Why Vegan?
Why Jesus?
Here is my attempt to explain what I believe my mission, purpose and story is.
Here is my life story: About living Uncomfortable.
There are a lot of things that made me uncomfortable through the years…mostly: my body, my relationship with food, my relationships with men, my future and my insecurities. Let me start off with the negative uncomfortable:
At 12 years old I began my first diet, I noticed my body was different than my friends.
At 13 I stopped eating meat to lose weight…that lasted about 6 months,t was too tough because I hated fruits and veggies too.
At 14 I gave my life to Christ through peer pressure.
At 15 I felt depressed and I didn’t know why.
At 16 I began binging and purging after feeling guilty about eating too much or “bad food”.
At 17 I began to become frozen in fear about my future, contemplated suicide.
At 18 I went to college and felt lost.
By 19 I was a certified binge drinker.
At 20 I was devastated by a failed, long term relationship, began losing weight to feel some control and subsequently my relationships with men after this point in my life became ill and selfishly guarded even at an unhappy size 8. Lost 40lbs for the first time.
At 21 I continued the bulimia- more for control- to combat guilt– I even failed at that..It seemed like overnight when my size 12 body came back.
At 22 I was out of college and being rejected by grad schools. So depressed about my unsure future I couldn’t get out of bed and my size 14 body was nearing 185 lbs. Decide to go serve others in Katrina relief because I didn’t know what to do clean up my life. Met a man who had nothing because of the hurricane yet had everything in Jesus.
At 23, I was working at a Christian weight loss business, became obsessed with working out hours a day and eating nothing… but learning more about this Jesus I had almost known before. I began running for the wrong reasons but began running to God’s truth.
At 23.5 I recommitted my life to Christ, peace became more real and I began learning about who I was created by, and His affections for me.
At 24 I began to become tired of the bulimia secret, it was wearing me down and killing my relationships even though that size 6, 149lb almost felt awesome. Lost 36 pounds for the second time.
At 24.5 I quit the shame, I ate whatever whenever and chilled with the excessive exercise. I felt normal, almost too carefree.
At 25 weight began creeping on again, financial pressure rose and God continued to comfort me by bringing me more Christian friends. Though I felt loved I hated that I gained back 25 pounds from my carelessness.
At 26 I tried to lose the weight again by re-acclaiming my obsession with exercise and food– but my stressful $$ and job situation prevented success. I cried out to God for help and direction of my future and He taught me how to trust Him. I gained another 15 pounds.
At 27 at my highest weight ever, nearing 200 lbs, I began researching, cooking healthier, socializing with friends differently, learning about real nutrition, building a healthy relationship with food and exercise, and experienced Gods love and provision in a supernatural way. The weight began to slowly come off with no real conscious effort on my part.
At 28 I gave up meat for a fast and decided to continue it, diving into researching why my body felt so amazing with out it meat. I am now vegan. The weight is still off, I am maintaining for the first time ever. I am a happy size 8. I am going to stay here, I have finally learned the secrets to maintaining my weight. My body isn’t perfect, but I serve a God who is, and He loves me just the same. Now its time to continue to improve this physical and spiritual health. To draw closer to God and live more like Jesus. Loving others out of the overflow. I no longer feel empty. I will continue to fill my body with honest nutrition, God’s word and self-love.
It has been an uncomfortable journey.
From sick to well.
From here to goal.
From empty to whole.
Likewise, to the above challenges and victories…I now beckon into a new type of Uncomfortable. As the storm settles, how do I live a life that NEVER settles.. how do I continue to live in the uncomfortable, but in a good way? In a constant growth way?
HERE’S HOW I AM LIVING UNCOMFORTABLE:
For me, after all of the research, now knowing that “Vegan” is the place where the healthiest relationship between food and human exist…AND Knowing with out a doubt that Jesus died for me so… I should lay down my WHOLE life and agenda for Him…
is an uncomfortable journey that is very challenging.
It was easy to say Yes to Jesus years ago… but its a challenge to walk faithfully in His will when sin is so shiny and temporarily satisfying .
Giving up meat forever and ever and eating plant based. Sounds crazy right!? But Its my mission… to learn how eat and cook healthier.
Its not easy but this is part of my journey, this is my mission for now.
Would you agree that its hard to love like Jesus?!
It’s uncomfortable to eat differently than everyone else?!
It’s so much more comfortable to just go with the flow with the:
sinful,
prideful,
unsatisfied,
unhealthy,
selfish,
gluttonous
and other unconscious on-goings of American society.
Is this really “freedom,” America?? Are you really free? Or are you tied to your bad habits and sin because its all you know? I’d like to change that.
I THINK YOU DESERVE MORE!
Now, I know your story may not be as dramatic as mine. But I know you may struggle with living in the uncomfortable. Maybe feeling stuck, watching life go by so fast, no real joy, no real peace or feeling like you are not worthy of greater things or opportunities. Being sick or feeling ill with disease that is 95% preventable. You may be seeking a comfortable life. Looking for security. A place to feel safe. Seeking comfort in things, in food, money or in relationships. I urge you to re-think this goal and way of life. To challenge yourself to live uncomfortably.
To love a stranger until it feels awkward.
Give away things or money until it feels like its just not possible to give anymore.
To admire yourself in the mirror until you see yourself as beautiful.
Be picky about what you feed yourself. Avoid foods that fuel cancer. Learn about what foods reverse disease, or prevent it until your friends can’t stand to go out to eat with you anymore because you are too picky. Don’t assimilate.. eat differently to feel differently.
Be picky about what you feed your soul. What music is pouring into your spirit? Who are you allowing to mentor and lead your Christian journey? Question their doctrine until its weird.
Pray for strangers you meet when provoked by the Holy Spirit. That is surly uncomfortable eh?
Would I like it if you were vegan or followed Jesus.. sure… but I would rather you commit to consuming more knowledge, not as many calories and make changes based on what you learn. Stop living on auto-pilot.
If you could take anything away from my ramblings and story…. take my mantra:
“Live to be uncomfortable. Do things that scare you. Seek TRUTH. Question everything. Learn from your past but don’t let it define your future. Be conscious about how you treat others and how you feed your body and soul. Celebrate often. Criticize never. Surrender your insecurities for a higher calling. Find out your mission and go after it with all that you have. Learn new things and then share them. Love yourself, love strangers and love the Lord with your entire heart.”
Thank you for being a part of my journey and my mission.
With my blog and hopefully my legacy, I encourage you to live UNCOMFORTABLE.
To step forward in health and faith.
I am here to share my journey with you in hopes that you will not feel alone, that you would have support and have resources to help you live a better, fuller, healthier life.
I am no smelly hippie weirdo nuts & berries vegan, a protestor about animal rights, a perfect Christian or beautiful supermodel. I am a human. I am a sinner. AND I just want the same things in life that you do: joy, peace and health.
To Your Health & To His Glory,
-Melissa
