I recently had a talk with my brother, who like me struggles with his weight. We have for years bantered back and forth about the need for our weight loss and the desire to encourage one another. I want to welcome him here as a new writer who I hope will encourage me and I him in our desire to make our temples worthy of the father.  So in the coming days he will begin chronicling his journey toward a healthier weight, my prayer is that perhaps with a different medium of expression he and I can encourage each other to draw upon Gods grace and strength to begin the journey back to a healthier weight.

Weight is undoubtedly one of the biggest burdens in my life, for others it may be gambling, drugs, pornography  or alcohol.  But for me it is my weight, it drowns me in guilt due to my inability to stop cold turkey, and I have lost and gained the same pound hundreds of times throughout my life.  The weight watchers program is a good one and if you have the cash it is a pretty good start, but I fear it is not my solution.  At $40 a month it is not a car payment, but since my wife needs it as well at $80 it is noticible, and I unfortunantly know what needs to be done, yet I don’t always do it.

I have been heavy all my life and while in the military I routinely passed the pinch test at 220 lbs considerably heavier than my 6′ frame by Army standards would otherwise allow.  So I know I will never weigh 180 lbs unless I am not muscular as well, but my current traget goal is to break the 300 lbs barrier.  From there I will try and regain my svelt athletic 220 lbs form someday.  But for me today it is beginning with just today.  I will start by adding exercise back into my life and cut my portions in half from where they were.

Pray for me and my brother Steve, I know I want to build Gods temple into a stronghold that is healthy and allows me to be the witness I want to be in my walk toward my future with him.  I want to be able to do the athletic activities and see my son marry and grow a family.  If it is His will I go sooner, praise God, but please Lord give me the strength to not squander the time you do give me here.