1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hey there, Heather Creekmoor here. I'm so glad 2 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: you're back for another episode in our Waiting for Weight 3 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: Loss series. Today we're on our third exhale. If you've 4 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: been counting, and this exhale is about establishing your purpose? 5 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: Did you know you were created on purpose for a 6 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: purpose and that purpose doesn't start when you hit your 7 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:39,240 Speaker 1: goal weight? Did you know you were created on purpose 8 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: for a purpose? So this is a little embarrassing to admit, 9 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: but honestly, I've been confused about this for a long time. 10 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: Like I always felt like part of my purpose was 11 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: to make my body look better. I mean, I could 12 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: even christianize it for you. I could tell you that 13 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: it was part of my purpose as a Christian to 14 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: look good so that others would be attracted to Jesus 15 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: through me. Of course, I paid no attention to the 16 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: truth that when Jesus came to earth, he chose a 17 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 1: body that wasn't good looking. According to the Book of Isaiah, 18 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 1: he didn't rely on or need physical beauty to accomplish 19 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: his ministry. So I'm not sure why I believe the 20 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: lie that I couldn't accomplish my purpose for him unless 21 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: I had a certain look or a certain body, But 22 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: I did kind of believe that it was up to 23 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 1: me to get the look right so then he could 24 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: use me. But that was bad theology. God knew exactly 25 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: what his plan was for me when he created my body, 26 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: and this has been a theological stumbling block for me 27 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 1: over the years. Like somehow I believe my body was 28 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: like an accident or something that there was like an 29 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: assembly line of souls being squirted into bodies and then 30 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: dropped to Earth. And God was surprised that I got 31 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: the body with the short fingers and the big thighs, 32 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: as if he was sitting in Heaven saying, what a shame, 33 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: What a shame. I had such great plans for her, 34 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: But she's gonna have to fix those thighs if those 35 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: plans are ever gonna happen. I mean, who's gonna marry her? 36 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,519 Speaker 1: Listen to her? Want to spend time with her until 37 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: she gets that thigh size under control. Now let's get real, friend, 38 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: You can listen, you can laugh like you know that's 39 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: not sound, you know that's not what God is really saying. 40 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: And yet have you believed these same things? Have you 41 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: had similar thoughts? Maybe you didn't directly attribute them to God, 42 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 1: But have you felt like you were letting God down 43 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: until you fixed your body? Now? I talk about this 44 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 1: a lot in my forty Day Body Image Workbook. I 45 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: sometimes hate to even call it a workbook because it 46 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: reads just like a regular book, but there are places 47 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: in it for you to process and exercises for you 48 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: to go through. But in this book, I talk about 49 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: the reality that God gave you your body, your exact body, 50 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 1: to reveal part of your purpose. Your body isn't stopping 51 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 1: you from your purpose. He knew exactly what he was 52 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: doing when he knits you together in your mother's womb. 53 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: So knitting is very intentional. I don't knit, but I 54 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:11,119 Speaker 1: do know someone who does. And it's not like pasting 55 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: paper craft like just haphazard kind of crafting. Like if 56 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: you miss a stitch and knitting, what do you do. 57 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: You go back, you undo the stitches, you take the 58 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: stitch out, you do it again. So it's correct, friend, 59 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: God didn't mess up when he knit you together. Now, 60 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: there's two things that always come up here. The one 61 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: is this, I believe that God did knit me together, 62 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: but then I messed it up. I ruined his good creation, 63 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: and so his plan is thwarted, like I messed it 64 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: all up. Oh friend, you don't have that much power. 65 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: If God can fixed your biggest problem in your life, 66 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: which is your problem with sin that was once going 67 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: to separate you from him for eternity, if he can 68 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: fix that, he can certainly still use you. Even if 69 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: you've been horror or bad or mean to your physical body. 70 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: It's okay. There's forgiveness in him, there's grace in him 71 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:16,279 Speaker 1: after we repent and confess. He's not mad at you 72 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: for that. He's not punishing you for that, and he's 73 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: not dumbfounded as to what to do with you next. 74 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 1: He's not given up. He's also not waiting for you 75 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: to get your body right before he can use you. 76 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: In fact, I think that's the trick of the enemy 77 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: that keeps us focused on body change instead of keeping 78 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: us focused on why God gave us bodies in the 79 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 1: first place. You see, we miss out on using our 80 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: bodies for what God intended them for, and we get 81 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: so focused on getting our bodies ready, ready to be 82 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: used that it's just a distraction. Like the only biblical 83 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 1: example I can think of if someone who needed time 84 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: to prepare her physical body, her appearance for what she 85 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: was going to be used for is esther right. She 86 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: was recruited into the King's harem, and then she had 87 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: to spend a whole year getting beauty treatments why so 88 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,279 Speaker 1: that she could seduce the king and in turn save 89 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 1: the Jewish people. Now, if God is calling you to 90 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: something like that, okay, I give you a pass. Maybe 91 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 1: you do have to spend some time focused on your 92 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 1: body so that you can complete your calling. But friend, 93 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: that doesn't apply to ninety nine percent of us. There's 94 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 1: not a size requirement on starting a Bible study in 95 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: your home. There's not a weight requirement for serving in 96 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 1: the nursery at church. I think churches should have greeters 97 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: of every color, body shape, and size. Why because I 98 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: want anyone who's visiting the church to feel comfortable there 99 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: and know they're welcomed. The second pushback of here a 100 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: lot comes up, and we talk about getting my body 101 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: right before I pursue God's purpose, and that topic is stewardship. Now, 102 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 1: I don't want to spend too much time on this 103 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: topic right now, but let me give you the short version. 104 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: Your life's purpose is not to be a good steward 105 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:17,720 Speaker 1: of your body. Your life's purpose is not to be 106 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,559 Speaker 1: a good steward of your body. Like okay, now hear me, Yes, 107 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 1: your body is something you should treat as a good 108 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: gift and steward well, just like your money, just like 109 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: your time, just like your home, just like all the 110 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 1: other good gifts that you've been given. But we get 111 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:38,679 Speaker 1: subtly caught up into this idea that stewardship is God's 112 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: most important command. And frankly, friend, search your Bible, there's 113 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: like absolutely no scripture to support that. Like I would say, 114 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: it's an anti biblical concept that stewardship is God's most 115 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: important command. Like, there's not even a Bible verse that 116 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: directly tells us to be a good steward of our bodies. 117 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: This is just a concept that we've extrapolated because our 118 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: bodies are the instruments through which we worship God, and 119 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: our bodies are good gifts from Him. But there's not 120 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 1: a verse for it. Now, there are hundreds and hundreds 121 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: of verses on how to steward our money well, but 122 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: there's not one direct verse on how to care for 123 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 1: your body. We have verses that tell us principles around 124 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: caring for our bodies, but there's no direct commands aside 125 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: from honoring God with our bodies. That's the principle. And 126 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: when women come to me obsessed over not being a 127 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: good steward of their body, I often ask, Okay, well, 128 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: do you stay up late at night worrying about how 129 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: you're stewarding your money? You're stressing all day long about 130 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: how you're stewarding your time. Do you fret day and 131 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: night about whether or not you're steward and your gifts? Well, 132 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 1: I mean from there's like parables on that principle. The 133 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: point is not that we shouldn't steward our bodies. Well, 134 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: that's not what I'm saying. But we can't pull out 135 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: this one principle and put it ahead of all the others. 136 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: It's not biblical. Yes, we do need our bodies to 137 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: do all the things that God has called us too, 138 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: but most of our health monitoring like this is all 139 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: brand new. People as recent as one hundred years ago 140 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: had no idea how much they waited unless they went 141 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: to the doctor's office. They didn't know if they had 142 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: blood pressure problems or low thyroid or any of these things. 143 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 1: They just lived. They didn't try to troubleshoot all their 144 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: diagnoses to try to live longer. They didn't even know 145 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: that was a thing. So today's exhale is this. God's 146 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,439 Speaker 1: purpose for your life doesn't start when you reach your goal. Wait, 147 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 1: he has something for you to do right now today. 148 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: What is he asking you to do that perhaps you've 149 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: put off until you got things under control with your body. 150 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:55,319 Speaker 1: Here's what I want to do right now. Breathe in 151 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: all the stress and pressure that you've been holding. Is 152 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: you try to change so that you can What is 153 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: it you're trying to change for? What is it He's 154 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: called you to do that you've been putting off? In hell? 155 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 1: One more time for me, and then I want you 156 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: to exhale with this statement. God has something for me 157 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:18,959 Speaker 1: to do right now today. I don't have to wait. 158 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: God has something for me to do right now today. 159 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 1: I don't have to wait. His purpose and his plan 160 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: for your life are good. And what I find is 161 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: the more you start working in your purpose and gifting, 162 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: the better you'll feel about your body. You can actually 163 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: begin to see how and why He made you, and 164 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: you can see how his intention was for your body 165 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: to be used as an instrument for him. So tell 166 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: me what stuck out to you today. Join the conversation 167 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,079 Speaker 1: in the community, and let's talk about all the things 168 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 1: that we've put off as we've waited for weight loss. 169 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 1: What has God called you to do that you've responded 170 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: with when I lose more weight, I'll do that Lord. 171 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 1: Join the conversation waiting for weightloss dot com. Join us 172 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: in the community there, I want to hear from you. Hey, 173 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: thanks for listening today. The Compared To podcast is probably 174 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: be part of the Life Audio podcast network. For more 175 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 1: great Christian podcast go to lifeaudio dot com.