Week 29: Trust God's Provision

Life's too short not to dance with my children!

I'm not posting much because I feel like not much new is happening--even though every week I'm having steady weight losses and getting smaller all the time!

Shirley told me when I started that I should keep track of my own weight losses as well because I would lose weight so quickly I was going to forget what I weigh.  I thought, "Forget what I weigh?  THAT'S not possible!  I am consumed with the number on the scale at times!"

But I'm not consumed with it anymore.  And it turns out, she knew what she was talking about. (Ha--who knew, Shirley?!)  Today I weighed myself and thought, "Oh, it's only a pound.  Darn!"  I was about to email Shirley and tell her it's going slow, but at least it's going.  But before I email her, I always go to my own weight loss chart and record my week.  WHAT!?  I was down 3 pounds--not 1 pound!  Ha ha!  Well, that is anything but slow.  Oops!  I just forgot.  I never thought that would happen to me.  I can tell you exactly what I weighed at every memorable moment in my life.  (Not anymore!)

Friends since college days!

Thing have been busy.  Our best friends Keith & Kristin left yesterday to live in the Bahamas.  There was so much emotion wrapped up in that for me.  Before, I would have said goodbye and I would have eaten everything in my kitchen.  But not yesterday.  Yesterday I allowed myself to feel something.  I cried.  Food would not heal my heartbreak--but tears felt really good.  As did laughter when my four-year-old told me, "It's okay Mama. Don't be sad.  We'll go see them in the Bahampas."  Oh, her faith is sweet!  And I believe, because of God's provision to us lately, we WILL go see them.

Ane is in the brown sweater, right in front!  So adorable!

Another provision is that our Spanish student, Ane, comes today.  I could turn my focus away from the Buntings leaving and focus on Ane coming.  Where there is a sadness, there is also a joy...if we're willing to see it.  God knew we would need Ane in our home this summer.  We didn't know that.  We were just doing a favor to help a friend.  But already our relationship with her via email and Facebook is so sweet, I can't wait to meet her today!  God's provision!

Last month I was awarded an honorable rank in the TSFL coaching network.  I achieved the promotion to "Executive Director"--only three months after my business started.  I'd like to say I worked really hard and made this happen.  Sure, there is some truth to that.  But the honest truth is, God brought every person into my path.  Friends and family just started reaching out to me for answers because they saw the hope I had finally found and they want that too.  God's provision--to me and to them.

So, this month, I had my work cut out for me.  TSFL doesn't just let you slide back comfortably as a coach and enjoy your promotion.  Oh no...you continue to reach out and help more people.  But I felt like I was "out of people."  But then a dear, sweet woman arrived at an Inspiring Health event last week.  She's a friend of a friend.  I had never met her in person.  But we immediately had a bond, and that night she started her TSFL journey with me as her coach.  With many hard circumstances in her life, she said to me, "I need a success story."  She was a miracle to me that night!  But that's not all.  Last night she came to an event Shirley was hosting.  She brings a friend.  Her friend says, "Be my coach, Julie!  Help me do this thing!"  Amazing!  I may be "running out of people" but there are SO many people I don't know that still need hope--and God is bringing them to me.  God provides.

Our official professional head shot of Dan & Julie Garner, Health Coaches

Because Dan and I are now executive directors, the home office needed a photograph of us.  But I didn't have a good picture of us at our current weight.  So, on a whim, I emailed my friend Joyous Derner who is a gifted photographer.  It was a long shot that she could do this for me in 24 hours notice.  Several hours later, we had our picture.  God provides.

Oh, and two weeks ago, I was interviewed by Dr. Wayne Anderson on a conference call that went out to all the health coaches and business leaders across America.  Could I have made that happen?  Nope.  But God provided that opportunity to me.

I don't ever want to forget who provides for me.  I don't ever want to get puffed up.  I want to lose weight and gain humility.  Grow my business and shrink my ego.


Well...that's what's been happening, in a nutshell.  I'm off to have a Peanut Butter Crunch Bar!