no more fat kid syndrome!

Today is memorial day. This day is set aside to honor those that have served our country in the military. People that put their lives on the line so that we can have freedom! Pastor Curtis from our church, yesterday was sharing about those that died for our freedom and he started to share about Jesus! Like those soldiers that went into the military knowing the price they might pay..Christ gave his life willingly..so that we could have salvation and freedom! So now the fat kid thing! Today..I like tons of Americans went to the beach to enjoy time with my wife, friends and our day off! And it was awesome! Not as crowded as we expected..beautiful weather..and the beach! Just so you know..I frequently started to sing the chorus from that amazing plane movie..lol..'take my breath awwaaayyy'!! because the water was that cold! Still an awesome day though! Anyways.. I stood in the water, watched the waves and I started to reflect on my life and the word freedom! This thought..I am still 1 of the fat kids on the beach crossed my mind! Now before you start feeling bad...stay with me! I have been overweight most of my life..and have literally battled to change it! 2 years ago I lost 53.5lbs and felt awesome. I vowed never to go back and to press on..and like we do..I some how forgot my pledge and stopped working at losing weight and getting healthier. I gained some weight back and now I have been in the process of re-starting this journey! So today..as I am still 1 of the fat kids on the beach crossed my mind again..and God began to challenge my heart! As I reflected back on that weight loss process I realized that emotionally I changed, in word and even in deed I temporarily changed..but spiritually I still held on to those chains of bondage that I was so used too! And that is why I turned around..cause when I started to struggle with the fear of not being good enough or not appreciating the small but very big victory that I had already accomplished..I was still holding on to those chains! We all struggle with weight that we carry that we were not made to carry..and I am not just talking about pounds! We settle because we see other people that are carrying weight that they shouldn't carry, so we justify our junk because we are not as jacked up as they are right?! What is my point..tomorrow is June 1st! I plan to seek God, exercise, eat better and re-start this journey! I know Jesus died for our freedom! But it is our responsibility to walk in that freedom! He wants us to be free! I want to walk in it! Do you? 1 more thing..read Hebrews 12:1 and let God speak to you! He loves us! I thank Jesus for all he has done...he has changed my life and still is! And today I thank God for all those that have served and died to give me the freedom to share the hope that only comes from God! Be encouraged! God is just getting started with us! no more fat kid syndrome! -jimmy akers