Becky Crenshaw

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony… Revelation 12:11

Guest Post/Testimony – Kristal Cohen

Wow!! I have been asked to guest post on Becky Crenshaw’s blog. You need to understand what an honor this is for me.  I am blessed to be a part of her life.

Today, she has asked me to share my “Chasing Skinny” story.

I want to begin by saying that my story is probably not any different than many of yours. We all live in this culture that is hell-bent on making us into its image. We just have to be steadfast on staying the course and remembering whose image we have been created in.  The Image of God.

I’ve chased this ideal image of what I thought my physical body should look like for many years. I viewed most of my life as a failure. I had disappointed many people in my life. I had this huge desire to belong to something or someone that would love me. I wanted to fit in so badly, to be accepted. 

I made a lot of bad decisions in my life trying to fit in and I just knew I had totally disappointed God and everyone else in my life.

In my mind… Strike One – I became a single mom at a very young age.

Which led to my Strike Two. I was used goods. Who in the world would ever love someone with a baby?!

And then in college I managed to achieve Strike Three. I made a decision that would forever change the course of my life. You know when you do something that you know is sooo wrong, like really wrong, but you see it as your only way out? That was me. In my book, I had no choice.

Hence, this is where the story really begins.

My shell of a body became my enemy. Anything that I could do to punish it was appropriate. I would starve it. Over-feed it, then get rid of everything I had fed it. I would run it into the ground…. literally… exercising three and four times a day. I thought in punishing my body I could pay for what I had done.  I also decided that God no longer loved me or had any more forgiveness left for me.  When you do something that you equate to unforgivable then you pretty much feel “done” with God. I felt there was no forgiveness for me. My sin bucket was full already from strikes one and two… so strike three pushed it over the brim. In my mind, I imagined God looking at my life and saying, ” I died for all of the sin in the bucket, but that last one made it overflow. I can’t forgive you anymore. You’re on your own.”

I hated everything about me.  EVERYTHING!  I wanted to be perfect on the outside to cover up the fact that I was dying on the inside.

This carried over into my marriage. We were miserable.  I hated myself and couldn’t understand why my husband didn’t hate everything about me, too. So my goal was to get him on my bandwagon. I remember him telling me years later that he wanted to leave me,  but he was afraid of what I might do to myself.

A year into our marriage, my husband made a decision. “You have to get help,” he said. I was dwindling away to nothing, physically and emotionally.  Relationally, our home was lethal. We were either going to sink or swim and he was choosing for our family to swim.  We sought counseling which helped me begin walking through the mess that I had created and I began unraveling the warped thought process that had taken over my mind.  Thus began this life-long journey of healing.  Did you hear that?  A life-long journey.

In 2 Corinthians 2:17, Paul mentions that he was given a thorn in his flesh to torment him.  Maybe my battle with body image is a similar thorn.  Either way, I have accepted Christ’s forgiveness and believe that His death on the Cross was enough. I believe that every poor choice I made – even the “unforgivable” –  really is covered by the blood Jesus shed on the Cross.  He is alive and has conquered Satan.  My sin is removed.

AND –  The enemy no longer has authority in my life.  Satan is a liar. He was then and he is now. I am loved and I am forgiven! And so are you.  For whatever you’ve done.  As deep as your sin goes… His blood finds it and covers it, too.

There is no sin that is too much, too big or too shocking for Christ.

Today, wherever you are on your faith journey, hear me…

Satan is a liar. He is defeated.  Stop giving him authority over you.  Read this and be empowered…

I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. Luke 10:19

You have AUTHORITY, in the name of Jesus, to overcome all  the power of the enemy.  You are an OVERCOMER.  Stop looking in the mirror with disgust.  You are beautiful. Take authority over the lies.  Look at this…

The devil was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:33

Wow.  Do you see where the lies come from?  Satan is the father of them all.  Stop playing his game today. Take authority with the Word of God!

Combat father of lies with the Truth – God’s Living Word.  The Bible.  And as John says, “THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.” John 8:32

Read the verses below and know these TRUTHS about yourself!  

God’s Word. This is how we win!

I am a new creation in Him!  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.” 2 Cor. 5:17

I am reconciled in Christ!   “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Cor 5:18-19

I am righteous and holy!  “And to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:24

I have been born again by the Holy Spirit!  Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. John 3:3-6

I am saved by grace as a gift, not because of my performance!  “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Ephesians 2:8

I radiate Christ’s light!  “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14

I no longer belong to the darkness. I am a daughter of Light!  “You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.”1 Thessalonians 5:5

Light and joy exude from within me!  “Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.” Psalm 97:11

I am a victor!!  “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37

I have a heavenly calling!  “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.” Hebrews 3:1

I am designed for good works!  “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

I am a co-heir with Christ! “Now if we are children, then we are heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. If indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share with His glory.” Romans 8:17

I am chosen and called by God to produce fruit!  “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” John 15:16

Take these Truths and RUN!  Don’t look back on past sin!  Today, see yourself as a new creation.  

Holy and Blameless and Beautiful.

Thank you for letting me share my story.

-Kristal