Chane Eplin Obituary

We are sad to announce the passing of Chane Lee Eplin of Tallahassee, FL. Chane was born in Akron, OH to Evelyn and Ira Eplin on July 23^rd, 1961. On December 24^th, 1983, Chane married Donna Moore. Chane showed the world how to love. He was a man of many titles: husband, friend, youth pastor, teacher, pastor, twin, professor, Sunday school teacher, mentor, counselor, confidant, encourager, daddy, and “The Big Cheese”. His daughters and wife wanted to add that he was the best snuggler ever. He was known for being selfless and full of life. You could ask anyone who knew him, and they would say that to know him was to love him. His family has had many people tell them that he was the nicest person they had ever met. Even when he just looked at people, they could tell he cared about them.

Chane acquired a B.A. in Secondary Education-English from Southeastern University and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics/English as a Second Language from the University of South Florida. He made quite a difference over the years throughout his career as a high school teacher, a pastor, an English language teacher, a professor at various colleges, the ESOL Director for Polk County, and eventually as the Bureau Chief of ESOL for the state of Florida advocating for English Language Learners. Chane was friendly to people everywhere he went - Target, Home Depot, restaurants, everywhere. He treated each person in the building with the utmost respect, regardless of who they were. Chane had a special gift for accepting and welcoming people from other countries and cultures especially. His whole career was dedicated to helping English Language Learners succeed. He instilled that kind of unconditional love into his children, and he poured it onto everyone who knew him. 

He had a big passion for his job, he loved his work and the people that he worked with. He was commonly known for saying, “Oh Donna, you would just love her!” or “You would love him, Donna!” regarding a lot of his co-workers and colleagues. He had that mentality with almost everyone he knew. He never met anybody that he did not absolutely love. When he got words of affirmation from people it meant the world to him. One of his favorite things to do was to share a positive text or an email from a colleague, often with tears in his eyes from how much it meant to him. He was so proud of his work and he was so passionate about making a difference in the lives of all types of students. He loved everything he did in his entire career. He was very fulfilled in it. He was able to love and care for others throughout his it and he loved that. Chane impacted the world powerfully with his passion for helping people from all walks of life. When Chane was not at work, you could always find him spending time with his wife, five daughters, mother, and grandson. He supported everything they did. He was at every single ball game, every performance, and every significant moment of his family’s lives. To him, his family was the most important thing. Through the years he enjoyed playing board games with them, teaching them sports like soccer and basketball, going on jogs, or on bike rides with them to the hardware store, and watching Star Wars, LOTR or other fun action films together piled into the bed. He enjoyed reading aloud to us and playing cards together. Recently, he loved playing make-believe with his grandson. He also loved disc golfing with his family and even made a hole-in-one on hole #12 at Tom Brown Disc Golf course in Tallahassee!

As is evident, the biggest foundation in Chane’s life was his family. He always made sure he took care of them. No matter what happened, Chane always took the high road and never passed judgment on anyone. He knew there were three sides to every situation, and he instilled that kind of thinking in his daughters. He was slow to condemn and saw the good in everyone. He was stubborn and hard-working in the sense that he never stopped taking care of his daughters until the last day. He was willing to drive many miles at the sacrifice of himself to help them anytime. Even in the end when he was having heart problems and might need to go to the hospital, he offered to help fix one of his daughter’s cars. As you might expect, everyone told him, no, but this was just how much he loved helping them. All five of his daughters agree that he would be willing to move heaven and earth to get there if one of them was in need.

He loved people with his heart on his sleeve. Every time he left the house he told his family, "Call me if you need me, call me if you want to." He was the perfect mix of silly and deeply loving. He was a goofy dad, so much fun and full of life. He would grab his daughters’ jacket strings and throw them up into the air repeatedly to tease them, or give them wet willies unexpectedly, and they loved it. His eyes glinted with laughter at every turn, bringing out smiles everywhere he went. He had the kindest eyes anyone has ever seen. He was the happiest, silliest, most boisterous, and friendliest man they have ever known.

Chane treated his nieces and nephews as if they were his own children. He loved hosting game nights with Donna with the girl’s friends. He treated everyone in the home as his own family, and they felt it. He saw them the same way he saw his own children. Donna said that even when talking about retirement years together and what he wanted to do, it was all about doing fun things with the family. He did not have any dreams for fun retirement things to do that were for him. Everything he spoke of had to do with being with his children or grandchildren. His devotion to Donna was unparalleled. She put it this way, “There is not a man on this earth who has loved his wife more completely than Chane has loved me. His devotion to me and commitment to our relationship was absolutely incredible. I cherish every sweet moment we had together, it won’t be the same without him.”

His entire life was about caring for others. He cared about the world and the mission field. His wife Donna fell in love with him for his Pastor's heart and she has always told him that. She knew when she was in the fifth grade, that she was going to marry a Pastor. His whole life, he has been like a pastor and treated people like they were his own. He shepherded and took care of the people in his life, whether it was his students, colleagues, family, friends, or people who worked alongside him. He taught his daughters to love and trust in the Lord with all of their hearts. Chane was passionate about souls being won for the Lord. He told his daughters that no one is too far gone to come back to the Lord. If you would like to pray with someone to accept Christ into your heart as your Lord and Savior, email his daughter Marlene at mrs.marlene.bishop@gmail.com to discuss it further.

Chane died at age 60 on June 14th, 2022 of a ruptured aneurysm. Born in Akron, OH, he was survived by his wife: Donna Eplin; his five daughters: Marlene Bishop, Paige Eplin, Sophia Eplin, Raquel Eplin, Alessandra Eplin; his mother: Evelyn Eplin; his twin brother: Randal Eplin; his grandson: Isaiah Bishop; his sister-in-law: Lori Eplin; his nieces: Destyni Rivera, Lindsay Koprivica, Elise Hatton; his nephews: Grant Eplin and Jadon Eplin; and his son-in-law David Bishop.

The funeral will be at Freedom Church on June 18, 2022, at 2801 Thomasville Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32308. Visitation: 10 am, Service: 11 am. Online streaming information will be posted on Facebook later this week. Chane’s family would love to have you all join them in celebrating his wonderful, inspiring life.

There are times when depression is saying something and we must listen

“Why did You ask me to do this when You knew how hard it was going to be? Why did You allow these things to happen to me? Did You forget about me? I need Your help! Help me!” Tears spilled down my cheeks as I cried out to God. This was the moment I realized that I was not only depressed, I was very angry. I had my prayer journal open in my lap, my gel pen in my hand, and I was reading and praying through the book Depression: Looking Up from the Stubborn Darkness by Edward T. Welch. I wanted to discover the root of my depression. Why was I so despondent? Why had I lost my zeal for life? I had just read this powerful quote from the book: “We, too, are a cause of suffering. Our rage causes divorce and subsequent aloneness. Our stealing causes imprisonment. Our addictions destroy our relationships and our bodies. Don’t be surprised if you find things within yourself—fears, anger and selfish desires—lurking behind some depression. Anger, especially, is a notorious cause.”

I humbled myself and searched my heart while begging God to show me what ways my own choices, my rage, my fears, my anger, and my selfish desires could be helping to cause or worsen my depression.  One glaringly obvious cause was that I had moved over 5,000 miles (8 time zones) away and was dealing with culture shock, but I also wanted to see what part my own choices were playing in this struggle. I pondered this quote from the book: “It [depression] might be pointing to important matters of the heart that are crying out for attention. Ignore them and they will just call back later. There are times when depression is saying something and we must listen.” Through prayer we can

Pictured above is the powerful
book I have quoted here
by Edward T. Welch
Click for more info on this book
(I named this post after a
quote from this book)

ask God what He might be trying to teach us through what the depression is saying. It is the goal of the enemy to kill us, destroy us, to rip us to shreds and bombard us with anxiety, depression, fear, and rage to the point that we are crippled. But in Christ we can be overcomers! Let’s not forget the immense power of prayer and of praying Scripture verses in order to proactively find our way out of the darkness of depression. If you, like me, are struggling with depression, feel free to email me or comment below and I will pray for you. With God’s help we can arm ourselves because we can claim Isaiah 54:17 that says, “No weapon formed against you will prosper.”

Prayer for finding our way out of the darkness of depression:

God! I am struggling with anger about ________. Forgive me if I have stolen _________. If I have any addictions or idols of ____________, I surrender them to You and I ask for Your help! I have been battling fear about ____________, and I surrender these fears to You because I know I can trust You and that I don’t have to lean on my own understanding. I know there is purpose in my pain! I want to learn what You want to teach me Father! I don’t understand why this is happening or why You have allowed it, but my faith in You is unwavering! I know You don’t change like shifting shadows! I know Your name is Adonai and that I can depend on You! I know You are my Rock! When hard times come, I will keep on running to You! Where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD! The maker of heaven and earth! I will not be afraid! Thank you that even in times of drought and depression, my leaves will still stay green, I will go right on producing fruit because my trust is in You and not in myself.

Verses I've collected that are helping me fight depression:

Jeremiah 17:8-9

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the Lord his hope and confidence. He is like a tree planted along a riverbank, with its roots reaching deep into the water—a tree not bothered by the heat nor worried by long months of drought. Its leaves stay green, and it goes right on producing all its luscious fruit.

Psalms 94:18-19

When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
    your unfailing love, Lord, supported me.
   When anxiety was great within me,
    your consolation brought me joy.

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

Isaiah 54:17a

No weapon formed against you shall prosper.

1 Peter 5:6-11

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

John 10:9-11

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

Isaiah 60:1

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Isaiah 30:21

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
“This is the way, walk in it,”
Whenever you turn to the right hand

Or whenever you turn to the left.

Psalms 118:13-14

I was pushed back and about to fall,
    but the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.

Psalms 55:2; 55:22
  Hear me and answer me.
 My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught.
  Cast your cares on the Lord
  and he will sustain you;
  he will never let
  the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 30:5b
  Weeping may stay for the night,

    but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalms 34:4

 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.

Joshua 1:9

 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Hebrews 10:36

 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive   what is promised.

Colossians 1:11

 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.

If you would like to get in touch, feel free to private message me on Facebook or email me at mrs.marlene.bishop@gmail.com.  

Photo credit for image 1: Kevin Carden Photography

Photo credit for Psalms 118 image: Bible Verse Images 

God Gives us the Bold Discipline to Cast Out Fear and Live Free

I realized that because of my faith in God, I could let go of my fear, and that
in letting go of my fear, I could let go of the stronghold food had on my life. 

Have you ever been afraid of something?  Truly afraid?  Not just nervous, but terrified?  I grew up singing the Steve Green song “When I am afraid, I will trust in you, I will trust in you, I will trust in you. When I am afraid, I will trust in you, in God whose word I praise.” As a six-year-old I used to sing myself to sleep with that song when I was afraid from lightning storms brewing outside. 

As a sixteen year-old I began to fear other things.  I was afraid I would never be as thin as I wanted to be no matter how many diets I tried.  I became afraid that I was not lovable or beautiful enough.  By age 25 I weighed almost 300 pounds at five foot three inches tall.  I had begun a pattern of overeating as a way of dealing with my fear. After many nights of crying myself to sleep and many failed diets-finally, I had had enough!  I couldn’t live that way anymore! I began reading what God’s Word says about fear: “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.” -2 Timothy 1:7 (NET Bible) I began to believe this verse and pray with faith that I could change. I began to remind myself that I didn’t have to give in to fear, but that I could stop overeating by putting my trust in God.  I realized that because of my faith in God, I could let go of my fear, and that in letting go of my fear, I could let go of the stronghold food had on my life. 

We do not have to be a slave to our fear or to our out-of-control hunger because we have a Mighty, Powerful God who is always beside us as we pass through deep waters!  A God who knows us by name!  A God who redeems us from fear!  And He can redeem you from fear too if you will invite Him to! 

He is in the business of moving mountains, setting people free, and breaking chains!  Tell me the height, the depth of your fear, and I will tell you the limitlessness of my God!  He is so good!  He teaches us to turn to Him instead of turning to food or other counterfeit gods when we are anxious or afraid!  There is great power in these immutable words that I first discovered during my devotions and then read aloud at churches and nursing homes when on tour with my youth choir at age fourteen:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
  When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
  For I am the Lord your God…” -Isaiah 43:1b-3a (NIV)

The beauty lies in the truth that we do not have to depend on our own strengths, abilities, and perfect little diet plans in order to be successful- nope.  If that was the case, I could have never lost the 140+ pounds that God helped me to lose over the last two years.  God never calls us to a task without preparing and enabling us to accomplish it.  God Himself strengthens us as we ask Him to help us to turn our fears and worries into prayers instead of running to the kitchen (or TV binge-watching) for solace.  God empowers us by His Holy Spirit to do very hard things! 

He empowers us to strip away fear, and He gives us BOLD DISCIPLINE to step out in faith and say, “Lord, with Your power strengthening me, I will not live in fear anymore!  I will not turn to food or to ____ (you fill in the blank) when I am afraid!  Instead, I will turn to You, pour out my heart to You, and I will find the comfort and strength I need in order to overcome.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.” 

If you could relate to any of this, feel free to comment below with questions or thoughts on this topic.  Also, feel free to answer any or all of these questions:

What are your core fears?  What do you find yourself turning to for comfort when you are afraid?  For me, it used to be a big bowl of popcorn, but the Lord is continuing to work on me and show me a better way to deal with my anxieties. If food isn’t your “counterfeit god,” then what is?  What steps are you willing to take in order to let go of fear and allow God to handle the things you are afraid of? Also, do you have any advice from personal experience about overcoming fear and/or overcoming overeating in relation to dealing with fear and anxiety?  Join the conversation below.

If you would like to get in touch, feel free to private message me on Facebook or email me at mrs.marlene.bishop@gmail.com.  Thank you!

I Was Drowning in Obesity and Drinking More Water Helped Me Lose 145 Pounds

I have lost 145 pounds, and water intake has been a key factor in my weight loss and weight maintenance journey.  I drink half my body weight in ounces of water each day, and I recommend this as a good general guideline for most people. (For example, if someone weighed 200 pounds, I am recommending that they drink 100 ounces of water each day.)

     Many studies have shown the value of water in helping people to lose weight.  Here is one I'd like to highlight:     "Berlin's Franz-Volhard Clinical Research Center tracked energy expenditures among seven men and seven women who were healthy and not overweight... The researchers estimate that over the course of a year, a person who increases his water consumption by 1.5 liters a day would burn an extra 17,400 calories, for a weight loss of approximately five pounds. They note that up to 40% of the increase in calorie burning is caused by the body's attempt to heat the ingested water. The findings are reported in the December issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism." (Read more here: http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/news/20040105/drinking-water-may-speed-weight-loss)

     Since drinking enough water can help aid weight loss, here are some tips for drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water each day: I don't allow myself a lot of hot teas, iced teas, or other drinks until I've finished my water for the day. Other times I'll take a hot tea and my water and take sips back and forth while sitting on a blanket listening to a motivational audiobook- that way I'm relaxing and learning while getting my water intake in. Sometimes I put on a timer for 5 min and I have to sit down and sip water and tea until the timer goes off. I pretend it's like a break.

     Also, I use 2 huge water bottles and take them with me almost everywhere I go. If I'm running errands, I will make a specific goal about how much water I will need to have consumed by the time I arrive home.  For me, getting my water intake in is not an option- it is absolutely necessary.

      My cousin Lindsay who has always motivated me to be healthy taught me to put strawberries, blueberries, and mint leaves in my water.  I can't afford to do this often, but my water is delicious on those days. If you begin to feel hungry or snacky throughout the day, ask yourself whether you might actually be thirsty and not hungry.  On top of that, when I go out to eat, I add freshly squeezed lemon and stevia to my glass of water and I aim to drink the whole glass before I begin to eat.  Some of my friends mentioned that it's easier to drink more water since they bought a nice reusable water bottle, and it motivates them. I might try this idea.

     Please share your tips in the comment area about the strategies you employ for getting your water intake accomplished each day.  Water intake is very important, and is a key factor that has helped me to lose 145 pounds and maintain that weight loss.

If you would like to get in touch, feel free to private message me on Facebook or email me at mrs.marlene.bishop@gmail.com.  Thank you!

Reaching Your Goals and Drawing Close to God While Getting Healthy

Philippians 4:20: Now unto our God and Father
be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

This is my before and after picture after losing 145 pounds by God's grace.  I'm finding it easier to chase after the dreams God has put in my heart since I've reached my healthy BMI range. Anyone else who has a lot of weight to lose, please be encouraged, stay strict on your diet plan, and you can have great results! I lost 145 lbs in 19 months.  The end result is worth every single sacrifice- I promise!  

In the before picture I had just been crying  from how much I hated being obese, and I was battling depression, self-image issues, knee problems, back problems, stomach problems, and plantar fasciitis.  In the after picture I was just about to walk into my interview to become a licensed minister. I passed the interview and my license will arrive in the mail any time. I am so excited to have reached another of my goals by becoming a licensed minister.  Praise God. (I went to Global University in the program called the Berean School of the Bible if anyone has thought about going to Bible school online and is looking for an affordable, Biblical program.)  Since losing weight I am also working toward my dream of becoming an author by working on writing two books (one is a devotional about drawing close to God and the other is a book about my weight loss journey.)  Let's draw closer to God and chase after our goals today!  

This morning I received an email from a beautiful lady about the spiritual refinement and closeness with God she finds when honoring the Lord with her health, and she was kind enough to give me permission to share this quote from her email:  "I find myself so much more open to the spirit of God when I am honoring my physical body by eating right and am at a healthy weight.  And it is a striking difference.  I feel love, joy and peace much more abundantly and I praise God naturally.  I also feel more love for others. The only word that comes to mind when I try to describe it is a spiritual refinement - being more connected with my own spirit, and thereby God's."

I'm thankful for this sweet lady, and for her honesty. Isn't it true that it is easier to draw close to God and to reach our goals when we are making healthy choices for our bodies?  If you have found this to be true in your own life, please share about it in the comments or send me an email. 

What's your next big goal?  Feel free to share it in the comments or email  me about it at mrs.marlene.bishop@gmail.com.

Have You Been Deceived About Your Health?

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.

-1 Peter 5:8-9a

     Satan wants to deceive you about your battle with your health.  John 8:44 says that Satan is the father of lies.  He will lie to you about your body, about your diet, and about your health.  He is the master illusionist that causes us to think something is real when it is not.  The scale may say one thing, but we may believe we are bigger or smaller than we really are.  Satan delights in killing our body image so that we get stuck in a cycle of self-hate, self-loathing, and self-defeat.   Satan specializes in illusions that produce false or misleading impressions of reality.  

     Satan can cunningly make you think and believe you aren't really who God says that you are.  God says you are loved lavishly (1 John 3:1), that you are a child of God (Galatians 3:26), and that you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14).  Satan will try to convince you that you are ugly, fat, worthless, and shameful.  If you let your guard down, Satan will steal your grip on reality, kill your healthy self-image, and destroy your hope that you can change and make progress with your health.  His goal is that you would feel so hopeless and defeated that you would simply give up and eat however you want to eat without restraint.  He wants you to feel that you are stuck so deeply in a pit of despair that you will never get out.  On the other hand, God wants you to have life and life to the fullest!  Choose today that you will not stay in that pit!  Choose to put on the armor of God every day, and don't give in to spiritual apathy or defeat.

       If we become lax spiritually, the enemy will try to convince us that our bad habit of overeating is no big deal when in reality, it is whittling away at your very soul and possibly shortening your life expectancy.  He might even convince you that overeating isn't a sin at all since it doesn't hurt other people, but you won't find any Scripture to back that mindset.  Satan delights to deceive us into thinking that sins like sexual immorality or murder are really bad, but that it's not that big of a deal to give in to gluttony (overeating), idolatry (loving food more than we love God), or a lack of self-control or self-discipline in regards to health and eating.  This is why we need to take every thought captive and hold it up to the Word of God to discern whether it is from God and in alignment with His Word.

    Don’t underestimate the enemy’s ability to disguise himself and deceive you about the danger of overeating and putting food first before God.  Do not lean on your own understanding: do not trust yourself.  Don't believe Satan’s lies about you: instead, trust in God.  Walk in a manner worthy of your calling as you depend on God’s strength.  Ephesians 5:13 says, “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible.” Scriptural truth is your best way of defending yourself against the lies of the enemy about food addiction.  When you look at what God’s Word says about your health, you will learn to tell the difference between right and almost right.  Bind yourself in the Word of God by being determined to study and apply it to your life.  John 8:32 says that the truth will set you free!  Let's make the decision to take everything (such as stray thoughts or dieting decisions) before the truth of God’s Word before choosing to accept it as God’s truth.  For example, when you are tempted to binge eat cookies and ice cream like eating is a hobby, you hear God whisper that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), that we should walk in self-discipline in the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and that we should honor God with even the choices we make about what we eat and drink (1 Corinthians 10:31).     

     God has gone before you and planned good works for you to do, so be willing to ask God what He has prepared for you so that you can walk in it.  Truth is God’s opinion on any matter, and we need to learn His voice so that we are in touch with His will.  God’s Word is your compass that guides you on the right path for your health.  Remain in constant contact with the control tower if you want to ensure a safe landing by pledging your allegiance to God’s truth and praying for a holy courage to fight this weight loss battle in God’s strength, not by your own self-determination.

Breaking Free From Food Addiction:

Will I Ever Truly Break Free of My Food Addiction and Will I Ever Get To Eat My Favorite Foods Again?

“Now that I’m on this diet and making lots of progress, what does this mean for my relationship with food?  Will I ever get to eat my favorite foods again?  Will I ever get to a place where I am no longer mourning the loss of those unhealthy, processed junk foods that used to be connected with what felt like the best times of my life?  Will I be able to enjoy life even if I don’t ever eat those foods again- even in lifetime phase?”  These are the thoughts I have been pondering this week as I fight the mental battle of food addiction while stabilizing within last dose weight on Round 6 Phase 3 Day 30 of the HcG diet.  I want to get to a place where I don’t care so much about food.  Why is food so important to me?  I have made huge progress, but this is still something I am battling.  Sometimes it seems that I am tempted to plan my whole day around food.  I often find myself asking, “When will I get a break so I can eat something?  And what will I eat?  How can I arrange my day so that I get more food breaks?”  If I give into this tendency, my life revolves way too much around food.  Somehow, at some point in my life, I made the mistake of pairing unhealthy food (and unhealthy eating habits) with happiness and fun.  I paired food with relaxation and peace.  I paired food with special occasions and with holidays.  As counter-intuitive as it may sound, I also used food to medicate my depression about my obese-class-III-body.  After I began doing the HcG Diet, part of me went into mourning because I missed the comfort I was used to experiencing from food.  Will I ever get to a place where I no longer mourn the foods I used to eat on a daily basis?  I used to drown my tears (over my own body size) in a large plate of pizza rolls or a bag of chips, but the LORD is showing me a better way!  And I want to share it with you too!  We can be free from this food addiction!  We don’t have to give in to it any longer!  I am praying for each person who reads this that God would break the tower of lies that the enemy has built around you!  Receive the hope of the LORD over this struggle!  God is going to break in and bring you through this!  As you trust and surrender to God, you will be released from the hold that food has on you!  By the power of the Holy Spirit, you will be set free!  Your love of food doesn’t define you anymore!  Break free!  Break free in Jesus’ name!  Now when I am tempted to allow food to fill me in a way that only God can fill me, I distract myself.  I read a good book, call a friend, watch a TV show, spend time alone with God, put on worship music, go for a walk or jog, get on Facebook and look for someone to encourage, tackle a project, get involved in a church outreach, write a blog post, or spend time with family and friends.  I may not ever eat pizza rolls again, or maybe I will choose to eat them only once in a very great while and in tight moderation, but either way- my hope is in the LORD.  I don’t believe there will ever be a day that I no longer have to fight my love of food, but this thing I know: I serve a God who goes with me and fights my battles alongside me!  I am more than a conqueror in Him!  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!  I will not lose heart, for my God is for me!  In Him, we can overcome our love of food!  Let’s live victorious as we submit this area of our lives to the LORD, and trust Him to empower us.