Made to Crave…

I absolutely love reviewing books, and when I read the description of this one, I knew I needed to read it. Now. It would be understated to say I struggle with food cravings. I have been known to smell sugary foods from the basement when the kids open something in the upstairs kitchen. I. Love. Yummy. Food. It, however, does not love me back. My body can’t handle sugar well, and I’m allergic to gluten and dairy. Truly a tragic set of circumstances.

Recently, my health has really gone down hill. I can’t be as active as I’d like. My brain is foggy, and it’s hard to concentrate. I get a tiny bit irritable. Okay, okay, A LOT irritable. I sat down one day and wrote a list of symptoms. It filled the front side of a sheet of paper. Something had to change. I’d try to eat well, but the excuses, rationalizations, and major cravings would get the best of me. Then the guilt, and of course, the physical consequences would hit. Around and around I’d go.

So when this book arrived, I immediately set to reading it. Lysa Terkeurst’s book, Made to Crave, is like sitting down for a chat with your girlfriend over tea. She is both encouraging and challenging in her quest to help us understand our food and weight issues. I loved her transparency as she shared her own struggles in this area, and could I ever relate to her stories. But rather than feel like I could never overcome my own struggle, she inspired me. She shows us how this fight is a spiritual battle. One that has to be won through spiritual means. We do have the power to be victorious because God has given that to us.

I would encourage each of you who wrestle with weight, food, or self image issues to read this book. Lysa gives you the tools to counteract negative thoughts. She explains how to rely on God as our strength when we are weak. She shows you how craving God is so much sweeter than craving food. We can be satisfied and fulfilled with Jesus, and nothing else can ever compensate. Those temporary moments of pleasure have a powerful aftertaste; the bitter flavor of shame and consequences. It really doesn’t have to be that way. We can be free in Christ Jesus.

God healed me from Anorexia Nervosa a few years back. It’s time to go deeper with the remaining food issues I struggle with. It’s time to come before my Lord, lay this at His feet, and allow His healing to continue. It’s time to crave Him, and not food.

Lord, thank you for bringing this book across my desk at a time when I desperately needed Your truth in this area. May it bless others as it has me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

About the book: Just because a woman finally fits into her skinny jeans doesn’t mean she’s won her battle with food. Too often, women overlook the spiritual component to their physical struggle with healthy eating. Made to Crave taps into the desires God gave you to consume food without letting food consume you!

Made to Crave is the missing link between a woman’s desire to be healthy and the spiritual empowerment necessary to make that happen. The reality is we were made to crave. Craving isn’t a bad thing. But we must realize God created us to crave more of him. Many of us have misplaced that craving by overindulging in physical pleasures instead of lasting spiritual satisfaction. If you are struggling with unhealthy eating habits, you can break the “I’ll start again Monday” cycle, and start feeling good about yourself today. Learn to stop beating yourself up over the numbers on the scale. Discover that your weight loss struggle isn’t a curse but rather a blessing in the making, and replace justifications that lead to diet failure with empowering go-to scripts that lead to victory. You can reach your healthy weight goal – and grow closer to God in the process. This is not a how-to book. This is not the latest and greatest dieting plan. This book is the necessary companion for you to use alongside whatever healthy lifestyle plan you choose. This is a book and Bible study to help you find the “want to” in making healthy lifestyle choices. 224 pages. Companion Bible study DVD set also available. http://madetocrave.org/purchase-resources/

Buy the book:

About Lysa:

Lysa TerKeurst is an author and speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith through following Jesus Christ. As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, Lysa has led thousands to make their walk with God an invigorating journey.

Lysa wrote the book Made to Crave from the perspective of a woman who has never craved a carrot stick in her whole life. Having struggled with her weight her whole adult life, Lysa knows what it feels like to be in the vicious cycle of gaining and losing, but never feeling at peace in her struggle. Everything changed when Lysa decided to have her deepest desire met by God not food. Now, armed with the spiritual motivation she gained in her own journey, she is inspiring others to find lasting victory.

As a nationally known speaker, Lysa has been passionately teaching women God’s truths for years. Lysa’s personal adventures of following God led to appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The 700 Club, USA Today newspaper, Woman’s Day magazine, and Focus on the Family radio.

Today, Lysa and her ministry team at Proverbs 31 Ministries encourage more than 375,000 women through their daily online devotional. In addition, she co-hosts a 1-minute inspirational radio program aired on more than 1,200 stations around the world. Plus, she touches hearts through their monthly magazine, P31 Woman. Lysa’s blog averages over 70,000 avid readers per month. She is the award-winning author of 14 books, including her newest releases, Made to Crave and Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl. Other noteworthy books include What Happens When Woman Say Yes to God, What Happens When Women Walk in Faith, Capture His Heart, and Capture Her Heart. Visit Lysa’s website for more info and to visit her blog! http://lysaterkeurst.com

Giveaway and party: Win a brand new KINDLE from Lysa Terkeurst during the Made To Crave KINDLE Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of Made to Crave and the MTC Small Group DVD Study Set, Lysa is giving away a KINDLE prize package worth over $175.00! To enter just click on one of the icons below! One winner will receive:

* A brand new Kindle with Wi-Fi & the New E Ink Pearl Screen
* KINDLE editions of Lysa’s Made to Crave and Becoming More Than A Good Girl

But, wait there is more!

Lysa will be announcing the winner of the Made to Crave KINDLE Giveaway on February 8th during the Made To Crave Party on Facebook!

During the party Lysa will chat with guests, host a trivia contest or two, and give away lots of other fun prizes (copies of Lysa’s other books and Amazon.com, iTunes & Starbucks gift certificates) – including a live Author Chat with Lysa for your small group!

Don’t miss the fun! Lysa is looking forward to learning more about you – so be sure to stop by Lysa’s Facebook Author Page on February 8th at 5:00 PM PST (6 PM MST, 7 PM CST, & 8 PM EST).

This book was provided free for review purposes.