“We love food and fellowship, and it seems that loving someone usually means heaping piles of food on them.”  Todd Starnes

How is your self-control when eating at a church or other other social function?

…and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.  Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.  (Prov. 23:2,3; NIV)

I recently read an interview of Todd Starnes in a Christian publication.  Todd has written a book entitled, They Popped My Hood and Found Gravy on the Dipstick. Perhaps you’ve read it.  I’ve not read it yet but the interview was very interesting.   Todd is a reporter for Fox News Radio and struggled with his weight for years.  Weighing in at 300 pounds, he was “lethargic, not sleeping well, and developed a terrible cough.”  His near-death experience due to his aortic valve shutting down brought him face-to-face with the reality that he must make some life-style changes.

For years I’ve grieved over food served at church functions.  As Christians we believe that God is good and that God heals.  However, dare we be presumptuous in believing that we can eat any kind of food placed before us and then trust God for healing of diabetes, heart failure, and strokes when we’ve not done our part and taken personal responsibility?  Todd says he was “fat because of my own stupidity.”  No one was holding a gun at his head to drive through the fast food joints and order 3 Big Macs.  He says he had no one to blame but himself!

He actually says that he believes gluttony is a greater problem in the church than alcohol!  People don’t want to talk about or confront someone with a problem of gluttony.  Todd says his church offered “tough love” and helped with encouragement and accountability after he had open heart surgery and was on the road to recovery.  But Todd also came to grips with the raw facts that he was going to have to do the work.  No one else could do it for him.  He changed his diet and as he says, “it was a lifestyle change, not a diet.”  And he began to exercise.  He exercises regularly now and has even run a marathon.

He avoids fried foods and eats lots of green vegetables.  He’s lost over 100 pounds and has kept it off.  Getting healthy (and staying healthy) has no quick fixes.  Even this morning while chatting with some ladies at the gym, one of them said that she ate so much “junk” over the weekend.  I casually made the comment that it just isn’t worth it to me.  She asked me more about that and I was able to share that since I nearly lost my health and worked so hard to reclaim it, I have been able to avoid eating junk food because the cost is simply too high.  Apparently Todd now believes the same way.

Prayer Power
Father, we thank You for Your love and care for us.  And we thank You for continued wisdom and knowledge on  how to care for our bodies.

Link of the Day
Todd Starnes Testimony

Blessings on you as you make wise food choices.

Photo by Tavallai