Lately, I have really been dealing with some big and deep things in my life that God is wanting to heal. I have to admit that sometimes this causes me to turn to food or at least my boundaries get a bit loose. It’s hard for me to admit that I may not be releasing weight or maybe have even picked up some….especially since I write a weekly blog article on here AND I am co-leading a class!
But, I have to be REAL. I am a REAL person who struggles just like you. (sigh…isn’t THAT a relief?!)
So, dear reader, I wanted to share with you today what the Lord spoke so gently to my heart as I have been struggling. I hope it touches your heart as it did mine.
Oh My Beloved Child,
You search for Me, but I am not far away. You long for My love for you as if you have to act a certain way, be a certain size or shape or just be someone else for Me to love you.
This is not so.
This is a lie.
Listen to Me now.
I….LOVE….YOU. 
Right NOW.
THE WAY YOU ARE.
- With every curve.
- With every imperfection.
- With every struggle.
- With every breath and every step and every trip and fall.
I…..LOVE…..YOU.
Yes, I call You to follow me in everything You do. But I also know you don’t have it all together, yet. And that is ok.
If you had it all together and could follow me perfectly, I would not have given my Son for your redemption.
BUT I DID. And He came. And He died.
FOR YOU.
See how I love you, my child? Do you see?
Do you see how I have created You with love? Just the way You are?
Oh my Child, I want what is best for you. That is why I call you onward to follow Me.
And I lead you onward. Forward. Into my arms.
Do you fall sometimes? Do you skin your knee? Do you feel like giving up? Do you feel like I’m not there? or have stopped loving you?
Oh child. Listen to me know.
I WILL NEVER STOP LOVING YOU.
I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU.
I WILL NEVER STOP.
So now, Dear One. Take my hand. Just reach up for me. Turn your eyes off of yourself and on to my eyes.
I am here.
I am waiting.
I will NEVER stop loving you, My Beloved One.
This message is straight to me today. 5 minutes before this popped up on my FB newsfeed, I picked up the Thin Within book for 5th time. My struggle is real. I can and do lead other women to love God and accept His love but I cannot seem to rest in that love myself. I am 46 and overweight. I broke my foot 2.5 years ago and on 2/25/16 had my 3rd surgery because of it. I am in a hard cast for 8 weeks, walking boot for 8 more weeks and then these horribly ugly tennis shoes for 6 months. I feel defeated. I know what the word says, that I am more than a conqueror through Christ.. I feel defeated bc I have tried so many times to lose weight and cannot. Thank you for sharing this word of Gods love.
If only we could grasp the Lord’s love. That He loves every curve and imperfection and doesn’t stop loving. The fact that He loved us while we were still sinners…should speak volumes of God’s love.
Have a Blessed Easter.
Deanna, thank you so much for writing this. I am preparing a blog series to post on Thursdays that is along the same vein. I think the enemy wants us to beat ourselves up. If we do that, he has won! Thank you for your boldness and authenticity. You are not alone.
Deanna & Heidi, I am “sooooooo” looking forward to more blogs along this line! I LOVE THE HONESTY of our TW writers! A few weeks ago, I emailed HB about this very thing. Here I am leading a class and overeating left and right, but also knowing that even THIS is going to turn into something awesome TO HIS GLORY”. It sounds crazy, but it also makes sense: As SOON as I started leading the class, I did not keep up with my 0-5 eating, but after I thought about it — I know why! The 1st reason is always the same my FLESH, but the 2nd reason is that I was so afraid to let my class participants DOWN. Another thing — I was afraid that those OUTSIDE of our TW Class would judge me for not releasing the amount of weight THEY might think I should have by this point; after all so many people know that my class has been going on since Jan 16, 2016! Notice I used the words, “might think”. I (we) do not know, I (we) cannot say what someone is thinking! You know what… I read that email that I sent to Heidi (as sin-revealing as it was) to my class, and they did not think any less of me – I did NOT let them down. After that, I was no longer worried what the “outsiders” would think, well, NOT as much anyway. Praise my Jesus!
His love is sooooo deep and wide for us! Oh how He loves us! Thank you for sharing this, Deanna!
Hi its amazing how much God loves us. It is such a nice remainder that He is with me and that He loves me, it makes me want to focus on him toay.