The Voice of Truth (Phase A)

A few weeks ago, we did a show on Mid-Morning that focused on adult eating disorders. I had no idea it was a growing issue...but it is. We brought in a sweet lady from a treatment clinic who talked with us for an hour about body image and the root causes of eating disorders.

While I do not have an eating disorder, I sure as goodness have a body image disorder! I've talked about it on here before. And the day of the show, I had a chance to ask, on the air, what people like me should do. People who just don't see the truth (apparently) about themselves when they look in the mirror.

Her response was so lovely, and among other things, she encouraged me (and those in my boat) to retrain our minds to focus on what is true.

How does that work? How do I live that out in real life?

I've been mulling it over since the show, and I had no idea how to implement it into real, everyday life.

I ran into one of my good friend's dads in the grocery store the other day. I was on the phone (shocker) and couldn't have a conversation with him right then, but he pointed at me and mouthed "You look great!" I wanted to end my phone conversation and explain to him the 15 pounds I've surely gained since seeing him last and allow him to take back his "You look great!"

 But I didn't. I forced a smile and mouthed back, "Thank you!"

I bought a new outfit last week and took it to work to show my buddies. One of them said, "Is it fun to buy skinny clothes?" I just stared at her. Skinny clothes?

Instead I just nodded. And when I thought about it more later, I realized there were days when I wouldn't have been able to find anything in that store (or any other) that fit right.

So as I work on changing my responses, I also decided to work on something else. A Pinterest inspired project.

When I was in college, I had a good friend who had battled an eating disorder for several years. Her bathroom mirror was framed with index cards and post it notes on which she'd written notes and verses to remind herself of what comprises true beauty and how to look at herself from God's perspective, not the scale's perspective.

So in an effort to do a similar thing, I went to Hobby Lobby and ended up coming home with this:

It's intended for scrapbooking (sort of a shadow box for scrappers) but I'm going to fill it with verses and quotes that remind me of what is true about myself...and then I'll hang it beside the mirror that lies to me every day.

And to start, I added these words, from a song:

The Voice of Truth tells me a different story...Out of all the voices calling out to me...I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth.