Motivated by Back Fat, Inspired by The Father.

When I was a kid my step dad bought me a set of Funk and Wagnalls because I heard someone say "Funk and Wagnalls" while I was watching Laugh In and I thought it was really fun to say. I'm sure you can only imagine why. My step dad, who thought it was funny that I loved to watch Laugh In also thought it was funny that I walked around saying, "Well Funk and Wagnalls" so he bought me a set and to my surprise it was dictionaries. I love looking up definitions because of this. This has nothing to do with today's post but only to explain my love of vocabulary words and discovering the words that define other words. Moving on....

in·spired, in·spir·ing, in·spires
v.tr.
1. To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence.
2. To fill with enlivening or exalting emotion: hymns that inspire the congregation; an artist who was inspired by Impressionism.
3. a. To stimulate to action; motivate: a sales force that was inspired by the prospect of a bonus.
b. To affect or touch: The falling leaves inspired her with sadness.
4. To draw forth; elicit or arouse: a teacher who inspired admiration and respect.
5. To be the cause or source of; bring about: an invitation that inspired many imitations.
6. To draw in (air) by inhaling.
7. Archaic
a. To breathe on.
b. To breathe life into.


mo·ti·vate (mt-vt)
tr.v. mo·ti·vat·ed, mo·ti·vat·ing, mo·ti·vates
To provide with an incentive; move to action; impel



The world motivates. We're motivated by what we see or hear or feel. Have you ever taken a picture of your back in the mirror? I did. I didn't like what I saw. I was motivated to stick to my "new way of eating". My incentive is to eliminate back fat and to never worry again that others are noticing my back fat. To avoid growing my hair to my hips in an attempt to cover that which has made me sad and self conscious. It's been a hard afternoon.

My Father inspires, He only breathes on me and speaks a word over me and I'm drawn forth, guided, invited and inspired to imitate. Praise you Lord.

Genesis 35:1-7

1AND GOD said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there. And make there an altar to God Who appeared to you [in a distinct manifestation] when you fled from the presence of Esau your brother.(A)

2Then Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, Put away the [images of] strange gods that are among you, and purify yourselves and change [into fresh] garments;

3Then let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make there an altar to God Who answered me in the day of my distress and was with me wherever I went.

4So they [both young men and women] gave to Jacob all the strange gods they had and their earrings which were [worn as charms against evil] in their ears; and Jacob buried and hid them under the oak near Shechem.

5And they journeyed and a terror from God fell on the towns round about them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.

6So Jacob came to Luz, that is, Bethel, which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people with him.

7There he built an altar, and called the place El-bethel [God of Bethel], for there God revealed Himself to him when he fled from the presence of his brother.

I found this the other night when I was looking up scripture on Worship. God spoke to me. I was drawn in, guided, invited and inspired to imitate.

al·tar noun, often attributive \ˈȯl-tər
1. a usually raised structure or place on which sacrifices are offered or incense is burned in worship —often used figuratively to describe a thing given great or undue precedence or value especially at the cost of something else. 2. a table, etc. for a sacred purpose in a place of worship.

God told me to build an altar. But, instead of using stones or wood, my body will be the altar. I can be a place on which sacrifices are offered. Everytime I refuse a french fry (man I'm a sucker for potatos) and replace it with something else that's a sacrifice, it's putting away strange gods and purifying myself (v. 4).

Even now as I type this He is inspiring me. The second definition of altar is "a table used for a sacred purpose in a place of worship". The sacred purpose is communion. Communion is thanksgiving. I will offer my body as a sacrifice, as worship, in thanksgiving for being fearfully and wonderfully made, and to be in communion with my Father. I will arise, and I will make an altar to God Who answered me in the day of my distress and was with me wherever I went (v. 3).

1sac·ri·fice noun
\ˈsa-krə-ˌfīs, also -fəs or -ˌfīz\
destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else

I will surrender my body to Him for the sake of Joy, for the sake of nothing being off limits to Him. For the sake of Worship. For the sake of communion.

Thank you Jesus. I praise you Lord.