Linking up with Laura and Jenn for WIAW and Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursday Too!   

Also have you had a chance to enter my Grainful Oats Giveaway yet?   (You won’t want to miss the delicious of these easy meals)  

I almost weighed myself the other day.  I was feeling really… bad about my body image, so focused on myself that I wasn’t rejoicing in Jesus, rejoicing in His finished work, His work as my Savior and Lord, and I just wanted to run back to the ‘drug’ that was the scale for me for so many years.   I don’t think that there are only people who are addicted to drugs that are the only ones with addictions.  I seriously had an addiction to the scale; it was my life line, or so I thought for a long time.  I didn’t realize it was sucking life from me, sucking gratefulness, sucking joy, and sucking my time of seeking Jesus, wanting to know Jesus, and meditating on my Savior and His great love. 

I’m opening myself up here and saying that I sometimes get onto social media. . . and I just wonder.   ‘Why do I like I do?  What’s the matter with my body?  Why can’t I fit into that mold that I so desperately wanted so long ago?  

And I know the answer.  

Because that’s not how God made me, and God’s way is perfect.  His way of salvation and grace is perfect.  

 

That scale used to be my security blanket, but in the ensuing years after my eating disorder life has only gotten…. harder… yet MORE GLORIOUS and victorious.  I’m starting to finally realize that my hope can only be in Jesus.  I’ve had friends who have moved on; my weight has gone UPPP and down.    I’ve eaten a cookie, and it has been so delicious, but it hasn’t satisfied my soul like Jesus has and does.  

John 20:31, ‘but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.’   

Jesus gives me life.  Jesus gives me worth, and there is truly nothing in this life that does not give me more worth than Jesus.  And Jesus never ever changes.   I can’t emphasize that enough.  That is where my worth is; and I am completely, always confident in that.  

That’s why I didn’t weigh myself the other day.   

I wanted to think out loud with you all on the podcast about this. . . I wanted to sensitively and delicately yet truthfully talk about: 

Why I Don’t Weigh Myself and Why I’m Not Sure Other People Should 

Why Your ‘Weight’ Is Only One Number in the Midst of a More Complex Life 

Why We as Humans often Tend to Base Worth on Numbers.  

Where I Find My Worth Every Single Day. . .  

Why I Hope To Never Weigh Myself Again . . . 

Podcast:   

And last of all I was listening to this song from Mercy Me.  The next time the devil tells me that Jesus Christ is not enough to be my security, I will say this.

Greater: By Mercy Me    

‘Bring your tired
Bring your shame
Bring your guilt
Bring your pain
Don’t you know that’s not your name
You will always be much more to me

Everyday I wrestle with the voices
That keep telling me I’m not right
But that’s alright

Cause I hear a voice and he calls me redeemed
When others say I’ll never be enough
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world
In the world
In the world
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world

Bring your doubts
Bring your fears
Bring your hurt
Bring your tears
There’ll be no condemnation here
You are holy, righteous and redeemed

Every time I fall
There’ll be those who will call me
A mistake
Well that’s ok

Cause I hear a voice and he calls me redeemed
When others say I’ll never be enough
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world
In the world
In the world
And greater is the One living inside of me
Than he who is living in the world

Because of Jesus I am who am.  It’s not any number that goes up and down.  It’s because of the unchangeable Lord of heaven and earth, the Savior of my soul that once was lost and now am found.  

I want to conclude with some more encouragement when it comes to food.  When you aren’t weighing yourself all the time, you have more freedom to just eat.  You have freedom to eat what your body is craving without being HYPER focused on whether or not the food will make you gain weight.  Now, I still worry about that some times, but the worry is far less than it used to be.  

I thought I’d share just a bit of what it looks like when you get to eat more of what your body craves rather than what the ‘scale’ tells you you should eat. 

WIAW: Various Eats From Sunday-Tuesday

 

Sunday Morning – I had a brownie with my yogurt because I was craving it, and it was so good!

Monday Evening: I didn’t have salad because I wasn’t craving it after a big salad at lunch.  Instead I ate some juicy pineapple and spaghetti!  🙂   I’m so thankful God made different fruits for different seasons, because it’s really fun enjoying those different fruits.  Lately I’ve been loving the strawberries and pineapples.  

Monday Snack: I ate this blueberry muffin top (recipe from Athletic Avocado) with peanut butter and frosting.   My brain might have used to say that the frosting wasn’t a good choice, but smooth creamy frosting + smooth creamy peanut butter was a perfect combo.  

Tuesday Lunch:  I used to always have a salad for lunch for a long time or a few leftovers, but since ED’s like food ruts, it’s been fun to get out of the box and try things like nachos with ranch and a little salad on top.  

Thoughts on this:  

Do you weigh yourself?  

Did you weight yourself ever and then stopped?  

Thoughts on the ‘scale?’   

What does intuitive eating look like for you?  Have you ever struggled with listening to your body because you’re worried about how a food will affect your weight?