Next week, February 27th through March 3rd, is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. As some of you may know, I struggled with an eating disorder for 5 and a half years during middle and high school. I’ve been in recovery for 4 and a half years and have Christ to praise for every moment of freedom and healing.
The Bible often refers to us (Christ’s followers) as sheep. I was reading this week about how Shepherd’s each use a distinctive call or voice when with their sheep so they can separate themselves out from a field full of other flocks. The sheep learn their shepherd’s call and can recognize their Shepherd’s voice even with all the other voices and sounds that may be surrounding them. We have a lot of voices and sounds surrounding us. Media, family, friends, peers, co-workers, advertisements, television shows, movie stars…the list goes on. It’s no wonder why we struggle with self-esteem and self-worth; why we struggle with our weight and appearance… But we do not have to be captive to the world’s expectations. We need to hone the skill of discerning our Shepherds voice from the rest. We need to sharpen our ability to discern truth from lie.
We’re called to preserve our lives; to protect them from Satan’s traps and lies. To protect them from a society that tells us that we’re only as good as what we do, and we always need more or less of something to be worthy, to be beautiful . My life’s verse, Colossians 2:8 says,
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
This is how so many lives become broken. This is where my bondage stemmed from. I was held captive through the hollow and deceptive philosophy of this world that told me that I needed to be thin to be beautiful, and I needed to be beautiful to be worth something, and I needed to be worth something to be loved. When we think we’re too strong to fall for this deception, we have the highest risk of actually falling for it. Eating disorders aren’t just about destructive behaviors, but also about destructive thoughts and emotions. Just because you don’t binge, purge, starve yourself, or overeat, doesn’t mean you’re healthy. Keep your thoughts about food and body image in check so that they don’t turn into destructive behaviors.
The prevalence of eating disorders in on the rise, and has been for years. “It’s estimated that at least 10 million females and 1 million males suffer with eating disorders in America today—for women, that’s more that breast cancer and HIV/AIDS combined; and for males, more than prostate cancer.” (http://www.austinfed.org/). And these are just the people who recognize and report it.
I want to leave you with resources today. We can’t help people if we don’t have knowledge and understanding about what they’re going through. You can’t help yourself if you don’t start somewhere. You can’t help your kids if you think they’re too strong to fall for this society’s deception….
ABOUT EATING DISORDERS:
Some eating disorder statistics
Warning signs
Risk factors
Some health consequences
Myths about eating disorders
Visit this page for some good FAQs and coping skills
BODY IMAGE:
10 Body Image Tips
RECOVERY:
Information on relapse preventionVisit this site for information on Christian recoveryVisit here for more resources
FOR PARENTS:
For parents
Know what your loved ones do online
Take it from a parent who lost their daughter to an eating disorder
How to help your own children
HOW TO HELP:
How to talk to someone who may have an eating disorder
How to help prevent eating disorders
How to help a loved one struggling with body image issues
More tips on how to help
What you can do today!
If you’re struggling and not ready to talk yet, please visit the Eating Disorder Anonymous website for support until you are ready to talk. Know that you’re loved, know that you’re beautiful, and know that you need some help.
Use the resources above to make a healthy change in yourself, support someone you love, or simply become more aware. Please, don’t misunderstand the roots of eating disorders, take eating disorders seriously, and guard yourselves, and the young people around you.
If you’re still struggling, it’s is never too late to turn to God and seek redemption. It’s never too late to ask for forgiveness. It’s never too late to be healed. And it’s never too late to be beautiful.
Recovery is possible and it’s important for people who haven’t struggled first hand to understand eating disorders and be prepared to support someone who is struggling. With the growing number of women and men with eating disorders, chances are, you know more than one person who is struggling with an eating disorder today. Educate yourself so you can help. Educate your children, so they’re less likely to develop an eating disorder-be open with them, be non-judgmental and watch for warning signs. If they’re struggling-please, get them help right away.
Be beauty-full this week, and help someone else know they’re beautiful too.
In Christ,
Jill
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