Starved | Page 68

Unconditional love and support will make a positive difference on your daughter's road to healing and freedom. Seek the Lord for yourself, and find refuge in prayer. Resist the temptation to blame yourself for your daughter's struggles. Although no parent is perfect, the eating disorder is not your fault, and getting stuck in the trap of self-blame will not help your daughter find healing. Understand that there is a difference between taking an objective look at unhealthy family patterns and placing blame on your family. The Word of God teaches us to take responsibility for our mistakes and to receive God's forgiveness (1 John 1:9). It also teaches us that the real battle is not against people but against spiritual darkness (Ephesians 6:12). This is the time to get to the source of the pain and defeat it through Christ. Remember, there is hope. Here at Mercy, we have seen hundreds of girls and their families receive healing and freedom from eating disorders. These young women have gone on to live productive lives as teachers, businesswomen, ministers, and mothers, sharing their testimonies of healing and bringing hope to others. God is both willing and able to help your family through this journey. He is a God who loves to turn tragedy into triumph. He can take all the pain and suffering your family has experienced and turn it into a story of hope for others. I am watching in awe as the chains falloff my daughter. The process is slow, but God is sofaithful! Her freedom is not coming from seeking freedom itself, but from seeking God the source of freedom. Some days are harder than others, but as we both continue to trust God and seek truth, we know the battle has been won! -Allie's mother, personal journal entry 73