Lifeline Newsletter

Welcome

Welcome to EDA’s newsletter for members this Summer 2010. We hope you like the new format! We are very grateful for members’ contributions, so please do carry on sending us your letters and testimonies and we shall be including them in future editions. Lifeline magazine continues and will be distributed twice a year so you will be receiving yours by post. Our magazine is sent to counsellors, counselling organisations, private hospitals, colleges and universities as well as to our members, so we are keen for it to continue.

This newsletter is also available as a paper copy for those who do not have access to a computer but if you can make the switch to the email format we’d be very grateful as it saves us money and is more ecological. To unsubscribe at any time, please email us.

First Thoughts

I love it when you feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit in the most unlikely places, and for me it’s often the reminder I need that God is near, that He’s wanting me to talk to Him more and that He’s wonderful! My last prompting was in Harrods Food Hall! Not a place I frequent, in fact I was there as a “tourist” recently showing a friend a bit of London and so we headed there for a pot of tea and a chance to rest our weary feet and watch the other tourists push and shove round the place. I hadn’t been there for decades and as I watched the bustle and jostle of people with back packs and buggies all in this tight space I was “caught up” in life’s rush, albeit from a loftier place as the café is on a higher level up some steps. The prompting came to look up. There I saw the amazing ceiling and chandeliers and as I admired the incredible craftsmanship I though about how often The Lord invites us to look up. On this occasion it was for rest and wonder - for Him and for His creation, for people, their lives, their talents. On other occasions it is for guidance, reassurance and endurance “I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber” Psalm 121 v 1-3 NIV

Do I live my life in the hills or the valleys? This was the question I came away with, one I keep coming back to. I’d like to say that I have more hills moments than valleys, times when I’m so full of the presence of God and so full of joy because of it that I am lifted up permanently, but sadly that isn’t the case. Maybe I wander round like the tourists too often, oblivious of the wonders up above. I know I have had many moments because of illness when I’ve been really down and in need of rescue and during my walk (or stumble) through the valley I’ve understood David’s pit experiences. It’s good to ponder these things. It’s so good to be able to take them to Jesus and have a chat about it and I’m thankful that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus which helps me not to take my failings too harshly. Also I’m glad that a wise Christian friend reminded me “remember that the lush growth occurs in the valleys”. Jane

EDA News

EDA is awarded 3 Grants!

We have been busy writing applications for small grants and are delighted to let you know that have been successful in 3 of those. St James’ Place wealth management has provided £10,000 towards our youth work, Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales has provided £20,000 towards our Befriending Scheme and The Christian Initiative trust has given £2,700 for training for our new parent befriending service with Care For The Family.

Unfortunately our bids for two major grants that would have provided core funding for the next 3 years were unsuccessful and so too several smaller grants to Christian Funding organisations. As you can imagine there is a huge demand for grants from charities and although we take great care to explain eating disorders and how they develop and the devastating consequences for sufferers and families both physically and emotionally, we are still aware we are fighting an uphill battle to have our work recognised.

Youth Worker

With the new grants we are just over half way to raising funds for the annual running costs of EDA. Our vision though is to employ a youth worker who will respond to the increasing requests to EDA for school talks, who will take responsibility for writing all material needed for young people, our blog site, our website and our literature. Please join us in praying for funds to enable us to see our ministry grow in this much needed area. Jackie our office manager is doing another sponsored run for EDA in the autumn. Please help her by getting some sponsorship for her via the Just Giving page of our web site.

Friends of EDA Meeting City Temple Church London

On 10th April 2010 in City Temple, London, the first meeting was held. We decided to call the event EDA Discusses (EDAD), giving sufferers the chance to talk about things that they have been through or are currently going through. We discussed the difficult journey that we had, or are still having, trying to get the support we needed through the health authorities. There was also time at the end for people to talk in smaller groups and gain some one on one support.

One person said that the event had “re-energised my recovery’s direction”. If you are feeling alone in your recovery, or if you just feel like adding a new tool into your journey through recovery, then feel free to contact EDA to find out more information on the next event.

Neil & Roger

Mind & Soul Conference – A Beautiful Mind

EDA took part in Mind & Soul’s day of talks and seminars, and had a book stall at Holy trinity Brompton on the day 26th March 2010. Over 800 people came from churches across the country. You can find out more about the day and about future events by going to www.mindandsoul.info.

Befriending

It was so encouraging for us to receive recognition from Lloyds TSB of our Befriending Scheme and the contribution it makes to those struggling with an eating disorder and who often face such isolation as a result. EDA is indebted to our team of Befrienders across the country who make this service possible and provide this much needed friendship and encouragement.

We currently have another waiting list so if you are able to take on a new Befriendee or if your Befriendee no longer needs you please let us know.

Can we support you in prayer? If you are a member of EDA who would like prayer please let us know. Our prayer newsletter is produced at the end of each month. You don’t even have to give your name, God will know you!

Mentoring and Befriending Foundation

EDA is a member of the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation and is working towards an approved standard for our scheme. You can find out more about the work of the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation at their website www.mandbf.org.uk.

EDA Mutual Support Group

Lynne, our support group leader writes below in order to encourage new members to join the group and to let you know how it is progressing.

Where are we now?

Not yet 6 months down the line, but I think I can say everyone involved is finding it very helpful and encouraging, mainly because we do not feel alone. Although different in many respects, the similarities in our eating habits, and the effects it has on our lives, is amazing.

We may be married, single, or with a partner; employed, retired, or doing voluntary work; aged from 30-60+; living anywhere in the country or in another; we have formed a friendship in which we share so many things that help us in times of difficulty, inspire us to keep going and just as in any conversation, our emails can be short, long, frequent or lapse into a quiet time depending on how we feel. We know all is shared in confidence and we have become supportive ‘companions who care.’

Lynne

Careline - a New Resource site for Befrienders and those in caring roles

Befrienders will be able to read more about their part in the scheme in Careline and receive up to date feed back from Befriendees.

You will be able to receive Careline Email Newsletters as usual but now via a new resource site for all those in caring roles, which includes counsellors, pastoral carers, befrienders and support group leaders. Articles are now archived in relevant categories so that a resource is built which develops over time. Careline always receives great interest whenever EDA exhibits at conferences and provides seminars or workshops and we are sure that the new Careline will continue to raise understanding of eating disorders, the underlying issues, the feelings of those struggling as well as give those in caring roles some further tools to use for recovery.

Testimony

“I’m Kate, 31 and relieved to be able to say that today I am in recovery from anorexia. Recovery to me has been a long, painful process primarily involving therapy, hospitalisations and learning to change my anorexic thoughts and behaviour patterns through Therapy.

A further key part of my recovery, involved being ‘discipled’ (mentored) by a lovely, supportive woman from my church. Today, this continues, and I have found my faith and my ‘Church on the Rock’ family to be a significant factor in maintaining recovery. I needed to reconnect with God to really feel whole again. This involved learning to grasp and hold on to the truth of Grace – that there was nothing I could do that would make God love me any more or less than he does.

My faith wavered many times, especially during the hospitalisations. However, I knew I needed to hold on to God’s promise that He would restore the years the locusts had eaten away. This was no easy task as the severe depression that often accompanied my anorexia made me feel that God could not possibly love me.

Spiritually, although I have often doubted how God could still love me in my times of illness, I can look back now and see His loving hand upon my life. He has provided me with a supportive, encouraging church family, caring, intelligent specialists and doctors as well as new medication to help me remain well. As Christians, we can rest in the wonderful knowledge that in heaven there will be no more sickness, pain or suffering. In times of relapse it is important for us to hold on to this knowledge. I believe that no matter how low we go, God can ALWAYS bring us back to Him. One of my favourite quotes is by Corrie Ten Boom: “There is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still.”

Eating disorders involve a lot of feelings of unworthiness, guilt, shame and self-rejection. I am still learning today, that if I can accept that how God views me is so much more important than what the rest of the world thinks, my self-esteem will keep increasing and I am really experiencing that God can use all things for good.”