• I will spend my time, money and calories well during the holidays. I will not do everything that I’ve always done—and expect different results. I will turn down some party invitations, shopping trips and Christmas traditions so I won’t become exhausted, bust my budget or add extra pounds.
• I will prepare for each Christmas party I decide to attend. I won’t go famished; I’ll focus on fellowship more than food; and when I eat, I’ll make the healthiest choices I can. And I won’t go back for seconds or load my plate down to overflowing.
• I’ll make exercise a priority. I’ll go for a brisk walk or run by the gym almost every day.
• I won’t tempt myself or those around me by baking a lot of “goodies.” I will think about how miserable I always feel when I’ve overeaten, and put a stop to it before it starts.
• I will meet with a prayer partner each week. I’ll tell her how I’m doing with these goals and pray with her, asking for the desire and ability to make these positive changes. If I get off track, I will confess it, recommit to my goal, and praise You for Your unconditional love for me.

Thank You for the priceless gift You gave at Christmas! Help me, Lord, to enjoy You this Christmas and to please You in all I do as I celebrate.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Julie Morris (julie@guidedbyhim.com) is the author of 12 books, a dynamic motivational speaker and founder of two Christian weight-loss programs: Step Forward (www.stepforwarddiet.com) and a lighter and easier version of Step Forward–Guided By Him (www.guidedbyhim.com).

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