Obedience...

6 months ago today I began my NEW LIFE, a NEW LIFE of CHANGE!!!

As of today, Monday, March 22, 2010, my current weight is 256lbs.

minus 170lbs. since February 20, 2009

minus 110lbs. since September 28, 2009

Waist size:

February 20, 2009 - 64

March 22, 2010 - 40

Shirt size:

February 20, 2009 - 6XL

March 22, 2010 - 2XL

Shoe size:

February 20, 2009 - 12EEE

March 22, 1020 - 11M

Today, I Thank God for keeping His promise to me as I began my JOURNEY of a NEW LIFE!!

Today, I Thank each of YOU for walking alongside me as I struggled through the first several months of my JOURNEY! Words will never express my gratefulness for those of you who continue to encourage me, struggle with me, share the rough days as well as the many many good days with me. I know that many of you have at times wanted to tell me to fly far away, but instead, you continued to love me, encourage me and fight with me! I say to you today that WE have WON THE BATTLE!!

You may ask me how I can be so confident in those words, well, I can tell you how...

When you are OBEDIENT to Christ and follow through in the direction that He sets forth in your life, there is no room for Satan to defeat you. God says that the battle is His and let me tell you, I am so glad that I gave up my worldly fight and decided to give in to my spiritual fight!

I have said many times in my blog, my everyday conversations, that God has kept His promise to me, He has yet to fail me and I know without a doubt that He will never fail me.

My last entry was one that I struggled to write, but when I began this JOURNEY, I promised God, myself and each of you that I would be open, honest and straight forward about my life and how I was dealing with the changes that were taking place. I fought tooth and nail with my inner being and my spirit not to write that entry, but I was reminded that I made a promise and I had to keep my promise as God has kept His.

Before I go any further, I want to share with you what I had continued to pray for in my life the past several months. Not only did I pray for it, but I begged for it, I waited patiently for it and it just didn't seem to come to past. I prayed for INNER PEACE. I prayed that I would be at peace with myself, with who I am and who I have become. I prayed that I would have peace with several situations pertaining to family and friends, but I continued to struggle with obstacles and I just didn't know why. I continued to wake up each day unhappy and feeling alone, yes, I was beginning to look good from a physical state, but mentally, I struggled with happiness.

FINALLY, I listened to my inner spirit and began to follow through with what I was hearing, people, can I tell you something, when you are OBEDIENT to God, my, my, my how life can change for the better!!

God has continued to tell me to let go and draw closer to Him, and I will tell you that I thought I was doing just that, only to realize that I was failing! Once I gave into His request and began to draw closer to Him, my world flipped right side up and everyday since then I wake up refreshed and with a new outlook on life!

OBEDIENCE, OBEDIENCE, OBEDIENCE!! WOW, it's amazing how your life can change within a split second for the better when you follow Christ's lead!

Folks, I feel like a new man, a refreshed man, I feel like a WINNER!!

God promised me the PRIZE if I was OBEDIENT to Him and I can honestly say that everyday I awake and breathe the breath of life, He has awarded me with the PRIZE!

I listened to a sermon delivered by Joel Osteen, I actually downloaded it to my ipod so when days seem to be rough, I can quickly go back and listen to it, the sermon was titled "Living Life Happy".

Happiness is a choice. It's easy to come up with excuses to delay our happiness. If we have to always wait for something to happen to make us happy, we will find that there is always something else that can keep us from being happy. Psalm 118 says, "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." When you understand that God is directing your steps, you know in full confidence that where you are is not an accident; it's all a part of God's divine plan. Learn to be happy where God has you right now. Make the choice to celebrate each day as a gift from God. As you choose to live your life happy, you'll not only enjoy life more, but you'll brighten the day for others and see God open new doors in your life to get you where you want to be. God promises your joy will be full.

I have made the choice to be HAPPY! I wake up everyday now, and choose to make it a HAPPY day, I choose to display JOY in my daily activities!!

I have learned that what comes out of your mouth, becomes who you are.

If you speak negative words, you begin to live out those words, so each day when I am asked how I am doing, I answer with these very words "I AM DOING GREAT" and let me tell you, speaking those very words has become my life, I do feel great and I know that as long as I speak HAPPY, POSITIVE words, I will continue to live them out!!

I have made up in my mind to CELEBRATE each day as it is a gift from God!! I've made up my mind that I am not going to waste another day, I am going to CELEBRATE each day as a gift from God. Happiness is a choice, why not choose to be HAPPY!!!

The bible says in the book of Psalms that JOY comes in the morning. God sends us a special delivery of JOY when we wake up in the morning, let's open our heart and receive the gift of JOY!

I can't end this entry without reminding each of you that ...

YOU ARE #1 IN YOUR LIFE

Remember to take care of yourself first, so that when others need you, you will be able to take care of them!!

Job 36:11 - If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.

Please continue to keep me in your prayers and always know that I continue to pray for each of you!!

I LOVE YOU TO LIFE!!

Until next post,
GOD SPEED!

Tony