For When You Think if I Post One More Thing about Food You’ll Throw Me Off a Cliff (Sugar Sober Series AND Word of The Week)

5

October 19, 2014 by Beth Hess

Some of you are sick of me. Tired of reading about food addiction. Can’t even deal with thinking about giving up sugar.

I get it. I do.

I was the girl who watched Biggest Loser with a large bowl of ice cream. The one cursing under her breath when spotting joggers in the neighborhood. The girl sick of the magazine covers showing weight loss tips next to recipes for chocolate cake.

I avoided conversations with people on new diets or exercise plans. I brushed off opportunities to go shopping with people with dress sizes smaller than mine. I stayed away from pools, beaches, and water parks.

I considered certain works vile and unbecoming of a lady. Words like “bikini” … “Gluten-free” … “salad” … “gym.”

I was her. I am her. She is still in me.

Honestly, she’s pretty ticked off at me, too. All this talk of maybe not ever feeling free to eat donuts again? Say, what?!?

But more and more, I can hear another self. The one calling me into being. She stands outside the walls of addiction, and she is free! And all the girls I have ever been find their place of contentment in her.

Because she dwells with Him.

I am not here to name you addict. I am not recruiting you to be sugar-free. I’m not espousing guilt or shame or judgment for any single thing you may do or think or say.

I do not desire to push you away with my story. Though I know, at times, I may.

I do not know what keeps you locked up inside. But I know this.

No matter who you are, there is place and a purpose long ago planned for you by the Creator of everything. A plan ONLY YOU can fulfill.

And there are things that hold you back. There just are.

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1)

I cannot run your race. You cannot run mine. It is marked specifically for each of us. And EVERYTHING that hinders and entangles must be cast off.

For me, in this season of my life, it is sugar — my misplaced love of it — that is holding me back. That may not be your baggage.

But my prayer is that in my story, through my words, and with the touch of The Spirit you will throw off the things that hinder you. The world needs you to be free, my friend.

And I can always use a new running partner. (Figuratively, of course. Literal running still isn’t my thing. Yet.)

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In response to the 31 Day blogging challenge, I will be publishing EVERY DAY in October while I stay sugar-free. You can read previous posts HERE. To be alerted to new posts, please follow me on Facebook or Twitter using the links on the right side of this page. Or Subscribe to get posts sent to your Email. Feel free to Tweet your own experiences with #sugarsoberoctober as well.

PLEASE use the comment section to share your own thoughts, questions, or experiences. Like any road, sugar sobriety is one more easily walked with friends. I do my best to reply to every comment.