We have a very special guest today talking about our Key for Week 3 of the “Living and Active” challenge: craving conquerers!
Candace Cameron Bure’s biography is filled with many many accomplishments, fame and excitement, but the awesome thing about her is that she goes much deeper than all of those. I’ve had the chance to work alongside her for almost a year as one of the Senior Co-Editor’s of her online magazine, Roomag. We’ve had plenty of phone conversations, texts and emails and I’m telling you—she is the real deal! It is so refreshing to find someone like her in Hollywood! She is uniquely gifted and placed in this specific time to reach people for the Kingdom of God! I ask that you pray for her as she shines her light to those God has chosen to place her with.
And now, let’s hear from Candace!
Who doesn’t crave something? For some, it might be love, shopping, encouraging words or even working out.
But for most of us, when we hear the word “crave” we think food. I know I’m not the only one to shares cravings for ice cream, In&Out Burger and chocolate anything all year long! Cravings are fine, as long as we fulfill those cravings in moderation and those that are beneficial to us.
I was sitting on my couch alone, Val and the kids had gone to bed and I thought about having a sweet treat while I watched T.V. into the wee hours of the night. I wasn’t really craving anything… but the thought of something yummy kept popping into my mind because I knew it was there. I kept contemplating… should I eat it? I don’t really desire it. Yeah, but it will taste so good once you bite into it. No, I shouldn’t. I don’t need it and I’m not even craving it! But it’s there! And… the battle of the mind began.
Have you ever felt yourself in a situation where you didn’t even want something, but the more you thought about it, the more you convinced yourself that you needed it? I do it a lot more than I ever imagined once I became aware of it. The more I think about something, especially food, the more I’ve talked myself into having something I never really desired in the first place. So how do I keep myself from going on this mental journey that always turns into a battle?
In my book, Reshaping It All, I talk about “the eye covenant” found in Job 31:, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” Using Job as a role model, many committed husbands, like mine, have decided to make the same covenant with their eyes. If a beautiful woman walks by, a man may take notice, but if he gazes at her for a while, his mind will travel to places it shouldn’t. So rather than looking her way, he turns his eyes and his attention to something else.
If this covenant helped Job overcome lust of the flesh, it can also work for us in regard to food! Instead of fantasizing over lunch, or spending the evening meditating on what dessert we’ll have, let us turn our thoughts and attention to something else. Use this covenant of the eyes to avoid the snack isles while shopping, passing up free samples instead of stopping to consider them, replying “No, thank you,” the next time someone passes a brownie your way and to stay focused on the car ahead of you when you drive by a fast food chain.
The truth is, we may desperately crave something that isn’t beneficial, but we must decide to choose our action; give in or stand strong! If you stick with it, your body will eventually agree with your choice and you will crave to continue to do so.
This brings me to the word of God. When I wake up and read the bible and read it again before bed, the more I crave being in God’s presence and hearing His word wash over me. The more I think about the way I feel after reading the bible and praying, I can’t imagine that I’ve EVER skip a day! Realize the power of cravings. If I can talk myself into craving food I didn’t even want in the first place, I can certainly set my mind on spending daily time with God to the point that I’ll crave it. And what more in life would you want to crave?! Isn’t renewing our mind, body, spirit and soul in the word of God, strengthening our relationship with Him, pouring out our hearts cries and holding onto His promises what it’s all about? ~ Candace
♥♥♥
Yes! What a great word! Thank you Candace! Are you willing to stand with me for the rest of the challenge and conquer those bad cravings? Saying no gets easier each time—I promise!
Now, I want to know. (Candace didn’t ask me to do this) Who has read her book, “Reshaping It All?” If you have and feel comfortable, could you share a little below in the comments what helped you out the most from reading it?
Feel free to share personal stories or quotes from the book itself! Also, if you want to share what cravings have negatively taken over your life and your action plan to get through them, we’d love to hear it too!
I have read it and I was encouraged to continue to see my physical well-being as just one of three parts of my walk with God. Candace was so open about her struggles but also offered practical steps in overcoming setbacks and implementing new habits. I know that I was encouraged to hear that she did not go on a super-restrictive food plan, but just remembered that all was to be in moderation and defining what moderation really was. I also love how she encouraged us to be active with our families. Our kids need to learn from us how to balance our nutrition and our time for exercise. We can help them learn good life choices or negative ones. I grew up in a “junk food, everything processed” house and definitely developed a palate for those sorts of foods. I had to overcome that the hard way, and can still struggle with it, but her book was a good reminder of how much we impact our kids when reading her story and how food was portrayed to her as a child. Thank you for sharing this encouraging word!
This was greatly needed since the giant bowl of chocolate has been in my manager’s office this week!
I haven’t been able to read Candace’s book yet, just haven’t been able to afford it. There are times I am better at working around the cravings, I avoid them by reading the bible or by working out. I find I am much worse when I watch TV, so I just don’t watch it anymore! I just looked for what my triggers were and I am trying my hardest to avoid them. I do avoid the snack isle 🙂 The worst thing my kids take in their lunch is fruit snacks. Slowly but surely I am changing how our whole family eats and it is really helping us all.
trying to get back on track after 1 month of being sick. I read this after working out… just the icing on the cake I needed. Thank you Clare and Candace!
I read the book and loved it! The biggest thing for me was how real she was. Actual stories from her life and how she got through certain situations. While conquering cravings is my biggest struggle right now, and has been forever, it was how she talked about having a group of women who you can relate to and be real with…such as in bible study…that resonated with me the most. I have a similar group of friends who all live 1900 miles from me (they live in the same city). But, I’ve been able to stay close to them through email, phone calls, Skype (starting this week), and weekend trips together. It’s SO important to have that. Anyway, thanks for this insight on cravings and how to conquer them. I’ve known the phrase “What you think about, you bring about!” for awhile now, but it’s so easy to forget it.
This was a GREAT post and I’ve linked it and quoted it in my blog. I haven’t read the book, but clearly, now I must…..
Blessings!
I read Candace’s book and absolutely LOVED it! She was so sincere and honest. I really appreciated that, it helped her be relatable right off the bat and I empathized with her examples of struggling with eating most of her life. Her testimony for God is a great weapon that He is using – what an example for other hollywood stars! The thing that helped me most (although the whole book was amazing) was how she practically talked about how she continues managing her eating habits around her family. I have kids that keep me very busy, not to mention a wonderful husband to spend time with to. Her advice on how to balance it all was very helpful. I recommend her book to anyone seeking to gain victory over their eating habits, grow closer to God, and keep a good attitude the whole way through!
What an epiphany! I had never really seen the similarity of a food craving and man’s craving to lust on a woman before, but SO TRUE!!! I will definitely be sharing this with my friends so they will be encouraged as I have this morning. Thank you!
LOVE her book! Read and re-read a few times, plus just loaned my copy to the third person. I loved the connection she makes between spiritual and physical health. I’m from a family that emotionally ate all the time and often sent the message that exercising, taking care of yourself, etc. is out of vanity. I’m so glad Candace’s book points out that God wants us to treat our bodies well. She also emphasizes our walk with God, keeping ourselves and our relationships healthy are work, but definitely worth it!
Thank you for this post! What a great reminder to turn to God for nourishment when the cravings for “evil” aka cupcakes 😉 hit!
I’ve read “Reshaping It All” a couple of times now. I love the book. Interestingly enough is that the part that touched me the greatest is the section that discusses her husband and his walk with Christ. Like her husband, mine didn’t grow up in a church. I loved reading about how she introduced Christ to her husband and how she prayed and prayed for him. It made my heart so happy when her husband took Christ into his life. My husband has slowly moved from unacceptance to acceptance and I lean on this section in the book to remind me to keep praying for him and to keep letting Christ shine through my words and my actions. I see a change happening in him, which is also reflecting a change in our family. It’s a beautiful thing to see! It makes me slightly giddy 🙂 As much as I loved the rest of the book (it’s so good) this section helped to give me the strength to encourage my sweet husband to also find a love for Christ!
Thank you Candace!
Emily
I have read Candace’s book. It was such an inspiration to me. I had not realized before I read the book that I was a binge eater at times. As I was reading the book I was made aware of this action and I am now taking steps to get this under control.
A timely article for me today! I have read Candace’s book and LOVE it so much! It’s encouraging and thought-provoking and funny too 🙂 I really recommend it to any woman who would like some spiritual encouragement, especially related to living a healthy lifestyle.
I read the book on Aug. 17th, of this year. It seriously changed my life in one day! I have began living a healthier, more active life the very next day. I believe it’s because she helped me see that by putting God first (where He belongs) and asking Him to be along with you on your journey, you really can conquer anything! I am so glad I made that decision. Thank you!
i have read the book several times over the summer. I battle binge eating and didn’t realize how much it was a spiritual battle for me.. that was the one area in my life that I try to control and fix myself, and always fail.. Her book really has helped me come to Jesus with my eating issues… I re-read my favorite chapters often for encouragement!
I have read Candace’s book several times and the part that really jumped out at me was realizing that my eating disorder is a sin problem and a constant battle of the wills for me. The passage in Romans she used spoke to my heart. I love how open and honest she was about her journey and it helps me to know that she struggles sometimes like all of us because she has been so successful with her weight and lifestyle and that gives me hope that I can also. Thank you Candace!! 🙂
I read Candace’s book for the first time last November after she spoke at my university and since then I have read it at least ten times. Since then I have lost thirty pounds and have run 3 5k races. Every time I feel myself slipping into bad habits, I reach for Candace’s book to encourage myself to get right with God and right with my health. Thank you so much Candace for you unconscious encouragement!!! xx
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