Sweet Grace For Your Journey

Episode 020—Barb Raveling: Separating Truth from Lies

This week on the podcast, I’m chatting with Barb Raveling all the way from Montana. She and her husband have four children. She is a Christian weight loss author, podcaster and coach. Her podcasts are Taste for Truth and Christian Habits. Her books include: Freedom from Emotional Eating, Taste for Truth, I Deserve a Donut, The Renewing of the Mind Project, Rally and her most recent book Freedom from Procrastination. 

We visit a lot of topics during our conversation, but the thing Barb is well known for is the concept of truth journaling. She teaches this as well as uses it to help people who want to lose weight renew their mind with truth instead of lies.

She began using truth journaling as a way to help her get rid of anger, frustration and annoyance. It is a way to help us see what lies we believe and replace those lies with the truth. “After I was successful with overcoming annoyance,” she said, “I began to use truth journaling to gain control over my weight. 

“I found getting rid of annoyance was much easier than gaining control over my weight and food. It became easier, though, when I committed to truth journal every time I broke my food boundaries.”

She adds that she also realized she needed lifelong boundaries to maintain her weight. Boundaries will be different for different people, but the important thing is to know your boundaries and stay within them. 

“Establish lifelong boundaries and renew your mind every time you break your boundaries,” Barb says. “We eat for fun and comfort, but life should be about God. We should be willing to give up all foods for Him. The more we see life and food from His perspective, the better off we will be. 

“Food issues are so hard to get over. Don’t get discouraged. Memorize scriptures. Get good coaching.”

To get in touch with Barb go to BarbRaveling.com. Her podcasts are Taste for Truth and Christian Habits. You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram under Barb Raveling

For those interested in Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy, go here to sign up on the waitlist: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers-christian-weight-loss-academy/. You’ll get free resources while you wait for doors to open in a few months.

Episode 019—Rest Is Necessary

Even God rested on the seventh day, so what makes you think you can get by without doing the same? The minute I heard those words I was convicted down to my toes. Indeed if the almighty God of the universe saw the necessity to rest what makes me think I can work seven days a week.

Of course I was going to church on Sunday and hanging out with my family around Sunday dinner, but I had gotten in a bad habit of working on Sunday. It was a great time to do my weekly video lessons because face it I was all dressed up and had taken some care of my hair and makeup.Still I knew things had to change. Working nonstop was taking its toll on me even though I loved what I was doing. My schedule that constantly caused me to be “on” caused me to be overwhelmed and stress drives me to want to eat. For someone who’s lost 250 pounds putting myself in a state of temptation is not a good place to be in.

I love Matt. 11:28-30 MSG says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Like God, I don’t want you to feel so overwhelmed. So, here are four don’t and three dos to help keep you from being constantly tired, worn out and burnt out. So in this podcast I give you seven things that include four things not to do and three to do in order to step into the rest God has for you.

I talk about these more on the podcast but in summary, here they are:

1. Don’t say Yes to another job, unless God has said Yes to you doing it. 
2. Don’t feel like you HAVE to burn out in order for God to be pleased with you. 
3. Don’t assume that God wants you to overwork for Him. 
4. Don’t assume that doing yet another thing for God will mean you don’t have to do what God really wants you to do. 
5. Do rest in God. 
6. Do learn the unforced rhythms of grace. 
7. Do learn how to live freely and lightly.

By the way, in May we will be opening the doors of my Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy for a few days only. You will need to be on the waitlist to be notified of when we open. To do that go here: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomers-Christian-weight-loss-academy/

Episode 018—Be Still and Know God

Life is noisy and somehow that noise all converges in our heads and we have no time to be silent and sort out our day or our life. Not only that but it’s really hard to hear that still, small voice of God above the cries of our to do lists and hectic lives! 

We can even turn off all the myriad of electronic devices we have and yet there is still noise in our own minds. It never seems to stop. Calgon take me away, right? 

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of our lives God wants to tap into who He is. It doesn’t take a lot of time and it isn’t about reading devotionals or Bible studies or giving Him our endless prayer lists. It’s about getting to know Him.

It’s about spending intentional, no agenda time with Him. It’s not about studying Him or knowing the right words to say to Him. It’s about discovering who He is. It’s about listening to His heart. It’s about how 30 minutes drenched in His presence can feel like seconds and make us hunger for more of that simple connection with the God who loves us more than we ever knew.

Then when I get to know more of who He really is I realize when He speaks gently to me about why I shouldn’t eat the thing I’m wanting to eat right that minute, I know it’s because He loves me and wants the best for me.  

The Holy Spirit longs to lead us on our journeys, even our weight loss and healthy living journeys, and He will do that. Spending intentional time in His presence will help us understand exactly what He wants us to do because we know Him better. Because we have been with Him.

This episode outlines a whole new way of approaching God and getting to know Him better. 

We will be opening Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy in a few months, but you can get on the waitlist now to get free resources while you wait. Here’s the link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomers-Christian-Weight-Loss-Academy/

Episode 017—Are You a People Pleaser?

People pleasers fall into the trap of thinking that they need to take care of others before taking care of themselves. This flows out of a well-meaning, but jaded way of looking at how we are to live the Christian life.

The Great Commandment actually tells us to love and take care of our mental, emotional and physical self first so that we can love both God and others. We have to take care of our passions, our thoughts, and our energy so we can love God with all that we are. Only then can we love others as we love ourselves.

We need to have good self care. For me that meant I had to go from having no priorities and doing everything for everybody to being willing to set some priorities by discovering what God wanted from me. Then, I needed to resign from things that were time-fillers and pride-builders that were stealing my time in order to work on my health and weight loss which is what God wanted for me.This helped me establish healthy activities that are still priorities for me today and will be for the rest of my life. Then God began to add destiny priorities which include what God has called me to do in this time and season, which isn’t being a people pleaser, but it is working with people to share His message of health and wellness.

After you listen to the podcast, tell me what helped you most and what questions you still have? 

If you’re ready to start your healthy living journey, check out my free 10-video course, #KickSugar. Go here to get immediate access. (https://Teresashieldsparker.com/kicksugar/). 

To get on the waitlist for Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy go HERE. (https://TeresashieldsParker.com/overcomers-christian-weight-loss-academy/)

Episode 016—The Breakup

Do you have a relationship with sugar? If so what kind of relationship do you have? I had a co-dependent relationship. That means I have an excessive emotional and psychological reliance on my partner, which was sugar. It was this relationship that became an addiction.

It’s important to understand several things to understand the level of your indulgence and your own relationship with food or sugar. Answering questions like: Where you learned your relationship with food or sugar? What is that relationship specifically? 

Do you have a casual flirtation, an occasional date, one of those once a week dates, a date that goes too far way too often, an every night affair or a co-dependent relationship where you can’t live without it and think you’ll die if you have to give it up.

The level of your indulgence will speak loudly to what you need to do. If it hasn’t already sugar addiction will lead to obesity, which will lead to diseases like cancer, stroke and heart disease. Read more about Sugar Addiction and Cancer HERE. (https://teresashieldsparker.com/sugar-addiction-cancer/).

Tips on how to break the chains of sugar’s hold is available in my free course, KickSugar. Go here to get immediate access. (https://Teresashieldsparker.com/kicksugar/). 

To get on the waitlist for Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy go HERE. (https://TeresashieldsParker.com/overcomers-christian-weight-loss-academy/)

Episode 015—I Was a Rebel

When we don’t follow what God shows us to do, even if it is just in one area, we are a rebel. Of course I didn’t see myself that way. It would take some inner healing work to even find the lies I believed that were holding me back from trusting God completely.

I went so far as to ask God how I could lose weight. He gave me a plan, but it was a plan I didn’t like, so I rejected it. I continued to do everything else I knew to do, the easy things like going to church, reading my Bible, leading groups and even praying, but my relationship with God was dry.

It was dry because I knew I was in rebellion. The only cure for rebellion is surrender and yet, I felt like I had to fix the mess I had made of my life when I gained up to 430 pounds. Hear how I got through that and how you can find that same cure.

My free course #KickSugar is available now on my website. It contains 10 videos that lead you through a process to surrender this issue to God. Go here: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/KickSugar/. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on Apple Podcasts (itunes).

Episode 014—Rhonda Burrows: Overcoming Food Addiction

Rhonda Burrows, an Overcomers Academy member, a trained addiction counselor and ordained minister, knows addiction well. Still, she was sober from alcoholism for over 30 years when the truth hit her that she is also a food addict.

She has been walking out of food addiction for almost six years after joining my various coaching groups and courses. Today she has lost over 50 pounds off of her small 4-foot, 11-inch frame. She says there are mental, spiritual and physical components at play that she has to navigate to walk in the freedom Christ is bringing her. Along the way, she learned she had to give up her “golden calf” of comfort. “I thought food was my golden calf, but God showed me it really was what I thought I was getting from food and that was comfort.” Today she’s learning how to live in the real, true comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Right now Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy is open for new members only through Feb. 7 at noon. To join Rhonda, Teresa and the other members go here: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomers-Christian-Weight-Loss-Academy/

Episode 013—Kieawnie Clar: Going Forward

Kieawnie Clar is a lifestyle consultant who is finally going forward on her weight loss journey. Understanding the basics was difficult for her. She discovered a rebellious streak that she had to deal with in order to surrender her will to God’s.

She had obstacles to overcome, but working on her mindset, her emotional eating issues and her relationship with God helped her finally begin her journey. She’s lost 30 pounds and says she finally sees the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Overcomers Academy has helped challenge her and redefine her as a bold, courageous woman of God. This is a big change from how she saw herself for years. Her journey is one everyone can relate to.

To connect with Kieawnie, email her at [email protected]. Or check out her Beauty 4 Ashes page on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kieawn/

To join Overcomers Academy or get on the waitlist, go to https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomers-Academy/ 

I’ll see you in the group

Episode 012—No More Diets

When SundiJo Graham’s seven-year-old cousin told her his Christmas wish was for her to be able to ride the roller coaster with him, she was devastated when she failed to give him the gift he wanted the next year. 

It took time, lots of struggle, dealing with issues in her past and getting real with God before she would finally lose enough weight to give him his gift. She has lost 145 pounds, but she did not diet and still doesn’t. Hear SundiJo’s amazing story on this week’s podcast.

To contact SundiJo, go to SundiJo.com. Get a free download of her book at http://www.sundijo.com/stepaway. Check her out on Facebook.com/SundiJo. 

Here’s the link to join or get on the waitlist for Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy where Teresa and SundiJo hang out: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomrs-Christian-Weight-Loss-Academy/

Episode 11—Lasting Weight Loss

Peggy Burgess Loses 79 Pounds

Peggy Burgess, 69, is a single mom of five, grandmother of seven and great-grandmother of six, with another one on the way.  Since coming into my coaching courses and groups she has lost 79 pounds. She’s doing it the right way, slow and steady and incorporating habit changes as she goes. That is resulting in her lasting weight loss.

She’s gone from constantly using a wheelchair, not driving and being housebound to walking, volunteering, driving wherever she wants and even babysitting her great-grandchildren and other children. Listen to her remarkable story of transformation.

Join Peggy and the other members of Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy when doors open Jan. 30. Get on the waitlist to be notified when doors open and receive free resources while you wait. Go here: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers-christian-weight-loss-academy/