Needing some minor household repairs, Julie1 contacted a handyman who had advertised in the local paper. When he arrived, they struck up a conversation, and he shared how he and his wife had recently participated in an amazing lifestyle change program. The experience had transformed not only their daily habits—including diet, exercise, and sleep—but also their lives. They had lost weight, reduced their medications, and felt better than they had in years.
As Julie listened to his enthusiastic testimony, she immediately thought of her sister, Joan2, who was struggling with similar health problems. “I’ve got to tell Joanie about this!” she thought.
When Joan heard about the remarkable changes the handyman and his wife had experienced, she was eager to attend the program herself. However, when she asked her employer for time off, he refused, explaining that no one was available to take her place.
Disappointed, Joan told Julie, “I just can’t go because I can’t get the time off.”
But Julie wasn't ready to give up. She had watched her sister's health deteriorate over the past couple of years and believed this opportunity was a godsend.
“I’m going to go talk to your boss!” she announced. “You’ve just got to enroll in this program.”
Eventually, the sisters agreed that Joan's need to improve her health was so urgent that she would quit her job. But when Joan informed her boss of her decision, he pleaded with her to stay and promised to give her the time off.
The sisters were thrilled, and Joan enrolled!
Within just a couple of days, Joan began noticing improvements. Her balance improved so much that she no longer needed her cane. Soon, she could walk her dog without fear of falling and climb her porch stairs without pulling herself up by the handrail.
Even better, she could finally sleep through the night without the painful neuropathy that had awakened her for years. Her husband noticed a difference, too, telling her she was easier to live with because she wasn't as irritable.
At the end of the two-week program, Joan received her second set of blood test results and other health measurements. She was astounded! Several measures had dropped by more than 100 points, and the average reduction across the eleven measures in her lifestyle assessment was 58%.
At graduation, Joan joyfully shared how grateful she was to have attended the program. The changes had made a tremendous difference in her life—and her husband's as well.
A couple of weeks later, at a follow-up meeting, Joan shared another unexpected blessing. Her boss was delighted he had given her time off because she was now accomplishing more than twice as much work as before! She could restock twice as much shelf space during a shift.
As Joan continued losing weight and looking younger, customers began noticing the changes and asking what she was doing differently. When one customer learned that Joan's type 2 diabetes was going into remission, she asked whether Joan would share her story with her father, who also struggled with diabetes.
Of course, Joan was happy to share her experience and encourage others to enjoy the benefits God had given her.
And so the joyful trail of transformed lives continues. A handyman shares his testimony with Julie. Julie encourages her sister. Joan experiences remarkable changes and begins sharing her story with others.
Call to Action
Who knows how far the blessings will reach? Perhaps the next life changed will be someone in your own family—or even yours!
"Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."
Mark 5:19
All scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
- Julie is a pseudonym
- Joan is a pseudonym
