by Allison Mitchell
I became acquainted with Thin Within in 2009. I had just stopped participating in the Weigh Down Workshop and had experienced weight loss. The Thin Within principles did not disappoint because I continued releasing weight once I began participating in the Workbook 1 study.
As it turns out, I returned to college in the Fall of 2010 and gradually began slipping back into old habits, and I regained much of the weight. How disheartening! I would return to Thin Within classes and begin seeing weight fall off only to get off track and re-gain it. I continued this pendulum swing until November 2014.
During the Summer of 2014, I led a Thin Within class through the book, Taste for Truth. Although I saw five pounds disappear, the Lord spoke to me that He was working on my spiritual person, the inside person, before working on the outside. I realized that I had still not dealt with some emotional issues that led to eating outside of the boundaries of 0-5. I began praying about asking Heidi to coach me. The Lord answered this prayer because Heidi began coaching me in November of 2014.
Issues from my past began surfacing. Are we not supposed to forget the past? Was this a trick of the enemy? Little did I know that God had a plan to help me deal with issues I had buried before they were truly dead. Painful as it was, I allowed the Holy Spirit to guide me through the process.
Heidi suggested that I use “Accountability Points.” Of course, one of those points was 0-5 eating. I chose other points that might work for me. One of the points I chose was to agree to renew my mind on a daily basis, and this, my friends, is when I began to see a breakthrough. When faced with thoughts contrary to God and His Word, I had to choose to rid myself of the lies and deception being presented to me and replace the lies with the truth.
When faced with thoughts contrary to God and His Word, I had to choose to rid myself of the lies and deception being presented to me and replace the lies with the truth.
I have released around 28 pounds which is about the amount of weight I re-gained while in college. Although I have not arrived at some super-spiritual place, I am thankful for Jesus. If not for Him, I would not be giving you my testimony. I would still be in bondage to my past and my overeating to cover up the past. If not for the healing balm of the Lord, I would still be miserable. God knew what was best for me, and returning to Thin Within was what was best. Eating according to true physical hunger signals works! God’s ways work!
Allison Mitchell
Allison lives in Hanover, WV with her husband and two children. She teaches Kindergarten at the local school and is the co-pastor with her husband of Haven of Rest Church of the Living God. In her spare time, Allison loves spending time with her family and reading.
Thank you for your testimony, Allison. Even if I can’t muster the time to do my daily homework (which was the case today), I never miss the opportunity to read a testimony. Thank you for being willing to let God use you for someone like me. May he greatly bless you in all you do.
Thank you for your encouragement. Praying for you as you continue this journey.
Thank you for your honesty..I have also come a past leading WD workshop and was introduced to TW around 8 years ago. I know in my heart this is God’s very simple way of eating and have lost and regained a few times. Jesus has been working in my heart these last few months, as He has given me a real hunger for Him..He reminded me through your testimony that it is about Renewing my mind each day. When lies crept up ..go right to God’s Word and renew my mind in His truth. He will take care of my outside as I seek Him daily and He transform my inner being. I am a work in progress..to God be the glory
Thank you for your encouraging words. Renewing the mind is where I started seeing victory. I am still a work in progress. God bless you!
Hello, i am really encouraged by your testimonie, i to did WD or tried to for five years, but i kept the starve self or stuff self. Now i am at stuff self. I am ready the book, commenting and reafing TW on facebook. I am too overwhelmed to do the homework. I stopped talking to WD because a staff person told me i should have it down by now and why don’t i. I feel pushed away from them and their perfect lives. I feel so lost in my emotional eating, but now have started to pray about what i read in our book. I love how God lifts us to health to carry His Spirit. How He makes us beautiful so we can contain Him and His glory. I failed time and time again with WD. But feel lead that you don’t go down dark paths because you are wonderfully and fearfully made and why would you put that wonderful thing down a road of hell…that alone has helped me so much…i am very thankful that there are TW success stories and i hope some day we all are, that its not just a chosen few, but many who find healing and find the way.
Thank you for commenting, Carisa. I am praying fervently for you. Avoid condemnation from anyone. I have learned the hard way that it does no good. I am so glad you came to Thin Within. There are many wonderful women who will help you and guide you through the love of God in Jesus Christ. I encourage you to keep participating in the classes. If there is anything that I can do to be of help, please send an email to allisonamitchell667@gmail.com. I pray that you bask in the love of God and begin to see yourself as He sees you
Thank you for your testimony, Allison. I started leading WD workshops at my church in 1999. Personally lost 64 lbs but stopped promoting WD after a few years. Over the last 5 years I have gaine some of my weight back. I just heard about TW today and have ordered my material. Are there actual classes that I could attend? If so, how do I find one in my area?
Hi, Debbie. How about if YOU lead one? We have a links for classes and groups in our main menu. So far, no one has registered a class since we made that option available. We are hoping to see that idea take off. 🙂 You can join in our online workbook class that is halfway through Lesson 2. Find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HeidiBylsma and friend request me and then asked to be added to the WB #1 group. 🙂 You could get experience going through the material with others and see if it is something you might want to bring to your church. 🙂
Do you recommend THIN WITHIN over Gwen Shamblins WEIGH DOWN DIET? I know many are offended by some of Gwens views and she doesn’t seem to think healthy food makes much difference. I might tweak a few things she says but her book helped me and I lost so much. Still I stopped following the principles…and gained it back.