I confess – I just downloaded a copy of Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire With God, Not Food onto my iPad, curled up in my comfy chair and read the first words of this book while I simultaneously dug into my bowl of Frosted Flakes. Yes, Frosted Flakes.
Before you snicker, may I just add that I had such great coupons for these Frosted Flakes that Kellogg’s actually paid me to buy them. All six boxes. Now if they would just pay me to not eat them, we might really have a good thing going.
But back to the book…
Healthy Eating
I’ve eaten healthy for many years. Those years were not necessarily all in a row, but if you added all my healthy eating spurts together I’m sure they would add up to years. Healthy eating is good for me, and I feel good when I do it. I also wish that I yearned to eat healthy all the time, but somehow my ‘want to’ never lasts quite as long as my craving for chocolate. So, in the end the chocolate wins.
That’s why I’ve decided to go through this book, Made to Crave. I know what it’s like to crave. I crave chocolate and chips, donuts and Ding-Dongs and every sugar coated thing in-between. I am living proof that women were made to crave.
Less Sugar ~ More God
Sugar tastes good, but it doesn’t wear well. It doesn’t look good on my hips, it doesn’t do wonders for my heart, and worst of all, it can serve as a substitute for deeper intimacy with God. That’s the part I really care about.
I may not naturally yearn for healthy food but I do want to be close to my God. I want Him more than anything. In Chapter 1 of Made to Crave, Lysa (I hope she doesn’t mind if I call her by her first name but since we are going to be spending the next 10 weeks together, I feel like we’re already friends), anyway, Lysa says that “we were made to crave - long for, want greatly, desire eagerly, and beg for – God. Only God. But Satan wants to do everything possible to replace our craving for God with something else.” That will never do.
The First Step
Thus, I have committed to working through 10 weeks of Made to Crave so that God alone will be the One who satisfies my deepest desires.
This is Day 1, and so far, so good. Lysa hasn’t asked me to do anything, change anything or give up anything. While I have a feeling that won’t last, it feels good to know that even with my bowl of Frosted Flakes I’m not behind.
Food for Thought
Today’s meditation on my 3×5 card is Psalm 139:14,
“I will give thanks for Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Thy works, and my souls knows it very well.”
May the Lord work this truth deep into my hungry soul.
Check In
To increase accountability and encourage others PLEASE take a minute to comment below: introduce yourself, share your successes or struggles, add your food list or simply say ‘hi.’
The journey to change will be more successful if you walk it with others.
What are your thoughts as you begin this journey closer to God?
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leave a comment here.
Made to Crave ~ Index to Previous Posts
I am just joining for the first time. I’ve looked for a Made To Crave Bible study around my area and I’ve either missed the first 3 weeks or no one else is having it. This saves me drive time anyway. : ) I have done the Made To Crave study before and lost 15 lbs and felt like I really had the right attitude in my heart about food and sugar. Although, I have fallen off the wagon and I’ve let my emotions rule what goes into my mouth rather than asking Jesus for help or making Him my focus. I am glad to have accountability through this journey and want to get back on track with Jesus as my focal point.
Blessings,
Susan Ludwig
Hi Susan,
Good for you. I’m glad that you found us and will be joining the journey. Let us know how we can pray for you as you go along.
Good morning!
I am so excited to find this study, and I have to say, I love your style of writing Kim, very approachable and friendly!
Ahhh, excess weight, my companion for over 30 years. I have honestly tried every diet under the sun, even a few “christian” plans. Some worked, some didn’t. Seems no matter what plan I followed, I always did it powered by “ME”. Never even gave God a chance to be a part of it. Needless to say, here I am in my 50′s, 100 lbs. overweight, totally loving everything in my life except my weight. It has kept me from living my life to my full potential, because it robs me of self-esteem and confidence. Without those ingredients, you are held back in life in many areas. Today, I am finally surrendered. I actually want to know, feel, and hear what God has to say and offer in this weight matter, health matter. I have way too much head knowledge, (from all those diet books) which by the way is VERY confusing, now I need some heart knowledge. Only God can change and give me that. I am sure he directed me here and I am ready! So bring it on!
Hi Etta,
Welcome, welcome. We are so glad you are here.
I agree with you that all the information in the world won’t change us in any area of our lives until we let God do ‘on-going heart surgery.’
That’s why we are here. Thanks for joining the journey.
Excited to begin this journey. After reading a few chapters I think I have found the connection I have missed for so many years. The physical, emotional and spiritual parts of my life can’t be treated separately. God so wonderfully linked them together.
Hi Mary,
Isn’t wonderful to have a book that reminds us that all of life is spiritual and God should be integrated into every part. I pray you have great success on this journey!
Food is my addiction. I have allowed it to consume me, ruin my health, jeopardize my life and control me every moment I am awake. It is the one dirty secret I have (albeit not well kept as evidenced by my size lol).
I need God to take this from me! I need God to give me the strength and courage to give up the addiction aspect and live a healthy and full life.
I need this! I am knocking at God’s door tonight begging for his help. I know he led me to this site and the this book for a reason. He has been preparing me for this particular journey for a few months and I know that I am only ready this time to change because I realize that I cannot do this without him.
Hi DeeDee, You are absolutely ready for this. The God who loves you is leading you and will equip you and encourage you every step of the way. Congratulations for taking this important first step!
I have recently gotten REALLY desperate to lose weight (for health issues) and last summer I signed up for a medically supervised low calorie diet. It really worked. I stuck with it for about 5 months and lost 60 pounds. Great huh!? Unfortunately, the last 5 months when I went into phase 2 I’ve lost nothing and started gaining!!! Well I realized that this is the part of the journey that God needs to control and I need to give my addiction to him. I could get some of the weight off myself (with lots of human help!!!) but these last 25-30 need to be removed by God. Moving my focus off the food and onto God! This is the really hard part!
Hi Julia,
I love your perspective and your goal to move all your focus onto God. May He bless you richly as you lean into Him.
I wanted to take this at a local church, however the facilitator wasn’t comfortable with those not in this church joining the study. I ordered the book anyway, then searched for an online study and found this. I am very thankful to have found this site. At the same time, I am a bit hesitant about the cycle of losing weight only to gain it back after proclaiming I will never do that again. However, one thing is very different this time, and that is it being God centered I am committed to this study and to placing God first and foremost!!!! Thank you
Hi Deb,
Good for you for buying the book and finding an online study. That shows your high level of commitment. So thankful that you are on the exciting journey with God.
Many Blessings,
Kim
Thank you for writing about this and sharing in the struggle…looking forward to more!
You are so welcome, Tara. I’m so glad you are going through the book with us.
Started reading the book this morning. Tried everything. Lost hundreds of pounds in my lifetime but I always find them again. I want to stop the madness. I need to find a way to get out of this constant cycle of gaining, loosing, giving up, starting over again. I am +50, 100 pounds overweight, and have a 12 year old child who needs me to be healthy. God please help me.
Hi Joy, Good for you for hanging in there and going with Made to Crave. I’m praying that God will be your all in all as you go through this journey toward greater health.
I remember what it was like to have such strong food cravings. It was frustrating.
I am so grateful to now actually enjoy my food cravings. I am grateful that I find that for me personally, God uses my craving for food to lead me to Himself or something wonderful that He has for me.
Hi Mary Lou,
It’s a wonderful place to be. I’m so thankful that you have found Him faithful just as He promised.
I recently attended a Christian Women’s Conference where Lysa Terjeurst was one of the speakers. After listening to her “Made to Crave” I knew God brought me to this conference to hear her message. Lysa’s struggles mirror mine, and I want God to be my priority, the one and only who meets my every need. I know this will be a huge battle for me, since I have done the yo yo weight thing for most of my life. I do not want to be defeated!
Hi Barb,
That’s so cool that you got to hear Lysa speak. I’ll bet that was a terrific talk. It sounds like it was a real answer to prayer, and I hope and pray that this study will be a blessing to you as well.
I need help and I keep looking to the world or my broken self and get the same old confusion there. I know I have to seek God in all this craziness, but keeping falling back on my own understanding. Please lord help me to seek you with all my heart and trust you with all of myself.
I need to lose 100 pounds, I am disgusted with how I look and feel. I work with people who are cruel and I need to break my cycle of self abuse if you know what I mean. I feel so much better when I do daily quiet time with God. But get so distracted by the world and I am the care giver for my elderly mom, we have never had a good relationship and it isn’t getting any better, I feel like I should be able to change this but can’t do it alone. Thanks
Hi Cyndi,
Don’t feel bad - none of us can do this on our own. And it’s an real up and down journey, even on the best of days. May you sense the amazing love of God as He looks on you right now - right where you are. He’s crazy about you and has made you beautiful. Enjoy Him, dear sister!
Hi I’m Tara. I have struggled with weight and cravings my whole life. I want to rise above my weight and crave God!
I’m praying for you Tara as you seek God’s face in this very tough area!
I am 70 pounds overweight. I don’t know where else to turn. I am afraid that this won’t work because of me, not because of God. I don’t care enough about myself.
Hi Tracey - I am praying that God will allow you to see you as He sees you - beautiful, whole and complete in Christ.
I’m excited to begin my journey to health this time with God steering my focus. My cravings are beyond my power at this point, and my weight, energy level and ability to live abundantly are suffering as a result. I have known for some time that I needed to surrender my addictions- just praying that God renews this desire each day for me!
I’m looking forward to seeing what God can do, what I’m unable to do…to loose and maintain my weight. I know God is able! I’m excited to work with God on this area of my life and it to spread throughout my whole life!!
Hi Susan, I’m excited for you and am looking forward to hearing the wonderful things God is doing.
Blessings,
Kim
My friend is taking this study at her church for the second time and very much encouraged me to try it. As I began to read, I too was eating some honeynut cherrios as I was reading. LOL
Good morning. Today is my first day.
I have been searching for an online group to keep me accountable to seeing food and my appetite through God’s eyes, and seeing my temple as holy so as not to tear it down my making unwise food choices. Thank you for this life coaching for Christian women.
Hello,
So first off, I am different than most people who the Lord has led to this webpage in the fact that I am a man and not a woman. But I still struggle with food. I have an addiction and my thoughts are consumed my food. It is so depressing to pursue something so unsatisfying. I have tried and tried to break free of this and have had some success, but like with all struggles, it has returned.
So be it. Like the apostle Paul, we must accept that we are going to have a struggle in order to keep us humble and in order to keep us drawing close to God. And thats how I have to look at it. I want to pursue God more and more and more. I want to know him more. I want to be his son in whom he is well pleased, solely for the fact that i know him and pursue Him. Not for my deeds, my failures, or my successes.
With God, we can do this.
So glad you are joining us on this journey, Andrew. May God bless you as you move forward in His strength.
Hello everyone, as I read through the first chapter and am now on the reflection questions, I would love to hear others opinions. More specifically on question 3 which asks: “IF its true that we are made to crave, how might it change the way you understand your cravings?
b)Do you believe there could be any benefits to listening to your cravings instead of trying to silence them?
c) What might those benefits be?
I believe we are made to crave, but crave something more than simple pleasures of this world. To crave a heavenly Father and his love. To desire to worship Him, to crave his presence, to crave time with Him. So i am trying to see, how we can change our desires for the things of this world into Good? Is it everytime we crave something of this world, we pray, we start reciting scripture, we use it as a cue to call a friend and talk about it?
Would love some help with this question.
This was a difficult question for me and I would love to hear some responses from others.
Thanks so much, and remember we are doing this journey as a family in Christ.