Woo hoo! Today marks the first full week of blog posts on PBnJGrace! That, my friend, is something to celebrate.

New habits, like writing, taking vitamins, or making the bed, or reading some scriptures every day, are hard to form. At least it’s been that way for me. I had no problem developing an insatiable need for caffeine way back in high school. Diet Pepsi was often on my nightstand at bedtime. After my second child was born it became very clear that cans of soda were not going to even get me through 7am. Soon I began to hit the hard stuff…coffee. I didn’t even like it at first, but mixed with enough cocoa it became a chocolate lover’s dream. Although I knew I was addicted, I convinced myself that if I ever needed to stop I could. I mean, it wasn’t crack. Right?

For some reason unhealthy habits are easy to come by, but making healthy habits are really hard for me. I won’t even tell you how many times I’ve began an exercise program and stopped…with a very good excuse every single time. Nearly every single ‘healthy’ habit I have embraced has come down to choosing relief over a lot of pain. My body has rejected most of the standard American diet. Caffeine got the boot a few days after my 40th birthday. Happy birthday to me, right? I’d like to tell you that I don’t think about it anymore because I feel so great, but that would be a lie. I do feel better, but I think about coffee every single day. It’s like an old boyfriend that I can’t quite seem to get over even though I know I’m better off without him. To make things harder, I bump into him all of the time. It’s a high drama break-up.

What I’m saying is that it’s never too late to make changes that will make us healthier. As long as we’ve been given another day to breathe in and out, we have another day to choose differently. His mercies are new every morning. I don’t know what kinds of choices you’re facing right now. But I do know that there are people who love you an awful lot and are depending on you to fight to do whatever it takes do be ‘healthy’. Chances are good that you know in your gut what you need to do and just need to take the first step. The Lord will help you. One step at a time, one day at a time. When you’ve used up all the strength you have for today, he’ll give you more tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that. You’re not a victim. You are more than a conqueror. You are.

To celebrate His daily faithfulness, I’m giving away a copy of ‘Jesus Calling’ to one random winner. All you have to do is fill in the blank:

I _________________ every day.

in the comments here on the blog (not on Facebook) by Sunday (8/12). I’ll draw and announce the winner on Monday (8/13). Even if you already have a copy of this book, I’ll bet you know someone who needs it.

Thanks for stopping by this week. I pray that you’ll continue to experience the daily faithfulness of the Lord in a powerful way. He loves you more than you can imagine.

See you Monday.

Jesus Calling is a devotional filled with uniquely inspired treasures from heaven for every day of the year.  After many years of writing in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to listen to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever she believed He was saying to her.  It was awkward at first, but gradually her journaling changed from monologue to dialogue.  She knew her writings were not inspired as Scripture is, but journaling helped her grow closer to God.  Others were blessed as she shared her writings, until people all over the world were using her messages.  They are written from Jesus’ point of view, thus the title Jesus Calling.  It is Sarah’s fervent prayer that our Savior may bless readers with His presence and His peace in ever deeper measure.–Publisher Notes