This One's Close to My Heart...

I know this is a weight loss blog and most of the readers are looking for ways of inspiration or things I've tried to maybe help them on their own journey. Being Sunday and a day I set aside to go to church and worship I thought I'd talk a little bit about something very near and dear to my heart. God. One might think how could God effect my weight loss and my journey to happiness, but He did. In a huge way. This may be a little hard to understand or grasp if you don't have a relationship with Him but bare with me and feel of the love that He has not just for me as I embarked on my own journey, but the love He has for each one of you. It's big. It's huge! You see, I've always had a relationship with God for as long as I can remember. In fact I remember as a little girl, (maybe three or four) my parents reading me The Little Golden Book "Are you there God, it's me Margaret." At that age, it became a favorite book. I treated it like my own little Bible. I think I thought it was how I talked to God and how He talked to me. Our relationship grew from there and that book never got very far from me.

As the years went on and the weight and the scale went up I can honestly say I began to feel somewhat depressed and at times very alone. Being fat is a personal thing and different for everyone. In my case I wanted to hide. I was ashamed and embarrassed and not always good at loving people because I wasn't good at loving myself.  I did know however, that there was one person who understood everything I was going through and felt every sad moment I felt and always gave me the courage and confidence to keep going. That person was God. And even when I felt like I'd done wrong in His eyes by not taking care of this gift (my body) like I know I should have, he was still there - regardless. Forgiving, never leaving me alone to fight this battle on my own. He loved me so much that He would do anything He needed in order to get me to where I wanted and needed to be. He was the one that I could turn to in the saddest moments and I'd be able to feel a love that is indescribable. Not that my parents, husband, children and close friends haven't been a huge part in supporting me too. I feel like God has put each one of them in my life for a particular reason to help me on this journey. He knew I couldn't do it alone and would need some tangible help along the way.

I've felt like in so many ways my relationship with God has been strengthened because I've turned to Him so much during this time. At times, I had no choice. I was miserable and cried out to Him for any help I could get. I wanted His approval. I wanted His council. Maybe me being fat was all part of the plan? I've not only learned how to love and serve others during all of this, but I've learned how to love and provide service for myself. (Something we as human beings don't do enough of.) I also believe you'll get as much out of something as you put in. In this case, I put a lot into God and I've received a lot from God, and our relationship has grown. In a good way. In turn, I've put a lot into losing weight and changing my life around the natural way and look at what I'm getting out of it. A new body and a new person.

Whatever your struggle may be, you may choose to go about it differently than I and I'm okay with that. For me, it was obviously making sure God was on board. For you, it may mean something totally different. Find what it is that's going to pull you through your darkest moments and toughest times and just remember, the amount of time you put into something will determine its outcome.