I didn't want to go. Having lived in my home state of Florida near family and friends for over
twenty years it was hard for me to simply pack up and leave, but the sense of urgency was hard to
fight. After much prayer, I and Jean,a church member with whom I'd developed a close kinship,
believed we were to go and help our friend...
'Our Friend'
Her name is Mariah. She'd been living on her own in Texas for about ten years, and the memories
of severe past abuse coupled with the stresses of present circumstances were beginning to seem
almost too much for her. Often turning away from food, she sought comfort in what I feared was
hurting her. Anorexia.
I'd been in contact with Mariah for nearly four years. A mutual friend, who'd known us both at
different times in our lives, encouraged us to be in contact via email. (At the time I lived in Florida,
she in Texas). Thus began a friendship that was stronger than I'd imagined.
At the time she was very close with another mutual aquaintance,Bell, who lived in Florida, and
aside from our frequent phone conversations and emails I'd go visit her when she came down for a
short stay with Bell.
I was somewhat nervous of what she'd think of me when she first saw me. I was naturally shy,
and my 240 pound body weight added to the acne that was spread across my face didn't help
much to ease that shyness. Yet when she saw me there was gentle acceptance, not repulsion, on
her face, keeping the door of our friendship open.
'Back to Texas'
So there I was, years later, living with this woman who in so many ways seemed so superior to
me, in intelligence, skill, communication, and yet did not seem to know or care how to repair the
self inflicted damage done to her own body.
I myself was not in the best of health, as stated before, but I justified that my condition wasn't as
serious as Mariah's. I was a vegetarian, but my habits kept me from being a prime example of one.
Sometimes, after returning from a delicious potluck at church, I'd come home and eat some more.
Snacking was the norm for me-I cared little about waiting till certain meals to eat. I liked water o.k.,
but sugared sodas were my drink of choice, and I could easily drink two or more of them a day.
Popcorn, layered with butter, was another favorite of mine, and it wouldn't be unusual for me to
eat a big bag of it while focusing on what could be done for Mariah's health.
I didn't really walk much either, at least not for general exercise. Fruits and veggies were good,
but not as good to be as chocolate.
Needless to say, unknowingly, my thoughts were very hypocritical, as I sought to take the spck
out of my neighbor's eye while leaving untouched the plank in my own.
Mariah hardly ever threw that back in my face though. Despite how I repetitively brought up how
much she needed to change, confronted her on various habits, she seldom turned the table back
on my own issues.
I was beginning to get increasingly concerened with Mariah's apparent lack of improvement, and
thus opted to go on an extended fast on her nehalf. I believed greatly in God's answers to prayer,
and reasoned that some things required both prayer and fasting, and deemed this to be one of
those things. Attempting to keep it a secret, I ventured down the road of self-denial and
intercession.
'The Answers'
The answers I got were interesting to me, for it convicted my heart more than anything. More
and more I'd hear and read things such as the great benefits of drinking water, of walking for
exercise, of eating liberally of fruits and vegetables. I started learning how you can create delicious
recipes that don't just look good and taste good but are good for you as well. Some of this was
stuff I'd heard before, but had often ignored. Believing though that this was from the Lord, and
having become more sensitive to Him upon moving to Texas, I decided to heed what I was hearing.
Our other roomate, Jean, was already a great example in many of these areas. She loved her
salads, filled with things like cucumbers, olives, romaine lettuce,e.t.c. Waiting five hours between
meal, she had for a long time been a steadfast examples of many of the health prinicples that I'd
come across.
Step by step by focus shifted more and more onto my own downward spiral than Mariah's.
My skin started to clear, weight started to drop, chest pains I'd experienced when I was heavier
seemed to nearly diminish, and perhaps more significant than all these physical changes was the
change going on inside of me. My nerves felt clamer, I felt less shy and more personalble, and my
relationship with God grew deeper.
I smile as I look back on how much of it began. My love for my friend prompted me to seek for
her improvement, but in that search I found wisdom that was needed for my own.
Now I can't say that I'm a perfect example of all of the great health advice I'd come across,
but that wasn't really my point in writing this article. It was, rather, to glorify God by sharing
the changes that happened in me, as I simply reached out and listened to His counsels.
Oh, and as for Mariah-she's made her own personal improvements, but I can't really take the credit
for that. Many of them seemed to happen more when I stopped talking, and started doing.
twenty years it was hard for me to simply pack up and leave, but the sense of urgency was hard to
fight. After much prayer, I and Jean,a church member with whom I'd developed a close kinship,
believed we were to go and help our friend...
'Our Friend'
Her name is Mariah. She'd been living on her own in Texas for about ten years, and the memories
of severe past abuse coupled with the stresses of present circumstances were beginning to seem
almost too much for her. Often turning away from food, she sought comfort in what I feared was
hurting her. Anorexia.
I'd been in contact with Mariah for nearly four years. A mutual friend, who'd known us both at
different times in our lives, encouraged us to be in contact via email. (At the time I lived in Florida,
she in Texas). Thus began a friendship that was stronger than I'd imagined.
At the time she was very close with another mutual aquaintance,Bell, who lived in Florida, and
aside from our frequent phone conversations and emails I'd go visit her when she came down for a
short stay with Bell.
I was somewhat nervous of what she'd think of me when she first saw me. I was naturally shy,
and my 240 pound body weight added to the acne that was spread across my face didn't help
much to ease that shyness. Yet when she saw me there was gentle acceptance, not repulsion, on
her face, keeping the door of our friendship open.
'Back to Texas'
So there I was, years later, living with this woman who in so many ways seemed so superior to
me, in intelligence, skill, communication, and yet did not seem to know or care how to repair the
self inflicted damage done to her own body.
I myself was not in the best of health, as stated before, but I justified that my condition wasn't as
serious as Mariah's. I was a vegetarian, but my habits kept me from being a prime example of one.
Sometimes, after returning from a delicious potluck at church, I'd come home and eat some more.
Snacking was the norm for me-I cared little about waiting till certain meals to eat. I liked water o.k.,
but sugared sodas were my drink of choice, and I could easily drink two or more of them a day.
Popcorn, layered with butter, was another favorite of mine, and it wouldn't be unusual for me to
eat a big bag of it while focusing on what could be done for Mariah's health.
I didn't really walk much either, at least not for general exercise. Fruits and veggies were good,
but not as good to be as chocolate.
Needless to say, unknowingly, my thoughts were very hypocritical, as I sought to take the spck
out of my neighbor's eye while leaving untouched the plank in my own.
Mariah hardly ever threw that back in my face though. Despite how I repetitively brought up how
much she needed to change, confronted her on various habits, she seldom turned the table back
on my own issues.
I was beginning to get increasingly concerened with Mariah's apparent lack of improvement, and
thus opted to go on an extended fast on her nehalf. I believed greatly in God's answers to prayer,
and reasoned that some things required both prayer and fasting, and deemed this to be one of
those things. Attempting to keep it a secret, I ventured down the road of self-denial and
intercession.
'The Answers'
The answers I got were interesting to me, for it convicted my heart more than anything. More
and more I'd hear and read things such as the great benefits of drinking water, of walking for
exercise, of eating liberally of fruits and vegetables. I started learning how you can create delicious
recipes that don't just look good and taste good but are good for you as well. Some of this was
stuff I'd heard before, but had often ignored. Believing though that this was from the Lord, and
having become more sensitive to Him upon moving to Texas, I decided to heed what I was hearing.
Our other roomate, Jean, was already a great example in many of these areas. She loved her
salads, filled with things like cucumbers, olives, romaine lettuce,e.t.c. Waiting five hours between
meal, she had for a long time been a steadfast examples of many of the health prinicples that I'd
come across.
Step by step by focus shifted more and more onto my own downward spiral than Mariah's.
My skin started to clear, weight started to drop, chest pains I'd experienced when I was heavier
seemed to nearly diminish, and perhaps more significant than all these physical changes was the
change going on inside of me. My nerves felt clamer, I felt less shy and more personalble, and my
relationship with God grew deeper.
I smile as I look back on how much of it began. My love for my friend prompted me to seek for
her improvement, but in that search I found wisdom that was needed for my own.
Now I can't say that I'm a perfect example of all of the great health advice I'd come across,
but that wasn't really my point in writing this article. It was, rather, to glorify God by sharing
the changes that happened in me, as I simply reached out and listened to His counsels.
Oh, and as for Mariah-she's made her own personal improvements, but I can't really take the credit
for that. Many of them seemed to happen more when I stopped talking, and started doing.
