Shirley's Desert Testimony
July 27, 1998
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I don't often post any really personal stuff on the Weigh Down Workshop Encouragement Board cause frankly I'm really not very good at expressing what I would really want to say and others usually step in and do a very good job of it anyway. It's amazing how often someone posts just what I'm thinking!
With the Lords help I will attempt to write what is on my heart. Here goes:
WDW is not a miracle cure. The scripture is not Gwen. God is all in all. God chose to use Gwen in all her humanity and the Weigh Down Workshop program she founded to make Himself more apparent to me.
Why would I want to lose weight? Should I just get busy and that will take care of the problem? NO!!!
I have lost 50 or so pounds in the last six months. I'm not sure of exactly how much because I don't weigh myself often. Could be more, I know from experience that it is at least that much. My clothes are looser. I'm feeling so much better, I have less pain.
I'm 45 years old. I have always been 'fat'. I have also always been busy. I have been a volunteer at public schools and home school co-ops. I have had kids clubs complete with all the field trips. I worked with children in the Honolulu City Salt Lake District Park Community Center, teaching sports and games amoung other things. I camped, swam, hiked, etc. . I have had two Girl Scout troops to keep up with at the same time and more. I was a leader for 5 years. I even marched in a G.S. parade that went further then the distance of Waikiki in Honolulu, while weighing in at about 425 lbs.! I was an Awana leader. I 'tried' to eat healthily. I kept on keepin' on. I refused to let the world's opinion or my weight keep me from having a full and active life.
I continued to gain weight. Until last summer I was busy and I was active and I weighed in at 511 lbs. One day I just could not get around any more. I could hardly get from one side of the room to the other. The pain became too much and my back finally gave out. I have all sorts of health problems (and have had for years). Immune problems, allergies, sinus infections and pain, headaches, arthritis, sciatica, back problems, numerous muscle aches and pains, congestive heart and lung problems and high blood pressure. My back finally said no more!
I have been on a lot of diets before but could not stay on them. I spent a lot of money on vitamins, diets, special formulas, and on and on. I ALWAYS wanted them to work. I worked at them. I became an expert at exchanges, calories, vitamins, herbs, and exercise regimes. I saw licensed dieticians (more then one). I signed on to be a distributor of more than six different 'miracle' cures. They failed.
The last diet I tried (from a doctor) was in August '97 and it was very hard. I went hungry. I was never satisfied. I lost 12 lbs. and then I gave up and gained at least 30 more over the winter.
At the end of Jan., 1998 I picked up the WDW book. It was amazing! I shared my book with a neighbor. We both started on the program. At the end of February my husband and I presented it to our church leadership and we started as rookie participants and co-ordinators at our church on May 1998.
The class lost more than 100 lbs all together. We don't know what the exact amount is because that has not been the focus.
We (our WDW group) PRAISE GOD for these three things: We have just finished our first session with a total weight loss of more than 100 lbs. as a group, we are learning to be in submission in many other areas as well and many have committed to continue into the next session.
Personally I know that I have lost at least 50 lbs. I am able to get around much more these days. God wanted this for me and he gave it to me! What a blessing it is to be able to do things for myself again and serve guests in my home, actually waiting on them myself!
