Hi Friends 🙂

Yesterday I had the joy of sharing a devotion from Live Full Walk Free on Proverbs 31 Ministries. {If you missed it, you can read it here}

I have to admit to being blown away by the comments left on the P31 site. {Peek at them youself. Wow.}

Whereas I’m super thankful God used my words to encourage others, it breaks my heart to see so many women ensnared by the world’s lies and the enemy’s schemes.

Our inheritance as God’s children is freedom and fullness.

Not when we lose the weight, firm up our thighs, or lose our muffin top.

Nope. 

Sweet friend—Today. 

You can live victorious in your struggles with terrible temple talk— you really can!

Many dear friends have sent me private notes asking how I was able to overcome the hurtful, destructive words and defeated mindset I endured. I hope to tackle those questions in my next few blog posts.

(Not that I have all the answers. Trust me. But I am walking in freedom and victory today, and it has nothing to do with the size of my pants. Freedom has a name. His Name is Jesus.)

But for today, allow me to briefly recap my “temple talk” journey.

My weight has been a life long issue for me.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt not thin enough.

Or pretty enough.

I believed the lie no one would ever want me or find me beautiful. 

My weight struggle came to an all-time high when I was pregnant with my eldest son Jake.

I was alone. Soon-to-be a single mom.

Jake’s Birth Day July 15, 1994

I ate my stress, pain, fear, and shame —and anything else someone would feed me.

By Jake’s 2nd birthday, thanks to a new weight loss program involving a toxic mix of drugs, alcohol, and eating disorders, I lost all the pregnancy weight, and more. 
Even at the weight I was in the picture above, I still felt not thin enough.

Or pretty enough. I was disgusted with my looks and believed I would never be beautiful.

I didn’t even eat a piece of Jake’s 2nd birthday cake because I felt so unbelievably fat.

It was empty, defeated living.

I wonder if you can relate?

Five days after Jake’s second birthday I nearly lost my life to my cocaine addiction. {See the story here}

Thankfully, in the midst of my mess, I met Jesus.

Life has not been the same. Woo Hoo!

In His great mercy, Jesus has not only given me a new life, but a new mind.

My life has been transformed because my mind has been transformed. 

I’m now very intentional about filling my mind with the TRUTH of who GOD says that I am!

And even though I no longer wear a size 4,  I now walk in Truth and freedom and joy!

Me & my guy John — June 2017

In case you are faced with “Terrible Temple Talk,” here are three simple tips to help you experience victory with your Temple Talk.

A – Always start with Jesus. 

Ask Jesus to help you. Surrender your life, thoughts, hurts, past, and eating habits to Him.

Willpower alone is not enough to escape years of “stinkin’ thinkin'”—but Jesus is!

B – Believe Truth

Spend time declaring what you know to be the Truth about God, your worth, and/or your body.

Note: not how you feel, but what is the Truth.

• i.e. God, Your Word says I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
• God, I believe I can do all things with your strength. 
• God, I believe You will equip and empower me for this task.
• God, I believe You’ve invited me to live an abundant life.

C – Choose to Live and Walk in Freedom

• Get dressed.  (No, not yoga pants.)
• Go outside.
• Show up at the party.
• Take your picture.
• Dance.
• Embrace your inner and outer beauty!

Even when you don’t feel like it, you always have a choice, friend.

Choose freedom!

Sorry, Satan, you may try your sly and subtle tricks with us— but no more. It’s time for us to live in the fullness and freedom that is ours in Christ. 

And the TRUTH is that our God does not trash talk the temples of His dearly loved children!

Let’s start declaring our lives to be free of “terrible temple talk”, Lord willing, from this day forward. Anyone with me?

What steps do you take to live in freedom and wholeness? How has your life been impacted by “terrible temple talk”? I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for stopping by, sweet friend! God’s richest blessings to you!

P.S. If you would like to listen to an archived copy of an interview I once did on the topic of Body image, take a listen here. 

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