You heard it here first...

I'm all about missions. God-centered, God-driven missions. I currently have several missions going on and some options I'm still exploring. Missions never end, this isn't a post about look at what great things I can do because I don't feel that way at all. I think missions should be a part of our daily lives.

Acts 1:8 says "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

I seek God's guidance daily for ways to accomplish Acts 1:8. At home one of my missions is currently caring for my Grandpa. At this time care means physically caring for him 4-5 days a week. However that may soon change and I will be given the opportunity to serve in an entirely different way. A mission I'm really excited about is just now coming to fruition it's a mentoring/discipling group for women/girls in the community. This has been on my heart for years and to finally be on the verge of experiencing it is exciting!  My women's Sunday school class is very missionally driven, especially when it comes to our community. We continually try to meet physical needs of families. And to the ends of the earth? Belize? I still have not said yes to this mission trip. It is still weighing very heavily on my heart. There are many things I can do right here to help provide for the people of Belize, and I will. I imagine if 2014 is not my year to go to Belize, 2015 will be!

I am just bursting with excitement about all the possibilities! There are so many opportunities nestled inside those listed above. I couldn't even begin to know them all yet. I have been praying for these opportunities for years! I'm so excited to see God moving and to be connected with so many people in my life whose hearts desire the same.

And then there is the self mission of sorts, that starts today. This is the toughest mission of them all, but the one that is needed to allow me to be the best representation of Christ I can be as I carry out the other missions He has planned for me. Digging into God's word and growing in my relationship with Him has revealed a need in my own life I just can't ignore. I can spend all my time becoming spiritually prepared but if my physical body is unable to take the message to the places he calls me to, then I have a problem.

I've said it for months now that I need to get out of my own way. Satan has convinced me to allow my insecurities keep me from doing things I should do. He's encouraged me to seek comfort in chocolate and many other wonderful tasting foods.

No more. I've done this before and been successful at least for short periods of time, so I know it can be done. However those times were all for purely selfish reasons. The difference this time is I feel God has shown me this has to be done. I can't ignore the mission of taking care of myself physically any less than taking care of myself spiritually or meeting the physical needs of others.

So you heard it here first and I promise try not to bore you about it. But I do ask that you hold me accountable to this very personal physical mission, and I will try to give weekly update. My plan to reach my goal is to learn to eat solely for fueling my body, by planning my meals and snacks in advance; get more active, starting with walking 3-5 times a week; and in the end dropping over 100 lbs (maybe eventually I'll give you the actual number!)

Will I fail? Yep, if I try to do this on my own, for me I will fail miserably. (Honestly, I've already "failed" today, but I had the ice cream and threw the rest of the container in the trash... done.) In the end I will succeed, so long as I remember this is not about me but about being able to serve God in the ways He has designed me to.