I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Danny and Darci Cahill Sunday morning!  For those of you out there who are fans of ABC’s hit show The Biggest Loser, you might remember Danny as the season 8 winner!  Danny lost 239 pounds while on the show!

He was invited by Pastor Ron Lewis (senior pastor of King’s Park International Church in Durham, NC)  to share his God-story of triumph and victory.

Danny shared how he had lost weight over and over again throughout his adult life, but found himself discouraged.  He said when someone over 400 pounds loses 60 pounds it is almost impossible to see the loss.  Because of that, he would just give up and quit.   That was BEFORE The Biggest Loser.  Now, one of his motto’s and actually the title of one of his books is LOSE YOUR QUIT.

I think he coined this phrase from the following scripture:

Philippians 3:12-16
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.   All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things.  And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

But I press on!

To press on is to LOSE YOUR QUIT.

This isn’t just about weight loss folks, but about any addiction or issue in our lives that needs to go.   Danny said we all have to find our reason WHY.    His reason why was when his daughter climbed onto his lap and said, “Daddy I want to be just like you when I grow up!”  He felt pride that she wanted to be like him until she finished her thoughts.  “I want to have a belly just like yours” she said.  He was horrified because at the time he had a 69 1/2 inch belly.   He said THAT was reason enough to really get angry at himself and PRESS ON to reach his goal.  No longer could he allow himself to QUIT.

Danny said that sometimes he felt like the mountain was too big.  He had too much to overcome, but his encouragement to all of us was that he still had hope and we can too!  At times when we know we can’t handle the situation we know God can!

He shared some advice that he received while on The Biggest Loser ranch.   He was told one day after he had a slip up, “Someday you will have to be okay with the choices you have made.”   Something in him clicked and he realized (as well as we all should) that he had to let his bad decisions go.  His past was over and he must move FORWARD in life.  We need to do the same!

FOCUS ON THE THINGS YOU HAVE DONE RIGHT.  REGRETS HOLD YOU BACK!

God is the God of second chances (and third, fourth, fifth, etc …)!

Danny said if you can find the reason WHY, then you can tolerate the HOW.  We must let go of the regrets that weigh us down like baggage and move forward in the purpose God has for our lives.

One of my favorite moments was when Danny played the guitar and sang for us.    God gave him these songs after 12 years of not writing music.   You can find his songs King of Kings and Second Chance by clicking HERE.

I neglected to tell you about Danny’s beautiful wife, Darci.  Bless her heart, she had just been in an automobile accident two days before arriving in NC!  God totally protected her and all involved and she was able to join Danny.   I had the pleasure of sitting with her during the service and I must say I think she and I could be great friends.  We are both intercessors and both secretly pray our husbands through!   I loved hearing how she and her intercessor friends prayed God would place it on Danny’s heart to try out for The Biggest Loser.  He didn’t know they were praying until he was a part of the show.

I enjoyed meeting Danny, who wept with a tender heart, and Darci — who is a fireball for Jesus!  My joy in meeting them was because another family connection was made.  It was obvious that they were sweet Spirit-filled people who loved the Lord.   They both had sweet hearts and I hope to see them again on this side of heaven.

If you would like to read their story (so much more than I shared), please click on their books below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Photo of Danny walking through poster taken at King’s Park International Church on 1-13-13.  Photo credit: The Herald Sun)

(Photo credit of Danny on The Biggest Loser.)