Our Contest Winners!!

Last week was National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. In an effort to raise awareness Made in His Image hosted a contest. I asked those interested in entering to send me a 100 word paragraph about a girl or woman who has overcome, or is presently fighting an eating disorder.

Thank you so very much for the hundreds of emails we have received. I enjoyed reading each of them. Unfortunately, due to the volume of emails Made in His Image receives I am not able to respond to each of the emails from the contest. Thank you for sharing your stories with me. I admire your vulnerability, courage, faith and resilient spirit.

Below are our winners, who just so happen to both be named Emily. Each woman will receive a package from us next week including a MIHI T-shirt, sports bag, bracelet and a hand written note affirming them of their beauty, self-worth and dignity.

Our first winner:

For my friend, Emily…
Emily is a survivor in every sense of the word. She overcame a crippling two-year battle with anorexia during our senior year of High school. After two blood transfusions and months in the hospital and rehab, she emerged a beautiful, healthy seventeen-year old, with the kind of smile I had not seen on her in years. Coming back to school couldn’t have been easy for her; everyone knew where she had been and what disease she had. She bravely shocked us all with her continued health and recovery. My hope and prayer for Emily is that she will always remember that she is Made in His Image, and worth very much to Him.

Our second winner:

Emily is a beautiful woman who is passionate about her dreams even in the face of struggle.  She has dealt with anxiety, depression, cutting, eviction, meeting Jesus after living in an abusive Muslim home. Her greatest struggle has been her long-lived eating disorder: bulimia. Emily is ready for recovery and is desperate for treatment. She and her mom are unemployed, with no medical coverage or source of income to pay for care. Emily has recently quit school in search of a full-time job with health benefits, in hopes to soon be able to afford treatment. Despite the above, Emily the sweetest, most generous, & optimistic person I’ve ever met. 

P.S. You are enough.