"Phone-A-Friend"

I’m going to date myself here, but early in my marriage, we used to watch an evening game show called “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”. The contestants were asked questions, and with each correct answer, they earned more money in hopes of reaching the million. The more questions you got correct, the harder they got. If the question was too hard, or they found themselves doubting the answer, there was help. Fortunately, they could turn to one of three ‘lifelines’ for assistance, and more times than not they turned to the “phone-a-friend” option. If chosen, they could call a friend and ask them what the answer was.  

How often have you been faced with a moment in your day or week when you didn’t have the answer? Maybe you were sitting under the weight of overwhelm from circumstances beyond your control, needing to make a big decision, or your mind was wanting to do what you knew was the right thing but your spirit felt weak.

You have a Lifeline; you have direct access to the best “phone-a-friend" there is! 

When Jesus was on the cross, the sky grew dark, the earth shook and something incredible happened; the temple veil was torn in two (Matthew 27:51). This act of God the Father gave us complete and any time day or night access to enter the throne room and petition Him with our prayers. This is an incredible gift to us! Jesus made the way and now all we have to do is call on The Father. 

As you recover from your eating disorder, can I encourage you to allow God to be The Friend you choose to phone when you feel stumped with what comes next? Will you choose to call on Him when the temptation feels too great or you feel shame pointing its ugly finger at you?

There isn’t a right or wrong way to approach prayer in your recovery, but I will tell you one thing before sharing a few methods of praying that you can try this week. Increasing your time in prayer will bring a newfound intimacy to your relationship with Christ. The more you talk to Him, the more confident in Who He is and who you are in Him that you will become. Your trust will grow deeper as you learn to know His voice and feel safe in His presence.

Here are a few ways that you can start adding prayer to your days:

• Stillness & Solitude. This is personally my favorite way to connect with the Father, and most days I begin my day this way. It has taken practice to be able to sit in silence, yet when we learn to quiet the noise in our head and heart, we make room to be able to hear from Him and learn His voice.
• Breath Prayer. You can use this type of prayer throughout your day whether in-between meetings or waiting in the carpool line. I like to use it during the night when I can’t sleep and feel repetitive or anxious thoughts trying to take over. Simply choose a scripture, and as you inhale, say or think half of the scripture, then on the exhale, say or think the remaining part of the scripture.

Example-

Scripture: Be still and know that I am God. -Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Inhale: Father, I am still… Exhale: help me trust that You are God.

• Following an acronym like A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) to guide you through your prayer time. This can help you remain focused as you pray. (This will be the format for the Eating Disorders Day of Prayer this coming Wednesday, February 28th.)
• Liturgical Readings and Scripture. Yes, you can use a book to guide your prayers, and it isn’t cheating! There are so many beautiful prayers from the Christian faith that have been penned over the years. I personally love the compilation of prayers found in Every Moment Holy, Vol 1 by Douglas Mckelvey.
• Let’s not forget that the Bible is full of prayers! We have written prayers from Jesus Himself and many others that we can read aloud and use to converse with the Father. Some great scripture prayers are: Psalm 23, Psalm 42 & 43, 2 Chronicles 20:6-12, Matthew 6: 9-13, and Ephesians 1:15-22.
• Prayer Walking. There are many ways you can do this type of prayer but I will just highlight going for a slow walk without earbuds so you can hear nature and reflect with God. This may involve you talking to Him or just being silent and listening to the Holy Spirit but don’t discount the presence of God as you walk in His creation.
• Prayer groups. A prayer group or community can bring you hope through others who may be going through similar experiences and challenges. FINDINGbalance offers Prayers for Freedom groups and a Loved Ones group, sign up for the waitlist.

Go pick up the phone and call Him today! He’s waiting to hear what’s on your heart. 

- Sarah Joy Smith

Founder of JoyFullyFit + Free. Co-Creator of Holy & Whole Women’s Conference. Certified Revelation Wellness® Fitness Instructor. Boy Mom. Sunshine Lover. Mentor. Overcomer.

FINDINGbalance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing non-clinical support and encouragement to those battling food issues. The contents of this blog article, including any attachments, are for educational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe a particular course of action. If you or someone you care about is battling an eating disorder, please seek care from a licensed professional. If you are in crisis and need immediate support, please call, text, or chat 988 to speak with someone at the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7.

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