100!

I have not been as active with my sharing about this incredible journey we have been on as Sheryl has been.  However, today I wanted to celebrate a major marker in my life with you all.  I have been on this journey now for eight months and it has been a tough road.  The Lord has been the only one to sustain me many days.  I have wrestled through many issues in my life during these months.  I have seen the Lord's hand guide me through pain and struggle over and over.

Today I can celebrate officially 100 pounds of sin has left my body!  Yes, you read that right...sin.  My extra weight represented poor decisions and disobedience of many years.  The regular habit of not doing the right things and doing the wrong things had taken its toll on my body and the athlete I once was was covered by all kinds of stuff that had been added out of selfishness.  Today I have been set free from that and that sin no longer entangles me.  Praise be to God the Lord and Redeemer, who has redeemed my life and has given me another chance to live obedience out before my family.

If I am willing to allow the Lord to capture my thoughts and my desires enough to drop 100 pounds from my physical body, imagine what He can do if I will allow Him to capture my every thought and develop my spiritual being into the effective, obedient servant He has called me to be?  Oh how He desires for me to desire Him!  When we allow Him to do His work in us He does amazing things through us.

Today I ran, in Guatemala, one kilometer for every ten pounds He has enabled me to lose.  As I was running I had an awesome opportunity to listen to His voice and speak to Him in prayer about the struggles I am facing, the people He lays on my heart and the issues He is teaching me about.  Today I want to celebrate the joy of freedom from sin and death!

Freedom will come when we allow the truth to settle into our hearts.  His Word is the only thing that has the power to overwhelm our sin and remain in control over it all.  Today, will you join me in celebrating His goodness and His awesome power over the sins that so easily entangle us.  He is victorious over them all!  He will win every time.  He will do a work in us if we will submit to His leadership and call out to the Holy Spirit to teach us, mold us, shape us, make us, develop us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness!  Today stand firm in His ability to overcome every thing that tries to discourage and hold you back.  Fight free in His power and know the freedom to walk in His light full of power and strength for the tasks He sets before you!  You can win this battle, because He has already won the war! Run hard, press on and strive to reach the goal set before you....come on celebrate Him today with joy and thanksgiving!

In His Grip,
JT Turner