Our Worth Comes from God

Declaration: Our self worth and value are not determined by our body shape!

And how do I know this? Because God made this declaration in our book of promises...he gives us His word on this....1 Samuel 16:7 "Don't judge by appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

I had to look at this from 2 points of view. Someone in the midst of their eating disorder would say..."well God even says that people are judging me by my outward appearance". I know that reasoning. I have been there. I have thought those thoughts. Someone with an eating disorder is constantly comparing themselves with others. Their body shape is of upmost importance. There is a constant fear of being judged or rejected by others.

But now as I read that from the point of view of someone set free...I know that I am not searching for the world or people to judge me or qualify me. But let's face it...the world does judge us this way. The world says we should be fit, thin, "hot", toned, healthy, happy, in love and loved....The world is the complete opposite of God's truth. We have to ask ourselves "What is our eternal goal? And are we in constant pusuit of eternity or are we in constant pursuit of temperal, momentary approval?" What is our desire? That question cuts to the heart when we are talking about eating disorders in particular.

What would happen if I gave up the pursuit of my eating disorder to pursue God instead? What would happen if I chose to get dressed and ready in the morning so that I was ready for God? What if Jesus returns tonight....He definately won't care if how much I weigh...but He will care what my heart looks like. He won't care if the clothes I am wearing fit right...but He will care what my heart looks like. He won't care if my house if clean....but He will care what my heart looks like.

Today I am seeking God to see my heart and approve of what my heart looks like. My self worth no longer comes (well sometimes I admit) from the outside world...my value is not found in if people accept my outward appearance. I am the same person whether I am 92 pounds or if I am 120 pounds. Nothing about me changed except for my heart. My heart has become transformed and renewed. My body has become healthy.

I do not seek to be recognized by my looks or my body shape, but by who I am in terms of my faith and love for God.

How do we do that...How do we declare that our self worth does not come from our outward appearance when every second of our day is bombarded with images and messages that it should? How do we choose to believe God and keep our eyes and ears on Him and not this unattainable standard that the world has placed upon us?

The constant pursuit of God's Word...His truth is the only way to declare and choose. It begins with recognizing the lie and replacing it with truth. I am reading a book and in it the author Scott Reall says, "change = consistency + time + grace".

I love that. In order to change something...a way we may have always believed...takes consistent work. It takes time. It takes giving ourselves grace when it is hard. Start with one step...take on lie...replace it with truth and consistently repeat it, meditate on it, and pray about it until it becomes truth first...and then chose something else...do the same...allow God to change you....to mold and transform your heart in to the one He originally intended it to be. God yearns for you to believe Him when he says "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:6

So today...let's declare that our value is not determined by the shape of our body, but by the shape of our heart.

Continue to pray for people battling eating disorders. They are lost and listening to lies. Pray for truth to be spoken to them and that their ears will be open to hear.

In love, Teresa

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week

Today is the start of National Eating Disorder Week. And I thought that I would spend the week talking about this topic. Today I want to stick with facts and statistics. This website http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/uploads/statistics_tmp.pdf shows the impact that eating disorders have in our world. Eating disorders are a scary...they are a death trap...they are a mental health issue.

The following is copied from the website above:
"In the United States, as many as 10 million females and 1 million males are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Millions more are struggling with binge eating disorder (Crowther et al., 1992; Fairburn et al., 1993; Gordon, 1990; Hoek, 1995; Shisslak et al.,1995).Because of the secretiveness and shame associated with eating disorders, many cases are probably not reported. In addition, many individuals struggle with body dissatisfaction and subclinical disorderedeating attitudes and behaviors. For example, it has been shown that 80% of American women are dissatisfied with their appearance (Smolak, 1996)."

10 million. That is a staggering number.

Many times people see eating disorders as a vanity issue...and some may start out that way...but many disorders begin because of traumatic experiences, being a perfectionist, a comment from someone about their appearance or abilities, trying to fit in and the media that says we are suppose look and be a certain way that is ultimately unattainable.

I believe that the core areas that needs to be address are IDENTITY and SELF WORTH. Every time I talk to someone or hear a story the main focus of their issues start with an identity crisis....and I truly believe this is the area that God wants me to serve Him in...to encourage others in finding who they are in Christ...and reaching the secular world in whatever way God shows me...

Please join me in praying for girls, women, boys, and men who are battling eating disorders. Lift them up in prayer. Pray for a break through. Pray they will see themselves as God created them to be.

I hope for the rest of the week to talk about identity, self worth, forgiveness and whatever else God places on my heart.

Thank you for joining me in prayer. If you want to donate to the National Eating Disorder Association go to www.nationaleatingdisorders.org (or just learn more about it).

I am so thankful for freedom...freedom in Christ.
In love Teresa