Compared to Who? Body Image for Christian Women

You'll be encouraged by today's conversation on the topic of overcoming fear to say "Yes" to what God asks of us! Heather's guest today, Jennifer Hand, is Executive Director of Coming Alive ministries and a missionary who travels the world to minister to people who have just endured a natural disaster. Jenn talks about how she learned to put her "Yes" out there and surrender to God to walk out in faith. Jenn also talks about her journey as a single woman and how she's learned to trust God for her future in all areas. In today's episode about moving from fear to faith we talk about: Surrendering our fear, hopes, dreams, and plans to the Lord. How Jenn literally wrote out her "Yes" to God and put it out there for him. How to "do it" scared, how to keep moving even when you feel fear, and how to show up when you feel burdened with fear! Surrendering our bodies (and our body image-what we think of our bodies) to God. Jenn's struggle with body image and what she learned from having a twin sister. How to listen to God's truth over the lies of fear that shout at us. Finding the "promised land" of what God has planned for us. How we've chased the 'fake' promised land instead of God's dreams for our lives. How to not compare our "promised land" to other's promised lands. What NOT to say to single women! Meet Jenn Hand Jenn has a Master’s Degree in professional counseling from Richmont University and although not in private practice, loves to apply the things she learned as she helps you come alive. Jenn has been professionally speaking since 2004 and became the Executive Director and founder of Coming Alive Ministries in 2012.  She spent two life-changing years overseas in South Asia as a missionary and has traveled  to 22 countries to share the love of Jesus. Learn more about Jennifer Hand here: https://www.comingaliveministries.com Read Jenn Hand's brand new book, "My Yes is On the Table: Moving from Fear to Faith" on Amazon here.* (Amazon affiliate link.) Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Check out Heather’s coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Understanding your adoption in Christ can impact your identity in an amazing way. In today's 7 Minutes of Scripture episode we explore the passage in Ephesians 1 where Paul explains that we are adopted sons and daughters of God through Jesus. Heather tells the story of how adoption should bring us incredible security in who we are, how we've been created, and what the King has in store for us. If you've ever felt like you weren't enough, or a "less than" listen to today's episode which will encourage you and strengthen your faith. What would it mean to really understand that we are God's daughters according to Ephesians 1 and other places in scripture? Listen and find out how the Ephesians 1 adoption principle can help your body image and comparison issues. Here are some of the takeaways from today's Ephesians 1 passage: How we almost miss the big picture of our value because we're so focused on body image issues. How we have all been plucked, spiritually, from our families of origin to become adopted daughters of the King according to this passage in Ephesians 1. The encouragement that comes with recognizing that the Creator of the universe made you and loved you enough to adopt  us! What Ephesians 1 shows us about our true purpose here on earth. How understanding Ephesians 1 can transform the way you see yourself. Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Check out Heather’s coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Heather just got back from her first vacation as an "Intuitive Eater," and she learned a lot about herself and her food habits. Today, Heather talks to Erin Todd and Char-Lee Cassel of the Intuitive Eating for Christian Women podcast. Heather's coaches take her on an unexpected journey talking about food, body, family, approval, disappointments and so much more. Here Are Some Places We Go in our Discussion of Intuitive Eating on Vacation: How eating breakfast changed things on vacation for Heather. How Heather didn't feel "addicted" or out of control with sweets even under stress. How Heather had been operating under results from a decade-old test about food sensitivities and avoiding things. The relational aspect of food on vacation and how Heather's recognizing some unloving tendencies. How to handle comments/compliments or lack thereof with family members. Breaking away from the need for approval from family members approval of our appearance. The pressure to make vacation perfect and how that can spoil our time away! Why do we feel like we need a vacation to be "the best" time of our lives? How to keep your cool and not be super triggered if you find yourself in the middle of dieting conversations. What does it look like to give grace to family members that aren't on the same page with food? Why dieters love the food freedom of vacation, and how Intuitive Eating can give us that all year long. Why Heather used to cry at the end of every vacation. Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Learn more about Intuitive Eating for Christian Women or listen to the podcast here: https://intuitiveeatingforchristianwomen.com Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Struggling with the hot or holy paradigm? Check out Heather’s coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Did you know that your body image issues and cleaning your house like a crazy person may be connected? If you've ever turned into a cleaning Gestapo before company came over or if you've ever stressed way too much over how your house looked, you may be surprised to find out that there's a body image connection. Getting free to be yourself in your body may help you become a little more chill when it comes to cleaning your house before guests stop by. If you've ever cleaned the house to make it look like "no one lives here," you'll be able to relate to this episode in many ways! Here are some other things we talk about as we discuss how cleaning house connects to body image issues: What image are we trying to protect or portray in our physical homes? Is this related to the image we're trying to present in our soul's earthly homes--our bodies? How control issues flare in similar ways between cleaning our homes and caring for our bodies. What is the difference between loving others and desiring to be approved of and accepted? The mistake we make when we over-clean is the same as when we over-exercise or over-restrict food from our bodies. Who are we trying to impress? Is image management playing more of a role in our lives than we know? The "Mirror Tilt"-- How we can learn to better manage our image and understand Jesus's desire for us as image bearers. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/KlYCi3QMj0o Read the original blog post that got so much attention here: How Cleaning Your House Like Crazy Connects to Your Body Image Homework: How have YOUR body image issues connected to how you care about the appearance of your home? Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Struggling with the hot or holy paradigm? Check out Heather’s coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Today Heather's delivering vacation tips for women who struggle with body image and control issues. These struggles don't go on vacation when we do. In fact, sometimes a vacation can bring out the worst of our struggles. Between our disappointments, guilt over being "off-plan" with food choices, or feeling like we "look fat" in pictures we can spoil all the fun of our time away. This is your all-inclusive guide to preparing for time away this summer so you can enjoy your vacation! Grab a pen and take some notes before you head out this summer! Today we talk about vacation tips for women with body image and control issues: Chronic Disappointment Disorder and how it disturbs vacation. (Learn more about CDD in this episode here.) How talking about your expectations before vacation can transform your experience. How communicating with your spouse (or friends) can help us control freaks enjoy our time more. How gratitude can turn a lousy vacation around. How to stop the "Me Monster" from ruining your trip. What to do if your body image stops you from enjoying your time away. How you can keep your body image issues from flaring up while you are on vacation. What items of clothing are most important for you to invest in if your size has changed. How to stop your body image issues from spiraling while you are away from home. What to do about vacation pictures when you don't love the way you look in photos. Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Struggling with the hot or holy paradigm? Check out Heather’s coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Ready to feel lighter this summer and not so weighed down by body image issues? In today's episode, Heather shares the final tips of this 2 part, the "20 Ways to Feel Lighter" episode. You won't find diet or supplement strategies here. Instead, these are simple changes you can make to help you feel better in your body, all summer (and all year) long. None are expensive or time-consuming, but they can help you feel better on vacation, at the pool, beach, or lake, or wherever summer life takes you. Plus, many of these principles can be used to help you stay feeling more confident and less focused on your own body, all year long. Looking to Feel Lighter This Summer Without Weight Loss? Why comparison is not your friend this summer and how to beat it (Read: The Burden of Better for more!) How the right swimwear cover-up may be more important than the right swimsuit. (Here are two I like: https://amzn.to/3FMUHO3 or https://amzn.to/3lfKpMY) ** The last tip connects with an episode we just did. Listen to the episode from last Friday or read more about it on the blog, here: How To Look Great in a Swimsuit: Believe the Gospel?   Are you on the Compared to Who? email list yet? Join the 5 Day Email Challenge here: https://comparedtowho.me/5-day-email-challenge/ Read the blog post with several of these hacks here: https://comparedtowho.me/20-quick-body-image-boosters/ Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Check out Heather's coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ **links to Amazon are Amazon affiliate links - Amazon will send a tiny portion of any purchases made back to this ministry. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Ready to feel lighter this summer and not so weighed down by body image issues? In today's episode, Heather shares the first several tips of this 2 part, the "20 Ways to Feel Lighter" episode. These tips aren't dieting or exercise tricks. Instead, they are things that you can do to help you feel better in your body, all summer (and all year) long. These aren't expensive or time-consuming, but they can help you feel better on vacation, at the pool, beach, or lake, or wherever summer life takes you. Plus, many of these principles can be used to help you stay feeling more confident and less focused on your own body, all year long. Looking to Feel Lighter This Summer Without Weight Loss? What daily habits could help you keep your definition of beauty aligned with God's word instead of the World? Easy hacks for helping your body feel better, and to help you not feel so conscious about it. How it is possible to feel lighter this summer, even if your weight or size doesn't change before vacation or that pool party! Don't miss the most important hack about cleaning out your closet or the lessons we learn from Rachel and Leah. Are you on the Compared to Who? email list yet? Join the 5 Day Email Challenge here: https://comparedtowho.me/5-day-email-challenge/ Read the blog post with several of these hacks here: https://comparedtowho.me/20-quick-body-image-boosters/ Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Check out Heather's coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Summer is coming and culture tells us it's time to focus on how to look great in a swimsuit. So today, we explore God's word to see how scripture can guide us on this pursuit. Today, we're talking confidence, approval, and how most (if not all) women wrestle never feeling like they look good enough. What does the Gospel say to our insecurities? If you've ever felt like you just don't look good enough to put on swimwear (or wear it in public)--this episode will encourage your heart! Today Heather talks about what's really behind our struggles to look great in a swimsuit: Why the secret to looking good in a swimsuit can't just be drinking miracle weight-loss drinks or doing planks. Even if we "perfect" our bodies by culture's standards--we can still struggle with body image. Why it's important to remember that God's saving grace doesn't just make us secure for all of eternity, it makes us secure in the here and now. How wearing swimwear (or wearing it well) isn't the actual validation our hearts need when we struggle with body image issues. If you want to look great in a swimsuit, it doesn't require a body makeover, it requires a spiritual one. Are we email friends yet? Join the 5 Day Body Image Freedom Email Challenge here: https://www.comparedtowho.me Have you read Compared to Who? Check it out and start reading free, here: https://comparedtowho.me/compared-to-who-book-for-christian-women-on-body-image/ Ready for some extra support on your journey to body image freedom? Do you want to believe you are more than a body but still feel stuck? Check out Heather's coaching options. Learn more here: https://comparedtowho.me/christian-body-image-coaching-insecurity-confidence-gospel/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Do we need more self-control to stop eating? That's what many of us have believed. In this part two of a conversation between Heather Creekmore and Amy Carlson, RD -- we break down the spiritual fallacies surrounding applying self-control to wanting to be a "better dieter." Amy and Heather talk about the heart problems surrounding our desire to control our bodies through restricting food and what's really under the surface when we talk about needing more "self-control" to not eat foods we deem may make us gain weight. Here are some other topics we hit in today's episode: Do I Need More Self Control to Stop Eating: What is the real appetite that requires self-control? Is it our desire for food or is it our desire to satisfy our own desires--what I "want" for my body? Why self control to stop eating is a dangerous and distorted version of the Bible's self control How we reinforce the messages of diet culture in the church when we equate purity, holiness, and sanctification to being able to say no to dessert. We talk about how rattling it is for women who have been immersed in diet culture to recognize the truth of scripture from the lies of the dieting world. We discuss how we subtly fall into the trap of desiring self-worship when we want to change our body size through food restriction. If self-control isn't what we need to have better "control" of our eating (or to stop eating)-then what can we do? What should we be praying for instead? How we can change the conversation around food and body image issues by pushing back on some of these beliefs that have been taught even in the church and asking ourselves if the intent of scripture has been twisted to teach the gospel of diet culture instead of the true gospel--the good news! Connect with Amy Carlson and check out her Peace With Food app here: https://www.hellopeacewithfood.com Are you on the Compared to Who? email friends list yet? If not, take the 5 Day Body Image Email Challenge here: 5-Day Email Challenge or here: https://comparedtowho.me/5-day-email-challenge/ Leave a review for this show or support it here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

It's a popular message in Christian circles when the topic of food arises--we need more self control. The message is subtle but clear. If you had more self control, food issues would disappear. If you had more self control (which is a fruit of the spirit) then you would always choose Jesus over brownies. If you have more self control, you'd never have an issue with your weight. We've made the biblical concept of self control all about sticking to our diet. But, is that what self control is really about, according to scripture? Today, my guest is Amy Carlson, RD. She's worked with women with disordered eating and eating disorders for more than two decades. She loves Jesus and loves helping women break free from the bondage of food restriction cycles so they can make peace with food. She and her colleagues created the Peace With Food App, a helpful app that encourages you to be present and helps you transition to intuitive eating. Here are places we go today as we tackle this big topic: Is Self Control Really the Solution to Our Food Issues? What does it really mean to deny the flesh? Why have we made self control about denying ourselves of food and what is really behind that? Does Jesus really have clear opinions on what we eat? How the church has co-opted the messages of diet culture surrounding good foods, bad foods, and sanctification that comes from eating what's most "acceptable" in our diet culture. Why self control is more about looking like Jesus than looking like a model. Why food restriction isn't holiness or sanctification (and how food really doesn't have anything to do with these biblical concepts.) How we conflate the concept of gluttony when we talk about having "control" around food. How biblical self-discipline is about controlling lusts of the flesh, not about avoiding nourishment of our bodies. How truly changing our desires and becoming more like Christ has more to do with how we love and treat others than it does about what we eat. And so much more! Share this episode with a friend and leave a review if it's touched you! Not sure how to leave a review? Learn more here: https://www.comparedtowho.me/podcast Ready to start reading the Burden of Better? Find out more or start reading the first two chapters free here: https://comparedtowho.me/burden-of-better-book-for-christian-women-on-comparison   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.