WFMW: Living Fat Talk Free

Hello dear Friends ~

In case you didn't hear, they caught my neighborhood's serial arsonist! PTL!

Also, thanks for all of your encouragement as I say goodbye to a special friend this week. Your wisdom and prayers have been so significant to me! I'll share more soon...

For today, in honor of "Fat Talk Free Week", I wanted to take a moment and share some thoughts on living "Fat Talk Free".

In case you're wondering, "What is Fat Talk?", take just a few minutes and watch this awesome video....

On a personal note, as many of you know, 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 find me beautiful. (Recap here)

My self talk was filled to the brim with "Fat Talk".

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. And I ate my stress, pain, fear, and shame (and anything else someone would feed me!).

Here is a picture of me on July 15, 1994 ~ the day Jake was born.

By Jake's 2nd birthday, I lost all the weight, and more. See pic below...

Even at the weight I was above (wearing a size 4 dress), I still felt not thin enough. Or pretty enough. Or that I could ever be beautiful.

Thankfully, soon after Jake's 2nd birthday, I met Jesus (woo hoo!) ~ and my life has not been the same since!!

In His great mercy, Jesus has not only given me a new life, but a NEW MIND!! And over the past 15 years, I've been 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 (picture below is from last weekend) ~ I now walk in Truth and freedom and joy....

...although it definitely takes a daily (sometimes hourly) renewing of my mind.

The world, the media, the enemy wants us to believe that we are not enough just the way that we are.

My dear friends, this is a lie from the pit of hell.

I love what author Kelly Minter shares in her book "No other gods",

"Satan will tell us what's true, but he never tells us the TRUTH".

Remembering that simple statement has been HUGE for me!!

Yes, it is true, I am not a size 4 (or an 8 anymore).
Yes, it is true, my body has given birth to 4 children.
Yes, it is true, I do not look like the women on the magazines. Yes, those things are true.

But the TRUTH is that we are beautiful and accepted by God....just the way that we are!!

The TRUTH is that God delights in us!!

The TRUTH is that we can live secure, significant, set apart in Christ!

The TRUTH is that we are dearly loved by the Lord God Almighty! Woo Hoo!!

"Satan will tell us what's true, but he never tells us the TRUTH".

My greatest desire is to be a voice of TRUTH in my own life, and the lives of every single person I come in contact with (my friends, family, neighborhood, community, on-line, and more!).

I will not allow the comments of others to make me have "crazy head".

I will not return to an eating disorder or drug addiction to lose weight.

And I will not allow my words to others feed into the lies we receive from the media and the world, about where TRUE BEAUTY and WORTH comes from ~ so help me God!!

That's why I'm declaring my life to be a Fat Talk Free Zone! I am so grateful for the Reflections Body Image Program. I love what they are doing to teach women to pursue health, well-being, and true beauty!

Sorry, Satan, you may try your sly and subtle tricks with me ~ BUT NO MORE! I will live and stand and walk in TRUTH!

And the TRUTH is that our God does not talk "Fat Talk" to His dearly loved children, does He?!

This week (October 18th - 22nd) is the official "Fat Talk Free" week, but I'm declaring my life to be Fat Talk Free Forever!! Anyone with me??

Please head over to the Reflections site and join me in signing the Fat Talk Free promise which reads...

"Today I promise to eliminate Fat Talk from conversations with my friends, my family and myself. Starting now, I will strive for a healthy ideal, which I know looks different for every woman, and focuses on health, not weight or size.

I will celebrate the things about myself and the women in my life that have nothing to do with how we look. I decide to end Fat Talk NOW!"

Let's practice living Fat Talk Free! Please share something you love about your body! (Fill in the blank. I love my ______________.) I'll even go first! I'd love to hear from you!!

Celebrate who you are this week and let's END FAT TALK! Have a joy-full, Truth-filled, amazing day!!


P.S. The awesome ladies at Tri Delt sent me a handful of "Friends Don't Let Friends Fat Talk" decals. If you are serious about living Fat Talk Free, drop me an email with your mailing address. I would love to send a decal your way so that you too can share this important message with others.

P.S.S. For more Works for Me Wednesday tips, head on over to visit Kristen at We are that Family . You'll be glad you did! :)