Two years and prayerfully a lifetime.

Out of deep conviction to surrender my physical body to the Lord, I walked into a Weight Watchers meeting on November 2, 2009.  Micaiah was 10 months old, and I had lost no weight since my 6 week check up. I was nursing this child round the clock so something was wrong.  Now, I knew something was wrong most of my life.  Weight had always been an issue for me. 

That first meeting, I was totally lost. I did not understand their lingo. It just did not make sense. But I decided to give it a try. Eleven months later (October 2, 2010), I hit my goal weight!!  I had lost 47.8 pounds. I continued to lose some for a total of 56 pounds. 

Obviously, today is my two year anniversary of maintaining my weight loss. Each year is a big deal!  I will not say it is easy because it is NOT. I  think maintaining is harder than losing.  When you are losing there is an end goal, something huge to look forward to.  In maintenance, you do not have that anymore so it is hard to just keep at it.  I often repeat my starting weight in my head to remind myself that I do not want to go back to that. 

What I will tell you is how amazed I have been at God in this process.  My life is completely different now. Discipline has become a key word for me. My day now begins with rising at 5:00 am 6 days a week to spend time with the Lord then exercise.  This is my time each day, and I delight in it. I miss my time with the Lord and my exercise time if I do not get it for some reason.  God speaks powerfully to me in the midst of my workouts. Does not make a ton of sense to me, but He does. 

Just this morning, I woke up totally overwhelmed with the fact that we will be leaving Marshfield on Nov 2nd or 9th. We do not have all our support. We do not have a place to live in Peoria. We do not know how to handle our house.  I could not even pray due to being so deeply overwhelmed.  I sat in the Lord's presence knowing that He could hear my heart even though I had no words to express to Him.  When it was time to run, I put on the song "The Stand" by Hillsong.  I ran and He spoke to my heart.  He hears, and He is concerned for me.  He knows my needs. Here is the song for a listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZRQ5MKQA8w

I have also been amazed at God's sovereignty in leading me to Weight Watchers.  After I had been around awhile, I thought I would really like to work there.  When I got close I applied, I was hired as a receptionist with the goal of eventually being a leader.  I worked one night a week.  Then in June of 2011, God called Paul and I to live more missionally.  This call, for us, meant inviting a young woman to live with us, placing the kids in public school and me no longer doing in-home daycare but rather working more hours at Weight Watchers. I took on leading 3 meetings and 2 work at home positions with Weight Watchers. 

And now, as we head to Peoria, I already have a transfer lined up.  Not only has God transformed my life, He was provided for us in amazing way.

Pam and I on her last day working at Weight Watchers

Yet, I have to tell you that all of this pales in comparison to what I will share next.  My first years in Marshfield were so very hard and deeply lonely.  My leader at Weight Watchers, Pam Rosterman, not only was my leader but became one of my best friends.  It has been my privilege and delight to watch her become a follower of Jesus and minister His love to all of those in her life. I have consistently been amazed at her faith and endurance as her family has been deeply, deeply attacked by satan since she made a choice to follow Christ.  She has been my confidante and support!  For this, I will be FOREVER thankful! But I will be eternally thankful that I get to spend eternity in Heaven with her!

I pray that the one act of obedience in going to Weight Watchers is always a reminder to me and all of us, that God will do things beyond our wildest imagination if we will just OBEY Him!!!  One act, that is all it takes!

A recent after

 My Before (11-13-09)