This photo, right here, represents an addiction.

For more years than I care to number, I have made sure never to run out of two things: coffee and candy. My absolute favorite is the fruit gummies, especially Welch™ brand fruit snacks. But almost anything will do, even these chalky lollipop things.

I tried not to admit how much I needed them. But without fail, if the candy stash was getting low, I found a reason to go grocery shopping. I would barely even admit it to myself, but there was a definite sense of panic that I might run out.

I mean, it was so bad that when the shutdown hit, back in late March, my pandemic shopping included a large bag of fruit snacks. In addition to the two I already had. Just in case.

Ah, but the story doesn’t end there. It would have. Or I should say, that chapter would still be continuing, except that Author ended it. In His gentle way, he started a new chapter, and invited me to join in.

The new chapter actually began a good ways before the old one ended. For around two years, I’ve been sporadically studying the New Testament in search of God’s ways for health. And the things I found there have been steadily changing me, down deep inside.

I discovered, as I read, that Jesus heals. A lot. Just start skimming the Gospels and you’ll see what I mean. But the other thing I discovered was maybe even more important. God cares about things being real. He hates fakeness, pukes it out even.

And I began to be convicted that this hatred of fake things should permeate every aspect of His people’s lives, too. Not in the sense that we will only have the best name brand clothes, or only “real” Louis Vitton or whatever the current cool brand is to have. Not at all. But rather that we care about things being what they say they are. Including food.

As I said, I’ve been seeing this for going on three years. Jesus heals. And He hates fake stuff. But it is only in the last two weeks, as I’ve been praying and working and wrestling with writing a book of these things, that I’ve been convicted as never before. Eyes opened to just how much fake food I eat.

Three different people messaged me, this week alone, asking about inflammation and gut health. I told them all the same thing. Eat real food and cut the sugar. And I didn’t admit how much of a problem I had, doing the same.

Because, candy. It’s been a week, I think, since I had one. The last few lollipops just sit there in the cupboard.

In this week, I’ve been fighting a sore throat, and deliberately avoiding all sugar. And I feel better, even though whatever-it-is is still stubbornly hanging on in my throat.

Today, I opened that cupboard door to retrieve something else and stood there for a minute, looking at those lollipops. And my hypocrisy and stubbornness hit me in the face. I pulled them out and carefully arranged them on a white piece of paper to have their picture taken. Then I sat down and wrote out this confession.

I’m gonna go throw them in the trash. And then I’m going to put some meat on the grill. Real meat. I’ll eat it with a real salad.

Oh, and one last thing. If you want to join me in intentionally living like this, eating real food and throwing out the fake, I’d love to hear about it. I have a feeling I’m going to need all the accountability I can get!

PS: One last, last thing. If you do decide to join me, this ain’t any all-or-nothing challenge. This is direction, an intentional moving toward a goal. And for sure, this is not a diet! This is not about no sugar, no Cheetos, no snack foods, no whatever. This is about what we choose MOST of the time, not about a treat every once in a while, or eating the candy some sweet little kid wants to give me. Because food freedom is very clearly also a part of the New Testament life of the Church, and I want to embrace that too. But for right now, that addiction must go, so I’m throwing out the candy. Yours will look different, if you choose to join in. And that is more than okay.

PPS: The book I mentioned in passing is about two weeks from printing. As Your Soul Prospers: Biblical Principles for Wellness. The book will be available immediately through Amazon, and plans are that it will be both print and ebook, for your reading pleasure. I’m super excited and can’t wait to share it with you all!