The Body Fat Solution

I borrowed this audio from the library and think this is an awesome audio.  In fact, it's so good, I'm going to buy the book.  This is a 10 hr audio that is excellent.  I purchased Tom Venuto's ebook Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle (BFFM) in 2003 and subscribe to his newsletters.  He's changed his newsletter format over the years as his business has grown bigger, but one of the things that I find refreshing is that he is an articulate, eloquent, straight-forward guy that cares a great deal about people.

Listening to this book was such a treat.  It really helps the average person that has a life, doesn't have the ability to spend all day working out, has a family, career, etc., which is the general population.  Over the past 7 yrs since reading his BFFM book and implementing some of those things, as I listened to this, there were many "a-ha" moments and things that really struck me quite deeply.

He not only talks about the diet and exercise, but he talks about the whole life from spiritual, the mind, the emotions, social behaviors, myths, excuses, all the different things that most of us have heard.  He doesn't endorse any diets, rather this is a way of life to shed unnecssary bodyfat and how to do it in a way that keeps that bodyfat off you for the rest of your lives.  He doesn't give a pat answer, but explains hot to find the root causes of what caused the excess weight.

It's really a well-rounded, informative book that has a lot of scientific backing up, but explaining it in laymen's terms.  For anyone who has excess bodyfat that they want to get rid of, I totally recommend this book. 

100 Ways To Simplify Your Life

I did not have the book to read this rather I listened to the audio of this book. It is 4.6 hrs long and I really like how this audio was laid out. The person reading the audio, I don't like so much as she's nowhere as animated as Joyce Meyer is at reading this, but it was okay.

There is nothing easy about the 100 ways to simplify your life. I wonder if Joyce does these things. Some of them I do do and I can see how they can simplify your life if you can apply them, but being that with all the baggage I still have left, it will take quite awhile to get through this list.

I do like how she references stories and verses in the Bible to back up these things. Each point is talked about in the 2-4 min. timeframe, which allows plenty of information to be disseminated.

Not sure if it would be okay for me to list all 100 of the points, but I'm going to, so if you want the book or the audio, you can go get it as it'll expound on each point.

1. Focus on 1 thing at a time.
2. Be content with what you have.
3. Keep God first.
4. Live to glorify God.
5. Don't worry.
6. Let go of what lies behind.
7. Learn how to say "No!"
8. Be yourself.
9. Choose quality over quantity.
10. Refuse to start what you cannot finish.
11. Don't make mountains out of molehills.
12. Get your mind off yourself.
13. Stop procrastinating.
14. Clear out the clutter (physical, spiritual, emotional, etc)
15. Avoid excess.
16. Stay out of debt.
17. Let the main thing be the main thing.
18. Establish boundaries.
19. Know yourself.
20. Only believe.
21. Regularly re-evaluate commitments.
22. Define personal priorities.
23. Choose your battles.
24. Be quick to forgive.
25. Mind your own business.
26. Be merciful.
27. Don't be judgmental.
28. Be decisive.
29. Think before you speak.
30. Be a God pleaser.
31. Don't receive condemnation.
32. Refuse to live in fear.
33. Follow your heart.
34. Don't be afraid of what other people think.
35. Keep the strife out of your life.
36. Be positive.
37. Stop doing things you don't do well.
38. Don't worry about your children.
39. Avoid excessive reasoning.
40. Have simple friends.
41. Find the most efficient way to do things.
42. Be thankful.
43. Count the cost before you commit.
44. Pray about everything.
45. Don't fret over evildoers.
46. Trust God to change you.
47. Trust God to change other people.
48. Have a broad circle of inclusion.
49. Give it to God
50. Take control of your thoughts.
51. Don't be complicated.
52. Don't plan for perfection.
53. Be easy to get along with.
54. Don't over estimate yourself.
55. Get rid of junk mail.
56. Block solicitors' phone calls.
57. Don't let work pile up.
58. Plan ahead.
59. Buy some time. Delegate.
60. Organize, don't agonize.
61. Keep prayers simple.
62. Live with margin.
63. Don't have a false sense of responsibility.
64. Don't try to take care of everybody.
65. Give up control.
66. Be willing to adapt.
67. Don't try to change what you cannot.
68. Change what you can change.
69. Be realistic in your expectations.
70. PRogress is made one step at a time.
71. Wise up before you burn out.
72. Cultivate solitude
73. Be eternally minded.
74. Tackle each day as it comes.
75. Remember God is for you.
76. You are more than a conqueror.
77. Pray before you have an emergency.
78. Keep your conscience clear.
79. Understand righteousness.
80. Grace, grace, more grace.
81. Bridle your tongue.
82. The battle belongs to the Lord.
83. Aovid scenes of temptation.
84. Avoid people who talk too much.
85. Be generous.
86. Be wise.
87. Beware of distractions.
88. Don't be easily offended.
89. Don't be hard on yourself.
90. It is never too late to begin again.
91. Become like a little child.
92. See the person who lives inside of you.
93. Don't be discouraged with yourself.
94. Be a prisoner of hope.
95. Resist the devil.
96. Stay spiritually strong.
97. Be faithful.
98. Check your outlook.
99. Be humble.
100. Let discipline be your friend.

I have a long way to go to live more simply, but there are things I have integrated into my life here that I wasn't at 3+ years ago. Praise God.

Just Courage

I got this as a free audio from http://www.christianaudio.com/. It was wonderful and is a good compliment to The Hole In Our Gospel. If you liked that book, then this is just as good, but only 1/3rd the time to go through. This audio was a little over 3 hrs, while The Hole In Our Gospel was a little over 10 hrs.

This talks about living life out of our comfort zone. It takes courage. He goes through his own process of leaving the corporate/government world to start IJM (International Justice Ministries), which helps the poor with legal assistance.

One story he talks about is the rich young ruler that would not give up all that he has to follow Jesus. He related this story to the common person. The story says that Jesus greatly loved this man and this man loved Jesus, lived a pretty good life with making good decisions. We might deem this person a very good person. But, when Jesus asked him to sell all he had to follow Jesus, the man realizing he had so much said that was too much of a sacrifice and would not do it. He went away sad, missing out the blessings Jesus wanted to give him.

Haugen points out that though we may not be rich or a ruler, just as a person, are we willing to give up all that we have, where we are, our comforts, to do what Jesus tells us to? Will you sell all you have? Give up your job? and the list goes on. Certainly God doesn't call everyone to sell all they have or give up their jobs, but if He did, would you?

What if He asked you to venture into something you are way uncomfortable with? What if all you had was a stick, like Moses, or a little oil like the woman who was about to sell her sons to pay her debts? God doesn't ask us when a host of things happen and we are prepared. When He calls, He calls and do we have the courage to drop all we have to obey right then and there?

I felt very convicted listening to this audio as I think of my own situation, my own pity party, thinking what I have is not enough.

God isn't telling me to obey when my whole financial situation is alright or I have my total character act together. He calls me now in what I have, even if financially it's not very much. Come as you are. With that, there are no excuses.

If you want to be challenged in your thoughts of why you're not obeying, this is a good short audio to listen carefully to. Like Nike says, "Just do it." God would rather we obey than sacrifice. How often we'd rather sacrifice than obey.

The Hole In Our Gospel

This came as a 27 part audio from Christian Audio as a part of their monthly free audio program. I devoured this 10+ hr audio as I did my outdoor walking as well as computer work in a few days as I jointly read "Wild At Heart".

I found this audio to be quite intriguing and causing me to think. This book tells about Stearns' childhood and his rise in the corporate world to him becoming CEO of World Vision. Throughout the book, Stearns talks about the people that World Vision helps, comparing the horrible conditions people in third world countries have over our modern, wealthy world.

It was actually quite depressing to see how we are in the U.S., how privileged compared to others in the world. He talked about the diseases that plagued these nations, some things we take for granted here.

The "holes" Stearns talks about is really being completely sold out to Jesus and how the majority of us aren't. Some are willing to go only so far, but only in our terms, not God's terms. It's basically Consumer Christianity. Are we willing to let God direct?

He sites a lot of examples of how the Gospel has really moved people in other nations where they just really went for it, not fearing because what they had to overcome to get the Gospel was so great, that receiving the Gospel into their lives meant everything, for which they would go to any lengths, including death, for Jesus. For most Americans, Stearns also admits he was among one of these people, we don't want to move outside of our comfort zones to live full out for Christ.

Anyway, this book was really challenging for me, as I have been having a pity party for my own circumstances. Yet, listening to this audio, I realize my conditions are pretty luxurious compared to the people World Vision helps.

This audio could also be a huge advertisement for World Vision, but that's not a bad thing either. He shares numerous stories of his own spiritual battles in better understanding compassion and what God has called Him to do.

I feel the last 2-3 segments of the audio, which is about the last hour were the best parts of this whole book. One person can make a difference regardless of age, education, what you have, talents, where you come from, etc. You have to have a willingless and desire to allow God to be creative & step out of your comfort zone to just go do it. I found this really inspiring.

One of the other things I learned is when we reach out to help someone, we really never know the true impact that it has. That statement may not mean much, but Stearns shares a story of him relunctantly giving to sponser a couple more World Vision children. He and his wife already were sponsoring many kids and he had already been the CEO of World Vision for a number of years. He relunctantly and flippantly sponsored 2 more kids whom were brothers. A couple years later, he met these boys and their grandmother. She shared the impact that those sponsorship made to them, which was life & death. He was greatly humbled.

As we reach out to help others, let's do it with a humble and grateful spirit that we can do so. Even in my time of where I am in great need, even I can still do something to help others. God is good and we just have to be willing to be used of God.

The rawness of Stearns spoke to me, because the feelings he had going through all this process are feelings most of us can relate to. I'm glad he was opened in sharing this with us. I benefitted from his frankness and transparency.