I hope that summer 2012 was a great one for you and that you all were able to cherish moments spent with family and friends.
Travis and I had a very busy summer visiting with family, going to friends’ weddings and with work. Also a very special thing happened on August 30th when my sister Yolanda gave birth to a beautiful girl named Kiara. 😀 She is such a sweet and content little thing and it has been so much fun being able to cuddle her.
Though things slowed down a bit for me in the summer there were still girls who wanted to meet and who were going through really hard times. In one situation I had to intervene and get a girl I meet with medical help so she could fight a very bad eating disorder she is going through. It was hard to watch someone lose so much weight in such a short period of time and to know that others had no clue how she was really losing all this weight. Recently I read an article of why you should not praise someone for losing weight. This is part of the article.
“Sometimes — and perhaps more often than we realize — weight loss indicates an eating disorder and/or an unhealthy body image. Complimenting someone whose weight loss results from one of these diseases only adds fuel to the fire. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, ten million women and one million men are living with anorexia and/or bulimia. And it is likely that millions more are living with one of these disorders in secret, since illnesses related to food, especially bulimia, lend themselves to very secretive behavior. So when we actively and publicly praise someone for his or her weight loss (especially young women/girls), are we praising someone for a healthy and balanced approach to living or someone who is facing a critical, mental health crisis? Are we mistakenly encouraging someone to continue a process that has allowed them to lose weight, a process that will, if gone unchecked, lead to their death?”
I totally get it because I have seen this first hand. As the article also points out usually people do it with the best of intentions but it’s true we need to be careful in what we say. I would really appreciate it if you pray for this specific girl and pray that she will continue to want the professional help she is getting.
Speaking opportunities have also continued to come up. Recently I was contacted by someone who heard me speak at MissionFest and wanted me to speak in Toronto this fall at a women’s conference. It is a great opportunity however I wanted to let you all know that as of September 25th I will be going on maternity leave for a year. I plan to continue to meet girls when I can but I know life will be very different once our baby arrives. I will not be able to be as flexible in meeting girls and instead of me picking them up from school or their home they will have to come to my place more. Life will be different and I do realize that. I am sure it will be hard at times for me to put boundaries in place but at the same time I am so excited to meet my little baby and for this next chapter of mine and Travis’ life.
Please pray for me this month as I finish things up before I go on maternity leave. Also I would ask you to pray for my last month and a half left of pregnancy. 🙂 It is crazy to think I only have a short time left and soon will have that precious baby that has been wiggling inside of me and kicking me in my arms. I know many of you will be curious to hear about the baby so I do promise to send you an update with pictures as soon as I can.
Thank you once again to all who have supported me either financially or through prayer. It means so much to me that you have believed in me and what I am doing! Please continue to update me on your lives while I am on maternity leave and let me know if there is anything I can pray for.
Much love to you all!!!!