The clock strikes midnight to a new year. New Year, new goals and new me are common themes of ringing in the new year. It's like opening up a fresh new book with empty pages, all available so you can start writing whatever you please! It's a fresh start when the calendar rolls over into a new year. You start with the table of contents with 12 chapters listed, one for every month. Each new month has new goals that build from the previous month's goals, and they are written in ink as a representation that this year is THE year you will stick to it and accomplish your goals! You plan fun-filled adventures and activities you know everyone will love throughout the year. You set up financial goals and health goals, including weight loss and loads of saving potential.
You are in control and motivated, and no one or nothing will stop you!
Many women share the common goal of losing weight. Throughout years of childbearing, motherhood, and putting ourselves last, our bodies may not be where we want them to be. We may have a pair of skinny jeans tucked away in our closets, waiting for the day when we can finally wear them again. However, we are faced with a decision: either work to shed the extra weight or accept our current situation. It's such a hard decision to make sometimes!
It's natural to long for the days when our favorite jeans fit perfectly and to feel frustrated when we look in the mirror and don't recognize ourselves. It is essential to know that we must take steps in order to see change; we must change.
So you make the changes.
You hit the ground running, and you start meal planning and exercising. You can't stand the thought of looking at that reflection anymore!
A month or two goes by, and you struggle to see change, not to mention the real problem with a see-food diet.
The cupcakes are just too tempting.
One more cookie won't hurt.
Ugh, I am so tired I don't feel like cooking dinner. Calling in pizza is so much easier!
I ate a salad for lunch, so now I think I will treat myself to dinner AND dessert.
Okay, tomorrow I am getting back on track, so today, let's eat all the junk food so the temptations are gone going forward.
These probably sound familiar because if you are like me, you have said them a time or two.
So you go to your last resort: Get on your knees and beg God to help you gain self-control. "God, please give me the self-control I need to make the weight go away! I can't take it anymore! Please, I am begging you!" You expect Him to answer in a way that makes the most sense. In a perfect world, you expect Him to GIVE you more self-control.
I said this prayer at the beginning of the year.
And He answered, but not in the magical way I was expecting.
Instead, He answered in a way that made the most sense for growth and to strengthen my self-control.
I got sick.
Not just a 48-hour stomach bug... but so far, a 5-month + stomach illness that has flipped my entire world upside down.
My instant thought is, WHY GOD?!
Why me?!
WHEN will I be healed? WHEN will this be over?
I want to feel normal again! Lord, take it away!
And then the prayer you prayed at the beginning of the year during a season of struggling with self-control smacks you in the face.
I asked for this. I prayed for this!
And as quickly as that prayer came to mind, I got a peace that rushed over me that made zero sense. How can I feel at peace with so much chaos and illness in my life?!
Which is where I am at today. Somehow, in some way (that way is Jesus, by the way), I am at peace during my suffering. Yet, I'm still trying to process it all! I would be lying if I said because of the peace, it is easy to thank God for this, but it's not. But because of this illness, He is teaching me EXACTLY what I asked for. It's not been an easy journey. There have been many rough days, but I am thankful it is manageable.
(To read about my diagnostic story, go to Trust Your Gut.)
I told everyone I planned to share my healing journey, and I haven't yet, as I am still trying to process my rollercoaster of emotions and learning what God wants to show and teach me during this season. But today, I write in a wave of peace and appreciation that God heard me and answered my prayer. It didn't happen the way I wanted. Instead, God answered in a way He knew I needed to get my health in control. It's funny how He works like that 😉.
So, allow me to give a quick update.
My allergy test came back, and wasn't good 🙃. I was/am reacting to A LOT of foods in my daily diet, so I struggled to control my nausea and (TMI) regulate my bowels. Everything I was eating was making it worse. This allergy test tested 88 foods, 43 of which I am sensitive to, and that is the less restrictive diet guidelines. Stricter guidelines eliminate 50 foods from my diet. Including some of my favorites like gluten, vanilla, peanut butter, cinnamon, eggs, garlic, and most of the foods I eat to get my protein intake in, like chicken, beef, turkey, etc. You may think oh, no gluten, no big deal nowadays. They make everything gluten-free! And you would be correct... but here is the kicker for me: the things they use to replace gluten, i.e., rice flour, oat flour, etc., are all things I am sensitive to. Fun right?! You could say like that, 🫠 Challenging is the best word to use. But without a challenge, you can't change.
The good news is the elimination diet is for 3 months, and then I will slowly start reintroducing foods to see which ones I can still have and which ones will have to go for good. As of right now, we are thinking gluten and eggs are goners. Lord, give me strength! Brinner is one of my favorite dinners (breakfast for dinner)!
More good news: I am starting to feel "normal" again. ISH... I still have some annoying digestive issues we are trying to correct with supplements and diet adjustments.
We will retest at the end of my 4 months to ensure all the bad gut stuff is gone and the good gut stuff is rebuilding. Pray for me!
**Yes, I am still healing holistically through natural supplements and nutrition. So many underestimate the power of the foods we eat, both negatively and positively. What may seem healthy, like broccoli, chicken, and rice, is unhealthy for me. Good foods can have negative consequences on our bodies. You have to figure out what your body responds well to or reacts negatively to.
Long story short, I am reacting negatively to so many foods because my immune system is in overdrive. During this healing process, we are trying to calm my immune system down by eliminating the foods that are causing the inflammation, which is causing my immune system to overwork itself. Once it calms down, I hope to eat a wider variety of foods that won't cause me to get nauseous or have negative side effects. Again, pray for me! I LOVE food, and I know that is part of my problem 🙃.
Someone has recently asked me, "Well what if this doesn't work." The only answer I got is I will cross that bridge IF it gets here. So far, though, it's working holistically:
𝓜𝓲𝓷𝓭
𝓑𝓸𝓭𝔂
𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓻𝓲𝓽
Some days are easier than others. Some days, I get frustrated and think, "I just want to be normal again." But then, if God magically heals me, how will I ever learn self-control like I prayed for?
Again, I have a peace that doesn't make sense during this season of suffering that is beyond my control. Maybe it is because I know I must do what I must; otherwise, I will feel like total garbage. I have a renewed mindset that I give glory to God for.
If I am constantly stuck in a negative mindset, I miss the divine intervention and lesson God is trying to teach my soul.
Wherever He leads, whatever season we are taken through, He sees the purpose we may not yet see.
Instead of asking God why, maybe we should ask, "What do you want to teach me this season." The purpose is simple: to teach dependency on God and deepen one's love for Him.
Maybe we should be more quick to write in pencil, allowing the master to write our story for His glory.
He ultimately knows what is best for us, and oh, how quick we are to forget that!
Stay tuned for a Part 3, hopefully!
In the meantime, if you are struggling in the health department, I want to pray for you!
Please send me a confidential prayer request, and I would be honored to pray for you!
If the Creator can make our bodies, He CAN and WILL heal them!
I encourage you to read the many true stories in the Bible about Jesus healing the sick!
If you are struggling in the gut health department, this is the link to my healthcare provider. If she is unable to take on more clients, she can recommend someone to you who is:
I highly recommend finding someone who can get you connected with these two tests:
Dates for reference:
Day 1 of when the sickness started: April 29th, 2023
Had my first appointment with Sarah on approx. June 28th
Supplements started on 8/3/23
My strict elimination diet started on 8/24/23
It is a 4-month protocol, and I am on day 57 with approx. 64 to go (today's date 9/29/2023).
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