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 Updated: 10/23/2006 |
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Puyallup, WA
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Something was missing...
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My name is Terri Fink. Over the past 27 years, I have been in and out of various church denominations such as Presbyterian, Assembly of God, Four Square, etc. Just to name a few.
Through those years my weight kept getting worse. I went through a divorce, and remarried, only to find out that married life the second time around was no different from the first, even though this time I married my high school sweetheart.
My husband and I found ourselves changing churches every 3-5 years. We felt something was missing, although we weren't even sure what IT was. We tried everything: Christian self-help books, seminars, conferences, etc.
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Faith Healing & Prosperity Teaching
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We overloaded ourselves with faith, healing & prosperity teaching. I can remember driving our 1978 Plymouth Arrow confessing: "Prosperity! Prosperity!" But it didn't work for us.
Our marriage was failing. My husband and I had separated several times over our 11 year marriage. We went to counselor after counselor. I went on diet after diet. Dr. Aitkin's, Herbalife, Diet pills, laxatives, diuretics, Aids Candies, Optifast, starvation, bulimia; the list is endless. Nothing helped. If it did, it was only a quick, temporary fix.
Nothing changed, our lives just got worse.
In 1995, I heard of The Weigh Down Worship and took a Rise Above/Exodus Out of Egypt class at a neighboring church. I was thrilled to loose 35 lbs. in that 12 week time. But I didn't get the heart of the message. To me, it was just another 'program'.
I coordinated a class at the church we were attending at the time and lost another 20 lbs. The class was successful, with several women loosing weight and being set free from their bondage.
Unfortunately my heart wasn't where it should have been. I had bigger aspirations of Women's Ministry. I spoke with the woman who headed up the Women's Ministry in our church and shared my thoughts & desires with her. She pleaded with me to stay with Weigh Down & keep coordinating the class. It was a much needed part of the ministry & that I'd inspired so many women, including herself. I was greedy and discontent. I wanted MORE. My response was to quit. And not long after that, we left that church.
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Downward Spiral
Needless to say, quitting was a big mistake. It meant another long trip around the mountain for both myself and my family. I went back to Egypt, my love of food & self. As a result, I gained all the weight back, plus more. My marriage and family continued to unravel and fall apart, along with our finances.
We soon planted ourselves in yet another new church. There was a woman there who coordinated Weigh Down classes. I made a very half hearted attempt at returning to the class, but dropped out half way through it.
In May of 2001, my husband was in a car accident , which continued into a downward spiral back into drugs & alcohol, after having been clean & sober for over 10 years. These events were also the final nails in the coffin of a dead marriage that was just waiting for burial. In July 2001, my husband moved out for the last time. In September 2001 we finalized a legal separation. My husband did eventually move back in, only because other living arrangements kept falling through and he had nowhere else to go. We agreed to be room mates, at best.
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I had to decide WHO I belonged to.
Sometime in October or November 2001, I had an experience that I'll never forget. I was shopping at the local grocery store. Walking down the frozen food section God started speaking to me in such a way He'd never done before. He was calling me to make a choice. And I had to decide WHO I belonged to. Specific scriptures flooded my mind.
John 8:37-47 "'I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.' 'Abraham is our father,' they answered. 'If you were Abraham's children,' said Jesus, 'then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does.' ' We are not illegitimate children,' they protested. 'The only Father we have is God himself.'
Jesus said to them,' If God were your father you would love me, for I came from God and am now here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.' "
Gal 5:1-2 " Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
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WHO was I imitating?
WHO was I imitating? For 27 years I'd called myself "Christian", but anyone who looked at my life would have seen no difference from anyone else in the world who didn't claim to be a "Christian". I remember God flat out told me, "You are acting like your father THE DEVIL. CHOOSE WHO YOU BELONG TO."
I was pretty shook up by the time I got home. I cried. I knew what He'd said was true. But I didn't understand what I needed to do. And soon it was life as usual. But as the months went by, once again, after 5 years in the church we were in, the restlessness & searching grew more & more. That nagging, empty, something's not right here, feeling kept getting worse.
In May 2002 I was approached by the WD coordinator about leading an EOOE class at our church. She had many people interested in EOOE and she was already doing Weigh Down Advanced. Her schedule would not accommodate another class. At the time my schedule was just as packed as hers. But I prayed and asked God, if He wanted me to do this, that He would make a way. Within a week a recovery meeting that my husband and I had been heavily involved in at the church on Friday nights, totally fell apart and closed down. There was the opening for the class. We started the class the first week of June 2002. I was at my highest weight of 278 lbs. The first week I lost 9 lbs., but gained it all back over the next 2 weeks, then was stuck where I'd started.
I was ashamed and embarrassed. I was leading this class and being a horrible example to the other participants. In desperation I called the other coordinator and explained my dilemma. I remember telling her I needed " a kick in the pants or something". She lent me the first video of the Weigh Down Advanced Series.
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The truth pierced my heart.
The day I watched the WDA video, the truth of the words that Gwen spoke pierced my heart like a sword. I fell on my face and repented of being 'god' in my life & other people's lives. And of wearing the pants in my relationship with Him.
My heart did an about-face. After years of ruling my husband and belittling him as a man, I immediately set out to respect and honor him. And submit to him completely.
Amazingly, all the anger I'd had toward him evaporated. It was gone. And a new love began to grow in my heart for him. Within a week of my committing my heart to total obedience to God, my husband wanted to find out more. He was moved by the changes he saw in me. He too, watched the first video of WDA and fell on his face in repentance. Our lives haven't been the same since.
There were so many changes that happened very quickly. Our house became peaceful. My husband and I no longer argued. There was no more yelling at our kids. They were starting to change and become obedient. Our children have been responding to the Truth of God's Word and are becoming young people who honor and obey God and us, their parents. We took our oldest son off of 6 different medications for ADHD. One of the side effects of the meds was a loss of appetite. He's gained 9 much needed pounds, and is holding steady as he obeys God's signals for hunger and fullness.
It is quite a switch from nagging our children to clean up their room, to having them respond, "Yes Mom/Dad." and complete a task the first time we give them instructions. Then have them come and ask, " Mom/Dad, is there anything I can do for you or help you with?"
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His Temple!
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The weight started coming off my body - HIS Temple. There was such a drastic change in my heart. The nagging emptiness was filling up, and I was HAPPY. I couldn't keep my mouth shut about what God was doing in our lives. I'd share these experiences with the women in the EOOE class. I'd see their eyes light up & they'd lean forward with renewed interest. They'd call me up during the week & tell me how stirred they were in their hearts.
Then one day in either late June or early July 2002, I got a call from the other coordinator. Someone had gone to someone else, who went to someone else, etc. on down the line until it reached our pastor. There were accusations made that I had criticized our pastor and the church. And that I was trying to get people to leave the church. None of which was true. I was told our pastor wanted to speak to me. To hear my side of the story, before he'd believe any accusations. I called him and just testified again to the things that God was doing in our lives. He quickly concluded I was spreading 'legalism'. I told him & respected him, his position and opinion. I was 'let go' from leading the Exodus Out of Egypt class. And we left that church.
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I Owe Him Everything!
The beginning of July 2002 our family joined Remnant Fellowship. God blessed my husband and I with a 'honeymoon'. He allowed us to attend Remnant Weekend in August 2002. It was the first time we'd been away alone, in our 11 years of marriage. From July through October 2002 my husband has lost 24 lbs. God has taken off 79 lbs from me (His Temple) so far. He's given us a new marriage, His Way. Bringing healing to EVERY area of our marriage. It's the best it's ever been. God's also healed me of years of colon problems and He's healed my thyroid. God is SO GOOD. His abundant blessings are imprinted everywhere in our lives. God has blessed our obedience to Him. What He's given us in return is so much more than we deserve. The very least I can do is give Him my whole heart, mind , soul & strength through obeying His commands. I OWE HIM EVERYTHING. I praise Him that He never gave up on me. Sometimes I lay in bed & think, "Who is this awesome, incredible God? That He would look down at the little ole Fink Family in Puyallup, WA and say, 'You... You will be MY people.'" I can't comprehend such a wonder. I could spend the rest of my life wondering why He would do such a thing, as to allow us this great privilege to KNOW Him in this way. But it would be better to live a life before Him that says, "I don't know why; but I thank you and praise you, that you did!"
All praise and Glory be to My God Almighty!
Terri Fink
RF-Puyallup, WA
Attached are two before pictures and a "so far" one ; )
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Terri Fink 
