Christian Eating Disorder Recovery

Christian Recovery

Find an Eating Disorder Prayer and The Serenity Prayer

Read about coming into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

and about finding your identity In Christ

Find a poem and verses about coming back to the Lord

Read Psalms to find hope, comfort and strength in your eating disorder recovery

If you are interested in Christian Eating Disorder Recovery, this is the page for you. Even if you feel unsure about Christian eating disorder recovery, feel free to read further.

As you consider your spirit in relation to your eating disorder struggle, you may want to read Psalm 139 below. This beautiful passage describes who we are in the sight of our Creator. As you read it, insert your own name where the words I, me or my appear. Let these words fill your mind and filter through to your heart.

If you are unsure where you are or where you want to be spiritually, I welcome you to read a bit about how I began My Life with the Lord.

Scroll down to read the Serenity Prayer. In addition, find a link to a website which explains the Serenity Prayer and also has other prayers.

Scroll down to read an Eating Disorder Prayer.

Scroll down to read words of encouragement about Coming Back to the Lord as well as a poem entitled When You Came Back to Me. You will find links to verses about the parable of the prodigal son and a video about this parable.

Identity is an issue that those with eating disorders commonly need to address. Read my article, Identity in Christ, if you're interested in learning to see yourself through God's eyes. For verses regarding your identity in Christ, see the Freedom in Christ Ministries website, and you may also want to watch this Identity in Christ video or listen to the song, Who Am I by Casting Crowns and He Knows My Name by Tommy Walker.

At the bottom of this page, find links to Psalms to encourage you in your eating disorder recovery.

To feed your spirit through reading and listening to messages based on God's Word, check out Sermons and Resources by Pastor David Holt.

Check back as I will add to this page in the future.

My Life with the Lord

Perhaps you’ve been thinking about God and wondering if you would like to pursue a personal relationship with Him. If this is something you’d like to learn more about, please continue reading.

When I was a teenager, I became concerned about the fate of my soul. I knew that I sinned on a regular basis and that I wasn’t on my way to heaven, but would go to hell if I died. At one point, I heard a verse that told me it wasn’t even possible to earn a heavenly home. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph. 2:8-9

I’d heard that Christ died on the cross for us and over time I learned this meant He did this in order that we may receive forgiveness for our sins. This avenue of forgiveness made an eternity in heaven a possibility for us. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 6:23

I asked God for forgiveness of my sins and for Him to save my soul. In doing so, I also accepted His gift of eternal life in heaven. “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved…For, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Rom. 10:9-10, 13

If you wish, you may say the following prayer to begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and ask You to forgive me for my sins. Please save my soul. Thank You for dying on the cross for me and for giving me eternal life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I’ve never regretted asking the Lord to save my soul. I find comfort in knowing He’s my best friend, that He loves me with an unconditional, everlasting love, and that He will never leave my side. Furthermore, He is my source of strength. It was only through Him that I was able to break free of anorexia and this wonderful freedom gives me joy, peace and hope.

Perhaps you aren't sure if you're ready to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. If this is the case, I invite you to read Unsure about Becoming a Follower of Christ?

Psalm 139

“O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.

You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139 with blanks where you can place your name

I have placed longer blanks where you may insert your name and shorter blanks where you may place appropriate pronouns.

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen.

By Reinhold Niebuhr

All About Prayer

Eating Disorder Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

I want to be free of my eating disorder. It’s difficult for me to ask for help, but I’m asking You now. I can’t do this alone. I’m asking You to lead my freedom journey.

When I reach for a destructive behavior, please redirect my hand.

When I’m tired of fighting, please strengthen me.

When I hurt, please hold me in Your arms.

When I look in the mirror, please help me to see myself through Your eyes.

When I’m afraid, please calm my spirit.

When I doubt, please remind me to focus on the promises in Your Word.

Lord, I know You want the best for me and I trust You to lead me to freedom.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Coming Back to the Lord

Perhaps you entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in the past, but for some reason you are not as close to Him as you once were. You may have even walked away from Him. You might now wonder if He would take you back or if you dare to ask for His help with your eating disorder. I was once in this situation myself. I walked away from God, but He took me back. My poem below describes this experience.

If you have walked away from God or if you are not feeling as close to Him as you would like, it does not have to stay that way. I want to assure you that, if in your heart you want to be close to Him again, He knows that. Talk to Him – tell Him how you feel and reconcile with Him. Remember that He has never stopped loving you. Perhaps you would like to read Luke 15:11-24 to encourage you to take that first step back to Him. You may also want to hear the song, When God Ran by Phillips, Craig and Dean. Find a link to the video below.

When You Came Back To Me

I watched you walk away,

But tried to help you see

That I still loved you so.

You turned your back on Me.

I kept on trying, though;

Would not give up on you.

I hurt so much inside

And knew that you hurt, too.

In time, you closer came,

Could see it in your heart.

Had been so hard on you