It’s all about relationships.
That was the message David Hamilton, publisher of Fish Magazine, gave to a packed room at Brainerd Baptist Church’s BX Building on Thursday evening during the HeartWise Biblical Approach to Weight Management kickoff event.
Local cardiologist and founder of HeartWise Ministries, Dr. James Marcum, explained how he hopes to help people deal with weight management issues. The group will meet once a month and a guest speaker will teach lessons on subjects such as addiction, nutrition or fitness, he said.
“This gives each one of us here a chance to be a witness,” Dr. Marcum said. “You will want to make this a witnessing opportunity as well as a spiritual opportunity.”
Mr. Hamilton recounted his struggles with overeating and told the crowd if they were looking for an easy answer to weight management, they wouldn’t find it.
“Food is a powerful drug, and managing it will take time,” Mr. Hamilton said. “It cannot happen overnight.”
People who came to hear about the program seemed hopeful it could be the approach that will work for them.
Joe Rich, 65, of Ooltewah, said he came to the event to “get the Biblical perspective on weight control.” He said it was too soon to tell if it’s something that will work for him, but he plans to come back next month to see how it goes.
Lorraine Josey, 39, of Ringgold, Ga., she didn’t know about the program until a friend asked her to come to the kickoff event. After listening to the message she said it’s something she wants to try.
“I like the motivation, the encouragement, the scripture and the small steps,” she said.