reviewsbyerin

It is very rare that I have to DNF (Do Not Finish) a book, but I knew after a few pages that Amber Lia's Food Triggers was not for me. I had picked it up hoping for compassionate, practical pointers in dealing with this issue, but I was recoiling almost immediately from the tone of the content. I did skip around and read a few chapters to see if it improved beyond the opening, but I was disappointed.

Right away, Lia uses the phrase "God-honoring choices" over and over, which leads to clear extrapolation that any other choice must not be God-honoring. In fact, on page 21, she says: "[The Holy Spirit] asks us to listen to—and live out—His will for our lives. Anything that is sinful in our lives is outside of God's will. . . . My low energy, bulging waistline, and achy joints were simply symptoms of being outside of God's plan for my life."

I can't with this message of equating physical health to our spiritual condition. This kind of teaching messes people up, making them think they are failing God if they are not their optimal size or shape. Everyone wants to be healthy, but each person's health is an individual thing. I know women who have suffered chronic illness, physical and emotional abuse, mental illness, hormone imbalance, and injury—all of which can contribute to them being either over- or underweight, depending on their specific situations. Nothing about this changed their spirits. None of it detracted from their ability to glorify God or live out His plans for their lives.

The Bible speaks clearly that the most important things we can do on this earth are love God and love others (Matthew 22:35-39). That second one says "love thy neighbor as thyself." That's a Biblical command to see the value and worth of ourselves and then show it to those around us. This is how we glorify God. This is how we fulfill His plan. We recognize that He created each of us fearfully and wonderfully, and we stop trying to send messages of shame or hold up one body type as ideal.

I'm afraid I could not recommend this book because of the potential harm I see to the spirits of those who read it. May God guide each of us to a closer walk with Him, including knowing how much He loves us and that He meets us exactly as we are.

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.