Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
This post was written by Jennifer Smith Lane, the author of Transformed: Eating and Body Image Renewal God's Way. I'm sharing Jennifer's story this week as we approach Eating Disorders Awareness Week (EDAW). Her story is raw and real, but it's also full of hope. If you're struggling with an eating disorder or you know someone who's struggling with an eating disorder, this account will both convict and uplift.
We prayed for healing. We anointed with oil. We believed. We waited and waited…and waited some more. Have you been there? Have you done that? I should probably back up a bit so you can get the whole picture.
I knew my mom had been in excruciating pain for the past year and a half. Her tongue cancer made it difficult for her to swallow. But until today when I saw how long it took for her to undergo radiation and chemo, I didn’t understand how much pain she really felt.
Do you ever get tired of hearing that you have to be a smaller size? In order to be considered “okay” in today’s culture, you have to firm up your abs, get rid of your fat, tighten your butt, sculpt your arms, fit into those skinny jeans, and do it all with a smile on your face! If you’re tired of hearing it—and hearing it—maybe you need to stand your ground, rebel, and go against the tide. There is so much more to you than just a size or a number.
I fantasize about love because, deep down in my soul, I don’t actually believe I will get to know it. Yes, it is real for other people—but not for me. I have been given access as an observer, but not a partaker.
God patiently re-teaches me that to live and walk the way He meant, only comes through Jesus and His power. I need a perfect, mighty Savior to come alongside and give strength to change. This lesson comes with difficulty, but my failures teach me to trust God’s strength.
Have you ever prayed and felt like God didn’t listen to your whole prayer? I have. I have received totally different answers than the ones I prayed for and I have wondered if God didn’t listen to my whole prayer. But you know what? I think we feel this way sometimes because we have some misconceptions about prayer. Sometimes we can get so focused on how we think answers to our prayer should be, that we forget who God is.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 