“Food had become like a drug… it’s a good drug choice for a Christian… Every church event provided my drug out in the open with no hesitation…” ~ Lysa TerKeurst
If you’re wondering whether it’s too late to focus in on your One Word For 2011, it’s not. You have a second chance because this week, Chinese people are celebrating the Lunar New Year.
Like all cultures around the world, any decent celebration must involve eating. Lots of it.
As a little girl, I always looked forward to seeing the black lacquered candy dishes brimming with goodies put out during the festivities. Everyone, including the grown-ups, were prodded to pick and savor a treat, to usher in a sweet year of prosperity and good blessings.
It wasn’t until I was older, that I learned the mythological beliefs behind that yummy candy dish. The Chinese candy dish was put out as a bribe to invisible “deities” to report back only good things about the family to the Kitchen “god” (and not the sins that have been committed that year).
A lot of these superstitious and cultural beliefs were laughed off by us American born kids.
It’s fascinating to consider the significance and meaning we give to the foods we eat.
It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been a believer or what are our ethnic cultures. We were all made to crave.
We all want good things in our lives: sweetness, satisfaction and contentment. What do we do when the realities of life leaves our cravings falling short?
When we make that easy reach for food — to satisfy our deepest desires for something good in our lives — that is when we we eat to comfort our souls.
Made To Crave
My friend and fellow writer, Lysa TerKeurst, just released a new book “Made To Crave“, which hit the New York Times’ Best Seller list a couple weeks ago. It touched a need to fill our stressed out and empty places with God, instead of unhealthy eating.
What I liked about Lysa’s book is that she wrote it as a spiritual guide to understand the inner cravings behind unhealthy eating. I’m suspicious of 10 step programs, so I appreciate her Bible study approach, created out of a personal 17 year struggle with weight, to focus on growing closer with God and breaking a food-defeating lifestyle.
As we make our way into the topic of love this month, we navigate the questions of self-worth.
We all want to love and be loved. It’s a craving to find significance, especially if we’re hurting or chasing a dream.
What We Turn To
Legend says the origins of Chinese New Year began with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nian. The Nian would come to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers on New Year’s day. The villagers believed if they put food out on their doorsteps, the Nian would eat the food they prepared and leave them alone.
We all turn to something to ward off what we fear: problems and imperfections in ourselves or others.
The lie is that we can avoid our cravings.
The bigger lie is that God doesn’t care about them.
There is no cookie cutter solution to turning off our cravings and turning on our purpose.
It’d be easier if God just pushed a button in us and… Zilch! Our “Nians” would disappear.
But we were created to crave.
To have our cravings continuously filled puts us on an everyday journey to be vulnerable — with God and each other.
This openness is our new year’s journey of faith.
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What has life left you craving?
How is God meeting you in those cravings?
Pull up a chair. Click to share a comment or subscribe by email.
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** Made To Crave BOOK GIVEAWAY **
If food is one of the areas you’re wanting to find more of God and less empty efforts, check out Lysa’s book, Made To Crave.
You can find the book here. You can also listen in to Lysa’s weekly webcast on Monday nights.
TO ENTER:
Leave a comment before midnight PST on Friday 2/11/11.
You’ll be entered to win a copy of Made To Crave.
Thanks to Lysa for this special giveaway!
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44 Comments
I have heard such good things about that book! I recently was reminded to just take a second before I eat anything and think…think about why am I eating this and is it a good reason. Figure out if I’m just bored or stressed or if I am actually hungry. It has totally convicted me about the times, I turn and fill that craving with food instead of knowing what’s actually going on…instead of seeing where God wants to fill me up. In addition, I was reading in John 6 and the passages about how He is our spiritual food. He is the one who fills us up and satisfies us. Now to believe it, confess it, and act like it.
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I’ve struggled with food all my life. I’d love to read this book. Food can really make you feel like a failure. But with Christ all things are possible. Thank you for this opportunity to read Made to crave!
Is this timely or what? I’ve gained some weight recently because I’ve allowed my emotions to rule. Due to lots of recent stress, I hate that I’ve run to ice cream and sweets insted of the Lord. The relief is so temporary and then I feel bad when my slacks are tight. And right now I cannot afford to buy new ones. 🙂 I think it’s good that I am reminded how horrible this feels though instead of adjusting to a larger size.
I wrote about Lysa’s new book today too. And I plan to run to the Lord and not the refrigerator.
God bless you Bonnie. I’ve missed participating in your Thursday posts. Work has been getting in the way of my blogging.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
I definitely think this book is one that is needed in our society. I have been talking about this very thing with someone recently and I know they would love to read this too. I wouldn’t have known about this book otherwise so I am grateful for the opportunity.
This certainly sounds like a wonderful, new… and *better* way to think about food. This book is on my ‘to-get’ list already! Hope you have a wonderful week Bonnie! 🙂
Feasting and fasting and feasting again — it indeed has been a struggle.
I would very much appreciate the chance to read this new book.
I would LOVE to win this book. Bless you for offering a giveaway. 🙂
Not only is food the drug it’s part of my job! I prepare the meals for my family. So of course I eat…and I’m social so I eat more. But I don’t crave food. I learned that craving chocolate means the body is deficient in vitamin B (so I popped in one chocolate and one vitamin!). No, I crave kindness. I crave intimacy. I crave respect. I even crave commendation so I know I am doing the right thing! I am learning to speak up about needing these things because I am the quiet (resentful) type! Sometimes speaking up means Up to God. Writing gratitude lists has helped me see the answered prayers too. But I’m still easily knocked off balance and find myself eating too many brownies or whatever is offered! (and I love to bake) Oh Dear.
I am starting an on-line course called Eat for Life today, though this is secular, so the Bible is left out. I really need the firm foundation of the Bible to be truly successful, so please enter me to win! 🙂
I have struggled with weight almost my entire adult life. Food is my only “drug of choice.” Even when I eat all the healthy food you can think of, I just eat WAY too much.
I hope you all have a very blessed day!
Jennifer
Chinese New Year….I want to go to the Chinese Cultural Center in Phoenix this year. I’ve never been there and I really like the culture and the food!! God gave us taste buds to enjoy the food He provides. And to enjoy other cultures, too. And food is not my drug of choice. I don’t have that sort of craving. In fact, I discovered I might have sensitivities that have been causing havoc with my body. So I am eliminating gluten and dairy and going vegetarian for awhile to see how my body reacts to it. I just want to be healthy for God because being ill and fatigued has gotten on my last nerve.
I have struggled with food for over ten years! Deep abandonment and rejection issues along with other childhood hurts caused me to turn to food – it was safer than people! It filled the gap in my heart and calmed the infectious wound that was eating at my soul. Since giving my life to Christ 2 years ago, I’ve been fighting to knock down this food idol. Jesus has been so gracious to me in this journey. He’s gently alluring me and pulling me head over heels into love with Him. He’s touching those deep, scary, dead places in myse heart and bringing life to them! The more He heals my heart, the less I turn to food to get that pleasure that I was created to receive from Him. His presence and intimacy with Him bring so much more pleasure than any food could ever possibly give me 🙂
Wow, this book is a definitely up my alley of struggles! I’ve put on a lot of weight and though no one notices, I notice I run to food for comfort instead of His Word…
To have our cravings continuously filled puts us on an everyday journey to be vulnerable — with God and each other….
interesting to think of being vulnerable as a good thing as we live in a world that believes in …and encourages… the opposite.
yet, as you wrote, to be vulnerable with God…ahhh, now that’s the ticket, right there.
I find it interesting that this book made the bestseller list. It’s not surprising, but it’s interesting to me. We, as a nation, have turned to anything and everything to have a full life. We eat, or work, or seek fame, or something, all trying to find satisfaction. And when it doesn’t come, we turn to medicines, books, quick-fix ideas for the easy way to find that satisfaction. I am hoping (praying) that those who have bought the book can really use it as a tool to help them find the one thing they’ve missed: God.
I would love to have the book, too. Because, like so many, I have learned to use food as a way to share my emotions. A bowl of ice cream to cheer me up, a bowl of ice cream to celebrate. A glass of iced tea (sweet of course!) to calm my nerves, a plate of anything to fill the time. I know I’m craving something better. I have not yet learned how to re-focus that craving, and I hope Lysa’s book will help teach me. I want it not for a quick fix, but for a true, life-giving fix.
This sounds like a great book! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I’ve got my cravings under control. It only took a year. But chocolate is still my “drug” of choice. Though now I take it in smaller doses so I can still satisfy my craving for chocolate without gaining a whole lot of pounds.
This is a wonderful message!! I’d love a book to share 🙂
would LOVE to win one!
thanks,
shana
Thank you for doing a giveaway! I would really love to win this book. I would share it with others too– after I read it. 🙂
God has been showing me in so many ways He desires to fill my longings and needs with Himself. I’m longing to know Him at a deeper level, moment by moment. There isn’t one problem, one opportunity that He can’t handle. I crave the fulfillment of all He wants to reveal in me and through me. May we crave Him! He is worthy!
I have been watching the webcast every week! It’s awesome! My weight has been a struggle for a long time. Lysa really gets down to the heart of our struggles with weight! 🙂
would love to read this book!
Would love to read this book. Have had emotional eating problems since I was 4 years old, and I’m 51 now. My first memory of emotional eating when I was 4 is still crystal clear in my mind. My parents were having an ugly loud and violent fight and my grandmother and I ran out to our back porch. I was crying and told her my stomach hurt. She grabbed a loaf of bread from the kitchen counter and told me to eat something, that it would take away the hurt. Funny how that became an unconscious crutch that I haven’t been able to abandon yet. I so want to fix my hurting and become healthy.
i eat a mostly healthy diet, but have some cravings i would like to conquer
I’m 65 years old and for as long as I can remember, food has been my drug of choice. My daughter is 46 and unmarried. I have passed my drug habit along to her. I am deeply ashamed of the mess I have made of myself…even while calling myself a Christian. I have a copy of Lysa’s book and I have wept as I read it and marked so many pages. I would be so thrilled to win a copy of Lysa’s book to give to my daughter. God willing, this book can be a new beginning for her also. God bless you Lysa, for finding your happy in Jesus!
I own the book, but have been avoiding it. I am going to jump back in and face my issues. I would love to win a copy for a friend!
This makes so much sense to me, we fill that empty spot in unhealthy ways, whether that be food, substance abuse, shopping, or poor relationship choices, when what we are really longing for can only be found in God. If it was only as easy to put that into practice!
About a year ago I finally got a revelation. I had become obsessed with my appearance and the unhappiness I felt. I was exercising, trying to eat right but I found myself more and more unhappy. I was to the point where I didn’t enjoy being around others because of my own constant comparisons with the other people I was with. It was ridiculous, crazy, a time eater, a joy-zapper and a most of all a prayer stealer. My prayers were pathetic self serving diatribes to the unfairness of life. I would laugh at how silly I must have sounded except for the fact that it was nothing but sin. Ironically, I was also asking God to reveal my purpose. He gently showed me that He could not reveal anything to me because I wouldn’t have heard anything because of my own self centeredness and inability to open myself up to Him. Ouch! And yet, thank you, sweet Jesus! I am not all there-I am not sure we ever are this side of heaven- but my outlook is so different. My appearance is not my focus. I haven’t discovered anything new but now I can enjoy the journey God is taking me on..and I am walking it with Him. Would love to read Lysa’s thoughts on this as well.
This sounds like a very good book. I too struggle with this craving… and often forget that we can turn to God with it, and that HE CARES!
really, really cares!
A verse that has been running through my mind as of late…
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.”–Isaiah 55:2
I’ve been reading her blog posts on K-Love…Yes, please!
Actually I always crave food {sweets that is} but right now I am craving “the PERFECT job”! I have a part time job…great people…easy going …but not much pay…I feel the need to contribute more to our finances but don’t really know where to start since I have being a stay at home mom for 13 years now.
I am praying for the right ~something~ to come my way. 😉
I have also heard nice things about the book…thanks for the give away Lysa and Bonnie.
I just love your posts, Bonnie.
It sounds like this books puts out a really good perspective regarding how we should see food. It is funny how everything in our culture has some sort of food thing related to it: movies = popcorn; family gatherings = potluck dinner; friends over to visit = tea and cookies; etc.
I love just about anything health & nutrition-related, especially if it comes from a Godly perspective. I would love to have a copy of this book 🙂
I just signed up for Weight Watcher in January, so I think this book would be wonderful! And, my 38th birthday is this Sunday, February 13….what a great gift!!!!
Now that I live where I can access almost anything I want to eat, my cravings have subsided. I want to learn to crave the foods I don’t really like, though. You know, fruits and vegetables. I avoid lots of them because for the most part (especially on the veggie side) they are not pleasant let alone craveable. I need to retrain my mind and my tastebuds. And not just when it comes to food. I want to crave God.
Thank you for the opportunity to win this book!
I already have the book but I would love the opportunity to win the book for a friend of mine who cannot afford to purchase the book. She recently lost 100+ pounds, had the gastric bypass surgery and is still struggling to lose weight. She does not have computer access and so I have been calling her each week for the webcast and laying the phone down by the speaker so she can listen to the webcast. Lysa’s webcast have inspired her and I know the book would too. Like Mandisa said last night about people on the Biggest Loser, my friend has so much more to lose and I believe this book will be a BIG help to her.
I crave “fixing” others around me.
I would love this book.
I would love to read this book. Thanks for the chance to win!
I heard about this book on KLOVE radio station. The next day at Bible Study, our leader shared her own fears about food. It felt so good to let her know I had just heard about the perfect book. . . . and how timely it was for me as well. *sigh* oh, what a struggle it has been all my life and how wonderful to have a Christian author address the subject! thank you!
Just the title alone is compelling. Food is definitely the drug of choice for so many women. It was mine for many years until God, in His mercy, revealed the heart of the problem–my heart. After 15 years of struggling, He set me free. I have a good “relationship” with food. What a victory! I am eager to read this book because I’m sure it will provide a resource to help remind me of the truth and keep me walking out my victory every day.
I so want to read this book . . . . after having a dozen children I have a lot of “leftovers” I am carrying around . . . I need the push and encouragement for the right reasons. Would so love to read and also review on my blog.
Really good thoughts Bonnie. I am paying attention to my cravings right now, as I type!
It makes me think of the Psalm 65 scripture that says, “We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.”
Thank you for your blog. You are an encouragement!
Krista Dunk
Excellent blog here! Also your website lozds up fast!
What host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to youyr host?
I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol