Jon Stanton

My girlfriend forwarded me the "dictionary.com" word of the day today. For those of you who are not aware, I'm a bit of "wordsmith," meaning I enjoy discovering words and adding them to my vocabulary. Today's word was especially appropriate:

REDIVIVUS - an adjective, meaning "living again, brought back to life, revived, restored."

Wow - what an appropriate word to add to my vocabulary, because it's really a description of what I think and feel about my life. At 430 pounds, I was nearly dead. Today, Jon is VERY redivivus - and loving every minute of it!

I want to encourage those of you who struggle with obesity to not lose heart. Have faith in yourself and have faith in God. The longer I enjoy my new lifestyle, the more convinced I am that God does not intend for us to live unhealthy, unhappy lives. God is ALL ABOUT "REDIVIVUS!" Throughout the Bible, this principle of restoration is evident again and again.

Having faith in yourself is also important too, though. For years, I convinced myself that I was destined to be fat, miserable and unhappy. I sought comfort in food. I battled fear, anxiety, pain, self-loathing, and all sorts of other emotional garbage. At the end of the day, I would tell myself God must really hate me for making me be this way. I had no faith whatsoever in my ability to conquer obesity, or in His desire to set me free from that bondage in my life.

So, here's a principle to latch on to right away...YOU CAN DO IT!!! I am absolute, LIVING PROOF, that if you set your mind to reaching your health, fitness or weight-loss goals - YOU CAN DO IT! Have faith in yourself, have faith in God! I have faith in you, and so do all the people who love you. Choose to become a "redivivus individual" and experience the fullness of life you deserve!