Ladies,

WOW! I am in tears as I read your words of encouragement and prayers on these boards.

To be together as women under the common need to treat our bodies kindly and to be revered and accepted as women is a beautiful thing. We ARE Proverbs 31 women (If you haven't read it grab a bible, if you have, read it again and try to read it without looking at it as a to-do list, but as a celebration of our very natures) and we are here not only at Jenny Craig taking control of our bodies for ourselves, our mates, our children and our God, but we are here in faith talking to complete strangers about our own struggles, encouraging each other and lift each other up to God.

I again say WOW! Wow and thank you.

Proverbs 31 NIV

10 [c] A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Wow. That's us, ladies!
So what do you identify with? What speaks to your heart? What do you have trouble with? What does it say about you?

Today is my third day and I am doing well. I am hungry, I will admit, but I think it's habit eating, ot real hunger... I don't NEED something to eat, I just want my hands busy.

I remember something my friend Adrienne taught me; she said to pray for your daily bread. We need bread to survive. That lead me to soul search for those things that I consider daily necessities and I came up with this:

B body - I will pray for my body that it is healed in Jesus' name, that it is healthy and strong, that it can find balance in a healthy and pleasing weight and that it does not control me. My body is a temple, and I will treat it as though it were the body of Christ.

R relationships - I ennumerate my most precious relationships and pray for strength, understanding and grace and I pray for the things that each of my loved ones needs.

E each child - my children are wonderful and good. I pray for each one individually, their needs and for their salvation.

A authority - I pray for my own attitude toward authority, my husband, my pastors, my boss. I pray for each of them and I pray that I submit in a healthy way (I am a control freak...)

D deliverance - I pray deliverance from my medical issues, my affair with food, my un-Christlike qualities and anything else that I wish to be rid of in this life to bring me closer to who God wants me to be.


When we pray,we allow God to work in us and around us. Oh yeah,and through us. God be with you.

You have given new meaning to give us our daily bread. That is truly insprirational.