Ponderings by Andrea: ‘Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food’ by Lysa TerKeurst

Being that we are still at the beginning of a New Year, I think it’s safe to say that many of us are still focusing on getting in shape and looking forward to better health and a better body! Of course, we shouldn’t let the calendar dictate when we want to get on the right track. In her latest work, ‘Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food,’ Lysa TerKeurst aims to redirect our built-in and God-given craving back to God.

Here is the synopsis of this extremely enlightening book:

Craving isn’t a bad thing.

Has food become more about frustration than fulfillment? Made to Crave is the missing link between a woman’s desire to be healthy and the spiritual empowerment necessary to make that happen. Author Lysa TerKeurst personally understands the battle that women face. In Made to Crave, she will help you:

· Break the cycle of “I’ll start again Monday,” and feel good about yourself today.

· Stop agonizing over numbers on the scale and make peace with your body.

· Replace rationalizations that lead to failure with wisdom that leads to victory.

· Reach your healthy goals and grow closer to God through the process.

This book is not a how-to manual or the latest, greatest dieting plan. Made to Crave is a helpful companion to use alongside whatever healthy eating approach you choose – a book and Bible study to help you find the “want to” in how to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Here is the biography of this author:

Lysa TerKeurst is an author and speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith through following Jesus Christ. As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, Lysa has led thousands to make their walk with God an invigorating journey.

Lysa wrote the book Made to Crave from the perspective of a woman who has never craved a carrot stick in her whole life. Having struggled with her weight her whole adult life, Lysa knows what it feels like to be in the vicious cycle of gaining and losing, but never feeling at peace in her struggle. Everything changed when Lysa decided to have her deepest desire met by God not food. Now, armed with the spiritual motivation she gained in her own journey, she is inspiring others to find lasting victory.

As a nationally known speaker, Lysa has been passionately teaching women God’s truths for years. Lysa’s personal adventures of following God led to appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The 700 Club, USA Today newspaper, Woman’s Day magazine, and Focus on the Family radio.

Today, Lysa and her ministry team at Proverbs 31 Ministries encourage more than 375,000 women through their daily online devotional. In addition, she co-hosts a 1-minute inspirational radio program aired on more than 1,200 stations around the world. Plus, she touches hearts through their monthly magazine, P31 Woman. Lysa’s blog averages over 70,000 avid readers per month. She is the award-winning author of 14 books, including her newest releases, Made to Crave and Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl. Other noteworthy books include What Happens When Woman Say Yes to God, What Happens When Women Walk in Faith, Capture His Heart, and Capture Her Heart. Visit Lysa's website for more info and to visit her blog!

Here is the book trailer for this book:

This book is terrific. It is not like all of the other books out there which focus on what to do. This book goes deeper – to the root of why we comfort ourselves with food.

Although I don’t have an issue with binging, I think we can all be helped by reading the wisdom in this book. I certainly could use some help in eating more healthily – less chips and more vegetables, for instance.

Here are some samples of the nuggets from this helpful tool from Mrs. TerKeurst:

· The book you hold in your hands could be the missing companion you’ve needed with every healthy eating plan you tried and cried over. I believe it will help you find your “want to.” In addition to helping you find the desire to conquer your unhealthy cravings, it also holds the key to something very significant for most of us women – spiritual malnutrition. We feel overweight physically but underweight spiritually. Trying these two things together is the first step on one of the most significant journeys you’ll ever take with God. (p. 14)

· I had to get honest enough to admit it: I relied on food more than I relied on God. I craved food more that I craved God. Food was my comfort. Food was my reward. Food was my joy. Food was what I turned to in times of stress, sadness, and even in times of happiness.

And I hated admitting it. I felt stupid admitting it. I felt like such a spiritual failure. (p. 29)

· The healthy eating plan I adopted then and maintain now is a balanced protein-carbohydrate plan. I learned correct portion sizes, when to eat and what to eat. I still eat carbohydrates, but I’m limited in how much and what kind. I don’t eat most breads, rice, corn, pasta, or other starchy things. Mainly, I eat low-fat meats, veggies, and fruits. (p. 38)

· We serve a compassionate God. A God who knew food would be a major stumbling block in our all-out pursuit of Him. Literally, issues with food can hold us back in our calling and our commitment to Christ. So, He’s given us great gifts in the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the Bible to help us. (p. 63)

· …I’m not saying God will cause bad things to happen to us if we don’t exercise, but there are natural consequences for not taking care of our bodies. People who don’t care for their bodies now will live with the consequences of those choices at some point. Be it more weight and less energy now or heart disease later, our choices matter both in the physical sense and the spiritual sense. (p. 93)

· Deciding ahead of time what I will and will not eat is a crucial part of this journey. I also try to plan my meals right after breakfast when I’m feeling full and satisfied. Deciding in advance keeps my thinking and planning rational and on track. The absolute worst time for me to decide when I’m going to eat is when I’ve waited until I’m depleted and feeling very hungry. At that point my body is screaming for something quick, and usually quick things come in a full variety of unhealthy temptations. (p. 158)

· Satan wants to keep us distracted by chasing one temporary filling after another. God wants us to step back and let the emptying process have its way until we start desiring a holier approach to life. The gap between our frail discipline and God’s available strength is bridged with nothing but a simple choice on our part to pursue this holiness.

· Dare to set your toes firmly on the pathway of victory you are meant to be on. Whether we’re on the path toward victory or defeat is determined by the very next choice we make. Not the choices from yesterday. Not the choices five minutes ago.

The next choice. Our very next choice. May it be that of an overcomer. An overcomer made to crave God alone. (p. 192)

This book is so rich and full of spiritual truths! It will be a book that I return to time and time again for reinforcement.

Each chapter ends with very penetrating Questions for Personal Reflection. I think this book and series are terrific for an individual, a small group of friends, or a larger group.

Also included at the end of the book are ‘Verses by Chapter,’ Scripture verses that either appear in the chapter or are applicable to the subject matter of the chapter.

I enjoyed the DVD as well. Lysa is a terrific speaker, and her content is deep and strong. The series is very professional produced (I am on the Video Tech Team at our church, so I look at video content through that lens). The DVD consists of six sessions plus a bonus session. The sessions are as follows:

1. From Deprivation to Empowerment

2. From Desperation to Determination

3. From Guilt to Peace

4. From Triggers to Truth

5. From Permissible to Beneficial

6. From Consumed to Courageous

7. Moving to Mountains

I plan on studying this book and DVD series with my husband, Fred. Even though this series is geared to women, men still need to ‘get’ these principles. Fred enjoys Beth Moore, and Lysa has hints of Mrs. Moore (both Godly Southern women!), so I think he will enjoy it. I highly recommend the message that Lysa shares with us!

You can order this book here.

You can order the Participant’s Guide here.

You can order the DVD here.

This book/DVD was published by Zondervan Publishers and provided by the LitFuse Publicity Group for review purposes. I am pleased to be on this blog tour with these other bloggers.