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Hi Lauren,

I had similar questions about my banding (6/29/2009)...  Like many I take the approach that if something that I'm pursuing is God's will, then the path will be laid clear before me.  I know in the past when I've been acting on my own power--- potholes and roadblocks are obvious.  When I have chosen to recognize them and changed course, I've later recognized God's plan.  When I haven't been obedient.... well, let's just say that it has been very clear that my plan is never is good as our Lord's.

For my surgery I have to tell you-- my path was so clear-- that even when I was looking for obstacles, I couldn't find them.  My insurance was approved the first time, within 48 hours of the request.  I was able to lose a few pounds before surgery, and really dreaded the clear liquid/liquid diet stage.  Granted, I'm only a week into this, but so far I've not had any problems and I'm down a total of 23 lbs (12 since surgery).   In fact, the hiatal hernia that the doctor found in my pre-op endoscopy, which he said was "significant and needs to be repaired,"  was non-existent on the day of surgery. 

I'm on our worship team at church.  I sing for two services each Sunday, and after that I'm completely shot for the day.  Before surgery, during service I perspired heavily and caused me so much anxiety that it was so hard to maintain the spirit of worship.  I don't think that's going to be a problem much longer!

Well, all this to say... God loves us all for all of our faults and failings.  We're no different than any other sinner-- broken to the core.  His Grace, for me, includes the gift of these medical resources (and insurance) to restore our physical bodies to better serve Him in this world.

Be encouraged...

Blessings,
Chris

This whole journey was such a divine appointment for me. God has been  in every aspect of this journey and if He was not it would not have been the way it was. This has not always been easy but so much better and more fullfilling because I am doin it because of Him. If I was not obediant, and following Him and having Him lead my life I would not be healthy. He has mad all of this possible for me and I can not thank Him enough. Also the wonderful people of God I have met on this webiste has been a God send literally to me. I have also been able to incorporate this journey into my testimony and have been able to show other people what following God can do for them. I could go on forever and ever but I won't. I thank God everyday for my WLS and would not change anything for the world.

In Christ
Karyn

I resisted the idea of WLS all my life. I believe it is God who is leading me here.  I waiver in my faith sometimes because I am nervous about the insurance and the scheduling and everything, but God is making the way for me.

A few years ago I was at this beautiful spot in NY with my family and I couldn't make the walk through the grove of trees so they went ahead. I sat on a bench and prayed and God led me to know that I would return here and walk through those trees and that I would overcome the weight. I didn't understand how this could be, but I believed.

As I was completing law school I applied for clerkships. I was a pretty good candidate and had so many people praying for me to get a job, but I didnt.  I was angry and hurt at first, but then I hit on what I really want to do and they told me they couldnt hire before I passed the bar. The bar results come out in November.  That means I have from the end of July to November before I have a shot at working as a lawyer really.  God made it clear to me that this time was carved out for me to have this surgery, that this was the way He was going to make it happen.

So even though I am a total control freak I am making an effort to have faith and wait on Him. He is slowly teaching me that He has had it all figured out all along and I should just relax, but I am a slow learner!

Lauren, I know that I can say this for many people on this forum, we all prayed for the answer from God. I thought the same way you did. I always thought that if I was strong enough in Christ that I would be able to do this on my own. He then showed me a different way. I was blessed to find a Christian surgeon who not only was a wonderful surgeon but what a wonderful man of God. He prayed for me, with me and about me. He has a woman from my church who I respect so much, she is such a strong woman of God, working for him and she was my confirmation. She also prayed with me for me and about me. It is a decision that I did not take lightly but once I went to the Lord with it the rest seamed to be easy. Go to God in prayer and he will give you the right answers. God bless you and keep you. We are praying for you.


In Christ
Karyn

Hi, Lauren.
I understand your struggle, and while you must find peace about having WLS on your own, between you and God, allow me to speak of my own experience.
My highest weight was 400 lbs. As a Christian, I was loved by others for myself, not my weight. However, my ability to serve the Lord in any active way was pretty much zero. My health was suffering in so many ways, and while I tried over and over to lose weight, nothing seemed to help...at least for very long.
I sought the Lord's help, and He took me on a wonderful journey, through His Word daily, for over a month. He and I addressed deep issues, of a personal nature. I wrote it down in my journal, and I've since posted here on OH. It was my first devotional series. It is the series I repeat each Friday, called Flashback Friday Devotion. The rest of the week days, I post the Life Plan Devotion. The Relational Devotional was in between those two devotional series. All 3 devotional series can be easily found on my profile blog or on the Christianity Forum (see link in my signature line).
After my adventure with the Lord, I just KNEW I was going to lose all my weight! While I did lose some, it was slow and it wasn't enough to make much of a difference in my body condition. Also, I am a firm believer in healing, so I believed God would heal me. However, my physical condition just kept worsening. I was perplexed, and, eventually, felt it must be my time to go Home. I resigned myself to the fact that I was not long for this world.
One day, a year ago this week, actually, I could not even bend down to take a load of laundry out of the dryer, and God said to me, very strongly, "Go to the hospital!" I called my husband, and we went to the hospital emergency room.
I was carrying over 40 lbs. of fluid retention, my blood pressure was stroke level (and stayed that way), and I had cellulitis all over both my legs. The diagnosis was congestive heart failure.
I was admitted, and a heart dopplar was scheduled for the next morning. I stayed up all night, not because I was afraid but just because I could not sleep. I read and prayed through the entire Book of Psalms (all 150 chapters). :)  Alone in my private hospital room, I had an amazing night with the King! The next day, my test showed merely a slightly enlarged heart, and, as my doctor said, "Everyone knows you have a 'big heart!'" :)  I know God healed me, in the night.
During one of my prayer sessions with the Lord, during that same night that I read and prayed through the Book of Psalms, I told the Lord that if He opened the door to weight-loss surgery, I'd walk through it. He opened the door, and I walked through it.
Let me tell you how I know God opened the door to surgery. I had no insurance, and while I did not ask, someone contacted the elders of our church, to ask if the Emergency Relief Fund we have could be opened to accept donations for my surgery. They approved that, although those who donated had to understand that it could not be guaranteed (for tax-exempt status reasons) that I, personally, would receive their donation.
My surgery cost $9,995, and my church (about 250 people, total, including children) raised nearly half that amount for me. Can you imagine?! I was and still am moved to tears, when I think of it.
Having VSG surgery was the best (and most courageous) decision of my life. Including pre-op weight loss, I've lost 125 lbs. from my highest weight, and 98 of those lbs. I lost since my first appointment with Dr. Walton (my surgeon from Edmond, OK). My metabolism, which had been dormant for so many years, despite my best efforts, has truly been anointed by God, so much so that when I had 2 tests, coordinated by the exercise physiologist at Weight Wise in Oklahoma, I was told that my metabolic rate was the best she's seen, especially in someone my age.
I asked for the Lord to open to WLS if it was His will, and, clearly, it was. I walked through it, and I am no longer dying. I am living a more active and, more importantly, effective life for the Kingdom. I'll be forever grateful, and I give God all the glory, honor, and praise. I still have 120 lbs. more to lose, but I know that with the Lord's help, they will GO!
My prayers go with you, as you prepare and have weight-loss surgery. :)
Just Call Me "Lazarus,"
Mary :)