It’s been few weeks that I have had in my heart to write on this very personal subject. I’ll share my testimony with you and what I’ve learned on this subject. I hope this will be useful for someone.

I had just turned 30. I was on fire for God, perhaps too involved in too many ministries, a good cook, funny, educated, with a good career, but I was still single. An authority figure in my church came to tell me what God had shown her in a dream. I was going to meet a nice young man if I lost a lot of weight. I have to admit that I had few dozen extra kilos! Not only were her words harsh to hear, but they did not come from God, on the contrary to what she claimed.

When I got this supposed “prophetic” word I felt ugly, unwanted and especially discouraged. The challenge was too big. I shared this word with another person in authority in my church, and she being quite chubby and happily married said, “C’mon! If we had to be thin to get married, all the thin ones would be married!” She made me smile and she was right!

Let’s talk logically now. Yes in our society it is easier for a thin woman to get different things in life. Even at the professional level, curvy women are sometimes taken less seriously. Sadly, even in the church that judgment remains. Obviously, when it comes to relationships, yes thinner women attract more attention than a chubby one. (this situation is the same for men, by the way!) Being chubby makes having a social life harder, but not impossible!

I met the man who became my husband on a Christian dating website. I admit that my picture was not well chosen and when I met Tobi for the first time, he had a moment of hesitation. After dinner with interesting and fun conversations, Tobi returned home. During his drive home, he thought: “Is this extra weight really bothering me?” Fortunately for me, he came to the conclusion that no, he appreciated my company too much. Today we are married and we have two beautiful children.

It is not ideal to be overweight. Not socially but also in regards to our health as it increases the risk of developing all kinds of diseases. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit; we must try to correct the situation. I’m still working on that. I train, I eat well, I’m in good shape, but I still have pounds to lose. We all have our personal battles!

If you are overweight I encourage you to try and lose some weight, but don’t do it to find love! You may have fewer choices or fewer suitors, but we only need one. Right? If you choose to lose weight, do it for your health, or make it a spiritual battle. One of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. So maybe you have to work on letting this particular fruit come out. In short, do not lose weight to “improve your appearance”. Beauty has nothing to do with weight; it’s a matter of self-confidence. If you are chubby, happy in your skin, and you think you are cute, you will attract compliments, guaranteed.