You could then compare it with my "Current Weight" number, 363, and think -- wow! That's a big change!

Well, yes, it is, but there's been an even bigger change in my life, one that is not as physically obvious.

My name is Brad Randall, and I was set free from sexual impurity by God's grace through the ministry of Setting Captives Free last year, and have since gone on to mentor other men through The Way of Purity course. But I knew that there was one other major problem area in my life -- gluttony.

Oh, I didn't call it that back then. I told myself I was just a naturally large guy, that I loved the taste of food, that I had a slow metabolism, whatever excuse I needed to binge more. And while the eating was pleasurable, the emotional and physical toll it took was devastating.

And then there were the attempts to quit. I never thought of myself as a chain dieter, but as I look back of the last few decades, I see that I've done low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb, NutriSystem, even a stint in Overeaters Anonymous. With most of them I lost weight, but I could never sustain the loss.

When I came to The Lord's Table, I came with a healthy dose of
skepticism, even though God had used The Way of Purity course in such a powerful way in my life. I was terrified that this would be just "one more thing" to add to the list of failed diet attempts.

But I found profound differences at The Lord's Table. Right from the start, they hit my motive. I'd been dieting to lose weight, feel better, look better, get compliments. But as a believer in Christ, everything I do should be to glorify God. I learned God made me to NEED to feast, but I'd been filling up on the wrong thing: food. Food is a gift from God, but it can never "satisfy my heart nor fill the emptiness in my soul. That is what Jesus Christ is for," as one day's lesson said. I have learned (and am still learning) to feast on Christ instead.

There is so much more I could talk about, but I want to share one more difference TLT has made: most profoundly in my life, I have found FREEDOM in my eating. You know, in every one of the diets I tried, I lost some weight, but my focus was still on food -- count this, weigh those, measure that. I was still obsessed with my next "allowed" eating time.

But now, praise God, I have freedom in what I eat -- all things are permissible! -- and my focus is on Him, so He has freed me from my obsession with what I eat. I receive all things with thanksgiving and joy (measuring and counting nothing!), seeking His guidance as I eat and doing it all to glorify Him. And He fills me, so I don't need to overeat!

So yes, I have lost 42 pounds, and I have a long way to go. But I am filled to satisfaction with Christ Jesus, I am glorifying God in my body and in my eating and, oh yeah, He's slimming me down as a wonderful "side effect"!

You know, God called to my mind not too long ago the words I used to use at every meeting of OA: "Hi, my name is Brad, and I am a compulsive overeater."

Well, by the grace of God I can confidently tell you that even at my current size, with so much more still to lose, that I am most definitely NO LONGER a compulsive overeater -- of food, at least! I AM feasting on Christ Jesus, and He satisfies me like food never could!

Brad Randall
Beginning weight: 405 lbs.
Current weight: 363 lbs