We Did It!

MY STORY:   (Female, age 46)

 

In recent months, I have found myself in the midst of an incredible journey of healing and restoration . . . spiritually, physically, and emotionally.  The irony is not lost in the truth that God has used disease in my life—the disease of addiction—as a means to lead me into a personal relationship with Him and to bring about healing on many levels. 

For many years, I struggled with the consequences of a poor lifestyle—depression and anxiety, weight issues, an addiction to nicotine—to name a few.  Most paramount was my dependence and abuse of alcohol as a means to cope—a problem I managed to stay in denial about until last December 2007 when I could no longer ignore that alcohol was consuming my life.  As the saying goes, I was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

 

Once I turned my addiction over to the Lord and became involved in a Christ-centered 12-step recovery program, He ran to greet me like a prodigal daughter and is leading me on this journey I could never have imagined or planned for myself.  While spending time in the Scriptures each day, searching for God’s will and purpose for me, the Holy Spirit kept showing me that my body is His temple and I am responsible for taking the best possible care of it.  It belongs to God and not to me.  Soon, through a series of what I like to call “divine appointments,” I found myself in Dr. Benoit's office not exactly sure what I was looking for other than improved health.  Asking her opinion about a three-day detox  I had purchased from a national health food chain, Dr. Benoit enthusiastically recommended I see Celeste and go through her 21-day detox.  I still really had no clue what I was in for, but I was willing.  Willing to do whatever it took to cleanse my body from the years of damaging habits I had subjected it to.  Although by this time, I had been sober for several months, I still clung to the cigarettes and reasoned that I would be better able to quit along with a detox program.  Why would I want to deliberately continue putting toxins in my body when I was working so hard to be rid of them?

 

I was thrilled when I realized Celeste’s program is totally founded in the truth of God’s word and that her definition of detox does not stop with the body.  Toxic relationships and attitudes must be cleansed from our lives along with the toxic food and substances.  What a perfect partner to my 12-step program!  I have experienced so much more than I bargained for by making a lifestyle change with Celeste’s “Give Your Body a Break” program.  I can honestly say I’ve never felt this good in my entire life.  I have much more energy and mental clarity during the day and rest soundly and peacefully each night.  A complete turnaround from just a few months ago when I would lie down at night secretly hoping I wouldn’t have to wake up in the morning.  God truly used Celeste to help work a miracle in my life.  Another fun side benefit is that before I got sober, I had finally resigned myself to being a size 12-14.  After all, here I am in my mid-40’s, what should I expect?  At the end of my detox, I had to do a serious purge in my closet and go out and buy new clothes that would stay up . . . size 6!!! 

 

Although the smokes were harder to put down than I imagined, I appreciated Celeste’s patience (no condemnation!) and her practical and do-able tips for cutting down each week as part of my homework.  They really helped and I continue to use the tools she taught me.  My personal favorite to stop smoking in the car is to memorize scripture instead of lighting up.  So in the mornings, I began to write down in a special small notebook the scriptures that spoke to my heart and then carry them with me in the car throughout the day.  If it’s a stay-home day, I keep the notebook in the house and refer to it during the times that used to be my smoke breaks.  Although I’m now smoke-free, that’s a habit I enjoy and want to keep.  I’m learning more and more that if you want to break a bad habit, you need to replace it with a good one.  Don’t just leave an empty space where you removed the thing that no longer serves you.  That includes thoughts . . . I read somewhere that it takes four positive thoughts to counteract each negative thought!  And Scripture reminds us we are to be “transformed by the renewing of our minds.”

 

My life verse is Romans 8:28:  “And we KNOW that God works ALL THINGS for good for them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.”  I am living proof of that verse as He has turned the most miserable times of my life into joy.  To Him be all the praise and glory!

 

 

 

 

I'm so excited, my husband has been eating whatever I eat and he has lost over 20 lbs!  He feels great!