Things that my Eating Disorder forgot to tell me... you know... before I agreed to a two year friendship:
- I will steal your joy
- I will never be enough for you
- I am selfish
- I don't really care about you
- I will pull you away from your family & friends
- I will discourage you from participating in social activities
- I will create a defensive nature within you
- I will harden your heart
- I will steal your peace
- I will consume your thoughts
- I will lie to you
- I will inhibit your ability to love
- I will make you feel that God has abandoned you
- I will never tell you how beautiful you are
- I will become your obsession
- I will never fill your soul the way Jesus can
- I will instill an immense sense of guilt within you & this guilt will keep you from asking your family, friends, your God, and/or professionals for help.
- I will make your hair loose its shine, bounce and luster (oh and it will fall out)
- I will make your nails paper thin
- I will make you cold, despite the actual temp
- I will completely zap your energy
- I will make you grumpy (all the time)
- I will disrupt your sleep
- I will slow down your metabolism
- I will shut down your body's natural processes
- I will mess with your fertility
If you have have ever experienced an eating disorder, or any other type of addiction/consuming behavior, do you find the above statements to be true? Anything you would add to this list?
This post is a great follow up to the last one. Satan's schemes seem so harmless, but there are many things he does not tell us. Praise God that His light exposes the darkness.
ReplyDeleteK
I'll try to comment again.. we'll see if it works! I really enjoy the blog and am happy you've decided to share your story. :)
ReplyDeleteLove you tons!
Wendi
Brittnie
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful and moving blog. I'm so sorry to hear that anorexia has been a struggle you've had to endure and battle, and so glad to see how your faith and God are helping you!
Chris actually just wrote and presented a paper on addiction at our church synod conference. He's revising it for the synod journal, but it had some really great verses in it that I think sound helpful when it comes to addictions and consuming behaviors (a great phrase, I like that way of putting it). Everyone has temptations, sins, and the like. You are so brave to share your experiences in order to comfort others!
1 Cor 10:13 - No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
James 1:13-15 - Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
James 1:12-15 - Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Phillipians 4:4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Psalm 34:1-8 "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him. And saved him out of all his troubles. The angle of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"
And my top two favorites, and the ones I thought of most often while sharing my experiences when we had our miscarriage, are these:
2 Corinthians 1:3,4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
Job 1:21b “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Again, I look forward to reading your blog, and will pray for your continued faith and strength!
Love, Katie {My Paisley Apron}
Brittnie,
ReplyDeleteSo much of this resonated with me. Thank you for sharing your story. I just found your blog and I'm excited to learn more about you and your struggles with infertility. As a recovering anorexic, infertility is one of my biggest fears.