Phoenix Chronicles

Do you have community? We live in a world that increasingly does not require community — you can buy just about everything online, and you can do everything from working to visiting the doctor remotely. However, God created us to have community. In today’s episode of Phoenix Chronicles, Martin and Jes discuss community — what it is, how to find it, and why it is crucial for lasting weight loss. 

Martin starts by describing his experience with weight loss before he found community. He found himself very isolated, particularly around the holidays. It took Jes time to find the right community for her, but once she did, it made all the difference. 

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:40] Today’s episode is about losing the weight, and more importantly, keeping it off. When we white-knuckle through diets, it can be easy to slip back into old habits. 

[5:10] Last episode, we talked about obedience. Having a team of people around you who are also obedient, and who encourage your obedience, can help you stick to your diet. 

[7:51] Martin struggled to stick to his diet before he found community. Other than his wife, he handled his weight loss completely on his own, and struggled to do so. 

[11:20] Martin found himself feeling more alone and isolated during the holidays. He struggled to resist temptation around the holidays and found himself in an uphill battle.

[14:57] Beyond surrendering to God, Martin recommends forming a community with God. Through prayer, Martin was able to draw on God’s willpower to stay on his diet. 

[20:48] Jes spoke about the community she found in her Regeneration group last episode. The program goes through a twelve-step process to help participants find strength in their faith.

[25:00] The sense of community Jes found in her Regen group will be with her for life. Her “stepsisters” help her accountable, and were willing to risk alienating her to point her back to God. 

[28:45] How do you find community? Jes recommends starting at church, and going “church-shopping” until you find a place that feels like home. You can also join groups like book clubs.

[32:58] From Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/ 

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book 

Jess is back and in the final stages of recovery from bariatric bypass surgery. Her journey to eventually decide to get the surgery was a difficult one as she struggled to determine what being obedient to God looked like in her decision. In this episode, Jess and Martin discuss and compare their weight loss surgeries and recovery and how obedience played into their decision to get surgery. 

Jess begins by reflecting on her decision to get surgery and how obedience to God looked in that decision. Her and Martin move into discussing their surgeries - they both had bariatric bypass surgery, but took very different approaches to it. Finally, Martin and Jess discuss obedience as it applies to the family, to every day life, and to weight loss.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:23] Jess is returning from bariatric bypass surgery, a decision she made after many years of consideration. This is the same procedure that Martin had.

[4:09] When Jess first considered the surgery, she struggled with an internal doubt that she couldn’t get past despite support from her family and friends.

[8:17] As Jess was considering whether the surgery was right for her, she attended a Regeneration group at her church. Finally, she was able to hear a “yes” from God. Her journey toward obedience reminds her of the story of Shadrach Meschach and Abendago in Daniel 3:3. 

[16:11] Martin’s wife does all of his clothes shopping, and even lays out clothes for him some days. He could view this as a kind of obedience, but he also views it as a form of love. Being obedient to God is similar - it is an act of love. 

[19:03] Losing weight required obedience for Martin. By being obedient to God through prayer, worship, and reading God’s word, he was able to stay consistent in his diet and exercise. 

[22:18] After her surgery, Jess slowly moved from a liquid diet to a strict soft food diet. She is still yet to get into her final phase of eating. Martin’s post-surgery diet restriction was to “eat whatever you can.”

[26:33] We’re inherently wired to be our own masters. Jess has struggled with balancing her independence with obedience.

[29:04] Romans 5:19 says “for just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” We don’t know how our obedience or disobedience affects the people around us, but we know that it does. 

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/ 

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book 

Today’s episode is about giants. We all face giants in our day-to-day life, whether they’re people or obstacles like losing weight. In this episode of Phoenix Chronicles, Martin speaks with his pastor Robert Upshaw about his story and the giants he overcame. Robert lost his wife suddenly due to a rare cancer, and found himself binge eating for comfort. He explains how he put his life back together — and how you can too.

Robert begins by detailing his wife’s sudden diagnosis and decline, and how her death led to his faith weakening. He explains how he was able to pick up the pieces by turning to God, and how you can overcome giants in your day-to-day life.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:54] Martin introduces Robert Upshaw, his pastor and special guest on today’s episode. Robert was one of Martin’s first connections at his church. 

[3:22] Robert details the story of his wife Yolanda’s anaplastic thyroid cancer diagnosis. The doctors estimated that she had about six months to live. 

[9:25] Yolanda’s doctors told Robert that there was nothing else they could do for her. They explained Yolanda’s prognosis to their children, and Yolanda told them that she wanted Robert to move on. 

[12:32] Following Yolanda’s death, Robert became a single parent, which he was not prepared for. He became less present and began binge eating for comfort. 

[15:34] One of the first things Robert did once he realized he had a problem was repenting. From there, he was able to start the process of healing. 

[17:59] Robert faced a giant back in high school when he played a game against Shaquille O’Neal, which he lost. We face giants every day, but when we keep our eyes on them we can make them bigger than they are. 

[20:17] God tells us that He is always there for the brokenhearted and that all things are possible through him. God is bigger than our giants, and with His strength we can overcome them. 

[25:17] Martin tells the story of Mandy, a waitress he met recently who is working on turning her life over to God.

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book 

There’s two sides to every story, and today’s guest is bringing in a new perspective on Martin’s weight loss journey - Lori, Martin’s wife. They discuss how Martin became dependent on food, the many efforts he took to lose weight, and his realization that God was the ultimate source of willpower. As always, Martin and Lori discuss the importance of faith in your weight loss journey, and give tips to help you follow along.

Starting by discussing the progression of their relationship from when they met through Martin’s weight gain and loss, Martin and Lori discuss how asking for God’s strength in weight loss changed Martin’s mind and improved his relationships. 

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[2:14] Martin was always very gregarious and outgoing. Lori fell in love with his humor and kindness, but overtime found that she was walking on eggshells around his health. 

[8:00] As Lori and Martin started their family, they found that Martin’s lifestyle was affecting the activities they were able to do and rubbing off on Jess. 

[11:22] By turning to God for weight loss help two years ago, Martin was able to turn his life around and take back his health. 

[16:31] Lori wants to give other loved ones members of people struggling with their weight hope for their relationship. 

[20:03] Throughout her marriage, Lori prayed for Martin to be happy and present again. She tells listeners not to give up.

[26:09] Martin and Lori both came from relatively healthy homes, but Martin made unhealthy decisions. He takes responsibility for the decisions that got him to the weight he reached.

[31:07] You can build a relationship with God today by praying for God’s help, worshipping, and spending time with scripture. 

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book 

In this episode, Martin and Jess talk about the north, south, east, and west of weight loss. Just like a compass helps us go in the right direction, the Phoenix Chronicles compass points you toward your weight loss goals. Learn about its components – nutrition, exercise, water, and sleep – and how you can improve at each one of them.

Starting with nutrition, Martin encourages listeners to select the best diet for them and to avoid fad diets. Similarly, he recommends finding a way to incorporate exercise that is sustainable for you. Jess explains the importance of sleep and hydration to weight loss and gives tips for improving them both.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:12] Today’s episode is about the news, and we’re not talking about politics. Before the GPS, people had to use compasses to navigate, and Martin and Jess have created their own compass, with its own north, east, south, and west (NEWS).

[2:41] Our “north” is nutrition. Most of us have tried to lose weight through nutrition, whether it’s Weight Watchers, low-carb, or low-fat. The best way to handle your nutrition is to find a plan that works for you – there is no one right answer.

[6:33] Martin uses the Atkins diet paired with IMF (Intermittent Fasting). He stresses that while choosing the best diet for you is important, it is ideal to steer clear of fad diets.

[11:29] E stands for exercise. Exercise does not have to be marathons; it should be something that you can sustain. 

[17:40] Our “west” is water. Water has been shown to have value in nearly every area of our lives, from satiety to detoxing. 

[21:24] Adding fruit to your water can be a great way to make it more appealing and exciting if drinking water on its own is difficult for you. You can also get a tracker bottle that tells you how much you should drink by a given time in the day.

[25:22] S stands for sleep, which is often a forgotten component of weight loss. Sleep can help us feel better and make better decisions. 

[30:35] When we are well-rested, our metabolism and hormones function better. When we are tired, we often reach for food out of habit or to try to get back the energy we lost from a bad night of sleep.

[31:39] To sleep better, Jess recommends picking up a sleep routine like journaling or reading your Bible. You can also remove screens thirty minutes to an hour before you go to sleep. Lastly, Jess recommends the Soul Space app to help you relax before going to sleep.

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book 

Who is God? It’s not a trick question, but it is a big one. We know God through the world around us, through the Bible, and through our relationships to Him – relationships that often evolve over the course of our lifetimes. In today’s episode of Phoenix Chronicles, Martin and Jess discuss their relationships with God, who God is, and why He was willing to sacrifice Jesus for our sins. 

Martin and Jess start by discussing their relationships with God and how they’ve progressed. They move into a conversation about who God is, and what we know about Him. Learn how to strengthen your relationship with God and how His strength can contribute to your weight loss.

Learn how you can find and stick to your why, and how Isaiah 43:19 tells us that God will give us a way out.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:15] Today’s episode is about Martin and Jess’s relationship with God – who God is, what God is, and God’s role in Martin and Jess’s lives.  

[2:44] Martin’s relationship with God has changed over time. He grew up going to church, but found that his church heavily mediated the messages of the Bible. He did not learn that God wanted to have a relationship with him, but discovered it over time through prayer. 

[4:27] Who is God? For one, He created the universe. He is all-present, all-knowing, perfectly holy, and perfectly loving. 

[7:30] You can also think of God as the perfect father. Your father may not have been perfect or even good, but you know how you would have liked him to have been. That idea can get you closer to understanding the love of God.

[9:37] Martin tells the story of an atheist who does not believe in God because he could not imagine someone sacrificing his own son for our sins. He came to understand Jesus’s story through nature.

[14:54] Having a relationship with God is a two-sided affair. Jess reads Ephesians: “God says that I am His beloved child. God is not timid about expressing his love for us.” As a mother, Jess feels she has a partial understanding of this love.

[20:19] God created us in a certain way, but the decisions we make can pull us away from his design. However, God loves you no matter what decisions you make. 

[22:35] According to Romans 1:16-17, Jesus made many promises to us. Jesus promised rest, abundant life to his followers, and that He will return.

[26:36] Jess has worked hard to conquer her food addiction, and has found that she now knows God for the first time. She knows that she can trust God and let go of her control.

[28:10] Moving into audience feedback, Martin reads a comment on excitement about God’s plan for this podcast. 

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book

In today’s episode of The Phoenix Chronicles, Martin and Jes discuss vision — and we’re not talking about Jes’s astigmatism. Instead, we’re talking about our visions for the future, and how changing your vision for the future can change your life. Our visions change over time, and few people’s lives turn out exactly as they envisioned them. 

Matin discusses his personal journey with his vision as it shifted from short-sighted and self-interested goals to goals based in his relationship with God. Jes explains that while having a positive vision for your future is a good thing, seemingly positive visions can actually be steeped in negative motivations like vanity or vengeance. Learn how to choose your vision, and how it can help you lose weight. 

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:50] Today’s episode is about vision,  specifically our visions for the future. We all have ideas about where our future will go, but few live in accordance with their visions.

[3:50] Martin’s visions started as self-interested; they centered around things that would make him feel good. His vision is now about fulfilling God’s purpose for him.

[7:12] Upon visiting Arkansas, Martin noticed how much God was weaved into the local culture. He decided Arkansas would be a great place to live because it matched his vision for himself.

[14:10] Martin’s involvement in his church in Arkansas also affected his vision as he found his purpose in sustainable weight loss through worship.

[20:25] Having a positive vision for your future is a good thing, but it can easily shift into a selfish vision. For example, wanting to fit into clothes that you like can turn into a vain vision.

[24:00] Another vision that Jes has is mobility and freedom. Jes has physical restrictions due to her weight that she would like to overcome, partly so that she can better serve God. 

[28:10] We can have a vision that is harmful to us. We may want vengeance, lust, pride, or vanity. Pray on your vision and interrogate whether it will bring glory and honor to God.

[32:45] Dieting does not change the way you look at food — it actually does the opposite. After you finish your diet, you will finally feel free to eat whatever you want, and you will overcompensate. 

[39:00] From Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book 

Losing weight isn’t just about exercising your body — it’s also about exercising your mind. The concept of Neurobics is a scientific concept created to help the elderly exercise their brains to prevent degradation with age. But the type of exercise Jes and Martin discuss in this episode is all about how you talk to yourself. 

Many people who are trying to lose weight have negative self-talk. We call ourselves lazy or useless as we fail to lose the weight, and we do not realize how these thoughts can be self-fulfilling. By using scripture, we can counteract these thoughts and continue our journey with God on our side.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:20] Today’s episode is about Neurobics, which is a scientific idea of exercising your brain. The concept was invented with the idea of preventing mental degradation as you age. Martin proposes another aspect of Neurobics in what we say to ourselves. 

[2:45] Matin tells a story from Zig Zigglar’s book See You at the Top. The story is about a man named Victor who believed he was a moron because he was told that he was as a child and started repeating it to himself. When he began thinking of himself as a genius in adulthood, it changed his life. 

[9:30] Proverbs 23:7 says “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” This is a clear message about how the things we say to ourselves matter, and it supports Neurobics. 

[12:38] The Phoenix Chronicles website has a workbook to help you develop your Neurobics and improve your concept of yourself. Get it here: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/product-page/phoenix-chronicles-workbook 

[18:00] Jes’s negative self talk was crippling at times as she dealt with her body image. She thinks that on some level, she accepted the things she said about herself as true. 

[21:02] The first step to stopping negative self talk is to identify the negative voice as something other than yourself, whether you hear it in another voice or your own. Write down the thoughts to get them out of you. 

[26:00] Keep your list of scriptures that counteract your negative thoughts everywhere – in your phone, at your desk, and anywhere else you visit often. This way, you can immediately turn to it when negative thoughts come up.

[34:50] A related piece of scripture: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book 

Why are you on this journey? You may have short-term motivations, like losing weight for a wedding or a reunion. These motivations are a good start, but they stop after you reach your short-term goal. More effective whys are eternal and based in your relationship to God. In this episode of Phoenix Chronicles, Jes and Martin discuss their whys – how they found them, how they shifted over time, and how they reached their eternal whys. 

Learn how you can find and stick to your why, and how Isaiah 43:19 tells us that God will give us a way out.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:04] This episode is all about Martin and Jes’s “why” for losing weight. Martin’s motivation goes back to his diabetes diagnosis. He knew that not properly managing his diabetes could kill him. His “why” has since shifted to be more eternal.

[4:22] Short-term whys have the drawback of not motivating you past your short-term goal. Once you hit your goal, you will feel like you can relax and celebrate by going back to the habits that got you to where you were.

[6:58] Now, Martin feels called to continue to lose weight and to help others do so. This motivation is eternal and not based in fear.

[11:54] Jes’s why started as a more surface-level desire to fit into smaller clothes, and later became wanting to not feel restricted in her body. Now, she wants to set a good example for her son.

[15:24] Jes also realized that her struggle was about obedience to God. Martin points out that obedience is not perfection. 

[19:14] Only after starting this program and worshipping daily has Martin felt that he is obedient to God. He has also become a better husband, father, and man because of his transformation. 

[21:06] How do you cement your why? You can start by writing it down. This can help you get your emotions in tune with your desires and internalize your goals. 

[25:48] If you are struggling to find your why, make a list of the things that are important to you. You can also ask God to help you find your why.

[28:13] In Isaiah 43:19, God says “See, I am doing new things! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” By making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland, God provides a path for us out of our struggles. 

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/ 

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book 

What are some of the strangest ways you’ve tried to lose weight? In today’s episode of Phoenix Chronicles, Martin and Jes describe their efforts at weight loss before turning to God. Their attempts at weight loss ranged from relatively common programs like Weight Watchers to liquid diets and misusing medication for weight loss. These efforts often rest on the idea that your need to lose weight is your fault, and because of this you need to punish your body. But you do not need to be cruel to yourself to lose weight; you can rely on God. 

Learn how to turn your journey from diet-hopping to consistent worship, and how music can help you along the way. 

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[1:05] Today’s topic is about diets, specifically the many types of diets that Martin and Jes have tried in an attempt to lose weight. Martin tried hypnosis, acupuncture, an all liquid diet, and more. The most unusual thing Martin tried was the Schick Aversion Therapy Treatment, which involved revulsion techniques.

[5:21] Martin struggled with dieting for years. He lost hundreds of pounds, but struggled immensely with sticking to his diets until he accepted God into his weight loss journey. He began to have conversations with God throughout his day to help him stick to his diet. 

[10:00] Martin took inspiration from Romans 8 and the Prayer of Jabez, along with many other scriptures, as he began to work consistent worship into his weight loss practice. He also worked on the idea of worship, and found inspiration to stay true to his health through his worship.

[12:49] Martin and Jes believe that their weight loss plan is not something that they created, but something that God gave them. Going to God for weight loss was a relatively new idea, even for the Christians Martin and Jes knew. 

[14:05] Jes engaged in some reckless dieting, including misusing HCG drops to the point of liver and gallbladder failure. She also tried healthier methods like clean eating and shots similar to Ozempic; on which she experienced negative side effects.

[17:33] Jes believed that abusing her body was a part of the process of weight loss. She thought of her weight gain as something that was her fault, and used weight loss as a form of self-punishment. 

[21:09] One example of Jes’s ups and downs is an experience where she had planned to eat a treat at the end of a difficult day, but she felt God’s presence guide her not to. The next day, she ate a pint of ice cream.

[25:00] Worship music has multiple benefits. For one, music has a strong tie to memory and allows you to return to the moment you began your journey. Additionally, worship music can help give you the strength to remember why you are on this journey.

[32:20] Praise music can stay with you throughout the day – you can make it a part of your morning routine, your drive to work, and your tasks throughout the day. This allows you to receive its messages continuously. 

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book