"Deb's Story"
I relied on my knowledge and my physical strength to get me through most of my life. I was a collegiate athlete and enjoyed many recreational activities. I excelled in school and graduated with my bachelors of science in nursing. By my mid 20's, being young in the Lord, my life began to catch up to me; dealing with trauma from my past and trying to keep up with a busy lifestyle of career and marriage. I started gaining weight and became depressed and miserable. I was unhappy with what I looked like, but would turn to food for comfort. For several years, I tried to make changes, but without success. When I was finally at the end of myself and my strength, by the grace of God, I was able to receive His power and healing in my life. Through various trials and pains, He was breaking me down. At last I was beginning to experience victories in my marriage, over my past, and freedom from myself.
Then, two years ago, I was faced with another trial. I had numbness over my whole left torso, shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue. After a few months of diagnostic testing and a mis-diagnosis, they finally pinpointed a progressive disease as they found lesions in my brain and spinal cord. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.
As a critical care nurse working in the medical field, I knew there was no cure for the disease, just hopes of slowing it's progression with daily medication injections. Again, I could rely on my medical knowledge, but I felt God was calling me another direction, another way....His way. With fear and trembling, I began to look at nutrition and the human body and study its intricate functions, which brought me to my knees in awe before our Creator. I have truly been fearfully and wonderfully made, and I yield to His leading as my body, spirit, and soul are wholly dependent upon Him. Therefore, I plunged forward into an alternative therapy (Gerson) that was a complete dietary and lifestyle revolution; strict, time-consuming, and detailed.
In the ensuing months leading up to the last two years, I have endured much longsuffering and hardship, but above that, the blessings have been phenomenal! I have been establishing an intimate relationship with Him and I know that the glory to come will not compare to the temporary sufferings of this present time (Romans 8:18). He has been showing Himself to me in such a way that I can see. By fixing my eyes on Christ, I have been able to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” so that I “may run with perseverance the race marked out” for me (Hebrews 12:1) . I will not look at my life and food as something that is purely for my own pleasure, but how to live and nourish this temple that houses the precious gift of His Spirit (Romans 12:1).
Physically, my body has responded well to the therapy. The medical doctors are speechless at the progression of my HEALTH! Spiritually, God continues to transform my heart, mind, and body. Through this trial, I can see that He is a God that gives and takes away, and I will not stop praising His name for the good He is doing in me. If there is anything I could humbly say from this experience, it would be this:
Don’t take for granted the freedoms that you have--but, honestly look at your life and question what it is God may be asking you to give up… to get more of Him.