Chapter One

1. If you could personify craving based on your experience of it, what form might it take? Describe what your craving looks like and how it behaves.  If you could sit down and have a conversation with this imaginary craving, what do you think it might say to you? What questions would you want to ask it? How do you imagine it might respond?

If I could personify cravings they would be a team; like the Avengers of food. There would be captain cupcake, followed by lieutenant burrito, accompanied by the rookie Pizza Slice. They would look something like this....

While these cravings may look sweet, tasty, and innocent they follow me like a plague. A plague constantly wooing me to sway from my good choices and run to them. They chase after me saying things like "one won't kill you" and "come on, you love us, you'll feel better when you have us."  But will I? Will I really? No, no I won't.

If I had a conversation with these cravings I'd ask why they are such a part of me. Why do they need me, I don't need them. They'd probably try to convince me why I need them. They'd tell me how much easier they are to reach for after a long day at work and taking care of Joshua. At the end of the day spending them time slaving over the stove for an hour to make a fresh healthy meal sounds exhausting and they would play on this weakness.

2. How do you respond to the idea that God made us to crave? Have you ever pursued a craving, a longing, passion or desire, that made a positive contribution to your life? What do you think distinguishes that kind of craving from the craving that leads you to eat in unhealthy ways?

The idea that God made us to crave makes perfect sense. He wants us to crave Him and only Him. He wants us to desire a relationship with him. When we have a close relationship with him all else falls into place. When we focus first on Him, he gives us joy and fulfillment in all other things.

There is truly only one thing that I can think of that I craved that made a positive contribution in my life and that was finding a husband.  I had other prospects in the past but God brought me the one that would love me and guide me to love the Lord. So I guess the answer is really no. While I did crave a loving relationship with a man I had no idea it would end up like this. I wasn't a believer when I met my husband. I mean I was starting to think there may be something to this Jesus thing but I wasn't a Christian.  Perhaps it was more my new interest in learning about Jesus and Christianity that brought me to my husband rather than the other way around.

I think the distinction is in what I just said... it's not about craving those unhealthy things, it's about craving understand of the Lord that leads us to the other things we desire that he meant for us to have such as marriage and children.

3. If it's true that we are made to crave, how might it change the way you understand your cravings? Do you believe there could be any benefits to listening to your cravings rather than trying to silence them? If so, what might those benefits be? If not, why not?

I think it might change the way I see my cravings bc I realize these cravings are from Satan not from God. Whether its food or money or a materialistic thing, these aren't the cravings God made us to have, they are the cravings that Satan is laying before us to pull us further from God.

I think it's important to listen to the cravings not to give into them but to pray about them. Confessing to the Lord that these cravings are in your heart is the first step to Him putting the right cravings in your heart.

4. The Bible describes 3 ways Satan tries to lure us away from loving God: Cravings, lust of the eyes, and boasting. Lysa explains how Satan used these tactics with both Eve and Jesus. Using the list below, think back over the last 24hrs or the last few days to see if you recognize how you may have been tempted in similar ways.
      a: Cravings: meeting physical desires outside the will of God - In what ways were you tempted by desires for things such as food, alcohol drugs, or sex?  With Thanksgiving just passing, food cravings have been at a journey high. I'm a sucker for mashed potatoes. I would be perfectly OK giving up all other food just for a big bowl of mashed potatoes. I was tempted, and if I'm being honest caved, several times the last few days with mashed potatoes. I also love to bake but who wants to bake without tasting their creations? Cupcakes are my specialty and today we made homemade cookies... I had a couple :(. I don't drink nearly as much as I used to but today I really just wanted to go out with my girls and have a drunken dance party. It didn't work out that way, probably for good reason, but I was certainly tempted by the idea. ,
     b: Lust of the eyes: meeting material desires outside the will of God - in what ways were you tempted by desires for material things?  This is probably the biggest problem I have. I'm never content with the things I have. I have a beautiful home, but I'm always planning some new paint, furniture, decor thing. I sometimes wonder if it's that I'm not content or I just want my home to be a home and have more character to it than the white walls and the 3 of us who reside here. I'm still unsure. There's always something I want whether is more money, new clothes, makeup, etc.
     c: Boasting: meeting needs for significance outside the will of God - in what ways were you tempted by desires to prop up your significance?   I think the thing that stands out the most here is my weight loss. I don't think there's anything wrong with sharing my progress and my before and current photos but there are times I do it because I know people will comment on how great I look and I desire that acknowledgement at times.

Of the 3 kinds of temptations, which is the most difficult for you to resist? Which is the easiest? Why?

The most difficult for me is probably lust of the eyes. Like I said above I'm constantly wanting new things or to change things up so they feel new. I have trouble feeling content with my life. The easiest... well I don't really think there is an easiest. I struggle with all 3 pretty equally. I wouldn't say any of them are easy as Satan tempts me daily with all these things.

5.  Jesus quotes the truth of scripture to defeat temptation. Have you ever used Scripture in this way? What was the result? How do you feel about the idea of using this approach to address your unhealthy eating patterns?

I have not tried this approach. I think it's a great thought and actually started looking for a highlighter to highlight some of the scripture the author uses in this chapter that I liked. I really like the idea of using this approach and plan to try it myself.



Chapter one has def been interesting and I'm excited for my Made To Crave journey. I'm excited to see how this helps with my weight loss journey and even more excited to see how my relationship with Christ grows in the process.