Are you a FAT Christian?

I AM SOOOOO FAT!

Are you a FAT Christian? I'm not, but I wanna be! Said no-one ever! Are your scales tipping over to a number that you "shouldn't" be? Or is the number that you "should" be too low? But either way, you're still FAT? This is a question I've been asking myself lately, am I FAT? Especially as a Christian! Have mercy!  I think every one of us would answer this question with a resounding YES! It doesn't matter if we are "too skinny" or not, we say "I'm fat!" Don't we? How many times a day do we say "Ugh, I'm so fat"? When we eat a cookie we immediately think "I'm so fat" while we pinch our inch to see if it's somehow grown in the last 2 seconds it took us to inhale our cookie! First of all, let me ease your mind, fat doesn't grow that fast! Water and poop maybe, but not fat.  You would need to eat that cookie everyday for about 2 weeks to gain a pound.  But the guilt and shame we consume each time we eat it will definitely make your fat cells swell up immediately! That spare tire just suddenly put on 50 more pounds of pressure! No kidding! Am I wrong? I know from experience! Oh, but the sweet, sweet grace of Jesus covers us and like tar on a hot road, melts away that guilt and shame!
Here's the real question we need to ask ourselves, am I spiritually FAT? What if we applied that same physical awareness of being fat to our spiritual diet? What would your answer be? Before you answer, let's look at what FAT means.

F aithful
A vailable
T eachable
(borrowed from Alisa Keaton, @revelationwellness)

Now, are you FAT? I'm not as FAT as I'd like to be! That just makes me chuckle when I  hear myself say that! Go ahead, say it out loud! "I'm not as FAT as I'd like to be", "I want to be FAT", "Man I wish I were more FAT"! Sounds funny and maybe it even brings up some very emotional feelings.  It's ok if take time to go there with Jesus! Leave no stone unturned physically or spiritually.
So, I've been thinking on this for weeks and every time I do I cannot remember what the A stands for.  I always have to go look and then I'm like "oh yeah, ok, sure I'm available". But am I? This time I brought the letter A to Jesus. Like Sesame Street, "Today, Cookie Monster is eating the letter A". A is for Availability! What exactly does that mean? Available: Present, ready to use. Accessible, qualified and willing to serve or assist.  Capable of being used. Uncommitted, FREE and able to ACT AT WILL! To be unavailable is to be inaccessible, unapproachable, and not available or at hand. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak! What a great place to be honestly because Jesus' power can work greatly in that space.
 Here's some questions God has given me to ask myself:

1.Are you willing and able to be available beyond the point or pain, discomfort and disappointment?
2.Are you available to move past your insecurity or lack of confidence?
3.Are you available to act in my strength and not your own?
4.Is your heart available for me to work in and show you things that stand in your way?
5.Is your heart open to trust me and depend on me?
6.Are your eyes free of stumbling blocks and judgement?
7.What is keeping you, my Daughter, from being fully available? Can I show you?

Well, I thought that I was pretty available until I started examining my heart.  Do you know what my biggest stumbling block is? FEAR! FEAR! And, well, FEAR! Yes! Oh my gosh! I am passionate for Jesus, I desire to be a mover and a shaker, a difference maker! I want to take all that God has done for me and share it so that others might be free from their chains! I want to give the world Jesus! I want to help other Christians shake off all that is holding them back and making them unavailable! But sometimes...fear keeps me in my closet (praying or not) rather than out there being a shaker of salt and creating a thirst for God! What could I possibly fear? Sometimes I fear rejection. I fear not knowing enough and being thought of as stupid. I fear being ridiculed and judged, being laughed at.  I fear crowds! I know, who'da thunk it, right? I fear being uncomfortable, embarrassed, and on and on! How crazy is that? It sounds like I fear being like Jesus? Doesn't it? I mean, do I fear being FAT? Ha, boy that has double meaning doesn't it? Fear is a tool of satan to keep me under a bushel! Yall, this little pea is popping on out of that bushel! Whoop! "The sun'll come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, come what may..." Lord let it be today, not tomorrow! Do you know what else can keep a girl/guy from being available? Unconfessed sin.  Oh my, like a cookie, sin makes me do a pinch test and waller in guilt and shame. Mmmhmmm! So does jealousy & envy (for another day), unforgiveness, and feeling sorry for myself.  Claiming busyness to avoid interaction is an availability killer.  Bitterness, resentment and hate can also puts me under lock and key.  Any of these sound familiar? When God says, "jump" do I ask 'how high?' or do I say "wait", make excuses, or pinch my inch? Am I available at all costs? You've heard the saying "If God sends you to it, he'll get you through it!" It's true, but are you, am I, willing and able to throw that much caution to the wind? We've been told "look before you leap".  The only thing we really need to look at is the scale of our hearts.  "The phrase taking a leap of faith implies a swift and sure movement in a direction where the destination is unknown." (Kingdom Woman)

I WANT TO BE FAT! I want to be faithful, available and teachable! I want to be so FAT that I can't fit through a door way because Jesus is so big in me! I want to be so FAT that when I enter a room everyone notices because the light of Jesus draws their attention! I want Jesus to be my "spare tire", my "roll" over my belt, and that extra wave under my arm!  I want the face of Jesus to be smack in the middle of my cellulite! I want my hips to pound out a rhythm of praise for is He is worthy! Woo hoo! Being FAT is sexy! I am beautiful! So are you! Let me tell you something friends, being overweight or fat physically is just an outer manifestation of an inner dysfunction.  Truly it is! There is no shame! Embrace where you are knowing that God is just chomping at the bits to get in there and work you out! Our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak! Hallelujah! It's not about the outside! Ask yourself these questions:

1.What are you protecting yourself from with that spare tire around your waist? What is it you can't stomach in life?
2.Got lower belly fat? Whom or what is a like a parasite in your life? Is it unconfessed sin? Cast out that life sucker! Maybe it's time for a cleanse! Literally, you may actually have parasites! Ew! Lol!
3.Upper belly fat? Ah, why are you so closed off in your heart? What or whom are you protecting it from? Is there distrust? You CAN trust again! Don't believe the lie that says you can't. Trust is not gone, just wounded.  Pain? Sorrow? Surely we need to protect our heart's for it is the well spring of life, but not from God!
4.What's with that rounded, "beer belly?" Too much beer? LOL! That's between you and God! If it's hard, maybe you worry too much and need to slow down and rest in Jesus.  Maybe ya need a boost of citrus Sonshine and some "Real Salt" of the Word of Life! If it's soft maybe you need a shot of BJesus! Maybe you need to be fed.  What's got ya so sluggish? Is it toxins?

What is making you unavailable? Be FAT for Jesus! He is the "good fat"! He is the "olive oil" of life! Consume him daily! He is your Omega 3, 6, 9, 5, & 7! Let him wreck your heart!  Let him remove your fear, guilt and shame! Let his goodness replace your "wrinkles" of resentment, bitterness and let his love smooth out your hate! He is the giver of life! He is your vegetable, your lean protein, your healthy whole grain and the fruit of the vine! I can't think of a better diet plan!  Be mindful and be FAT, be FAT, be FAT!

I am faithful, I am available and I am teachable! Say this affirmation daily! Look in the mirror and say "I am FAT, I am beautiful, I am worthy, I am valuable and I am available! Use me today Lord, not tomorrow!" When you embrace the joy being FAT I can promise, yes promise, that your "physical" fat will move, your eating habits will change, and your energy will increase! Joy is the magic pill! It IS the best fat burner out there! Order yours today, it's FREE! No shipping, no taxes!

Warning: Joy is contagious!
Spread this message like wildfire and become a real "Available" life changer!

It's a challenge: Tell someone "I am a FAT Christian and I am bringing sexy back! Let's go! It's time to dance!

We are fearfully and wonderfully made to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. For God examines the heart of a man and not the outer appearance. We are created in His image and He will continue the work in you until the day Jesus appears! Amen!

#boldinthesoul

Stephanie Goode,
Holistic Health Coach, CNHP