Made to Crave, by Lysa Terkeurst

I really kind of had to read Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food because Stephanie said to. (Well, she didn't say to but she said to which is pretty convincing.)

Let me go on record as saying that this is the only book I have read twice through before writing up a review of it. I also have to go on record as saying that I'm not quite sure I'm really ready to write a review.

As Stephanie said, (and the subtitle suggests), the basic idea behind this book is that instead of satisfying yourself with food, you should satisfy yourself with a deeper walk with God. Cue the "blah, blah, blahs" that are probably running in your head. Oh, you might as well admit it! I can hear them because the "blah blahs" were in my head as well. You want to know what the big deal is (or should be) turning your eating habits into a spiritual matter. Should that even be the case? Well, I think that Lysa Terkeurst makes a pretty compelling argument for exactly why that should be the case.

Just ask yourself this:

- When you are upset about something, how frequently do you indulge in "just a little treat" (i.e., chocolate?) to help yourself over the emotional hurdle?
- When the baby won't quit crying, how many times have you stormed into the kitchen and grabbed a coke to sit and relax with?
- When your friends are telling you "it's ok" to break your diet "just this once", how often do you allow yourself to indulge, even when you know you shouldn't?
- When you are ecstatically happy about something, how many times do you go out to eat and order greasy (but fun and oh so delicious!!) food to celebrate with?
- When is ice cream called upon to act as a soothing balm?
- When you are uptight, tired, emotional drained, etc., how often do you turn to food to cover up your emotions?

Ask yourself those questions. And if food is your go-to source on any level for calming you down or carrying you through any type of upheaval, you might want to read this book.

I picked up Made to Crave before birthing Bookworm3, thinking it would be a kick-start to the post-baby weight diet. I just assumed it would be a gentle nudge which would motivate me to drop the baby pounds (which are merciless, let me tell you!) It did that. Surely, it did. However, it motivated me in unexpected ways. Made to Crave is most emphatically not a diet book and Terkeurst is very clear on that point. She is not on a diet and she is not encouraging her reader to be on a diet. What she is doing with this book is making the reader examine their relationship with God and answer honestly how many times they turn to Him to help them through life's victories and disappointments in comparison to how many times they turn to food. It is a very convicting read and I re-read it (immediately upon finishing it) because I would really like her message to sink in.

I do not rely on God as much as I ought.

I do not turn to Him first to praise Him for victories.

I do make a grab for the chocolate when the children's noises have disrupted my peace and I feel the need to de-stress.

I do think of how I want to treat myself at the end of a hard day.

I do not always turn to scriptures or prayer first when emotionally challenged.

I forget that I am a child of God and He can see me through my darkest hours.

I like food. Sometimes I like food more than I like being a Child of God. It is obvious that I do because I turn to it first more often than I'd care to admit.

So I read this book. And then I thought, "PPpwwhhht!!!...Stephanie's going to wonder what I thought of it and I'm going to have to tell her." Then I thought: "Furthermore, I mentioned on RtK that I was reading this book and I feel like I have to follow up on that."

I didn't want to write this post. I don't want to talk about this book. (And actually, in some ways, I'm not doing so, truth be absolutely told.)

Made to Crave goes beyond the food choices and discusses why you make the choices that you do. Not in a Jillian Michaels, "I'll scream in your face until you do what I say!" sort of way. Rather, Lysa Terkeurst is meek, humble, and honest as she presents her own journey of learning self discipline and self control in a way that is easy to relate to, identify with and be easily convicted by.

I highly recommend it.

But I have to then (honestly) say that I recommend it because I want you to be equally convicted that you need a closer, honest, more trusting relationship with God so that I won't look so deficient. I want you to feel bad so that I'll feel better about myself. Which is totally not the point of the book but it is how I feel about it! Go! Read it! Make a change WITH me.

Scripturally based, God-oriented, and prayerfully directed, this book will take you far beyond thinking about your diet choices. I think it will rock your world. And you might just re-read it a time or two yourself!

Thanks Stephanie for this read. I'm genuinely appreciative. Pphhhwwwwt!!!

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By the way, "the other" Stephanie also read it and you can read her review at Simple Things. She didn't really want to write about it either.