Relational stress, academic challenges and rigorous ballet training took a mental and physical toll, and in four months, an already lean Angela had lost 30 pounds. Though Angela recognized she was endangering her life, she continued to struggle to maintain a healthy diet. The Barclays sought professional help from Christian counselors, psychiatrists, dietitians and eating disorder specialists. Arnzen has seen God work differently in people with eating disorders. He can spontaneously heal and deliver a person from this, but He can also use the helping profession and the struggle of working through this as a form of healing.
Churches help build self-worth by teaching biblical perspectives.
Our significance does not come from physical appearance, but from our ability to love and to have a relationship with God. We need to address it and provide healing and education. The Counseling Department at Evangel University has sponsored several programs to raise awareness and challenge the cultural standards of significance. The Great Jeans Giveaway encouraged women to donate an ill-fitting pair of jeans to benefit a family violence center. A fashion show interspersed testimonies from students who had dealt with eating disorders, with women of all sizes and ethnicities modeling.