I have been posting thoughts as I study the book, Thin Within © Arthur and Judy Halliday 2002 on the thin_within_support@yahoogroups.com email list. I thought I would go ahead and post those here.
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From Day 1
“Today’s focus is on the Love God has for us. Please, please evaluate the material you studied.prayerfully ask the Lord to show you if you BELIEVE it. So many of us believe God’s love is based on our performance. We must allow God to expose where we have believed a lie and shine His TRUTH into those places. We will see that God chose to love us before the foundation of the world, knowing that we would sin.”
—If I really walked in this belief…lived as thought I believed it, I think it would turn my life upside down! Yes, I believe it with my mind. But the way I strive for approval from men, indicates to me that I am not really embracing the TRUTH about God’s amazing grace and His unconditional love. Do I really GET IT? :-/
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2. On page 3 the statement “He wants to impress deeply into the soft clay of your heart His unfathomable love for you. This love is not based on your performance.” Do you believe that? Ask God to show you His truth and to enable you to believe it. Look up the verse 1 Corinthians 8:8 and prayerfully consider it.
—-This verse says: “But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.”I know that God loves me no matter what. I want to relish that in my experience, but more, I DO want to perform, to live, to make choices, that indicate that I embrace His lavish love. I know that I can’t cause Him to love me any more or any less. He chose to love me while I was yet a sinner, sending Christ to die. Ephesians 1 tells me that He chose me to be in Christ before the foundations of the world…He knew all my failings and short comings. He knew the struggles I would have, yet He chooses me any how.Yes, I believe that the food I eat, whatever amount, whatever type…has no bearing on His love.
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4. At the top of page 6, “Julia” shares her testimony. If you feel led, respond to this testimony.
—Julia’s story is my own, having been in WDW for a long while and leading groups. Thin Within is very different. It accurately reflects God is a God of grace, not a “boss” who is interviewing me for heaven! PRAISE GOD! Getting into Heaven has NOTHING to do with if I eat or drink!
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From Day Two
5. On page 19, Psalm 25:8 from the New Living Translation is quoted. “The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.” Comment on this verse relative to your experience and relative to what may be ahead.
—-God has been so kind and gentle…compassionate and gracious to me while I have wandered away from Him. As I said before, long ago…LOL…I am the poster child for God’s grace! LOL! Truly.God used such an unlikely source to draw me back to this path after I wandered long and far. I have been releasing weight again, but more…I feel like He has changed me drastically. I hate to say that…I fear hoping that He has worked such a mighty change. It is almost like a deliverance.Yet I know I must plan in advance for the time when I feel that draw to food again…I must plan to suffer for the cause that Christ calls me to. He calls me to holiness and has said that indulging my lust for food beyond the parameters of hunger and satisfaction is outside of his will for me–is sin. Right now, today, this minute, it isn’t a struggle. But at some point, it may be again (it is highly likely, in fact). I have to plan for that moment.
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7. At the bottom of page 19, the authors state, “Grace, abundant and so free, flows from the throne of God. It envelops our thirsty souls and brings wonder and amazement to our lives. Our God is gracious indeed.” What does this have to do with anything?—Grace is not a license to not care. Instead, it stabilizes. I don’t beat myself over the head when I am off track a bit. I also don’t throw all cares to the wind. I allow God’s grace to wash over every step. It is only by His grace that I even *care* about this journey at all.
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Day Three
2. Midway down page 28, the book states, “Our light-or more accurately, God’s light in us-attracts others.” Please note that we do NOT have to be thin to do this but so often we let our size brand us with shame.keeping us from being willing to step into what God desires for us. Is there any way in which you have allowed your size or appearance to keep you from doing what God created you to do?—Oh my yes. God has given me gifts that are “:up front” gifts. I won’t use them. I am too ashamed to be up in front! Of course, this comes with the fact that I have actually been told by “the chief church lady” how sad it is that I have clearly lost the battle against controlling my struggle with eating. I was so floored when she said that. Now the enemy uses that at every turn. Her voice has become a million other voices of people who probably aren’t even thinking that. So now I won’t use my gifts up front. I really struggle with this. Even now, I am eager to have the weight gone in part for this reason.God doesn’t want me to wait…yikes!
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This is all for now. Boy, have I gone on and on!
Hi Heidi, my name is Maria, and I have been getting so much out of your blog entries. Thank you for sharing your faith and experience with us.You mention on day 2 that you are in a good phase with your eating, but that you will likely "struggle" again. You mention planning now for when that struggle comes. This is exactly my experience. I can do well for a while, and then (it is likely chemical changes in my brain)I throw it all out and binge and feel just miserable for a week to two weeks. I would like to know how you "plan" during your good phase for when the struggle comes again.Thank you! Oh, and are you planning to do the TW book study again on your blog in the near future? God bless you, Maria
Hi Heidi, my name is Maria, and I have been getting so much out of your blog entries. Thank you for sharing your faith and experience with us.You mention on day 2 that you are in a good phase with your eating, but that you will likely "struggle" again. You mention planning now for when that struggle comes. This is exactly my experience. I can do well for a while, and then (it is likely chemical changes in my brain)I throw it all out and binge and feel just miserable for a week to two weeks. I would like to know how you "plan" during your good phase for when the struggle comes again.Thank you! Oh, and are you planning to do the TW book study again on your blog in the near future? God bless you, Maria
Hi, Maria. Wow. How wonderful of you to post. I didn't know if anyone read these from so long ago! I am so glad that they can be of help in some way. In the book, there are exercises …not sure which day. I think maybe about day 14. "Planning for Trials." In a way, you have to imagine whatever it is that might happen happening…and then establish a boundary for yourself and it helps to have a backup plan. Like if I know I go wonky a certain time of the month, if I plan *not* to have certain foods that I tend to comfort myself with during that time and plan to have other things I can do for comfort readily accessible, that can help…like scented candles and bath stuff if you like that sort of thing. Or save a gift certificate to use during that time. Even better if there is a special devotional book or bible study that I save for that time…so that it actually becomes a time of spiritual renewal…I would do other things during my quiet time each day before then, but have that as something special I might get to enjoy. I don't know if that makes sense. So a boundary that keeps me from stepping outside of godly boundaries, from straying into dangerous water…a boundary I *obey*. And a boundary that reinforces that there is something to cherish here within the boundary. I hope this makes sense. Let me know! And yes! Tomorrow's blog post will share the announcement about a new book study here at the blog starting in June!
Hi, Maria. Wow. How wonderful of you to post. I didn't know if anyone read these from so long ago! I am so glad that they can be of help in some way. In the book, there are exercises …not sure which day. I think maybe about day 14. "Planning for Trials." In a way, you have to imagine whatever it is that might happen happening…and then establish a boundary for yourself and it helps to have a backup plan. Like if I know I go wonky a certain time of the month, if I plan *not* to have certain foods that I tend to comfort myself with during that time and plan to have other things I can do for comfort readily accessible, that can help…like scented candles and bath stuff if you like that sort of thing. Or save a gift certificate to use during that time. Even better if there is a special devotional book or bible study that I save for that time…so that it actually becomes a time of spiritual renewal…I would do other things during my quiet time each day before then, but have that as something special I might get to enjoy. I don't know if that makes sense. So a boundary that keeps me from stepping outside of godly boundaries, from straying into dangerous water…a boundary I *obey*. And a boundary that reinforces that there is something to cherish here within the boundary. I hope this makes sense. Let me know! And yes! Tomorrow's blog post will share the announcement about a new book study here at the blog starting in June!