LifeAudio

Welcome to a powerful and heartfelt episode of the Compared to Who? podcast, hosted by Heather Creekmore. In this episode, Heather chats with three real women—Patricia, Diane, and Jess—who have courageously walked through coaching and programs to improve their body image and relationship with food. If you’re tired of feeling stuck in food obsession, diet culture, or shame around your body, this episode is for you!

Episode Highlights:

• The guests share honestly about their lifelong battles with body image, food restriction, calorie counting, and the underlying fears and shame that kept them trapped for years.

• Patricia

  Reveals how she lived in “body image bondage” for nearly two decades, mistaking strict dieting for freedom until she discovered the faith-based approach of Compared to Who? and began her journey to genuine freedom.

• Diane

  At age 71, reflects on six decades of food obsessions and restricting behaviors, and how finally integrating her faith with her eating and body image struggles began her transformation.

• Jess

  Shares how she didn’t realize she even had body image issues until after having kids; she discusses the shame of living in a bigger body, the mental exhaustion of chasing diets, and how true freedom finally came through the support and tools offered in the coaching group.

• The women and Heather explore the themes of fear, idolatry, objectification, and the dynamic between self-worth and body size.

• Hear practical, inspiring stories about breaking the cycle of daily weigh-ins, obsessive thoughts, and moralizing food choices.

• Each guest describes how participation in the 40 Day Body Image Journey, the Body Image Freedom Framework, and intuitive eating coaching offered loving accountability, lasting mindset shifts, and deepened connection to God’s truth about their identity.

• The episode closes with encouragement for anyone who feels stuck, scared to start, or believes they’re “too old” or “too late” for change.

Key Takeaways:

• Lasting body image freedom isn’t about reaching your “ideal weight”—it’s about shifting your perspective, breaking fear-driven cycles, and finding your worth in God, not a number on the scale.

• Healing comes in community: support, vulnerability, and shared struggle are powerful in bringing freedom from shame and isolation.

• No matter your age or how long you’ve struggled, there is hope and there is help.

Resources Mentioned:

• 40 Day Body Image Workbook & Journey

• “Obsessed to Blessed” Mini Course

• Body Image Freedom Framework

Ready to start your own journey? Go to improvebodyimage.com and sign up for the 40 Day Body Image Journey—launching January 20th! Take the next gentle, faith-filled step toward freedom.

Connect & Share: If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and join the conversation in our community. You’re not alone in this journey!

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Today’s Bible Verse: "Hear this, you that trample the needy,
    and do away with the poor of the land" - Amos 8:4

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MEET YOUR HOST: Dr. Kyle Norman at https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada. He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others. Rev. Norman has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.

Find more from Rev. Norman at revkylenorman.ca

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Some nights, the quiet makes our thoughts louder. We replay today, worry about tomorrow, and wonder if we’re doing enough—especially in seasons where responsibility feels tender and new. As a first-time mom with a newborn, the pressure to make the “right” choices can feel constant, especially in the middle-of-the-night moments when your mind won’t slow down.

But God invites us into something gentler than striving. He doesn’t demand perfection—He asks for surrender. Proverbs 16:3 reminds us that committing our plans to the Lord is less about having everything figured out and more about placing our intentions in His hands. It’s trusting that even if the plan changes, God’s purpose remains steady—and His timing is perfect.

Tonight, we can rest knowing that God is at work even while we sleep—ordering our steps, shaping our character, and establishing what’s ahead.

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” — Proverbs 16:3

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Dear God,
Tonight, we come before You with open hands and an open heart. Father, forgive us for the times we say we trust You but still try to carry everything on our own. We want to commit to You whatever we do—our plans, our hopes, our questions, and the things we don’t yet understand.

We release the pressure to have it all figured out, and we ask You to forgive us for relying on our desires more than on You. Teach us to trust that You are establishing Your perfect plans for our lives, even when what we see doesn’t look perfect right now. Align our hearts and intentions with Your will.

As we rest tonight, help us trust that You are already at work—ordering our steps, protecting our future, and preparing what’s ahead. We surrender everything in our hearts and minds to You. We place this season, this upcoming year, and our lives in Your hands.

In Your mighty name we pray,
Amen.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. Surrender is not weakness—it’s trust in the God who holds tomorrow.

2. When you commit your plans to the Lord, you trade pressure for peace and striving for security.

3. God isn’t asking you to figure it all out—He’s asking you to hand it all over.

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Connect with God — on Abide, a Christian meditation app that provides a biblically grounded place to experience peace and progress in your relationship with Christ. Use this biblical meditation, narrated by Melissa Disney, to center yourself on the truth in God's word. We are all called by God to make an impact in this world. Meditate on Ephesians 2:10. Allow the music & nature sounds, deep breathing, prayer, and scripture help you connect with God in a new way. 

For a 30 day free trial of our premium ad-free content, your trusted friend for meditation is right here: https://abide.com/peace

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In a world that feels louder than ever, many of us are quietly asking the same questions: Can I really hear God? How do I know it’s Him? And what do I do when He speaks?

That’s why I’m so grateful for this week’s episode of The Love Offering Podcast, where I sit down with Bible teacher and author Rachael Groll to talk about her book, Knowing God’s Voice: What Female Prophets of the Bible Teach Us About Recognizing, Trusting, and Obeying God.

In our conversation, Rachael helps us slow down and look closely at the lives of women in Scripture who truly heard from God—and faithfully responded. Some of their stories are familiar; others are rarely taught, but all remind us that God has always spoken to women and continues to do so today.

Together, we talk about:

• How to discern the difference between God’s voice, our own thoughts, and the voice of the enemy
• How to grow in confidence when God is leading you to take a step of obedience
• What Scripture teaches us about women using their voices for God’s purposes
• How the historical and cultural context of biblical women brings clarity and encouragement for us today

This conversation is deeply rooted in God’s Word and gently reminds us that listening to Him is not reserved for a select few—it’s an invitation for every believer who desires to walk closely with Him.

If you’ve ever felt unsure, overlooked, or hesitant to trust what God is stirring in your heart, I think this episode will encourage you in meaningful ways.

You can listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, and I pray it helps you listen closely, trust more deeply, and walk faithfully in the light God gives you—one step at a time.

Connect with Rachael Groll:

Rachael Groll

Connect with Rachael Adams:

Lead with Love - Rachael K. Adams, author, speaker and podcaster

Download your Free Love Always Devotional:

Free - Rachael K. Adams

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

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A Prayer When We Need to Comfort our Kids by Danika Cooley

Parenting can sometimes feel like a three-ring circus—chaotic, loud, unpredictable, and overwhelming. In this episode, we reflect on the deep emotional challenge of watching our children suffer and the uncertainty that comes with wanting to respond “the right way.”In today's episode by Danika Cooley, we are reminded that God does not stand at a distance from our pain or our children’s pain. He is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, meeting us in our hardest moments and loving us through every affliction.

Reference: 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

Prayer: Lord, you are a God of mercy and comfort. Throughout our lives, you have comforted us when we suffered. Thank you for the afflictions you have brought us through. We praise you that because you cared for us during our trials, we can now comfort our kids.

LINKS:

5 Habits of a Praying Mom 

Connect with Danika Cooley

Follow Everyday Prayers @MillionPrayingMoms

Get today's devotion and prayer in written form to keep for future use! 

Support the ministry with your $5 monthly gift through Patreon.

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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, Gem Fadling invites you to rethink the idea of “life balance.” Many of us try to keep every part of life perfectly calibrated, yet still feel overwhelmed and spiritually depleted. Instead of striving for balance, Gem offers a more compassionate and sustainable approach: cultivating a life rhythm shaped by God’s presence.

Through gentle guidance and four reflective questions, she helps you discern what truly matters, where your energy is going, what needs release, and how to build patterns that bring rest and clarity. If you’re longing for a more grounded, peaceful, and spiritually centered way to live, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

______________________________________________________

Connect with Gem on Instagram and learn more on the Unhurried Living website and her new book, Hold That Thought: Sorting Through the Voices in Our Heads

Learn about PACE: Certificate in Leadership and Soul Care

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God’s new mercies for a new year remind us that lasting hope isn’t found in resolutions, productivity, or perfectly planned goals, but in the daily faithfulness of the Lord. Rooted in Lamentations 3:21–27, this devotional points us to the steady truth that God’s compassion never fails, His mercy is renewed every morning, and His presence is sufficient for each ordinary day ahead.

Highlights

• Ordinary, quiet days can feel harder than busy ones, yet they are sacred gifts from God.

• Our relationship with God is not a goal to achieve but a journey to continue.

• New Year’s resolutions cannot sustain spiritual growth the way daily dependence on God can.

• God’s mercy, love, and compassion are renewed every single morning without fail.

• Hope is not found in knowing the future but in trusting the God who reigns over it.

• There is always enough mercy for each day—never more, never less.

• Living one day at a time frees us from fear and anchors us in God’s faithfulness.

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Full Transcript Below:

New Mercies for a New Year

By: Sarah Frazer

Bible Reading:
I reach up for my coffee cup in the cabinet. Silently, while my house is still quiet, I pour the steaming liquid. The morning hours are sacred, peaceful, and go by too fast. 

My children, all five of them, will wake up early. The rooms will be filled with voices, doors opening, and then the noises of food being fixed in the kitchen. Although they are older now and can make their own breakfast, I walk in with my empty coffee cup. I’m ready to help them pack their lunches and pour the orange juice. 

The morning hours will once again be quiet after getting them off to school, but facing my day means I face the truth that ordinary, mundane days are often harder than the busy ones. How do I spend my day? What is truly important? If I made a list, it would be a mile long. New days bring new to-do lists. 

Jobs, careers, family, and ministry weave together as the years go by, but how do we decide what to do with our days? Each day is a gift from God, and we don’t want to waste our time, so how do we live better? 

As the new year approaches, you and I want to make our lives better. We want our health to be better, our relationships to be better, and we want our faith to be better. Although New Year’s resolutions are great, maybe even beneficial, what we cannot resolve to do be

Acompáñanos a escuchar nuestro devocional de hoy basado en Mateo 5:16. Este nuevo año es como una hoja en blanco que el Señor nos entrega, una oportunidad para crecer, perdonar, amar y caminar más de cerca con Él. Les animamos a que juntos demos los primeros pasos con propósito, dejando que su luz brille en nosotros y a través de nosotros. Que cada palabra, sonrisa y gesto de bondad nos motive a escribir una historia de fe y esperanza en este 2026.

Escrito por Luciano Goicochea

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Lies often begin as an attempt to avoid pain—whether it’s a small exaggeration meant to spare feelings or a major deception that shakes a relationship to its core. But this devotional reminds us that while lies promise comfort, they ultimately deliver harm. Deceit doesn’t just damage the relationship between two people; it also erodes the integrity of the one who lies and creates a ripple effect of distrust that can last far beyond the original betrayal.

And even when forgiveness is present, healing is not always immediate. Forgiving someone doesn’t automatically erase the consequences of what happened, and it doesn’t require us to pretend we weren’t hurt. In fact, it’s natural to protect ourselves after trust is broken. But one of the painful realities this devotional highlights is how easily we can carry that hurt forward—projecting distrust onto new people who haven’t done anything wrong. This is where “the truth hurts”: truth asks us not to remain closed off forever, but to live with a heart that’s willing to love again.

Trusting again doesn’t mean ignoring red flags or throwing caution to the wind. It means letting God heal what was broken so we aren’t trapped by bitterness or fear. It means allowing discernment to guide us while keeping our hearts open enough to receive the blessings God still wants to bring—new friendships, restored hope, and even new love. The devotional encourages us to remember that God never wastes brokenness. He shines through it, heals it, and can rebuild what feels shattered. When we place our confidence in Him, we can move forward with courage, believing that God is still writing fruit-bearing chapters ahead.

Main Takeaways

• Lies may feel protective in the moment, but they ultimately damage trust and relationships.

• Forgiveness doesn’t erase the reality of hurt, and healing takes time.

• It’s easy to project distrust onto new people after betrayal, but truth calls us to trust wisely again.

• Discernment matters—open-hearted trust is not the same as ignoring red flags.

• God can redeem brokenness and lead you into relationships and blessings that bear fruit.

Today’s Bible Verse: Jeremiah 17:7–8

Your Daily Prayer

Here is a brief excerpt from today’s prayer:

“Father, thank you for being a God we can trust. Your loving faithfulness has proven itself over and over.”

You can read the full prayer and devotional at the links below.

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