HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR WEIGHT LOSS IS REALLY BEGINNING TO WORK? -- WHEN YOUR SLIP FALLS OFF OF YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS!

This really did happen to me! I teach Spanish at Grenada High School in Grenada, Mississippi. I hope you don't have to go through this just to prove that you are loosing weight! When something this embarrassing happens all you can do is laugh! If you knew me around 1996 or sooner and could see me now you would know that I have lost a lot of weight. Of course, I gained even more after leaving Carrizo Springs, TX, in August of 1996. I was enjoying all this good Southern cooking in Mississippi at the church pot luck dinners, I guess. I don't know how much weight I lost, but I went from a Women's size 16 to a size 6 Petite. I think I lost between 40 and 50 pounds. When you see results, it is impossible not to joyfully give glory to God.

I learned the meaning of the scripture "if you love me you will obey my commandments." The Bible does not say, "if you are afraid of being punished you will obey my commandments," or "if you want everyone to notice you, you will obey my commandments." LOVE... that is the key, truly falling in love with God. What a blessing it has been. I didn't realize that food could possibly be more important to me than God, but if I was turning to it when I was tired, happy, depressed or angry then it was an idol. God is showing me many other areas of my life that have been idols to me, also.

Please don't be discouraged if you haven't lost weight. Many times we have a load of emotional weight to loose before we can shed the body weight. Concentrate on loving God and being grateful to him for loving you. Then let Him lead you to obedience. There is freedom in obedience not the bondage of legalistic rules.