When people hear that I have lost over 200 pounds, their first reaction is usually amazement. And I understand why, because that number sounds huge. But here is the truth: my story is not about a number, and my journey is not finished. Losing weight was never my real goal. My goal has always been health, freedom, and the ability to live fully present in the life God has given me.
So what did I actually learn along the way? A lot more than I expected, and very little of it had to do with food. This journey has been less about what I lost and more about what God has been teaching me.
Lessons Along the Way
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The Scale Does Not Define Success
There was a time when I believed that if I could just hit a certain number, I would finally feel whole. But the truth is, the scale only measures pounds. It does not measure peace, joy, or worth. Success is not in a number. It is in living fully as the person God created me to be.
“People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT)
The freedom I have found has come from letting God transform my heart, not from chasing a perfect body. -
Transformation Takes Surrender, Not Willpower
For years I thought I just needed more discipline. More diets, more rules, more control. But willpower only carried me so far before I fell back into the same patterns. The turning point came when I realized that what I needed was not more control but surrender.
Surrendering my struggles to God and asking Him to step into the places I could not fix is what made the difference.
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT)
It was in admitting my weakness that I discovered His strength. -
Healing Is Not About Arriving
I used to think there would be a finish line, a moment when I would arrive at freedom. What I have learned is that healing is not about reaching an endpoint. It is about walking daily with God, allowing Him to continue shaping and growing me.
I am still on this journey, still learning, and still being transformed. And that is okay.
“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” (Philippians 3:12 NLT)
Freedom is not about perfection. It is about pressing on with Him. -
My Body Is a Temple, Not a Trophy
Losing weight has never been about turning my body into a trophy to show off. It has been about learning how to take care of the body God entrusted to me so that I can live with energy, presence, and purpose.
“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT)
This shift has changed everything. My body is not a project to perfect. It is a temple to honor. -
Freedom Comes from Identity, Not Appearance
The biggest lesson of all is that freedom comes from knowing who I am in Christ, not what I see in the mirror. I am no longer defined by my past mistakes, my weight, or my reflection. I am defined by the truth that I am fully loved and set free in Him.
“So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” (John 8:36 NLT)
And that kind of freedom cannot be measured.
The Real Story
Yes, I have lost over 200 pounds, but that is not the headline of my story. The real story is about how God has restored my identity, renewed my mind, and continues to walk with me on this journey.
I do not share this to impress anyone. I share it to remind you that no matter how stuck you feel, freedom is possible. Not because of a number on a scale, but because of the God who makes all things new.
I am still on this journey, and maybe you are too. The good news is this: God meets us right where we are. And when He does, He leads us forward into freedom, one faithful step at a time.
