Bread Over Hot Coals

Yesterday in church I learned that a broom tree is really just an old name for a juniper shrub... and a juniper shrub is where juniper berries come from... and juniper berries are where gin comes from.  Moral of the story?  Go to church, you can learn about gin.  OK, not quite... but I have you interested right? 

The lesson about the broom tree is found in I Kings 19.  It is about the prophet Elijah and how he was ready to give up.  "He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said."  (I Kings 9:4).  I don't know about you, but I can certainly identify with Elijah.  There is probably not a month that goes by where I say "I have had enough!"  And while I certainly don't ask for my life to be taken.  I do often feel ready to give up.  I think we all have these "I have had enough" moments! 

Its times like these that lead us down the path of self-destruction and self-doubt.  It's times like these that we might binge and keep going... first its a couple of days away from the gym, then a week, then a month... time can go so quickly.  You have a stressful day, and don't track your food, and a day turns into a week, turns into a month, turns into a year.  I've been there... more times than I care to admit.  I've had enough, and I've given up!  I did it in 2006 and I quickly gained back the 30 pounds I had lost back then plus another 20 more for good measure.  Finding myself a good 115 pounds overweight in October of 2008, when I started this current journey.

So what do you do when - not if - you get to this point?  Here is what I love, this simple truth:  "...Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you. ..." (I Kings 19:7).  Yes... you read that right.  EAT!  When we are weary, and we had enough we are provided with fuel for the journey.  I think that fuel is based on what God knows you need most.  When you reach a point, any point in life, be it in weight loss or stopping smoking maybe, or maybe your finances are falling down around you, you've just gotten a divorce... and you've had enough, you are provided with the "food" you need to continue your journey.  For Elijah .. it is bread over hot coals.

I've been thinking about the "bread over hot coals" for my 2-1/2 year journey.  What was I given just when I thought I had had enough... when the journey was too much for me:
- Amazing inspiration from those who had been successful before me.
- A weight watchers leader that cared beyond what I could have expected.
- The inspiration, power, ability, and just enough of a nudge to commit to running a 5k.. and actually doing it!
- Amazing comments both on my blog, and in real life that kept me going.  When I felt I was a loser I was told I was an inspiration!
- One look at my 3 year son to know I am not just doing this for myself.
- The first time I realized that my son want to run "just like my mommy" (insert collective awwww here)
- One look at pictures from 3 years ago, and not recognizing the person in them even though it was me!
- A REALLY good weigh in, just when I needed it most!
- Lots of prayers... thanks mom!

This journey (or whatever journey you are currently on) is too much for you, for me, for any of us.  Its the hardest thing I've ever done!  I needed help.  You need help.  We need bread over hot coals to keep going.

What's your bread over hot coals?