Overcoming Anorexia Through God’s Help

Randi remembers, “I would have a rush of anxiety every time I hopped on a scale. Once I saw 70 – 74 on the scale, that scared me.”

Randi Wilson had always been a petite girl. Now in her 20’s she was trying to get even smaller.

Randi shares, “I could actually really hurt myself if I keep this up because it's not like I can just keep going down and still be alive."

It all started in September 2012, still grieving from the loss of her grandmother months earlier, she was back in college for her junior year. Alone, living on campus and juggling a challenging schedule, she became obsessed with being thin, not through purging, but exercising and dieting.

Randi says, “It was like a drug. And I started keeping track of all the calories I was intaking and how many I was exerting at the gym. Initially I don't think I knew that I had lost control.”

Then she started a dating a guy who preferred slender women. Randi remembers one night on a date, he insinuated she was fat.

Randi recalls, “I was completely embarrassed and hurt and so I began taking exercise and all of my diet habits to a whole new level. It became really important to me to make sure that my body was perfect.”

Within one month, over exercising and dieting had taken over her life. She broke up with her boyfriend and finished out the semester and moved back home. By now, she had dropped 5 sizes and was wearing baggy clothes to hide her body. Her mom, Penny, noticed it one day when she walked in the bathroom and saw Randi getting out of the shower.

Penny remembers, “I saw every rib on the top part of her body. I was in shock. And I remember saying something like, ‘Randi, what are you doing? You look awful.’”

At once Penny, took Randi to their doctor. Weighing in at barely 85 pounds, Randi was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and prescribed an antipsychotic medication. By Christmas eve, she weighed 74 pounds and her heartrate dropped so low she had to be hospitalized. Doctors told her mom that she could die.

Penny shares, "It was sheer panic. I knew that things could be close to the end if something didn't happen quick.”

Randi says, “It was a moment of shock for me and I was actually scared for the first time. I need to gain weight for my health, but I was also scared, would I let myself gain weight."

Penny says, “I prayed constantly, and I know God heard my prayers. I believe in God healing and I believe in God's miracles.”

After being released from the hospital, Randi dropped out of college. Over the next six years she battled anorexia and over-exercising and depression. During this time, she also began attending church, praying, and reading her bible. One day while in a treatment center Randi says she had a revelation from God.

Randi shares, “If I ever want to have a life, whether or not I'm even able to have kids, if I want to get married or travel and see the world, the only thing that's going to make me change is by asking God to help me. God was saying, ‘I'm not expecting you to be perfect. Get on your knees every time you start to slip and fall and ask Me to help you.’ It was like a weight was lifted off of me. I could finally ask God to help me let go of this obsession that's been controlling me.”

Near the end of her time in treatment she was looking to God, eating more, and exercising less. She had gained 15 lbs.

Randi says, “It took time, but the more I asked Him to give me peace, He did.”

Then, another answer to her prayers. In 2018, Randi married Ben and the two hoped to start a family. However, doctors believed it was unlikely she would be able to conceive because of the damage she’d done to her body. So, for over three years they tried, and prayed until finally, Randi got pregnant. In June 2021 they gave birth to their daughter, Noah.

Randi recalls, “I was so flooded with emotions. It was the best feeling I've ever had in my entire life.”

Ben shares, “I see Noah for the first time. And it’s amazing just to see life that wasn't supposed to be there.”

Today, Randi enjoys being a stay-at-home mom and is pregnant with her second baby. She uses her spare time at a nonprofit called, Vocal Survivors outreach, that help people who struggle with mental health issues including eating disorders.

Randi shares, “The value of my image comes from a sense of beauty that I get from God. I could not be more grateful for how He created me.”

Penny says, “I would encourage family members that are going through a similar situation to never give up, to continue to pray. God does miracles and He still does them.”

Randi shares, “Prayer is your greatest weapon, because when you open up your heart to prayer that's when God can come in and give you the strength that you need to overcome.”

(If you would like to connect with Randi Wilson, please reach out to her here: randijwilson@gmail.com)