Since I have used this Bible passage as an example of how the Lord God has positively influenced my overeating, this doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the verse. Debbie

COE Support Note:

If you REALLY want to read how Christ helped me throughout this weight loss and even when I was tempted, you should read some of the 100's of previous posts on https://christianovereaterssupport.blogspot.com/

Whosoever Shall Call on the Name of the Lord Shall Be Saved

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.  Acts, Chapter 2, verse 21.

I had quit my full-time job to go back to school to become a teacher. I was taking a Psychology class for teachers. Try as I might, I was getting a D- on every test. I spent lots of time reading the text, but I still had difficulty on the tests. The teacher wanted us to apply the knowledge we gained, to the scenario questions he had devised. In most tests of this nature, you can easily rule out two of the answers and have to decide between the two remaining choices. In this instance, every one of the scenario answers were highly plausible.

Not only was it difficult determining which of the answers was the most correct of the four highly plausible answers, but I had figured it out and only had 45 seconds per scenario to read it, go through all the plausible answers for each question, and narrow it down to the correct answer. I was so overwhelmed and felt stupid for doing so poorly on tests that I put so much effort into. I prayed and told God how overwhelmed I was. I felt led to explain my problem to the teacher. I knew I couldn't get my teaching credential without this class. There was a time I would have eaten myself crazy over this, but instead I prayed and turned it over to God.

The next week, the teacher announced that the test would be taken right before the break and if anyone needed more time, they could stay through the break and finish the test. What a wonderfully accommodating thing for the teacher to do. The amazing thing is, I was the first to finish the test. The teacher was taken aback, because he had implemented all these changes, because I didn't have ample time to take the test. Puzzled, he checked my paper on these extremely difficult scenario questions and every one was correct. When the stress over the time factor was taken away, God took care of the rest.

Later, I wondered how I would do the following week on the scenario questions. Then, I realized that if God hadn't wanted me to become a teacher, He could have had me continue to get a D- on tests. I, also, realized, that if God could get me through the test that week, He could do the same each of the following weeks and He did. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.  Acts, Chapter 2, verse 21. (Now, this doesn't mean that because we ask something of God, it will always turn out the way we want it to. I do know that if we ask something of God, He will get us through it no matter how it turns out.)

Sometimes, I'm Very Resistant to Do What God Wants

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.

So, what does this have to do with overeating or maintaining a weight loss? Well, quite a bit! One morning I woke up and God had it on my heart that I was supposed to create another blog about how He allowed me to lose weight. This was in addition to the Bible Passages That Can Influence Your Life Blog, that I am already doing. I kept thinking, "God, are you really sure that you want me to create another blog? Are you sure I won't be spreading myself too thin with all my other obligations? Are you sure that other people are going to be interested in reading about how You had me lose the weight? Are you sure that any attention from a blog like this won't go to my head, which would be counter-productive if it worked a wedge in my relationship with You?"

I feel sorry for God, at times, because I argued a lot with Him over this, and I'm just realizing that I have done that many times over the years. You'd think by now, I would just trust God and not fight the feelings He gives me to do His will. He even had the name for the blog in my mind: Christian Overeaters Past and Present. I realize that doesn't seem like any big deal, since that's the name of the blog now. I called it something else in the beginning like Christian Overeaters and just had the Past and Present in the subheading. After about a week, I realized that this blog was for overeaters and those who were maintaining their weight loss, so I changed the title to the one that God had originally put in my mind. Sometimes, I'm very resistant to do what God wants. I wish I weren't like that.

The thing that is the most significant out of all of this is:  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20...even if it's on a blog!


Since I have used this Bible passage as an example of how God has positively influenced my overeating, this does not necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the verse.

At Least I Don't...

Ephesians 6: 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Do I succumb to the wiles of the devil? I might tell the self-righteous part of me that at least, I don't cheat on my spouse. At least, I don't falsify my taxes. At least, I don't drink to excess. At least, I don't take drugs. At least, I don't.....and the list goes on, but is that the whole story?

Being a self-righteous Christian a few too many times to count, I forget all the very subtle ways I let Satan sneak in and put a wedge in my relationship with God. One of those ways is that I turn to food to soothe my nerves when I'm stressed. I also try to be in control of situations, my life, the lives of others, and I even try to be in control of God, asking Him to answer my prayers in the exact way I specified. I find myself compelled to look at those magazines that tell all about the lives of movie stars, which really makes me involved in gossiping, something God doesn't like.

I let any weight gain affect my relationship with my family, others, and being the person that God wants me to be. That's because I haven't put on the whole armour of God, and have succumbed to the wiles of the devil and his worldly influences on me through food, weight gains/losses, etc. Fortunately for me, God is very forgiving. Once I realize this, I can ask Jesus to forgive me and heal my focus on food, control, weight, or whatever works a subtle wedge in my relationship with God...and He always does!!!

Only If It's Comfortable, God, and Fits Into My Schedule...

Mark 12: 43 And He called unto Him His disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Usually, I think of about needing to be more generous with my money when I read this. If only I had saved some of the money from the times we've gone out to eat and to give to those less fortunate. That would have been an appropriate exchange. Taking the food from someone who overeats to give it to someone who barely has enough to eat.This time, it reminds me of more than that.

This time, it makes me think of all the times I'm not willing to give of my time to do things for the less fortunate. There have been times that our church has been invovled in some worthwhile cause, but I have had some legitimate reason for not getting invovled, other than monetarialy. It sure is easy to plunk down some money when there's a good cause, rather that actively being involved in the activity. It's easy to convince the self-righteous portion of me that I'm helping move that worthwhile cause forward. Often, those legitimate reasons for not being actively involved are more flexible than I let on.

Am I saying, "I will help with your causes, God, only if it's comfortable and it fits into my schedule"? Do I realize that I'm turning my back on the less fortunate the same way that the the wealthy in this Bible passage cast in of their abundance? This leaves me a lot to be prayerful about. Mark 12: 43 And He called unto Him His disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Since this is an example of the positive influence God has made on my overeating, this may not reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verses.

I Wasn't Letting "the Joy" Show Through...

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.

I have to be honest. This is a tricky blog post for me to write about, because the very thought of this topic brings tears to my eyes. I'm not even sure I can quite explain it, but it's what God had tugging at my heart when I selected this verse.

About a month ago, I was in a dollar store, one of my favorite places. (I love saving a buck with the best of them.) This lady from a different culture came up to me and asked me to explain the meaning of one of the greeting cards. Being a retired teacher, I took great pride in explaining the jargon to her in a way I thought she might better understand.

After that, the lady said to me that she could tell I was hurting inside. At the time, I thought I was happy with nothing particular on my mind. I could feel big tears well up in my eyes as she talked to me, saying that she could see I was a nice lady, she could see the pain in my heart, and that things were going to be alright-not to worry.

What do you say to a stranger who says something like this? I thanked her several times, but it has been on my mind periodically ever since. I have tried to be very prayerful about this interaction. Lots of different things crossed my mind as I contemplated this interaction. The thing that came out of this is: if a stranger can look at me and feel sadness in my heart, I wasn't letting "the Joy" show through.

I really had to take a closer look at myself. If I'm not letting "the Joy" that God gives me show through, that means that I'm letting worry take over and crowd Jesus out of my life. Worrying is often the reason I end up overeating more than being drawn to any particular food. Any time I am worrying about something, that means I'm virtually saying, "God, I don't trust you to take care of this issue, so I'm going to worry about it and try to find a Plan B, just in case you don't pull through for me." Well, that's definitely not what I want to be projecting to God or to strangers I meet. I need to be a better example of letting "the Joy" that God gives me to show through. I don't want Jesus crowded out of my life by worry, fear, etc.  I need to remember: Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.

Eating the Door Knobs Off in Order to not Rock the Boat...

1 John 2: 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is non occasion of stumbling in him.

I was an adult before I ever identified that I was angry with a family member. I remember feeling like I could "eat the door knobs off". That's my term for having this gnawing feeling in my stomach that feels like I'm hungry. First, I'd eat something, but the feeling didn't go away. I'd try eating something else, but the feeling was still there. I would follow it by something I loved to eat thinking it would surely satisfy that feeling inside me, but I was wrong.

It wasn't until the time frame that I turned my overeating and control over to God, that He had me realize that it was feelings that were causing the gnawing feeling in my stomach all those years-not hunger. I had eaten loads of food in order to appease that gnawing feeling and went to bed afterward with a sick stomach from eating so much.

While I was in the bed, surrounded by nothing but quiet and God, I had a conversation with Him about all of this. It wasn't a formal prayer, just conversation with God like I would with a friend about not feeling very well after eating and still having that gnawing feeling in my stomach. That's when the thought was in my mind that the gnawing feeling in my stomach didn't have anything to do with food at all.

I was quiet for awhile and the thought was that it had to do with my frustration over a family event I was supposed to attend. I realized I was upset with someone who tended to make the family events uncomfortable for everyone else. I didn't know what to do with all these feelings. As I said, I'm a peacemaker, trying to go around making everyone happy, because I don't like anger. I had spent my whole life trying to be cheerful, hiding my anger for so long that I didn't even know when I had it. Instead, all those years, I had that gnawing feeling in my stomach and ate until I was sick to my stomach rather than deal with any anger.

It was interesting to me. I had to realize I was angry, before I could turn it over to God. After I turned that over to God, I needed to try to understand the person's pain and try to be open to forgiving that person. Then, I had to pray and ask God to take care of what I said and did in uncomfortable situations and He always does.

This is especially significant to me right now, because I had been dreading an uncomfortable interaction with a family member over money. Funny, how many negative family discussions have something to do with money. I debated writing a letter, but I felt led to call instead. I prayed before I made the call and asked God to guide what I said and He did. I was able to share my point of view without being hurtful and the conversation went well. It's so different from all those years when I felt like "eating the door knobs off" in order to not rock the boat.

Hiding from Life Behind a Cloak of Fat...

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Since I feel led to share this particular passage, I want to be open to what I'm really supposed to share, not what I think you want to hear.  I read back through the verses prior to this and those that followed this where Martha is talking to Jesus about the death of Lazarus.

At first, I thought I was supposed to share about the passing of my step-grandfather, but that's not what I'm supposed to write about. I'm supposed to write to you about death on a totally different level. It's about a death inside of me that happened over years of building up layers of protection from hurtful comments from others intertwined with a poor self-esteem. I'm not sure that part of the layers of fat I added to my body all those years weren't just another part of the layers of protection. At least with being heavy, I didn't have to deal with people. I didn't have to take risks. I just determined that they wouldn't want to be my friend, they wouldn't be open to anything I might want to share, so I just nixed the opportunity to interact with them.

As I'm writing this, I'm realizing that I allowed my weight to become a crutch and my shelter from further pain, either real or perceived. Sure, today, people treat me with respect, but when I was heavy, that wasn't always the case...or was it??? Was it that I just thought it might be the case, so I just avoided the opportunity from the beginning?

So, what's wrong with this if it only hurts me? Well, I'm a child of God-He doesn't want me to live in constant pain. He doesn't want me to hide from life behind a cloak of fat to protect me from the world and interactions with others. If God wants to use me as an example of how He works in my life, how can I possibly do this when I am pushing people away? There's no way God can use me when I'm like this.

So, if God wants me to be an example to others, if He's shown me that I'm pushing others away and hiding behind my overeating, He will heal these if I let Him. He will give me life, so I don't have to continue to feel dead inside, not just here on earth, but, also, for eternity. John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?


Since I have used this Bible passage as an example of how God has positively influenced my overeating, this does not necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the verse.

Because of My Overeating, I Stole Food

Ephesians 4: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Well, my overeating has gotten me to take risks I wouldn't have otherwise. Because of my overeating, I stole food. When I was about eight, I talked a neighbor boy into going with me to the "candy store". I was a little older than he was and I talked him in to stealing some graham crackers, candy, and gum. We made it back home safe and sound with our loot and secretly devoured it.

Now, you would think this is where I would tell you that I got caught, went and apologized and it turned my life around. That's not really what happened. Actually, I talked the neighbor boy in to stealing one other time and we never got caught. So, why is this significant?

The thing is, although no one other than the neighbor and I knew we had stolen, God knew. Thanks to the conscience/Holy Spirit that God has embedded inside each of us, I just didn't feel good doing this and decided to stop. Unfortunately, I had let my love of food, candy, etc. cloud my logic.

I feel badly that I never did get to apologize to the owner of the store. I think I was too embarrassed and had lots of reasons rationalizing why I shouldn't attempt to apologize years later. What I did do is to use this story to share with students who would steal the play money in my class. It's kind of funny, but this seemed to happen once or twice a year. I would go into the hall with the person and explain what I told you. I would ask them if my taking the candy was a good thing to do and they would say, "No." I would tell them that I didn't feel good inside when I did this and don't do this any more.

Then, I ask them if my taking the things from the store makes me a bad person? Confused they would say, "No." I would explain that they are right. It wasn't a good thing for me to steal, but I didn't have to continue doing it. I'm not a bad person, but I made a "poor choice", just like they aren't a bad person because they stole my play money, but had made a "poor choice" and don't have to continue stealing. I usually ended the conversation with telling them to try to think of something nice to do for the class, but they didn't have to tell anyone. I think that making restitution of some sort is helpful, so they don't end up with a guilty conscience like me. "Ephesians 4: 27Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."


Since I have used this Bible passage as an example of how God has positively influenced my overeating, this does not necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the verse.

Can I Forgive Them?

Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted His raiment, and cast lots.

Such all abiding love through forgiveness is difficult for me to imagine. I still remember when my step-grandfather used to say to me, "Debbie, you've been putting on a little weight." Of course, I was always hurt by this. I always wondered what he was thinking to make a comment like this. Didn't he know that I could tell I was gaining weight every time I looked in a mirror, something I avoided like the plague. I could tell every time I tried to button my pants, to the point that I went to all elastic waist bands. I could tell every time people ignored my comments or suggestions. I could tell every time I saw others with a group of friends laughing and looking in my direction-although I realize now, I may have misinterpreted this.

Sure, we can avoid some people who are rude and insensitive to us, but those in our family, our workplace, our church, etc. may not be as easy to avoid. Then, what??? All I can do is to rely on the healing touch that Jesus provides when we follow His example. He forgave those who divided up His clothes and cast lots for them. He forgave those who were involved in His Crucifixion. He forgave all those who ignored Him and were rude to Him. Jesus forgives those who are weak like me.

If Jesus can forgive all my shortcomings, I can surely be open to His healing my heart to forgive others who have hurt me, as well. Can I do this alone? I need to pray and ask Jesus to heal my heart, to provide me with a more forgiving nature, and the willingness to let me forgive them. Some times, I still want to hold a grudge against some, but I have to turn those feelings over to Jesus' forgiving nature to heal. Debbie

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