Continuing The First Place Journey

God has been working on me lately in several areas of my life where I lack obedience; one being my weight and taking better care of my body. Many years ago God led me to the First Place program. I joined the online group, lost and kept off 30 pounds, and have been involved with First Place for almost 7 years. I have been blessed tremendously by the program and have made new friends from all over the world through the online group. Getting involved with First Place was a turning point in my life. As a result of developing a daily time of prayer, scripture reading, and Bible study, I’ve learned what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It truly has changed my life! First Place is about much more than weight loss. It is a 4-sided program that teaches you to put Christ first in every area of your life: emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual. It is not a diet, but a healthy lifestyle program that builds the whole person.

While I have done well with the other parts of the program, I often neglected the physical side. I now feel led to do what I know God has called me to do and take seriously all parts of the program. God has worked in my life in so many ways during my First Place journey, and now I know it’s time for me to take eating healthy seriously and allow God to set me free from my bondage to food and the sin of gluttony.

I’ve spent years abusing my body by overeating and medicating my emotions with food. Through reading and studying God’s word over the past several years, I’m finding those areas of my life that I need to deal with rising to the surface. It’s time to face them rather than ignore them. With any addiction, there is a reason underlying why we turn to substance abuse, whether that substance is food, drugs, or alcohol. I’m no different than a drug addict or alcoholic, except that my addiction is readily accepted in today’s society, and the sin of gluttony is not easily hidden and is worn outwardly for the world to see. I no longer want my overweight body to be a billboard for the sin of gluttony. I am ready to move forward on the next step of my First Place journey and be the woman God has called me to be; a woman who fears the Lord and walks in obedience to what He has called me to do; a woman set free, released from the bondage of gluttony that has held me captive for so many years. I’m looking forward to the journey!