Ready, Set, Go...

So the journey begins...

What journey?

I am a 34 year old mother of 2 and I also am raising 2 of my nieces. So as you can probably guess, I am very very busy.

My two daughters are 2 and 10 and my nieces are 15 and 17!!

My husband and I definitely do not lead a quiet boring life! My house is constant chaos and we barely have quiet peace in our home!!

So when I began to feel sick, I knew that I had to start taking action for my body, not only physically but spiritually and mentally!

How did I get here?

Growing up, I was never what you would call a skinny kid, but I was not what some would say "obese" either. I was "thick." I think my problems began at around ten or eleven. I began to put on weight, I guess the joys of puberty.

Any-who, as I began to put on weight, I can remember my dad commenting on it every chance he got. So I eventually grew to be afraid to eat in front of anyone. I then began to eat in "secret". This "secret" eating carried on through my high school years. I was alone...alot..so when I was old enough to work and drive, I got a job. After school I would stock up on junk and go to my empty home and binge eat. The first time I binge ate, I was so disgusted with myself, my immediate reaction was to get rid of it all...how...by purging. And so began my year-long battle with bulimia.

Binge and purging became my outlet. If I had a bad day, if I felt lonely (which was often), I would find any excuse to do it. The effects were starting to take its toll on my body. I knew that I had to stop this behavior.

I am a PK (preacher's kid), so I knew through Christ all things were possible. Although I wouldn't categorize myself as a Christian at the time, I still knew God never leaves nor forsakes. So I prayed for deliverance, and within a week the urges began to subside!

However, my battle with food was not over.

Because I was so fearful of starting back on the vicious cycle of bulimia, I turned to something I thought would be less harmful.

Drinking.

I'm not talking about alcohol...I am talking about soda! Coke became my kryptonite.

By two years out of high school, I had packed on a significant amount of weight.

There are so many other factors that came in to play that have effected my weight gain over the years.

Three years ago before I got pregnant with my second child, I was finally in the habit of working out and eating a little bit better. I was FINALLY losing weight. I lost 26lbs before I realized I was pregnant.

After the birth of, Genesis, my second child, I fell into another bout of depression and fear. I had battled depression after my first child, and after 5 years,I was finally able to defeat it.

So for the past two years I have battled an unexplained fear and depression. I began to retreat within myself.

I couldn't eat, not could I function socially. Although, I had gotten off of the coke during my second pregnancy, my new addiction was tea or Sprite mixed with Minute Maid Tropical Punch.
My weight soon balloon to the largest I've ever been.

But God...

This past year, I have really grown closer to Christ. I had a dream one night, that the enemy was trying to tear my family apart. God spoke to me and told me to get my family together for prayer. So in obedience, I invited my entire family to my small home. We fellow-shipped in food and then in prayer. Little did I know that this little gathering would change my life.

We all went around and asked what we wanted prayer for, and my sister asked to overcome fear. Her and I struggle with the same affliction so we agreed together in prayer to overcome our fear. During that prayer, something happened. I felt God!! And not just that good feeling you get when you are having a good praise and worship session, but I true and real love encounter with the Holy Spirit! And on that day I received the Holy Spirit and was baptized in it as well!

Since that day, my prayer life has soared and my relationship with Christ has grown and continues to grow!!

So I began to ask God to help me on this journey. I wanted to once and for all defeat this battle with my weight. So I began to pray for motivation.

Well, on March 12, 2014, we were visiting in-laws and I had an "episode". My sugar levels dropped dangerously low. I had had gestational diabetes with both pregnancies, and diabetes run on both sides of my family, but I was in denial that there was a strong possibility that I had it as well.

A week later, I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and I was vitamin D deficient.

Now most people would see this as a curse, but I choose to see it as a blessing in disguise! Why? Well because I know that I serve a God who can heal a God who can still perform miracles!!!

So I want to use my blog to document my journey. My "makeover". Not only the makeover in my body, but the makeover in my mind and my spirit. This is the path that God has chosen for me, for whatever reason, and I am CHOOSING to TRUST in Him and allow Him to lead me. I know it won't always be simple. At times I am probably gonna wanna give up, but I stand firm on the word of God, that "I can do all things through Christs who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13.

I sincerely pray that my blog can inspire someone else to "makeover" their life and then in turn inspire someone else.

My goal is to post once a week with my struggles and victories!! Once a month I will post with weight loss pictures and weigh ins.

I urge my followers (when I get them), if you are going through the same journey, that you post and comment your successes and struggles as well as we pray each other through this journey!!!

God bless!!