Feb 5, 2026 – Choices
Yesterday morning, I emptied the last handful of walnuts into a small bowl to take to the sunroom to have to snack on while I wrote. I didn’t do that because I love walnuts or just because I wanted to empty and toss that bag in order to make room on the shelf for the new one I’d bought at Trader Joes (along with many other things I put in my cart that I didn’t go there for on my recent shopping trip). I really don’t like how they taste especially how they feel in my mouth as I chew them. You know what I mean if you’ve ever eaten a raw walnut that wasn’t surrounded by a piece of sweet banana bread or other food vehicle to make it more palatable (at least to me).
I’ve begun to TRY to eat them more often because they are good for me and not just in the general sense of good nutrition; but, because I learned in Dec that my cholesterol (both kinds) are shockingly sky high! I’ve never had issues with cholesterol before, not even in the years of being able to eat as many sweets as I wanted (I’m tall and long legs can hide a lot of Oreos – but should anyone eat too much of anything good or bad?) Apparently, poor food choices do eventually catch up with you!
Power – James 4:7 – “Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you.” I have to laugh. Resist temptation? Resist foods etc that are bad for you? The devil has to and will flee from you but so will cravings. Really. The phrase, “you are what you eat” is true, so if we make better choices, we should have better outcomes (and health). Joyce points out, “We can’t just hope we will think good thoughts. We have to actively seek them.” We can’t just know bad food isn’t good for us, we have to choose not to eat it. She continues, “The devil wants us to be passive because then he can work his plan without any opposition from us…. Be an active person who is always working with God toward the result that you desire to see in your life.”
Streams – Isaiah 52:12 – “You will not leave in haste.” Cowman shares from Crumbs, “I do not believe we have even begun to understand the wonderful power there is in being still. We are in such a hurry, always doing, that we are in danger of not allowing God the opportunity to work…. We hear so much today about being active, but maybe we need to learn what it means to be quiet.”
JC – “To receive My Peace, you must change your grasping, controlling stance to one of openness and trust…. Ask My Spirit within you to order your day and control your thoughts…. [food thoughts count] You will never run out of things to worry about, but you can choose to trust Me no matter what.” Again, it’s about our choices – they do shape our outcomes.
Prevail #36 – Deuteronomy 10:12 – “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.” On her radio show, Larson asked her guest, John Ortberg “what it means to truly follow Christ.” He answered with a question, “What if on my wedding night, I had asked Nancy this question: ‘What’s the least I must do for you in order to stay married to you?’ …And yet, we sometimes reduce salvation to a similar mindset. We want to secure our eternity, but we’re not always as willing to reorient our whole lives toward God.” We want to live long, healthy lives, but are we willing to reorient our thinking about food and exercise and habits that may be affecting our bodies and souls?
Max reminds us that, “God invites you – yes, commands you – to remind him of his promises…. The path to peace is paved with prayer.” Isaiah 62:6 – “Put the Lord in remembrance [of His promises], keep not silence.”
Utmost – Chambers asks, “Are you wiling to spend and be spent; not seeking to be ministered unto, but to minister?”
JA – “THE JOY I GIVE YOU transcends your circumstances…. I am training you to view your life from a heavenly perspective – through eyes of faith. When things don’t go as you had hoped, talk with Me…. I will help you discern whether you need to work to change the situation or simply accept it. Either way, you can teach yourself to say: ‘I can still rejoice in You, Jesus.’” We can teach ourselves to choose wisely in all areas of our lives.
