Unknown

December 2

Nehemiah 5:14 – “Don’t be afraid of them.  Remember the LORD who is great and awesome and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

Anyone who grew up in the ‘70s remembers the beautiful voice of Karen Carpenter.  She and her brother hit the top of the music chart with almost every song they sang.   I remembered how shocked I was to learn she had suffered from anorexia nervosa and eventually had died at the age of thirty-three from the condition.  It seemed so strange that someone could actually starve because they were so distraught over their weight. 

I couldn’t understand it but fifteen years later I came face to face with anorexia and bulimia through our oldest daughter Heather.  We noticed Heather had been losing weight but we attributed it to her recent obsession with running.  She would eat just a bite or two of lettuce (without dressing).  Within a short time, she had become dangerously thin and had become “secretive” about what and when she ate.  We finally recognized the problem for what it was and immediately sought help.  We took her for several weeks to a Christian counselor in the OKC area.  It seemed like things were much better but about a year later, we discovered the problem had come back.  This time the eating disorder involved bulimia and anorexia.  Her weight had begun to fall and she had become obsessed again with weight and food.  This time we knew we had to take even more drastic actions.  We found another counselor whose specialty was dealing with eating disorders.  This involved twice a week trip to OKC for individual and group counseling.  The trip was more than an hour each way and we had to adjust our work schedules to make the trip.  We committed to whatever sacrifice was needed if it would help her to overcome this problem.

This was not the first nor has it been or will be the last time we have had to fight for our family, for our daughters, for our home.  I share this story because it encourages me to know that others have fought the fight and have encouraged me in their faith. 

What we have to remember is not to be afraid of them…whoever they may be.  Remembering the LORD is the key!  He is the one who gives us peace and calm when it seems everything is out of control. 

Heather has lived now many years free from eating disorders but will always remember the struggles she had as a young college student.  Even though it was a difficult time for us, we understand that the difficulty did not take away from God’s greatness and His awesomeness.  Remember to fight for your homes!