There were several catalysts for me losing weight (267.4 pounds)

Last night, Ruth and I watched the season finale for The Biggest Loser.  It was very sobering to watch that show knowing what God has done in my own body.  There were a lot of people on that show that have lost less than me, and some who have lost more than me.  It was interesting to hear what motivated these people to lose weight.  Some of the people lost weight for love, some for family, some for money and yet others were driven to lose weight by the iron will of their trainer.  I got to thinking, what drove me to lose weight?  I would submit to you that there were several catalysts for me losing weight and some of them were:

1.  In being morbidly obese, I was being blatantly defiant to God.  I was in essence telling God that my desires were more important to me than being in a right relationship with him.

2.  Being morbidly obese was prohibiting me from being where I am supposed to be.  God has called my family to be missionaries in Bangladesh.  If I would have gone to Bangladesh at 435 pounds, I would not be nearly as effective in my ministry as I will be able to be at a normal weight.

3.  My love for my family.  There is nothing on earth I love more than Ruth, Sarah and Alexis.  I want to do my best to grow old with my wife and be around as my children have children of their own.

4.  Encouragement from friends and family.

So, in the spirit of The Biggest Loser finale, I will give you my statistics to date.

Weight
1/31/2011     435.0 pounds
12/12/2011   267.4 pounds

Body Mass Index
1/31/2011       59.0%
12/12/2011     36.3%

Total percent of body weight loss = 38.5%

there is a God, and I am not Him. (268.8 pounds)

In the movie Rudy, the character that played Notre Dame President Father John J. Cavanaugh said "...in 35 years of religious study, I have only come up with two hard incontrovertible facts: there is a God, and I'm not Him."  Today, I am so very glad that this statement is true.  As many of you may recall, I was very distraught last week when I learned that the people that were going to rent my house fell through.   I have come to realize, however, that God's plans are better than my own.  There was a renter for my house that was a good qualified tenant, but they were not the right tenants for my home.  I am so happy to tell you that God brought another family to us who are interested in our home.  That is great news, but it gets even better!  God has brought us a family that not only really likes our home, but get this: they want to rent it for 2 years!!!  I will never get tired of witnessing God's mighty acts in answering prayer!