How to start? I usually only prefer to talk about myself to my close relatives. But it is better to know a little about the person who wrote the book we are reading, right?And I pray that knowing a little bit of me including some of my testimony will help someone. So let’s get started.

THE BASICS

I am a happy wife and mom of 2 adorable boys. I was born in the South of France, where I also grew up. My father is French and my mother is Cabo Verdean. I believe that this mix of cultures forged my personality and helped me to be an open-minded and curious person, and also a lover of tasty food.

EARLY DOUBTS ABOUT MY SPIRITUAL BELIEFS

When I was a child I was always trying to find the answers to existential questions: “Why am I here?”, “What is my purpose?”, “How was such a thing made?”, “Why is there so much evil?”, “Why are there so many inequalities?”, “Why are there so many religions and confusions?”… The questions I asked myself were pretty pessimistic. I grew up in a Christian Catholic environment and I always had doubts about what people around me were telling me about God; nevertheless, I still felt deep inside of me that there was a God and that I had a guardian angel. Even if in my teen years I was claiming to be an atheist because I didn’t understand why, if there is a God, there is so much evil, I was often finding myself praying alone in my bedroom when I was feeling down.

I know now that all my prayers were heard, with many of them answered, and that I was guided by the Holy Spirit.

QUESTIONS FINALLY ANSWERED

Later, during an internship in New York, I met my amazing husband, and as I got to know him, I learned that he was a “Seventh Day Adventist”. “Seventh… what?”, “Is it a  sect or something like that?” I asked him. In France, I had never heard of this religious denomination. But I learned later that there are many Seventh Day Adventists in the USA, in the Caribbean, and more and more everywhere in the world. After I asked him these questions, he smiled and just told me that they are Christians who believe in following the Bible, love the Lord and their neighbors and that their teachings are the teachings of Jesus found in the Holy Bible. They also go to church on Saturday and don’t eat pork. I was very surprised and still skeptical. I never opened a real Bible in my life and I didn’t understand. The only Christian books that I opened in the past were kids Bibles during Catechist, and a few Bible stories full of images.

Despite my mistrust, my husband who was my boyfriend at this time never pushed me into believing anything and respected my opinion. But as the days passed, many questions were popping into my head, and I asked them to my husband who answered with kindness while showing me the verses in the Bible which were very good at answering my questions. As I fell in love with him, I told myself that I can’t be narrow-minded and make myself an opinion without even trying to learn more and that I have to at least try to read the Bible for myself, which might bring me to a better understanding.

I went through the pages of the KJV Bible and I was amazed by the words of truth and everything became so obvious and clear. All the questions I asked myself in the past were answered. It didn’t happen overnight, but in a matter of 2 years, I was finally sure of who I am, why I am here, why nature is so beautiful, why there is evil in our world, why there are so many spiritual confusions and religions. The key to understanding was, in fact, easy to reach: to read and study the Bible. 

HAPPIER, STRONGER AND MORE CONFIDENT

In 2015, I acknowledge Jesus as my savior, and that he died for our sins and I was baptized by full immersion. Since then I know that the Holy Spirit is working on me and I am closer to God every day. I am a happier, stronger and a more confident person. And my heart is less troubled by what is happening in the world. I know that there will always be ups and downs in my life and in this world, but as long as I lean on Jesus, I will be fine in times of trouble.

SO WHY THIS BOOK?

By now, you might ask yourself why I decided to write this book. I have always loved good food, and my mother was a great example for me as she taught me to cook simple recipes that were healthy and hearty. My two older brothers are also an inspiration to me as they both work in the culinary field. My issue has always been to find out how I can control my weight and my physical and mental health with my love for eating. When I was younger, I had extra pounds and I was always comparing myself to people I saw in the media, which is, unfortunately, the situation of many teenagers today. As I grew up I became more fit, not because I was eating better but because I was exercising more. After each of my pregnancies, I gained some weight which had an impact on my health, and I was less energetic. I was trying diverse diets and among them a protein-based diet. I had to eat a lot of meat and after the diet, I was gaining back weight. As time passed, I had more and more displeasure when I ate meat. I could eat it in small quantities, but not a lot. I was thinking more and more about becoming a vegetarian but I  knew it had to be done progressively, so I didn’t force myself but I prayed to God for guidance. Day after day I came across a lot of information in books and on the web about health, which were not theories but facts. I also found myself read the parts of the Bible regarding food and I realized how much the Bible health principles match many scientific facts about health. I know now why and what God says about the food we eat, and why it is so important for every Christian to follow it. I am now a vegetarian transitioning to vegan and I love it! I have come a long way. Indeed, I used to eat any kind of meat (from chicken, to snail and even shark ). And it is only with the help of God that I now eat much healthier and that I enjoy it so much. Breaking bad habits is a process, but it is very possible as you will read in the following pages. This book is the product of my love for Jesus, for my brothers and sisters (yes you are, too), and of my passion for the Bible and healthy food.

Read more about The Bible Diet Book Author Intentions.