In today’s episode, Blakely and Maia sit down with their friend Emily Maxson, the heart behind Emily’s Fresh Kitchen, for a powerful and hope-filled conversation about healing, faith, and how God uses food as a tool to restore the body.

Emily shares her journey with chronic illness, walking listeners through her diagnosis with Crohn’s disease, navigating the pharmaceutical ladder, and the moment she felt God inviting her to approach healing in a different way. She opens up about how nutrition became a key part of her healing—not as a diet or quick fix, but as an act of obedience, stewardship, and trust in the Lord.

Together, they discuss what it looked like to walk through seasons of restriction without slipping into diet culture, how Emily stayed mentally and spiritually grounded while eating differently for healing, and the freedom she’s experienced on the other side. Emily shares where she’s at now in her health journey, foods she’s been able to reintroduce, and how she eats today with peace and flexibility.

The conversation also gets practical as Emily offers nourishing tips for everyday life—how to eat well at home, what to look for (and avoid) when reading labels, strategies for eating out while on the go, and how to approach food in a way that supports healing rather than control.

They close by talking about how God can use our stories for His glory. Emily shares encouragement for anyone feeling called to share their testimony, create, or serve others through what they’ve walked through!

This episode is an invitation to see food not as an idol or enemy, but as a gift God can use to heal, restore, and nourish the bodies He created.

This conversation is meant to be an invitation—not medical advice—into stewarding your health through faith, wisdom, and grace.

Emily's Instagram

Emily's Website + Cookbooks

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