This is a story of hope-of profound, personal change from a life of obesity and depression to a life of love and freedom. As a child, Jenny Marshall endured emotional, psychological, physical, and sexual abuse. Using food as comfort, her weight began to increase through adolescence, as did the bullying she experienced at school. By the time she reached 12, she weighed 300 pounds (132 kg) and was ashamed of her body. When she left home and entered the workforce, the bullying continued. At her largest, she weighed 600 pounds (over 250 kg) and was the object of disdain from many. The future was bleak, and her severe obesity affected her health and self-worth. To find an answer, she sought help from a fundamentalist church. Some saw her affliction as demon possession and sought to exorcise it. But others saw beyond the behavior and understood that the root cause was shame. A close friend finally convinced her that her life mattered, and that if she died, she would be missed. With the realization that she was deeply loved, she slowly set about making a change. With many twists and turns along the way, she lost over 220 pounds (100 kg) and created a new life for herself. Ultimately, it was love that healed Jenny and gave her the courage to persist on her journey to health.
