For years my life was filled with a never-ending stream of drama, chaos, and crisis that revolved around the life of my drug-addicted son—it was absolute insanity—and it was not how God intended for me (or any parent) to live.

Following the Six Steps to SANITY helped me realize the futility of harboring negative feelings of guilt, frustration, anger, fear, and inadequacy and develop new strengths to begin living a life of freedom from the bondage of the poor choices my son was making—and learn to make better choices myself.

While there are countless reasons why so many people struggle with their weight there is one common denominator that cannot be denied—food—too much, too little, the wrong kind, at the wrong times, eaten for the wrong reasons, and often an inability to set healthy boundaries with it.

I’m going to challenge you to give up destructive dieting and unhealthy eating patterns for the last time—to say good-bye to the vicious cycle that has held you prisoner in your own body for years—perhaps decades.

Many of us have confused the empty space in our stomach with the one in our heart, stuffing one while ignoring the other.

As a believer, I prayed long and hard about my decision to have gastric bypass weight loss surgery after being declared “morbidly obese”.

Now, instead of trying to control my food with the latest fad diet or weight loss trend, I rely on the Six Steps to SANITY to help me focus on the spiritual food that has sustained me over the years as I’ve learned more about the role healthy boundaries and balance plays in virtually every aspect of life.

The Six Steps to SANITY can bring hope and healing to hurting hearts. During the course of writing—and living—the Setting Boundaries™ books, I’ve found strength I never knew I had—you can find this strength as well.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).

Adapted from Setting Boundaries with Food, Six Steps to Lose Weight, Gain Freedom, and Take Back Your Life by Allison Bottke © 2008. Harvest House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Visit the Setting Boundaries Books website today for more information.