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 Tried to Undermine the Temptations, but It Wasn't Fool Proof

1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

It seems that recently, I've been more inclined to want to snack, when that hasn't always been the case until lately. The bad part is that I didn't end up eating an appropriate amount of any of these foods which might have been fine or even healthy, if they were eaten within normal portion sizes.

 I had most recently eaten a half bag of cashews, in the process of trying to avoid some tortilla chips I had eaten. Actually, I ate some tortilla chip crumbles on the top of my Chicken Tortilla Soup, but I ended up getting the tortilla chip bag and eating half of it.

 I knew I wanted to make something with the apples in my fridge before they went bad. I only like apples when they are crisp or crunchy, but hate to waste the ones that have been there too long. I found an apple cake recipe that my mother had sent me some time ago. It called for one cup of crushed nuts. When I crushed them, I knew right then and there, that I would be tempted to eat the cake, because I love nuts. I took some of the crushed nuts and put them on a bowl of cottage cheese with some crushed pineapple in it's own juice. I figured that would satisfy my urge to eat the nuts in the apple cake I was making.

 In the recipe, I used half white flour and other half was with two different organic flours. When the cake was done, I wondered if the different flours I had used tasted alright, because I was going to share this cake with others. I tasted some, but the flavor of the nuts made me start craving the cake. I did eat some small edges that crumbled off as I cut the pieces of cake. I prayed and prayed and Christ gave me the idea to wrap up what I was giving to others and to put the rest into an enclosed container, so I would be less tempted by it. It worked, but I craved the nut laden apple cake several times throughout the evening. Each time, I had to turn those cravings over into Christ's very capable hands. This shows me more is going on and that I must be getting lax in my relationship with Christ. When I am tempted and give in to those temptations so much, I know that Satan sees my weakness and is trying to take advantage of my weaknesses and get a stronghold in my life. 

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

It Started a Cycle of Wanting to Snack

 Ephesians 1: 8 Wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He had purposed in Himself.

 Well, a few days earlier, I got to craving tortilla chips after I had poured some crushed tortilla chips on top of the Chicken Tortilla Soup I had made. Unfortunately, I ate half of the bag, before I listened to Christ giving me the instincts that I was letting food control me right then, instead of letting Christ be in control. After that, I put the rest of the bag of tortilla chips away.

 The thing that's bad about all of this is that Satan likes to sneak up on Christians and tempt them where their weaknesses are. When my relationship with Christ is strong, I don't seem to let my guard down to fall prey to these temptations, but there are times where that's not the case.

 I found myself recently wanting more of those same tortilla chips to snack on. I prayed for Christ to guide me or to show me a better snacking alternative. The idea that was on my mind was that I had some frozen cashews that were better and healthier to eat than the tortilla chips, so I got them. Unfortunately, I ate half of the bag and didn't really want to put it away when Christ let me know what I was doing again. What that tells me is that I've been allowing myself to be tempted by food when that hasn't been the case for awhile. I need more than ever to turn these feelings and temptations over to Christ's very capable hands.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Not What I Was Eating, but How Easily I Started Slipping into Old Eating Patterns

1 John 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to get across the idea that eating or overeating is sinning, although it has turned out to be one of the many ways that Satan sneaks up on me and tried to undermine my relationship with Christ. God has shown me that I have turned to food for comfort, at times, instead of turning to Him, making food a false god in those situations. 

 Not too long ago, I got the munchies. I had made some Chicken Tortilla Soup from a mix someone gave my husband. On the top of the soup, you were supposed to sprinkle some of the crushed tortilla chips. I enjoyed the taste so much, that I went and found a bag of tortilla chips that my husband sometimes snacks on. I know I must have eaten at least half of the bag. 

 It's not so much that the Chicken Tortilla Soup was a bad thing for me to eat, but it was how easily I started slipping into old eating patterns. Once I realize it, I twisted the top of the tortilla chip bag and put a twist tie on it and put it away, although I really wanted to eat more. When I run into times like that, I just have to pray and turn my hunger and/or cravings over to my Lord and Savior who heals me of compulsions like that when I ask Him.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Through the Eyes of an Overweight Person

Romans 3: 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Having been overweight for the first half of my life, I sometimes look through the eyes of an overweight person, instead of someone grateful for the many blessings Christ has bestowed upon me!

Sometimes, I see thin, trendy women who look like models in church, and judge them with the eyes of an overweight person. I find myself thinking that they must just be in church in a superficial capacity, because they couldn't truly be there with the giving heart that Christ wants.

I realize that this Bible passage is related to there's no difference in God's eyes between Jews, Greeks, and Gentiles as long as they love Jesus Christ as their Lord for all have sinned and have redemption through Christ's grace. This is one of the very special reasons that I like to read the Bible daily, I can apply so much of it to my own personal life. Christ doesn't want me looking at others through the eyes of an overweight person and judging them. Christ tells me through this Bible verse as I apply it to my life, that there's no difference in God's eyes between thin, fat, medium, chubby, tall, rich, poor, trendy, upper class or lower class Christians as long as they love Jesus Christ as their Lord for all have sinned and have redemption through Christ's grace. 

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Not the Same as Others, but O.K.

1 Corinthians 12: 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

Over the years, I see other inspiring people who do mighty things for Christ and feel almost jealous that I haven't/can't do something similar, since I love Him so! I've tried to minister to others in ways that I've seen, but they usually seem to back-fire one way or another.

What I have found is that Christ has led me to write about how He heals many of my shortcomings, especially overeating, and continues to, since I backslide, at times. It sometimes boggles my mind and amazes it all at the same time, that Jesus could use my many faults to help others learn to better relate to Him. 

Maybe it's because they see that Jesus loves me in all my sinfulness and never gives up on me or turns His back on me when I backslide, that they realize that He will be there for them, too, if they let Him. I now know that Jesus doesn't use me in the same way as others, but that's O.K.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Wanting to Enjoy that Feeling of Anger....

1 Thessalonians 5: 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 

Recently, someone did something that I thought was insensitive. I was soooooo angry with this person and it felt good, too good, in fact! I went into my bedroom to have some quiet time with my Lord to sort all of this out. Sure, the person did something that was less than sensitive to me, but why was I enjoying this rage of anger? It's kind of a weird thing, because I don't get angry very often. In fact, I go out of my way to resolve things, so that there's no tension with others, but this time was different. There was one part of me that wanted to approach this person and tell them exactly how insensitive that I thought their behavior was to me and why! 

 When, Christ had it on my heart to continue to be prayerful about this, I just wanted to get up and go confront this person. The more I lay there in prayerful contemplation, the more I was open to the message that Christ had for me. Sure, I could go and berate the person that had wronged me and humiliate them, in the process, but that most definitely wasn't what Christ wanted for me. He showed me that this sense of rage that I had briefly enjoyed was Satan tempting me and I had started to bite his bait, hook, line, and sinker. That's why I had originally gone to my room to be prayerful about all of this, because I had started to say hurtful things. 

 In my opinion, it's better to get away from a situation and prayerfully contemplate it, rather than say things that could lead me to eat over it in guilt, much later. After the insight Christ had on my heart, I realized that I had to be the bigger person. I went and told that person that I was so sorry that I got that made over something that really was trivial and I had just needed some prayerful time to reflect on all of this.  My heart felt so unburdened when I did this. I was no longer letting Satan have a strong hold on me and my life, not to mention interactions with others.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

A Play on the Word: Fast

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

There's fast and there's fast and probably a half dozen more types of fast that could be discussed. I really decided to use this Bible verse, because it remotely ties into what I want to talk about, in an abstract way.  

On the way back from visiting my dad in the Veteran's Home, it came to mind that he eats sooooooo slowly, but I, on the other hand, eat way too fast. In fact, I woof my food down. It's not a deliberate action, on my part, but I attribute it to being a mom who had to multitask and eat, tend to housework, chores, preparing dinner, doing the laundry, etc., but I'm not really certain of this.

The fast mentioned above related to the speed in which I eat, which is really an unhealthy thing to do. You can choke, you can't tell you're full and can eat far too much, and about 20 other health related things I can't think of right now. The point of this, although my focus started on the speed of my eating, is that when I turned my need to be in control, body, food, eating, stress, etc. over to Christ's very capable hands, my life change. Sure, Christ allowed me to lose over 80 pounds and to keep the vast majority of the weight off for over 30 years, but there's more. He gave me a particular peace that no food could do. As long as I stay focused on Christ and what He wants for me, I will have eternal life as long as I stand fast in the Lord and don't waver and go down some side path.  For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 3:8


Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

A Special Snack I REALLY Wanted

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

My husband had gotten some type of special treat that was very intriguing for me. I knew it was about dinner time and I was secretly plotting to eat some of it before dinner, because I knew that after dinner I would be too full to eat any of it.

 I even mentioned to my husband about our eating some of this special treat, but he suggested we wait until sometime after dinner. Although this special treat contained foods that I was able to have on my food program, it didn't matter that it wasn't made of sweets or carbs. When I was coveting that food in my heart secretly planning how I could get some, it had become a false god to me, the way food used to years ago when Christ showed me that I needed to turn to Him for comfort instead of to food.

 I waited and I wasn't hungry for the special treat. I thought of eating it anyway, but Jesus had me realize that if He had me satisfied, why was I going to eat more food? Immediately, I realized that to eat that special snack, I would have been reverting back to my old compulsive overeating patterns. Although I would have liked to eat the snack, feeling the calm that Christ gives me when Satan through excessive food doesn't can't. I no longer want Satan to have that stronghold on me the way he used to when my life and lack of self-esteem was affected by what I ate. My Savior saved me from that!!!!

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie
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