A New Chapter...

I am finally back from Arkansas & I'm happy to report that my little niece's surgery was a success & she is doing great!
I'm sorry I haven't blogged, but it's so hard for me to sit down and focus when I am not at home on my own computer.
I guess I'm just neurotic that way. =/

In the past week since I have seriously blogged, our nation has made history with the inauguration of our newest president, one of my closest friends is (right now!) on her way to the continent of Africa to get her newly-adopted son, and I have lost another pound and a half.

Yeah, ok.
I know a pound and a half is not earth-shattering, by any means, but when you consider the fact that I have now lost a total of 76.5 pounds since last (late) February -- and I have lost, steadily, without gaining back any at all! -- it's pretty impressive.
I continue to be humbled and amazed by God's faithfulness in this endeavor!

There are moments when I falter and think He will take it all away because I have been so UNfaithful at times.
But He keeps reminding me that none of us *deserve* ANYTHING good He gives us.
Lord help us if we ever all got what we *deserve!*

Tomorrow night begins my SECOND life group for Inside Out (my Christian weight-loss support group). I can hardly believe how far this simple idea (thank you Melissa Fluhr!) has come.
The response to this group has been simply amazing.
I just have to keep reminding myself that each woman who attends is on their OWN journey, and they alone are in control of the pace they set.

I realize that some people have become irritated with me because I am not giving them a DIET to follow or a set of rules or "secret tips" to get them to their goal.
But what I -- and this group -- are really seeking is
TRUE FREEDOM.
We are not looking for a quick fix.
We are broken & we want to be healed.
We want to never again use food for comfort, to abate loneliness or frustration.
We never again want to eat until we are so full
we feel sick.
We want to LOOK at food, differently -- as something that feeds our bodies, not something to fill our souls.

I've said it before; you may not have a weight problem or a struggle with food addiction, but
YOU STRUGGLE WITH SOMETHING
(whether you publicly admit it or not).

You may feel smug and confident when someone obese walks into a room,
but what if your own demons were posted on your chest for all to see?
What if the things YOU struggle with were revealed the moment someone looked at you?

It's true that obesity is the most "unfair" of addictions; after all, one can be an alcoholic or drug addict or pornography addict and the world may never know...
When someone who struggles with food walks into a room, EVERYONE knows without a word being said.
However, while our problem is more publicly "visible,"
so too, is our healing.
God's glory is that much greater when someone who has struggled with food addiction finally overcomes his/her battle and finds TRUE FREEDOM.
That's what I have found.

And that's the next chapter in my book. =)