Lisa Peters in Her Own Words…
Twenty years ago, I made a phone call that changed the course of my whole entire life! My name is Lisa Peters. I have been married to Cliff Peters for 33 years. We have 3 children who are married, and last week we welcomed our first grandbaby into the world – Harper Annalise Peters by our son Jared and his beautiful wife Abigail!
I grew up in the Central Valley of California. My family is in the cattle business, and I grew up around farm life. I was raised going to church all my life and was very involved. I went to Christian schools. I was a leader for the youth group, a camp counselor, a Bible study leader, a Sunday School teacher and sang in the church choir.
Experiencing the Pressure to Lose Weight Since Childhood
My self-focus started at an early age because I was a tall girl and considered a “big girl” early on. I clearly remember talking with a friend in 4th or 5th grade about wanting to lose weight. I struggled with my weight through high school and began dieting.
I would fast, drink only water or grapefruit juice. Then I would take diet pills until it made my heart race. This scared me to death. I was a cheerleader. So I could cheer on a Friday and lose weight, but by Sunday gain it back. It was nothing for me to eat 4 or 5 pieces of pizza and have to lay down afterwards because of the misery. I took this whole frustration and self-focus into my marriage and so by the time I was done having my babies, I had 20 extra pounds I couldn’t get off.
A Faith-Based Diet – What a Concept!
A dear friend of mine attended a faith-based weight loss program and lost weight. The program was called Weigh Down! I had attended youth groups and Bible studies my whole life and been a leader in them all, so taking a faith-based weight loss class sounded amazing to me.
Well, in the 12-week session I lost two dress sizes!! Woohoo!! Finally, I had my weight off and had to buy a whole new wardrobe which was super fun. However, I gained my weight back in a year and so was very disappointed. By this time, it was late summer of 1997. I was considering the new and latest craze “the Cabbage Soup Diet,” but eating that much cabbage scared me! Yikes!! So, I went through the holidays miserable with myself. Our children at this point were little with our youngest being 2 years old.
As most people do with the new year around the corner, I was making my New Year’s Resolution and it was “All About Me”. I was going to take care of ME in 1998! My desire was to do whatever I needed to make sure I was taken care of! I was on a “Self-Focused Resolution.” By the time January 3rd rolled around, I was angry with my little children, angry about everything, even down to being angry about how to do my hair. I left the house miserable and crying out to God.
The Phone Call That Changed My Life!
I waved the WHITE FLAG and literally said to God, “I am done living for myself!” I remembered the class I had taken and called 1-800-844-5208 – the number for Weigh Down. I asked how I could have a class like the one I had attended? I began to host/coordinate the class in my home and my life changed. I was back losing weight with Weigh Down, but now I wanted to CHANGE my life and be done living in the misery. I was tired of dieting and not getting anywhere.
The classes are all about letting go and finding God’s lead with true hunger – the way God designed our amazing bodies. I learned to let Him guide me on when to eat, when to “fuel up.” When I started back, I let go of shoving food into my mouth. I learned how to wait for God. As I began to eat smaller, my weight came off! Through that class I not only lost my weight, I also learned that I had a greedy heart. I saw Scriptures for the first time, such as Ephesians 5:5, where learned that greed is idolatry and that God doesn’t allow greed in Heaven. I didn’t just need to lose weight, I had to change my heart! My total weight loss is 20 lbs. However, I have lost 10 TONS off my heart and my mind! I am free!
Weigh Down Classes are the KEY to 2 Decades of Permanent Weight Loss!
The Weigh Down classes are all designed by God to find HIM and love Him first and fall out of love with the world. I was going to food for my boredom. While I was cooking dinner, I would eat and be full before I sat down to eat my “real dinner” with the family! Weigh Down classes taught me to let go of the control of eating by the clock. I learned to wait for physiological hunger, then how to cut my food portions in half. The most important part was to go to God’s Word when wanting to eat for any other reasons – emotional, mindless or because the world standards say so- and instead let God’s truth fill me up.
I love the TRUE fruit that comes from the Weigh Down Classes! For people who have struggled with their weight, they can finally lose it all and be the normal size God intended – no shots, no eating certain foods like just fruits and vegetables and no drinking only juices. Weigh Down taught me to obey God and have God’s Spirit of self-control. IT WORKS!!!
A New & Improved New Year’s Resolution
Now 20 years later, my 2018 New Year’s Resolution is completely opposite of my 1998 Resolution. Besides losing my weight all those years ago, my marriage was healed! My husband Clifford and I actually have our own business, work together and we truly enjoy each other’s company. I used to be an angry mother with lots of frustrations. I struggled with depression and I had unforgiveness in my heart towards others. I used to hold on to hurt feelings forever, which was crazy. Today, I am free in these areas! Now I love everyone and look for the good in others. My husband and I love to serve others and have seen God take care of our needs by doing so. I’m completely grateful for God’s love towards me. I just want to give back to Him by helping anyone that is seeking how to also be set free!
Weigh Down Ministries started by Gwen Shamblin points us back to a relationship with God. I love the All Access app on my phone. It is a library of thousands of talks and church services with teachings that are life-changing. In addition, all the classes are on this app as well. You can hear Truth about any situation from God’s Word and learn how to overcome and find His desire for our lives!
The key to my success for the past 20 years is staying connected. My family attends Remnant Fellowship Church.We love to hear the messages every week including the Wednesday night You Can Overcome TV show and the Sabbath worship services. We never leave without conviction to change to be more like Jesus Christ. It is a church that is full of TRUE LOVE and a body of believers continually living out God’s Word, desiring to get our hearts right. Our shepherds and leaders are always serving and full of God’s Spirit so thus always available to help with anything in their lives!
Gwen Shamblin has always taught from the very first classes I attended in the 1990’s and now all these years later that a relationship with God is MOST important. She has always taught us how to live like Jesus Christ who showed us how to love God and live only to do the will of His Father, God Almighty, as it says in John 14:31. Our family praises God for the Truth and how it has changed our lives and brings such beautiful peace and so much hope for our children and the generations to come! My husband and I, now affectionately known as “Papio & Yeesa” with the birth of our first grandchild, are full of praises to God for the hope for the future generations! Our prayer is that our granddaughter Harper will always know how to put God first and to have a personal relationship with Him over the world!
In addition, our family is honored to serve the church on the Remnant Fellowship Wedding & Decorating teams. We are blessed to serve our church as Fellowship Group Leaders. I have been coordinating Weigh Down classes for 20 years. Clifford and I both serve as Accountability Partners and encourage them as they are learning the principles that are taught in the classes of the Weigh Down Workshop.
Currently, my dear friend Ali Burns (whose son, Matt, is married to my daughter Francesca) and I are hosting Weigh Down Basics online Facebook class! It’s not too late to sign up for a Weigh Down Class no matter where you live. You may also webcast Remnant Fellowship worship services as a guest from anywhere around the world!
