Putting myself out there...

I am back. It's been two and a half months since my last entry, but if you had any inkling as to what has happened in these last 2.5 months you would understand why I haven't been able to blog. Still, I am ready to write. And my first post back: online dating.

Yep, I've taken the plunge into the world of online dating. I still don't know why I did it exactly. It's certainly something that I've thought about doing, but thought it was something that I would wait to get into once I was back in the States permanently. I don't think it's fair to me or to another person to begin something and then leave for three months, come back for one, and leave for another 5. Somehow I don't think that's the healthiest way to start a relationship. And yet, I created an online profile on Friday and joined a dating site. It was almost like an out of body experience because I don't know what I was thinking or why I decided to do it, but I suspect that watching "Say Yes to the Dress" in the afternoons, helping my sister plan her June wedding, and hanging out with my new niece may have contributed to my temporary insanity.

Online dating. Sigh. From what I understand the stigma that used to be attached to Internet dating isn't there  anymore, but I still find the whole thing a little disconcerting. I mean in a way it's meant to be a lot less vulnerable than say going to a bar or something, but I find it incredibly vulnerable. I mean people are looking at information and pictures of you and then deciding whether or not they want to send you some questions. If your picture isn't flattering or your profile isn't great, then you get rejected by multiple people at one time. Ouch!

So...here's where I'm at with this. I am terrified. I feel so exposed and I hate it. You would think after my last post I wouldn't venture into something like this just yet, but I'm rather impulsive and just don't think things through first. This being one of those times. A whole lot of stuff is coming up with this "experiment" of mine. Let's hope it doesn't blow up in my face....

Skin deep

I have written many times throughout the years that this blog has been in existence how passionate I am about issues related to body image, eating disorders, beauty, and freedom in Christ. I am a firm believer that we are not living the full life that Christ promises in His Word because we allow the lies that the world feeds us about how we look, how we are inadequate, how little we matter, and so much more. I am passionate about this because this is a continual battle for me in my life and in my head. I have been out of treatment for 4 years now and while it has been a long time since I've struggled daily against my eating disorder, I am finding myself fighting familiar battles, against familiar lies.

Until this past December it had been maybe about a year since my last ED behavior--meaning a binge, overeating on purpose, sneaking food, restricting, or over-exercising. While I was home over Christmas, though, I slipped twice. While my slips weren't on the same level as a full-out binge, they were still disappointing and discouraging.  And since then, it's been a daily struggle in my mind regarding body image and how I see myself.

I know and knew that this would be something I would work through for a very long time, if not the rest of my life. And yet, my head has been pretty quiet for the last five months or so and I was finally at a place of peace with my body---accepting it for where it is right now, not hating it, not telling it that I hated it, etc, etc, etc. Now, though, I find thoughts reverberating through my head that are finding purchase in my head and heart about how huge I am, how ugly I am, how shameful I should be, how fill-in-the-blank. How is this playing out, you ask? Well, here's a recent example.

There has been a couple of repairmen on our floor for the last couple of weeks working on some things that have broken or need to be replaced. They were also around for about 2 weeks in Nov. repairing our showers. I've spoken with them as they've been around for a while now and we had a friendly rapport. If I were at home, I would have asked them their names right away and offered them water or coffee or something like that, but because I am in a foreign country I've been too self-conscious to do that seeing as my Italian isn't quite where I want it. Did I forget to mention that one of them is really attractive and rather nice? Cause he is. So, my friend encouraged me to just ask him his name and offer him something to drink. Doesn't sound that hard, does it? Ha. For me, it has been nearly impossible. And I wondered why. How is it that I can have conversations with strangers all the time, but asking someone that I actually interact with their name or if they want a drink of water seemed to be an impossible task? It's not as if I was asking him to marry me or something else completely off the wall. I thought about it and I came to this conclusion: no matter whether or not it's right to think this, whether it's a lie or truth, I was stopping myself because "the fat girl doesn't talk to good looking guys." Now, I know that's completely and utterly wrong. That's a lie. And yet, that lie has perpetrated my head and heart and is affecting my actions.

I don't want to live like this again. I don't want to be ashamed of my body. I don't want to be defined by my body and how I look or don't look. I am more than this physical body. I am more than my looks or lack of looks. I am a daughter of the King. I am beloved. I am wanted. I am redeemed. I am a member of God's eternal kingdom. I am a co-heir with Christ. I am so much more than my fallen mind and body is trying to tell me. And yet, I fear that as of right now this is not what I am listening to. And it just sucks...

Praise be to God!

"For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:5


I cling to this verse tonight and recite it in my heart and my head with great joy and in victory. I just hung up the phone with my mom and Praise Jesus!!!!! She has been battling depression and sever anxiety since May and while this may not seem like a long time to many, it has been like an eternity for her and for those of us who love her and have missed her. She reached a turning point today when something within her broke and she was able to experience life again, to connect with herself, and with the Lord. I don't know what happened exactly, but what I do know is that she has tasted the freedom that the Lord offers and she sounded like herself---I haven't really heard from my mom in 9 months and it was a miracle. 


I am heading home next Friday for a month and while I was looking forward to going home, I was also somewhat reluctant because I didn't think I could handle what I dealt with while I was home last summer. Now, though, I have such hope. She sounded so excited to see me--real, genuine excitement.

Our God is good. He alone is able to deliver us from the pit and the dark places. I praise His holy name because He has delivered my mom back to us.

I am not naive enough to think that the road will be easy. I know that there are still challenges before us, before my mom, but my hope has been strengthened today. He is mighty, able, gracious, and loving. Praise be to the one true God for His love and faithfulness endures forever!!!

4 years

Well, here we are again at another anniversary of the beginning of my journey towards freedom from my eating disorder. Four years ago this week I checked myself into Remuda Ranch for the most incredible and life-changing 60 days. Again, I just want to take a moment to thank Jesus for the victory that He has given me and how He has sustained me these last 4 years. They haven't always been easy and there have been times where it would have been easier to succumb, but I held onto Him and He delivered me. I give glory and honor to the Lord!

I, too, thank my parents for the financial sacrifice they made so that I could get the help I needed. I am so blessed by the parents that I have and how God has used them in my life. Thanks Mom and Dad....you're the best!! Thanks, too, to my sisters for their unending support, prayers, encouragement, and love. You're my best friends!!

My friends were also amazing. They (particularly Lees and crew) sent me cards, called, and drove down to Chandler to see me. I am blessed to have them in my life.

To my sisters from treatment: I am praying for you and hope that you continue to fight the good fight. Victory is possible and recovery can be a reality.

To those who struggle: the road to recovery is long and hard, but it is worth it and it can be navigated. Know that I pray for all who struggle with ED and that there is help out there. Remuda Ranch is an amazing facility that changed my life.

Four years...wow.  I am not the same person I was and I expect that I'll be a different person on my 5th anniversary. I am excited to see what the Lord has for me in the coming year...

Everything's different

I was chatting with a friend of mine on the phone the other night and she told me that she was looking at some pictures that I recently posted online, wondering what was different about the way I looked. I told her that nothing was different. Sure, my hair is longer than it normally is, but other than that I haven't changed anything about my appearance. "You look happy," she remarked. I look happy. That statement got me thinking.

I went through the pictures that I have taken over the last year looking for any marked difference between how I looked then versus how I look now. Of course there are subtle differences between my appearance...my hair is longer, I've lost weight, I'm another year older, etc. But, did I look happier? Hmmmm...yes, I think I do. I look lighter, more at peace. And this causes me to ask myself why? What's the difference? Everything. Everything is different this year.

I started this year knowing what I was getting into. I knew what to expect, what needed to happen and when it needed to happen. I knew how to set better boundaries, how to make my expectations clear, and generally how to live here. I don't feel this constant sense of crushing stress, anxiety, and feelings of impotence. I am excited about what I'm doing. I love my job again.

I know, though, that in oder to get to where I am today I had to go through all that I did last year. I had to go through the growing pains to be able to enjoy where I am at now. We don't go through anything in life for naught. There is a purpose behind each and every experience. The Lord uses those times to refine us, to cause us to become more like Jesus, and to strip more of this world from who we are. More often than not it is times of greatest struggle, challenge, and pain that the Lord uses for our benefit and His ultimate glory. I think this is because we step away from ourselves because we often realize that we are in essence powerless, we are not in control, we are not the focus of the universe...He is. We essentially get out of God's way and let Him be who He is and let ourselves be dependent on Him. Or at least this is what I've experienced in times of challenge and change.

I am happier. I am more joyful. I am filled with a sense of excitement and energy again. I thank the Lord for all that I worked through to get me to this point. Through everything I have seen His grace, mercy, love, and strength in ways I may not have been open to before. Everything is different this year and I can't help but wonder how different or what the differences will be one year from now...

Well...that ended badly

You know, I try to do the right thing by people. I try to be honest, up front, and real. And this isn't always easy, not because I want to lie, but because I don't want to hurt people's feelings. I tend to be a little more tactful/soft so as not to hurt someone and it's sometimes to my own detriment. So when I decided in June that I needed to just come out and tell "C" that I didn't think we should see each other anymore it was a really hard decision for me and I knew that it would be uncomfortable and awkward. I didn't want to do it and was happy when I was stood up.

Since I've been back, though, he has called me close to 9 times and I knew that I had to confront the situation. The next time he called I was saying "Arrivederci." Easier said than done....

He called today while I was eating lunch with Lynda. I had asked her earlier this week if she would be there when I talked to him for nothing more than moral support. (And her being the amazing friend that she is agreed.) So he called and asked to get together for coffee. I told him that I couldn't because of work and that I didn't  think we were compatible because of my relationship with Jesus. And yet, he persisted and kept asking me out. And asking me out. And asking me out. AHHHHHHHHHH!!! I was being clear. I didn't know how to be any more clearer. Finally, I think the bulb went on in his head and he got it because the line suddenly went dead. Two seconds later I received a text cursing me in Italian. So, that's how it's going to be? Gotcha.

I know that this wasn't the relationship that God wanted for me. I know that he wasn't who I was supposed to be with, but is a little maturity, a little common decency too much to ask for? I guess so.

Here's what I don't get. I didn't lead him on. I didn't do him wrong. I wasn't something that I'm not nor did I promise anything. We went out for coffee. Twice. Where's the disconnect? And it's not as if I think I'm the most amazing person to ever grace the face of this earth that the lack of me in one's life would cause such heartache, such pain, such an emptiness that they would lash out in this way. I just don't get it. Am I naive or missing something? I don't think so....clearly, though, he is and I am better off for not having him in my life any longer. Still....what a good story.

Thankful

I think that for the most part most people would agree that they take their loved ones for granted. It's not that this is intentional, but it is just something that happens. And usually it isn't until something happens to them, to us, that this changes.

I know that I have taken for granted that my mom would be my mom, that she would be the best friend that I have known and loved forever, but it wasn't until she became sick this year and disappeared for a bit that I realized how much I have taken for granted. I received an email from her today that was so much like my 'old' mom that tears gathered in my eyes. It's been nearly 5 months since I've caught a glimpse of her and it was just so great to have hope confirmed. I know that she is finding her way back to who she is, that the Lord is restoring her, and it's just such a blessing to bear witness to her return. I know that there will still be hard days ahead of us, but this is the first glimpse of my mom in so long that I can't help, but praise God and trust that when I go home for Christmas I will be greeted by my temporarily missing best friend.