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/

I Did It to Myself!

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

For over three months, the bottom of my heel hurt when I tried to walk in the evenings. It got to the point that I tried to figure out how much I really needed to get something prior to getting it. I prayed about it and went to my doctor. She had an Xray taken and it said that I had a heel spur. I was given a handout on this and some suggested exercises.

When it didn't heal, the doctor said I should go to a Podiatrist. When I got there, I explained my situation, but told him that I think I did it to myself. I told him that my husband and I had been walking in the neighborhood over several months and I would crunch down on the acorns as we walked. I told him that I liked the sound the crunching acorns made, because of the air in the middle of them. It's kind of like popping bubble wrap on some level.s

He agreed with me. I had done it to myself! All that crunching down on my heel had injured it over and over again. He gave me inserts and a prescription, which I didn't take for long, because it didn't agree with me. I continue to pray about it and I'm trying to ice it twice a day and stay away from acorns.

You may wonder what this has to do with overeating? Well, that's a fair question. In the process of trying to heal my heel, I remember reading something that says that if people were to loose five to ten pounds, it would take extra pressure off of their joints and muscles. So, I'm trying not to be sloppy with my eating and with my relationship with Christ, because they very often go hand-in-hand! Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Since I am applying these Bible Verses to my life, it may not convey the whole meaning of the verses. Debbie

Casting Stones at Myself

John 8:7 So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

The comment Jesus made is very significant. Sometimes this pops into my mind when I have a judgmental thought about someone else. Does this pop into my mind when I have a judgmental thought about myself, though?

Usually not. I rehash all the old mistakes I made to God, my family, friends, and myself. Lots of these have to do with turning to food, which became a false god in my life, because I turned to it instead of turning concerns over into God's very capable hands. Because I felt terrible about myself, I didn't always interact with others the way I wish I had. I wasn't always the best example to others about how God worked in my life, either.

Well, now that Christ has allowed me to lose over 80 pounds and keep the vast majority of it off for over 30 years, am I doing any better? Well, mostly yes, but sometimes, I get caught up in casting stones at myself for past mistakes. If Jesus forgave me, shouldn't I forgive myself? It's time to let these old things go and have the joy that Jesus wants me to share with others!!!!!

John 8:7 So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Since I am applying these Bible Verses to my life, it may not convey the whole meaning of the verses. Debbie

I Regret My Actions

Colossians 3: 8-10.But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created Him.  

I had to go to the bank to rectify a banking issue and my husband agreed to meet me there. I had an hour and a forty-five minutes to get back to pick a kiddo up, which seemed like more than enough time. 

You got it. It really wasn't! We waited for one and a half hours. I figured that in ten minutes, I could tell the banker what I needed, sign the paperwork and let my husband finish the transaction, while I went to pick up the kiddo.

Well, it took the whole ten minutes reviewing everything and I had no cush time. I told her that I had to be across town to get a kiddo and couldn't do it now and had to leave. She looked bewildered!

I know she must have felt terrible. I sure did! There's a time when I would have eaten over something like this, but I've been learning how helpful it is for me to say brief prayers in the midst of situations. So, I said a brief prayer for Not Enough Time Grace while I tried to get across town without exceeding any of the speed limits. Fortunately, I got him within minutes of being dismissed. 

I called my husband and asked him to meet me at the bank in a half hour, so we could try to rectify the banking issue together. I got there before he did, and I apologized to her profusely. I tried to explain to the banker that I wasn't upset with her, I was just upset with not having enough time. Not enough time to correct the problem. Not enough time to pick up the kiddo. Not enough time to properly explain why I had to leave the bank quickly, although I tried, but it was using up time! 

Fortunately, the banker was very gracious and understood about not wanting to leave a child stranded after dismissal. We were able to rectify the banking issue and that was good, but what was even better was rectifying the issue with the banker. I had felt badly about that and not having adequate time to explain calmly. 

Since I am applying these Bible Verses to my life, it may not convey the whole meaning of the verses. Debbie

No More Elastic

2 Corinthians 4: 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Although I picked this Bible passage, because it has the word "weight" in it, this passage has much more significance than the literal meaning.  It's true, I don't totally know how heavy I was. I know I was over 200 pounds, because I stopped weighing after that. I could no longer face the numbers on the scale, because I let them tell me who I was as a person.

I know that I had worn my size 18 elastic pants until the point that they were threadbare and there was no more elastic left in the waist band. I had worn them at sizes far greater than the numbers on those pants, because somehow I could make myself feel better by thinking that at least I still wore a size 18, which was not true!

At some point, Christ showed me that food and the focus on having a thin body had become a false god to me, because I was turning to things of this nature rather than turning to Him in times of stress, joy, etc. After many life lessons, Christ allowed me to lose 80 pounds, by putting control in His very capable hands, rather than my trying to be in control of all aspects of my life. I've been very blessed that although I periodically revert to old eating patterns, Christ will show me the error of my ways and will refocus me. 

The thing is, when I get sloppy with my food program, I am quite often being sloppy with my relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I've been very blessed to have the vast majority of the weight stay off for over 30 years, but no amount of weight loss is worth losing my relationship with Christ. More importantly, is maintaining my focus on Christ and His will in my life, not focusing on food, clothes, and being thin,  2 Corinthians 4: 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Since I am applying these Bible Verses to my life, it may not convey the whole meaning of the verses. Debbie

Is It Alright to Make Fun of Them Now?

Romans 6: 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

I felt terrible about myself all those years I was heavy. Somehow, I took special pleasure in making fun of the cheerleaders I would see over the years who were then heavy, too!  It seemed to make me feel less terrible about myself. I'm telling you, that I am very embarrassed that I ever did this, but feel it's important to be honest with readers. 

Over 30 years ago, Christ showed me that I was turning to food in times of stress instead of to Him, which made food a false god. After lots of prayer and learning to turn my food, body, eating, and stress over to Christ's very capable hands, He allowed me to lose 80 pounds. Although I slip back in old patterns periodically, Christ helps refocus me and has allowed the vast majority of the weight to stay off for over 30 years and He can do it for you, too!

The thing is, does it make it right to make fun or gloat over the heavy cheerleaders, now that I'm thinner? God says: Romans 6: 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? I can no longer take joy knowing that someone else is possibly going through the pain and suffering that I did when I was overweight. All I can do is feel compassion for them and pray that they, too, let Christ be in control of their relationship with Him, and their food, body, eating, and stress.  

Since I am applying these Bible Verses to my life, it may not convey the whole meaning of the verses. Debbie

How Did I Stand?

Romans 5: 1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Well, that's a good question! Unfortunately, when I was heavy, I stood hunched over, looking at my feet and I didn't look directly at people when walked past them or talked to them. Although this might not sound like much, it tells loads about how I felt about my self. My self-esteem was dragging as low as my head drooped.

I felt unlovable because I was heavy. I felt worthless and it turns out that sometimes people treat you like you act, so some people treated me like I was worthless! Here's a link to a book I once read called: Sweet Suffering: Woman as Victim by Natalie Shainess. It definitely isn't an uplifting book, but I learned so much when I read it. It tells that there are people who deliberately victimize women and they can tell the ones more prone to tolerate that behavior by the way they stand, walk, and how they carry their bodies. 

Since reading that book, I try harder to hold my body upright and give the appearance of more confidence, but I slip back into old patterns, at times. I have to be mindful that Christ wants no one to be victimized. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By Whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2

Since I am applying these Bible Verses to my life, it may not convey the whole meaning of the verses. Debbie

Faster, Faster, Faster!

For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 3:8 

I picked this Bible verse mainly because it had the word "fast" in it. I did that because I was wanting to write about when Christ was allowing me to lose the 80 pounds, I had a period of time where I was trying to make to the weight come off even faster.

It's kind of like the old movies with the stage coach that would get to the end destination, but used the whip to snap at the horses saying, "Faster, faster, faster!" Sometimes, the stagecoaches would turn over at that speed and break a wheel and didn't get to their destination at all. 

I guess I'm even more blessed than I realize, because God showed me what I was doing by eating only half of my breads (carbs, but I call them breads) and skipping some of my meals.  I was saying to God, "Thanks God for the weight loss You're doing in my body, but it's not as fast I want, so I'm going to take charge now, so I can get to my goal faster, faster faster!"

Well, fortunately for me, Christ didn't just give up on me for being so ungrateful and showed me that I needed to stand steadfast in the Lord. I have also been blessed by a peace that Christ has in my life that never existed prior to turning my life, stress, food, body, and eating over to His very capable hands. Although I backslide, at times, He refocuses me and has allowed the vast majority of the 80 pounds to stay off over 30 years. He can do the same for you, if you let Him!

Since I am applying these Bible Verses to my life, it may not convey the whole meaning of the verses. Debbie

Staying Too Busy to Feel

 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time; 7 Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.

I used to be really bad about this and I wish I could say that I never do this now that Christ has shown me life lessons along the way to losing the 80 pounds, but I can't. This bad habit does sneak back from time to time.

If I weren't eating to mask my stress, worry, etc. where I in reality made food a false god, turning to it instead of to Christ, I stayed so busy that I couldn't feel. It seems like my life has been like that lately, so I have to be especially mindful of the lesson that God has for me in this post.

I don't know that I deliberately have tried to take on extra things, but it's happened none the less. Maybe, it's that I haven't refused doing the extra things that's the problem, whether I sought them out or not. The thing is, staying that busy, keeps me from focusing on issues of concern and it keeps me too busy to enjoy the times of joy that Christ provides in my life. I have to remember to cast all my care on the mighty hand of God, because He cares for me and He cares for you, too!

Since I am applying these Bible Verses to my life, it may not convey the whole meaning of the verses. Debbie

I Felt Deserving of Their Anger

Ephesians 4: 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 

When I was overweight, I used to take it very personally if someone were angry with me. I immediately figured that their actions were justified and that I was deserving of their anger. I would go around apologizing for everything, whether I had anything to do with it or not. In looking back at this after Christ's allowing the vast majority of the 80 pounds to stay off for over 30 years, I'm saddened by my former reactions.

I feel sad for the chubby girl inside of me, who then felt ugly and guilty for the excess weight. I almost had an invisible sign on me that said, "Take advantage of me, I'm worthless, because I'm fat and it's all my fault. I will be a friend no matter how badly you treat me, because I don't deserve more!" 

As I type this, it makes me want to cry. I wish I could comfort that chubby girl and share the insights that Christ has allowed in my life since then. I want to tell that chubby girl that she is worthwhile and a precious child of God. I would tell her she is worthwhile and doesn't deserve to bear the brunt of other people's bad temper or moods and doesn't have to put up with rude and inappropriate behavior! I would want her to know that just because other people are angry with her, that doesn't mean that she's deserving of that anger. Sometimes, they just want someone to blame someone when things don't go the way they want. 

I would tell her, that if she turns these situations over to Christ's very capable hands, He will show her when she's done something which requires an apology and when it doesn't. He will calm her fears and feelings of inadequacy. I would also tell her that one day, He will let her share the pain she felt with others, so they can feel the peace which only Christ can give in their lives, as well.

Since I am applying these Bible Verses to my life, it may not convey the whole meaning of the verses. Debbie

Links to Other Blogs I Felt Led to Create Below: