N.E.W. LIFE (Nutrition, Exercise, Wellness for LIFE) Booklet-Chapters 1 & 2, Emotional Eating & Relationship with God

This N.E.W. LIFE Booklet is the first in a 7-volume companion series to the N.E.W. LIFE (Nutrition, Exercise, Wellness for LIFE): Biblical Support for Health and Freedom from Bondage to Food and Diets book (Chapters 1 & 2). There are 7 N.E.W. LIFE Booklets which coincide with the chapters in the N.E.W. LIFE book. Each Booklet reinforces excerpts from the N.E.W. LIFE book and introduces insightful questions to support the process of healing from underlying issues that drive out-of-balance eating behaviors. The Booklets may be used by individuals or in a fellowship group setting to facilitate discussion.

This N.E.W. LIFE Booklet supports individuals who struggle with out-of-balance eating driven by underlying unresolved emotional pain to be released from the condemnation which often accompanies their food behavior and begin the process to freedom from bondage to food, diets and/or body image as he/she replaces an unhealthy relationship with food with a healthy relationship with God. The distinction is made between emotional eating and out-of-balance eating that developed due to unhealthy habits. The stages of change in the process of healing from compulsive overeating are identified.

Chapter 2 establishes the strong foundation of God's love for us and His desire for intimate relationship with us. The Bible describes God's relationship with His people in several intimate ways-Father and son/daughter, Husband and wife, Bridegroom and bride, Friend (the Husband-wife references are particularly to Israel, the Bridegroom-bride Scriptures refer to Christ and the Church). The Word of God describes spiritual adultery with idols that cannot appease cravings but only serve to excite the desire further. The goal of this Booklet is to help individuals who have settled for a relationship with food to discover the incomparably more satisfying relationship with God and the abundant life that Jesus died to give us.