Lysa TerKeurst - Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food

A typical book on healthy lifestyle choices should contain lots of talk on vegetables, calories, colon cleanses, and phrases like you must, you should, or else.

I have a problem with all that talk. I know most of it. Its not the how to Im missing. Its the want to really wanting to make changes and deciding that the results of those changes are worth the sacrifice. More than once, Ive stood in the aisle at Walmart holding said typical book in one hand with my other hand wedged into the back pocket of my jeans. Jeans, I should add, I wished were several sizes smaller.

While I stood there looking at the healthy eating book, a shopping cart full of things I felt I could not live without stared back at me. Indeed, that cart mocked me. Part of me hated the junk food in that cart; but another part of me a bigger part, evidently loved the junk food in that cart. So, Id return the book to the shelf, toss my head back, and think, Another day, another time. Im doing the best I can.

In light of this admission, I think it only appropriate to be honest with you about a few things right up front.

1. I am emotionally allergic to typical books on healthy eating.

2. Not once in my life have I ever craved a carrot stick.

3. I am not bouncy perky about giving up two of the greatest delights of my taste buds Cheez-Its and box-mix brownies. In fact, Ive even asked God if it would be such a terribly difficult thing to swap the molecular structure of Cheez-Its for carrot sticks. Theyre both already orange. And, really, how hard could that be for someone whos turned water into wine?

4. I wasnt sure I had any business writing a book like this. Im a simple Jesus girl on a journey to finding deeper motivation than just a number on my scale for getting and staying healthy.

You see, Im not writing this book to beat your taste buds into submission. Im not writing this book because I have discovered the magic diet program to get you skinny by tomorrow. And Im definitely not writing this book because Im an expert.

Im writing this book because Ive struggled way too long with my food choices and my weight. And word on the street says most of my girlfriends fight this same draining battle day in and day out as well.

Which brings me to the fifth thing you should know about me:

5. I started this journey weighing 167 pounds.

To some, this is a horrifyingly high number. For me, it was a sign I needed to make changes. I was heading in a dangerous direction with my weight and my health. Again. I had been as high as almost 200 pounds after the birth of my first child. And now I was headed straight back to a place I thought Id never be again. Maybe it was because I was knocking on the door of my fortieth birthday, or perhaps it was because I had exhausted my search for the miraculous overnight solution. I finally realized the weight was going to continue to go up unless I made changes.

But the thought of taking the plunge and signing up for another diet made me want to sit down and cry. And eat. And cry some more. Then eat some more. Well, you get the not-so-flattering picture.

To others, 167 is a dream weight. In my case, the number itself was not the issue. The issue was how I felt mentally, spiritually, and physically. It was time to be honest with myself.

I think we all get to a place sometimes in our lives when we have to give a brutally honest answer to the question, How am I doing? Its not really a conversation we have with a friend or family member. Its one of those middle-of-the-night contemplations when theres no one to fool. Theres no glossing over the realities staring us in the face.

I knew certain things about myself needed to change but it was easier to make excuses than it was to tackle them head on. Rationalizations are so appealing. See if you relate to any of these:

Im good in every other area.

I make so many sacrifices already.

I need treats as a comfort in this season of life; Ill deal with my issues later.

I just cant give this up.

The Bible doesnt specifically say this is wrong.

Its not really a problem. If I really wanted to make a change, I could; I just dont want to right now.

Oh, for heavens sake, everyone has issues. So what if this is mine?

And on and on and on.

But excuses always got me nowhere fast, especially when it came to healthy eating. I suspect if youve picked up this book, the same laundry list of rationalization scripts have played out in your mind.

So, the cycle continues day after day, week after week, year after year. A whole lifetime could be spent making excuses, giving in, feeling guilty, resolving to do better, mentally beating myself up for not sticking to my resolve, feeling like a failure, and then resigning myself to the fact that things cant change.

And I dont want to spend a lifetime in this cycle.

I suspect you dont either.

So, before you put this book down and give in to the unhealthy cravings screaming inside your head, wait for just a second. Dont let go. Youve already spent a few minutes headed in the right direction by picking up this book and reading this far.

The book you hold in your hands could be the missing companion youve 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 womenspiritual malnutrition. We feel overweight physically but underweight spiritually. Tying these two things together is the first step on one of the most significant journeys youll ever take with God.

It reminds me of a journey described in Matthew 19. A rich young man comes to see Jesus and explains that he is following all the rules but still feels something missing from his pursuit of God. All of these [rules] I have kept, he says to Jesus. What do I still lack? (Matthew 19:20).

I doubt Mick Jagger got his inspiration from this story but the young mans desperate question sure does remind me of his wildly popular song, I cant get no satisfaction no, no, no.

Unsatisfied.

Lacking.

Incomplete.

Hollow.

Shallow.

What do I still lack?

In other words, How do I really get close to God?

Such a vulnerable question. Such a relatable question.

Jesus responds, If you want to be perfect [whole], go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me (Matthew 19:21).

The rich young man then goes away sad because he wont give up the one thing that consumes him. He is so full with his riches he cant see how undernourished his soul is. Hes just like people today who refuse healthier breakfast options like egg whites and fruit so they can fill themselves up with candy-sprinkled, chocolate-frosted doughnuts. Even when their sugar high crashes and they complain of splitting headaches, they steadfastly refuse to consider giving up their doughnuts.