What is “i’ll start again monday” all about? (thoughts on the introduction)

Have you ever just wanted to wear something that makes you feel cozy? I sat down tonight to re-read the introduction to my new book, “i’ll start again on monday”, by Lysa Terkerurst and decided that something cozy was in order for this event. My vintage light blue swan sweater! Yes, that’s what I needed. I ran to the closet and pulled it on, right over the top of my workout clothes. Now, that’s better. Let’s dive in.

The Beauty of a Small Event

I use the word event somewhat loosely. However, I’m sitting by candlelight at our vintage 100 year old table that belonged to my husband’s grandmother, smelling fresh baked bread, and I have a book in my hand. I would call this an event. A beautiful, peaceful, moment in time. One that I am grateful for.

It is the new year and I keep hearing, “new year, new me”. I haven’t put much thought into it except for the fact that my group is starting a new book.

Reading the Entire Bible

Last year we read the entire Bible. We follow a plan called ” A Beautiful Year in the Bible, A 52 Week Bible Study for Women”. I did it. I actually read the entire Bible. It has been three days since my last Bible reading, and something is missing. I need to think more on that at a later time.

A Special Group of Ladies

Our group is made up of ladies from their upper teens into their forties. I’m in my teens still, oh wait, that isn’t me. I think I’m actually about three months away from being the oldest. We wanted to see if there was something out there that incorporated the Bible and your physical health. We landed on this book.

My Thoughts On The Introduction of “i’ll start again on monday”

Who is This Book For?

Lysa is so welcoming and got to me when she said, “to the girl with a weary heart who feels so very alone in this struggle that seems like it will never end…” Now, to be honest, I don’t actually feel alone. Everyone is constantly talking about food, diets, exercise, tips, recipes, and new things they are doing to try to get healthy. But, I don’t hear many people talking about God’s thoughts on our bodies and health.

It is the second part of that statement that jumps out to me. When will it end? The cycles, the craving, the battles, the choices. It won’t. She actually points out that we are made to crave more. This isn’t just about food (surprise).

I do think that we can all relate to the tiny portion of the book already.

The How and the Why

There is so much information floating around on “how” to live a healthy lifestyle, but do you have a “want to” and a why? Lysa goes on to talk about her dislike for healthy eating books, the fact that box-mix brownies can’t have the same molecular structure as a carrot stick, and that fact that she has not ever craved a carrot stick. Can anyone relate?

Interestingly enough, she started her journey at 167 pounds. How does that make you feel? Different things may come to mind, it’s just a number, I would love to see that number on the scale, she really let it go, how tall is she, and on and on.

Her thoughts on that number, and maybe you can relate, are that yes, it is a number, but that the real issue was how she felt physically, spiritually, and physically.

Time for Brutal Honesty

What is our real issue? How do we feel physically, spiritually, and physically? Is it time to sit down with just ourselves and be brutally honest? What would you tell yourself and do we really want a trip to the hospital wake-up call? Do we want those labs to come back and shock us into change?

Or, do we think, just leave me alone. I give, give, give, and give and this food, couch time, Facebook time, it’s mine and you better not question it. I’m sure that is probably a run on sentence, but I do wonder if this rationalization is one that you can relate to.

Time to Find the “Want To”

This book is designed to help us find our “want to”. Perhaps we are overweight physically and underweight spiritually.

Matthew 19: Sell Everything and Follow Me

Wo! In this story, a man who is doing everything right and according to the law feels like he is lacking something. He goes to Jesus looking for that fulfillment. Jesus tells him to sell everything, and he just can’t do it.

What Does Food Have to do with Money?

I have a headache, I can’t focus, I’m craving something sweet, I need a little afternoon pick-me-up, and the list goes on and on. Oh, here is one more, night sweats from too many sweets (don’t ask me how I know).

Are we wallowing in whatever abundance we have? The man with his money, us with our sweets. It’s my diet coke, my coffee, my time to relax, my ice cream with toppings, my homemade chocolate chip cookie.

The Lord wants us to really follow and crave Him. Lysa goes on to talk about how we were made to crave.

Eve in the Garden: Spiritual Aspect

Interestingly enough, Eve was the first recorded even of a woman and food. This made me stop and think. Lysa brings up the fact that the “serpent used food as a tool”. It was part of the temptation and it reminds us that our “struggles with food are important to God”.

What We Eat Matters: Physical Aspect

I love how she reminds us to check in with our doctors. Go in and do a fasting panel and see what your levels are.

It was clear she was hoping the doctor would give her different insight, but it boiled down to eat better and move more. Simple, but NOT simple!

Is this it, the answer that we need? Eat better and move more. What do you think?

Take “Com” from “Comprise” = Promise!

I love how she wraps up the introduction talking about the metal side of things. She reminds us that we are made for more than a cycle of defeat and that we can rely on God’s strength to help us.

It is really powerful when she talks about the fact that we are made “for more than compromise, we are made for God’s promises in every area of our lives”. WOW! Just WOW!

Next Steps

Our plan is to read one chapter every week and to share our thoughts out on our text thread. What do you think? Is this book something you are interested in? Let me know in the comments below if you get it and what you think. Share specifically in this post about the introduction.