1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hey there, Heather creekmore Hair. I'm glad you're 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:08,240 Speaker 1: listening to the Compared to podcast. We're in an amazing 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: new series called Waiting for Weight Loss. Have you joined 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: our community yet? It's absolutely free. You can join at 5 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: waitingfoweightloss dot com. If you've tried before and had technical difficulties, 6 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: I'm sorry about that. I think everything's working well now, 7 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: but if you have any tech issues, reached out to 8 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: our team. We'd love to meet you in the community. 9 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: The conversation has been awesome. Today We've got another great 10 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:42,959 Speaker 1: topic for you. Can't wait to get into it. Last time, 11 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: we talked about just how exhausting it is to chase 12 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: weight loss. I know many women who when they think 13 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: they finally got it, they finally arrived, finally reached that number, 14 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: they always hope to see or let down because they 15 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: don't feel any different. In fact, that's kind of part 16 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: of my story too. In my twenties and early thirties, 17 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: it wasn't so much about a number on the scale 18 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: per se. It was me trying to prove that my 19 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: body was athletic or physically fit. You see, I think 20 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 1: I had gym class trauma Okay, I don't know if 21 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: that's actually a thing, but I was always picked second 22 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: to last. There's always one kid who looked like they'd 23 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: be worse at kickball or volleyball than me. You know 24 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 1: the scenario. The person is saying your name is never 25 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 1: excited to have you join their team. It's more like, 26 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 1: I guess we'll take Heather, and then you do the 27 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 1: walk of shame over to join your team, where you 28 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: find out that your order and the kicking lineup is 29 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:40,479 Speaker 1: last and your position in the field is the least important. 30 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: Like I internalized pretty early that athletic people were natural 31 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: born VIPs. Being athletic and fit and cute is what 32 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: made a woman valuable. So I thought I could become 33 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: a fitness instructor and that would make me feel valuable too. 34 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: If I was in charge of the fitness class, people 35 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: would admire me. They talk about how athletic and how 36 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: in shape I was, and I never feel insecure. Again. 37 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: Didn't quite work out that way. I distinctly remember when 38 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: I started teaching fitness classes being overwhelmed with I think 39 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,359 Speaker 1: what they call the impostor syndrome. I felt like I 40 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: didn't deserve to be there. That Surely I wasn't leading 41 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: the class. I wasn't qualified to do that. I mean 42 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: even though I had a certification that said otherwise. I 43 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: achieved the goal I thought would make me feel good enough, 44 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: feel valuable, and still it wasn't enough. I'm really glad 45 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 1: Instagram didn't exist back then. I think now they call 46 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: it monetized insecurity. Have you heard this term? Marketers figure 47 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:46,919 Speaker 1: it out several decades ago that if they can make 48 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 1: women feel bad about their bodies, then they could sell 49 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: them something to feel better about their bodies, and they'd 50 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: make a lot of money. And make a lot of 51 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: money they have. I don't want to sound cynical, but 52 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: the beauty, diet, anti aging, and wellness industries are worth 53 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:12,959 Speaker 1: a combined seven trillion dollars. That's tea trillion. If women 54 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,959 Speaker 1: actually felt okay about their bodies just as they are, 55 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: world economies would literally crumble. I promised you today that 56 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: we do an exhale. What do I mean by that? 57 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: I mean, so many of us have been white knuckling it. 58 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: We've been holding on so tightly to our body change goals, 59 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: our food rules, our exercise goals, our habits. Sometimes we've 60 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: gotten so serious, so intense about all of our plans 61 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: and programs, it may even feel like we've made it 62 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: a religion. But last time we talked about that rest 63 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: that Jesus promises that annopauso being a refreshing break intended 64 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: to restore strength. So today I want to offer you 65 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 1: a refreshing break from the messages of culture that beat 66 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: you over the head and tell you you're not good enough. 67 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: You need to do better, You're not loved unless you 68 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: fix this. You're not trying hard enough. You must have 69 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: more willpower. You are lazy, You're not smart enough to 70 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: do this. Friend, I know you've heard some of these 71 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: messages in your head. These are some of the lies 72 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: I've heard, and the women I work with every week 73 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: tell me these lies and more so, the refreshing break, 74 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: the exhale, if you will, is this. You are already 75 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: more loved than you can imagine, through Jesus Christ. You 76 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: don't have to earn it, you don't actually deserve it. 77 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 1: There's nothing you can do to make him love you more. 78 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: There's nothing you can do to make him love you less. 79 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 1: Your value is determined in and through Him. In other words, 80 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 1: God isn't in heaven waiting for you to get to 81 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 1: your after picture. He is not like, Wow, I really 82 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 1: hope she can get it together and stay on the 83 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: plan this time. Like I've been waiting to love her, 84 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: But goodness, I don't know if she'll ever drop those pounds, 85 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: So I guess I'll just sit here disappointed in her 86 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: until she gets her act together. No, friend, that is 87 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: not the voice of God, who loved you so much 88 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:12,720 Speaker 1: that he sent his only son to die for you 89 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 1: so that you could spend eternity with him. You are 90 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 1: fully loved right now today, write this second. No matter 91 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: what size tag your gene says, no matter what this 92 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: scale said this morning, you are absolutely worthy, valuable, and loved. 93 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: And here's the cool thing about God. I mean, there 94 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 1: are many, many, many cool things. But when you compare 95 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: his message to the messages of our culture, there's one 96 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: thing you've just got to see. Ready for this. God 97 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: isn't trying to sell you anything. He doesn't need anything 98 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: from you. God doesn't need your money, or your devotion 99 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: or your love. I mean, he wants you to be 100 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: fully his and follow him and love him and see 101 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: everything you have as good gifts from him. But God's 102 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 1: not trying to get rich off you. In fact, God 103 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: is the only one in this whole world who has 104 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 1: no ulterior motives for you at all. God's character is 105 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: pure and he cannot contradict his own character. Have you 106 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,039 Speaker 1: ever thought about that? So here's the question for you 107 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:18,719 Speaker 1: to ponder today. Whose message Is it easier for me 108 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: to believe the message of monetized insecurity those who are 109 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,919 Speaker 1: trying to sell me something to help me with my 110 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 1: appearance problems of all kinds? Or do you believe in 111 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: worth that's beyond measure, that God's definition is what makes 112 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 1: you valuable. That you have security in Christ that is 113 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: not dependent on you meeting your self improvement goals. Your 114 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: security is anchored in God's grace, not your ability to 115 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: become an after Here's why this is important to the exhale. 116 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:57,799 Speaker 1: It's very difficult to do anything successfully from a place 117 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 1: of insecurity. And we're going to revisit this concept again 118 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: and again. But there's way too much at stake. If 119 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: you don't get that thing, you'll feel like you'll die 120 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: because you thought this thing you wanted was going to 121 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: give you worth and value, and when it doesn't go 122 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: that way, when it doesn't come through you feel empty inside. 123 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: The only healthy way to pursue body change is from 124 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: a place of complete security in Christ. You have to 125 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: know that He alone defines your worth and nothing else, period, 126 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: end of sentence. His kingdom is upside down. It's not 127 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: like this culture. He doesn't see things and do things 128 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: like Instagram influencers do. He looks at your heart, not 129 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: your gene size. He asks for love and obedience, not 130 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: more willpower. So here's what I want to do. I 131 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: should take a big inhale and then I want to 132 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: just slowly exhale it out. That's your practice one. Did 133 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: I sound a little bit like a fitness instructor? Right? Then? Okay, 134 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: do that for me one more time. The first breath 135 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 1: is normally a little shallow. We're not used to breathing 136 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: that deeply. Here we go and then exhale and getting 137 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: that oxygen and actually signals to your body that it's 138 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 1: okay to relax, that it's okay to rest, that it's safe, 139 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: that you're going to be okay. Let me think about it. 140 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: If there's a tiger standing in front of you, you're 141 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: not going to take a big inhale and exhale right, 142 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: so your body knows, okay, I'm safe one more time 143 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: inhale an exhale. All those messages your body needs if 144 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: it's ever going to release a new weight, safety, security, rest, 145 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:43,079 Speaker 1: they all come. Well, we can't just bring it down 146 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: a bit. So now this time is you breathe in. 147 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: I want to do something different. I want you to 148 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: say this little prayer. Okay, here we go, God help 149 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: me believe, and then as you breathe out, say my 150 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: value is found in you. Let's try it together. Here 151 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 1: we go, breathe in, God help me believe. My value 152 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: is found in you. So that's your exercise for today. 153 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: And don't forget your question. Whose message is easier for 154 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 1: you to believe, monetized insecurity or God's message of worth 155 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 1: beyond measure. Take some time with that question and join 156 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 1: us in the community as we chat about it today. 157 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:23,719 Speaker 1: If you've not joined the community yet, get in at 158 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: waiting Forweight loss dot com. It's absolutely free. We'd love 159 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 1: to have you be part of this conversation there. Thanks 160 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: for listening today. Come back next time as we talk 161 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: about this second way to Exhale to Compare to You podcast. 162 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: It's proud to be part of the Life Audio podcast 163 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 1: network from our great Christian podcast, Go to lifeaudio dot com.