Well, I finally heard it: The “d” word. Diabetes. My high-sugar blood ran cold when that word was carelessly uttered to me by the nurse from my gynecologist office.
For various reasons, I went to her office to discuss some health issues I have been enduring and part of her response was to require a bunch of blood work. One test in particular was a two hour glucose test. This is the one that ultimately resulted in the phone call.
Now, being overweight, and rather sedentary are both key factors in diabetes, in addition to a family history of diabetes. Yes, I have all three main risk factors. but still, somehow I thought I was going to “fly below the radar” for at least a few more years.
So, now that I have been officially diagnosed with diabetes, where will I go from here? Well, I got that call on Wednesday, and on Friday I was already sitting at the nearest Weight Watchers facility. I need to make some changes, and I need some support. After my terrible weigh in and paperwork and peptalk meeting, I left the facility and cried. I do not want to go through this. Not now. I am busy, I am active, I have many things to occupy my time. But then I heard a word that made me stop crying and take heed:
“This is not a physical battle. This is a spiritual one.”
This makes it look a little different. If you are like me and believe in forces of good and evil, and believe that God has a plan for every believer who loves him, then you know there are other forces who would love to interfere with that very good work he has planned. My enemy would love to see me fail, fall into to despair, be consumed with food, and desires for food. The enemy would love for me to get angry, get busy, get distracted. He would love for me to become consumed with selfishness and bitterness.
So, in full light of the fact that this is a spiritual battle – I am following the Weight Watchers food plan, exercising daily, and praying a lot. I am trying to figure out “Points” and balance and blood sugar. And I am asking for prayer. The battle with my weight has been life-long and has swung from caring very much and working really hard and achieving some weight loss success to complete apathy.
My specific prayer is that as I learn the right choices, I will become accustomed to healthier eating, daily exercising, and portion control. I want to be victorious in this physical battle, but at all times mindful of the spiritual one as well. I would also like for this whole process to be more natural so that food and eating cease being an idol. Right now, I am having to be so thoughtful and careful about my food that is nearing idolatry. While I may have to devote more thought to it, I do not want to become obsessed.
Could you join me in prayer that I am able to accomplish all these things? I need to do so for my health so that it does not distract from the ministry God has called me to: My husband, my children, my family, and my faithful friends and readers. I also do not want to spend so much energy and time devoted to this that I essentially lose my focus on the eternal. For now, I am going to try to learn to control my blood sugar with diet and exercise, and not with medication or insulin. I have a follow-up in six weeks to reevaluate the situation.
Thanks, friends. If you have any encouraging words or stories of success with losing and maintaining healthy weight, I would love to hear from you. If you can comment below, perhaps this will be an encouragement to others as well. In all things in my life, I pray that this will ultimately be for God’s glory.
Praying with you Malia!
I just posted on this very topic a few hours ago. It is, indeed, a success story. I have the three risk factors you mentioned plus gestational diabetes in seven pregnancies. You can read my post at
http://www.motherbydesign.com/blog/?m=20090319
As I read your story, I could relate to the struggle. I have not been diagnosed with diabetes but my mom is and I am much like my mom. I have struggled with my weight for many years and I also been dilligent and then not so much. I started Weight Watchers 3 weeks ago. I have lost 6 pounds but it is a struggle. Tonight I ate 6 chocolate chip cookies my mom had made. Yikes. I was really having a good day until then. This is a journey. It really is a spiritual battle. I need Jesus to walk this road with me. There is a site that is called Setting Captives Free and the bible study program is the called the Lord’s Table. I started it and need to go back. It addresses the spiritual part of overeating. I still felt like I need to be accountible to someone and to have a program to learn how to make better choices.
I will be praying for you. I would love to hear how you are doing. There are so many of us who struggle in this area. However, Jesus wants us to be free. He loves us no matter what. Thanks for sharing. I will be praying for you. Oh, by the way, find a friend to go with you to WW. I have a friend that is going with me and it really is a blessing. We can hold each other accountible. Blessings to you.
Angie
I heard once, years ago, that someone who had modified diet and exercise habits was able to keep her diabetes controlled WITHOUT medication.
I don’t know Weight Watchers, but I do know and recommend Curves. There is something about joining in a community (I believe this is one strong point of WW, and it is a big deal at Curves) where people can encourage you, and you them.
Wishing you well. . . praying for you as you learn everything anew!
Hi! Lovely blog post! I’ll be praying for you! I just want you to know, you aren’t alone. I am a diabetic also and if you need a shoulder let me know! There is also an diabetic community called TuDiabetes.com, you’ll be able to find plenty of support, knowledge and more. Take care!
Your new Diabetic Buddy,
Cherise
I also have diabetes. I just found out a few days ago that it had gotten worse. I was horrified. I am still struggling. It is so hard. I feel somewhat overwhelmed. But, yes, the Lord will take care of me, and He will work it all out. He has already begun to do so. He has sent not one, but two nutritionists into my life. My prayer for you is that you also get a nutritionist and learn proper eating. Mine showed me the different food categories and how many food choices I can eat in each group. It has NOTHING to do with points. I could NEVER do points. I get scared when I hear people are counting points bc I don’t believe it is nutritious, nor do I believe people can keep it up. Most diets are fads. I am learning good eating habits, and I am learning how to eat. To date, in the last few months, i have lost 35 lbs. My hope for you is that you learn to eat healthy, not go on a stringent diet. If you do so, you will lost naturally. Just please, remember, food is your friend! It is your fuel, and not your enemy! Okay, if you need any help, please email me at fisherkristina@aol.com BTW, I met you on Twitter. Sorry if I am a butinsky, LOL. Perhaps this will work for you, and perhaps they have changed the plan at weight watchers. Take care.
Follow me on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/iamkrissy
I will pray for you. I’ve been feeling led to do a sugar fast and it seems to be a real struggle. I’ve done them before so I know it can be done, but it is not easy. My mom got type 2 diabetes later in life and I have not been tested, but I know I feel better when I am not on the sugar-cycle. You are right that is is a spiritual battle. I believe we need to be lifting each other up now more than ever, God Bless you. Interceding.
Hi Malia!
I just wanted to ditto on Setting Captives Free and the study they have “The Lord’s Table”. You can go to their website http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com and do the study for free. They will give you a mentor if one is available. Another option is to order the study, I got mine through Amazon for $16. This study is eye opening, you dig into the Scriptures, draw near to Jesus and find freedom that only He can give.
I just wanted to share something that has blessed me so much and could bless you too!
Love,
Amy
Sorry your having this struggle my last pregnancy i develop gesational diabetes and after birth it went from pre-diabetes to diabetes that i could not control in months, but now i am on insulin and i love it. (insulin) ii have it under control now and it almost does not feel i have it, but i am still beleiving God to heal me. One great website is diabeticmommy.com. it has help me so much.
Malia,
I just recently got hooked up to your website and divinely saw this post. I just reached Lifetime with Weight Watchers last week! It took me 22 months, but I did it and know that you can,too. There is a certain amount of energy that it takes to lose weight and another kind of energy to maintain. Realize that you won’t be working as hard as you are right now forever. Time and effort that you invest in your self and your health are not lost. You are right that weight, in so many ways, is part of a larger spiritual battle. Identifying reasons why you eat can be instrumental in changing your habits and creating a new future. Best of luck and I’ll keep following your website to keep praying for your success!
Hi Malia, I just wanted to say that I understan. I had gest ational diabetes with my 6th pregnancy and I was told I would develope diabetes later on but ever since I have watched my sugar intake ( I cheat pretty often) and its been 9 years and I’m getting better every year. The Lord has so much to teach you about proper nutrition and He will help you make the changes however long it may take. I would say that the most chalenging in making changes was forgetting to ask the Lord when I was tempted. I really beleive that the Lord is makking His people aware of just how many dangerous additives that are in the foods we buy. They make up feel ill and sluggish and how can we serve Him if we aren’t healthy. He’s calling you to wholeness and good health. God bless you on your journey. Jeannine
I am praying with you and for you Malia!
It is encouraging that you see that this is rightly a spiritual battle. There is a free on-line study that is highly helpful and packed full of applicable scripture called ‘The Lord’s Table’. I found it at settingcaptivesfree.com I went through it and there really is no catch. It’s free and helpful and has sound doctrine. The idea is not to focus more on weighing and measuring food but to fill up your soul at The Lord’s Table and see food as the idol we have made it out to be. Again, I know this isn’t a good time to add another thing but it was instrumental in helping me really see my sin in this area (and lose weight).
for his glory
Malia,
I am praying for you.
I don’t have the ‘D’ word yet but I fear that I am well on my way. After 3 children, a compulsive eating habit, a repultion to exercising like a caged animal, and two parents and 1 grandparent with diabetes, I found myself at 295 lbs. I decided last year to kick these bad habits and get healthy. Easier said that done. I started with Weight Watchers, got a personal trainer (who didn’t like WW), bought a weight loss system, enrolled in programs at the Y, and read every thing I could about weight loss and healthy living. My head is still spinning from all the conflicing information and now I find myself at 308 lbs! I am definately going the wrong way.
I finally decided to turn off the noise and just pray for guidence. I felt like God was telling me to look for help so I started with my doctor. She did a number of blood tests and found my thyroid was low. You would think this was good news…she had found something that could be corrected by a pill! Yea! Nope, my reaction was tot be scared to try it. So here I am with my pill bottle, trying to decide if I should take the pills or not.
I am going to get up tomorrow and take the first pill and see how it goes. I just keep thinking if I could just get started going down and not up. If i could just loose 20 lbs I could get motivated to really get serious. If I could just fit in my clothes I could get excited about a new lifestyle.
Pray for me too…and I will be praying for you. It is so hard to do this alone and really, even if you have a group, it is, like you said, a spiritual battle. It helps to have support, but really it is your battle and no one elses.
Fight on sister.