Post by OverseerCWFJ on Sept 17, 2004 8:14:23 GMT -5
One of Evangelist Hines' edifying articles on obesity
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart and lean NOT to your own understanding BUT in all thy ways acknowledge HIM and He SHALL direct thy paths.” Prov. 3:5/6 By Evangelist Hines
As I continue to minister on the “spirit of obesity” I want every reader to understand that for every stronghold, struggle, or battle we have, GOD has an answer. I have received many responses to my articles and some of you are battling with the decision to have the surgery. I pray as you read this article that you would earnestly seek GOD and allow HIM to direct your path. Do NOT allow fear, horror stories, others opinions or a lack of information determine your decision to become healthier. Do not look for the approval of man but look for the leading of the Holy Spirit. The scripture says TRUST in the LORD and I encourage you if you seek him with your whole heart He will lead you in the right path. As I thought about the surgery, I continually prayed until GOD released me to go forth. I am an avid promoter for the surgery because it has tremendously changed my life. So remember, “It’s Your Choice”.
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE
What is your motive? For years I battled with my weight, low self esteem, embarrassment due to obesity and finally I would receive the help I needed. Readers, your first priority in having the surgery should be health reasons. I was diagnosed as “morbidly obese”, meaning I could have died at any time. I do not have a problem with death, but “premature death” is something different. While preaching, singing, ministering in praise and worship, my heart could have given out due to the excess weight I was carrying. I want to speak a word of “wisdom” to every reader. We CANNOT rebuke everything!!!! There are some things we have to put under control. I’ve heard many people say, “If God wanted everybody skinny he would have made us like that”. First of ALL we are made in the image of Christ and we are created as his beings. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, a place where GOD desires to reside. Think about your temple for a minute. Is it a place where you are happy that GOD is residing? The 320 pounds that I carried, God did not do that. It was because I lacked the fruit of the spirit…….“TEMPERANCE”. To those who suffer with hypertension and eat unhealthy foods (pork and salt) and say, I will rebuke the salt out of it, the word says “My people perish for a lack of knowledge”. That is NOT wise to abuse your spiritual authority in that manner. I found myself in that situation, preaching, over eating and quoting scripture. So your health must be your first priority.
Knowledge is power: One of the reasons this surgery has so many pros and cons is due to the knowledge and lack of knowledge that individuals have. Before the surgery, it was mandatory for me to attend a two hour seminar to learn about the surgery and to understand the procedure. During this seminar the procedure was explained in detail, the foods I could no longer have were specified, the side effects (vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, lack of energy) that I may experience were discussed. I was allowed to ask why do many die from the surgery. Once the procedure is done, your stomach has been reduced to the size of a “shot glass”. For the first three weeks you are only allowed to have liquids then your diet will slowly increase. Many have died from the surgery due to their disobedience to follow doctors orders, while a few have died due to other complications. Once I received all of the information, I prayed over it and made my decision.
It’s your decision: If you are contemplating having the surgery, it must be your decision. While I had friends who agreed with me, I also had friends who did not agree with me. But in the long run it had to be my decision. The Sunday prior to my surgery I took my two best friends out to dinner (Shirley and Shirlene), we discussed the surgery and other things and although they disagreed with the “procedure”, they were very supportive of my decision. As a matter of fact, Shirlene was there at the hospital for hours with me and they both constantly checked up on me once I returned home. While we differed in opinions, they respected my decision to have the surgery and it did not affect our friendship. The decision must be yours because you will have to live with the final outcome. If you cannot receive support from family and friends, check with your doctor to attend a support group prior to the surgery.
Obedience is better then sacrifice: Ask yourself these questions…How much do you value your life? How important are you to yourself? How important are you to your family members? How will premature death affect your family and friends? These are the questions I asked myself before and after the surgery. The decision to have the surgery was based on my quest NOT to die. To follow doctors orders after the surgery was based on my quest to continue to LIVE. After the surgery I knew I could not eat certain foods or drinks neither did I desire them. The sacrifice of eating the wrong foods, drinking soda, eating sugar, not taking my vitamins, B-12 pills, calcium pills was not an option for me. Many have left the hospital to try to eat the “hamburger, fried food, sneak the sugar” and have walked in the valley of premature death. Obedience to my doctors’ orders and constant prayer is the MAIN reason this surgery has been successful for me.
To every reader who is suffering from obesity, just KNOW that there is a BALM IN GILEAD understanding that GOD can heal however he chooses to heal. In December 2003, I was 320 and today (Jan 21, 2004) I am 170 pounds. I was wearing a size 28-32 dress and I am now a size 12/14. I no longer have the phobia of going into restaurants knowing I couldn’t fit in the booths, I no longer need an extension seat belt on the plane, I can run up and down the stairs with no problem, I NOW run as a form of exercise something I had not been able to do in over 25 years. I can bend over and tie my shoes, I no longer shop at the “plus size” stores, I no longer wear “baggy clothes” to cover my obesity. My daughter is now proud of her mommie, and she’s no longer embarrassed of me. My weight not only affected me but it affected her as well. I no longer take medication for hypertension, I am no longer diagnosed as “morbid obese, or even obese”. It is a type of FREEDOM that I cannot fully explain but I thank GOD. If you are struggling with obesity, I admonish you to seek GOD for guidance. Remember “The Choice is yours”.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart and lean NOT to your own understanding BUT in all thy ways acknowledge HIM and He SHALL direct thy paths.” Prov. 3:5/6 By Evangelist Hines
As I continue to minister on the “spirit of obesity” I want every reader to understand that for every stronghold, struggle, or battle we have, GOD has an answer. I have received many responses to my articles and some of you are battling with the decision to have the surgery. I pray as you read this article that you would earnestly seek GOD and allow HIM to direct your path. Do NOT allow fear, horror stories, others opinions or a lack of information determine your decision to become healthier. Do not look for the approval of man but look for the leading of the Holy Spirit. The scripture says TRUST in the LORD and I encourage you if you seek him with your whole heart He will lead you in the right path. As I thought about the surgery, I continually prayed until GOD released me to go forth. I am an avid promoter for the surgery because it has tremendously changed my life. So remember, “It’s Your Choice”.
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE
What is your motive? For years I battled with my weight, low self esteem, embarrassment due to obesity and finally I would receive the help I needed. Readers, your first priority in having the surgery should be health reasons. I was diagnosed as “morbidly obese”, meaning I could have died at any time. I do not have a problem with death, but “premature death” is something different. While preaching, singing, ministering in praise and worship, my heart could have given out due to the excess weight I was carrying. I want to speak a word of “wisdom” to every reader. We CANNOT rebuke everything!!!! There are some things we have to put under control. I’ve heard many people say, “If God wanted everybody skinny he would have made us like that”. First of ALL we are made in the image of Christ and we are created as his beings. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, a place where GOD desires to reside. Think about your temple for a minute. Is it a place where you are happy that GOD is residing? The 320 pounds that I carried, God did not do that. It was because I lacked the fruit of the spirit…….“TEMPERANCE”. To those who suffer with hypertension and eat unhealthy foods (pork and salt) and say, I will rebuke the salt out of it, the word says “My people perish for a lack of knowledge”. That is NOT wise to abuse your spiritual authority in that manner. I found myself in that situation, preaching, over eating and quoting scripture. So your health must be your first priority.
Knowledge is power: One of the reasons this surgery has so many pros and cons is due to the knowledge and lack of knowledge that individuals have. Before the surgery, it was mandatory for me to attend a two hour seminar to learn about the surgery and to understand the procedure. During this seminar the procedure was explained in detail, the foods I could no longer have were specified, the side effects (vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, lack of energy) that I may experience were discussed. I was allowed to ask why do many die from the surgery. Once the procedure is done, your stomach has been reduced to the size of a “shot glass”. For the first three weeks you are only allowed to have liquids then your diet will slowly increase. Many have died from the surgery due to their disobedience to follow doctors orders, while a few have died due to other complications. Once I received all of the information, I prayed over it and made my decision.
It’s your decision: If you are contemplating having the surgery, it must be your decision. While I had friends who agreed with me, I also had friends who did not agree with me. But in the long run it had to be my decision. The Sunday prior to my surgery I took my two best friends out to dinner (Shirley and Shirlene), we discussed the surgery and other things and although they disagreed with the “procedure”, they were very supportive of my decision. As a matter of fact, Shirlene was there at the hospital for hours with me and they both constantly checked up on me once I returned home. While we differed in opinions, they respected my decision to have the surgery and it did not affect our friendship. The decision must be yours because you will have to live with the final outcome. If you cannot receive support from family and friends, check with your doctor to attend a support group prior to the surgery.
Obedience is better then sacrifice: Ask yourself these questions…How much do you value your life? How important are you to yourself? How important are you to your family members? How will premature death affect your family and friends? These are the questions I asked myself before and after the surgery. The decision to have the surgery was based on my quest NOT to die. To follow doctors orders after the surgery was based on my quest to continue to LIVE. After the surgery I knew I could not eat certain foods or drinks neither did I desire them. The sacrifice of eating the wrong foods, drinking soda, eating sugar, not taking my vitamins, B-12 pills, calcium pills was not an option for me. Many have left the hospital to try to eat the “hamburger, fried food, sneak the sugar” and have walked in the valley of premature death. Obedience to my doctors’ orders and constant prayer is the MAIN reason this surgery has been successful for me.
To every reader who is suffering from obesity, just KNOW that there is a BALM IN GILEAD understanding that GOD can heal however he chooses to heal. In December 2003, I was 320 and today (Jan 21, 2004) I am 170 pounds. I was wearing a size 28-32 dress and I am now a size 12/14. I no longer have the phobia of going into restaurants knowing I couldn’t fit in the booths, I no longer need an extension seat belt on the plane, I can run up and down the stairs with no problem, I NOW run as a form of exercise something I had not been able to do in over 25 years. I can bend over and tie my shoes, I no longer shop at the “plus size” stores, I no longer wear “baggy clothes” to cover my obesity. My daughter is now proud of her mommie, and she’s no longer embarrassed of me. My weight not only affected me but it affected her as well. I no longer take medication for hypertension, I am no longer diagnosed as “morbid obese, or even obese”. It is a type of FREEDOM that I cannot fully explain but I thank GOD. If you are struggling with obesity, I admonish you to seek GOD for guidance. Remember “The Choice is yours”.