Michelle Elam

I praise God for the chance to give him the GLORY that I even have a testimony. I started Weigh Down in college and joined Remnant after my first class. Before the class began, I had told my parents that I wanted to be a missionary in China and began going on various mission trips to "prepare." Yeah right. I went to Paris, and Las Vegas to do this. How ironic that these were also places that were fun and a great vacation. (All in the name of following God of course.) I loved the praise of man associated with this and the self-sacrifice of giving up "my time." And not to mention how excited I was by the food in Paris. SICK! At 19 years old I was on anxiety pills for the day time and sleeping pills at night. I was the fourth generation in my family to do this. My great grandmother took Demerol to go to sleep nearly every night. My grandfather took sleeping medication and anxiety medication. So did my mother. I was told that it was hereditary and I would probably always need them. My insomnia was so bad that often it wouldn't even respond to the drugs. (God didn't LET it respond!) My life was centered around whether I had slept the night before, and whether I would sleep the next night. I also was a slave to the fear/phobia of many things, including germs. I was obsessed with reading novels (hours and hours and hours at a time) as it was a way to escape reality and my anxiety. I was also 30 lbs overweight. I exercised for 2 or more hours each day and counted every calorie. (except when I was binging!) I was extremely selfish and even from the time I was a child, I would pout and slam doors when I didn't get my way. I was a rebellious teenager and very hurtful towards my parents. I was rude to my bosses and teachers. I was told that I was a pessimistic person and always complaining. At the time I did The Last Exodus class, I was in Bible studies with friends and would share what I was learning in the Last Exodus Class. The leaders would briefly discuss these hard to hear scriptures (those who are greedy will not enter heaven) then say that they didn't fully understand what they meant and the conversation would change topics. My pastor would joke about how much he loved to eat and pat his gut while laughing. My bible study leaders confessed to deep seeded sin and said their church had never confronted it before. That's when I knew this message was for real, and that I needed to jump on board FAST. I am so grateful!!! My life AFTER: I am now FREE from the anxiety medication and sleeping pills. My sleep is sweet and the only anxiety I feel is when I fear that I am outside the boundaries of God. It is easy to overcome because obedience to God is everything to me now!! I no longer have irrational fears!! My mom KNOWS that it could ONLY be God when she has seen me break free from such strongholds. I now love and honor my parents and have lost over 30 lbs with NO more exercise! The fear of germs is not a stronghold anymore! I now have answered prayers DAILY and love to be awaked in the Night to be with God instead of anxiety. I praise God for this amazing truth that has set this captive free.