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But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. John 16:13 (NIV) The Holy Spirit is my faithful Guide. When I'm uncertain, tempted, or struggling with food, I don't have to rely on my own feelings or willpower. God's Spirit gently leads me according to His truth, helping me make wise choices one decision at a time. As I seek Him, He will nev

One of the beautiful things about recovery is that it doesn't stop with our own freedom. As God changes us, He gives us an opportunity to encourage others who are still struggling. As I wrote in 12 Steps to Recovery from Overeating: "Telling your story is about you, not them." You don't have to preach. You don't have to convince. You don't have to have all the answers. Simply live the transformation God has worked in your life and tell your story. When people notice the peace

Have you ever overeaten and immediately thought, "Well, I've blown it"? Maybe you kept eating the rest of the day because you figured, "Why not? I've already blown it." Or maybe it turned into the whole weekend... or even longer. If that's happened to you, I understand. It happened to me too. That's how I used to diet. I'd diet for five days and then binge for two. Then I'd diet for four days and binge for three. Then three days on, four days off. Eventually I'd think, "Why b

I'm excited to invite you to our very first Christian retreat for recovery from overeating and emotional eating, October 30–November 1 in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona. Why I Created the Renew • Reflect • Restore Retreat For years, I've had the privilege of walking alongside men and women seeking freedom from overeating and emotional eating through Reshape & Recover. I've watched God work in remarkable ways as people found hope, encouragement, and practical tools for recovery. I

Sugar isn't harmless. Even for people who don't struggle with overeating, excessive sugar consumption has been linked to obesity, diabetes, fatty liver disease, inflammation, heart disease, and mood disturbances. For those of us with a history of compulsive overeating, sugar can become much more than a treat—it can fuel cravings, obsession, and a cycle that is difficult to break. For years, I turned to food for comfort, celebration, stress relief, and escape. What I eventuall

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13 (NIV) God invites us to put on His full armor knowing that temptations in this world are strong. When we pray unceasingly, stay in His Word, and do what it says, we have the armor we need to stay protected against temptation and evil. Ask God for willingness and He will help you. Dear Heavenly Father,

Many of us spent years trying to change our eating through willpower alone, only to find ourselves discouraged and starting over again. Step Eleven reminds us that lasting recovery isn't simply about avoiding certain foods. It's about seeking a closer relationship with God. "Sought a personal relationship with God through daily time in His Word and in prayer asking God to be in our every thought, word, and action." When we begin our day in God's Word and stay connected to Him

Movement doesn't have to look the same for everyone. For some people, it's a long walk through the neighborhood. For others, it's swimming laps, riding a bike, stretching, or practicing gentle yoga. In different seasons of life, movement may simply mean getting up from the chair more often or taking a few extra steps each day. The goal isn't perfection. The goal is caring for the body God has entrusted to us. Too often, we think exercise only counts if it's intense, exhaustin

Have you ever told yourself, "I'll start over on Monday" after overeating? I used to do that all the time. One difficult meal would turn into an entire weekend of eating, followed by promises to do better next week. But guilt is not part of the recovery plan. You don't have to wait until Monday, tomorrow, or even the next meal. You can begin again right now. ✔️ Brush your teeth ✔️ Drink some water ✔️ Eat a nourishing meal with protein at your next meal ✔️ Say a prayer and kee

Food often becomes our way of coping with stress, loneliness, disappointment, boredom, or overwhelm. In those moments, we're usually looking for comfort, relief, or peace. The problem is that food can only provide temporary comfort. It cannot give us the strength, peace, and connection our hearts truly need. What if, before turning to food, we paused and prayed for willingness? 🙏 Willingness to trust God with our feelings 🙏 Willingness to follow our food plan 🙏 Willingness

How many times have we said: *"I'll start over Monday."* For years, I believed that if I had already overeaten, I might as well keep going and enjoy the weekend. What I learned is that one mistake does not require another. Getting back on track can happen right now. You don't have to wait until Monday. You can pause, pray, drink some water, brush your teeth, plan your next meal, and take the next right step. You don't need a perfect day. You only need a fresh start. 💚 Have y

“He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3 (NIV) When we trust in the Lord, He does refresh our soul and gives us peace. He leads and guides us with His love and His Word. When we seek His guidance, our paths become more clear and we feel more peace. When we feel at peace, we are less likely to turn to food for comfort. Dear Lord, thank You for Your guidance. Help me to remember to turn to You and Your Word when I am stressed or

After completing Steps One through Nine, we continue on our recovery journey through daily honesty, surrender, and reliance on God. As I write in my book: "Step Ten helps us to continue to consider our thoughts, words, and actions every day and right any wrongs we have said or done." For those recovering from overeating and emotional eating, this means we don't wait until we've completely gone off track before seeking help. We pause, pray, examine our hearts, and make correct

Weekend temptations can be mastered by planning and prayers Happy Friday! 😊 Weekends can be some of the hardest days when you're trying to overcome overeating. The routine changes. Temptations increase. "It's just the weekend" can quickly become, "I'll start over Monday." But recovery isn't about being perfect. It's about making the next right choice, one meal at a time. Before the weekend begins, take a few minutes to make a simple plan: • What will you eat? • How will you

Most people know that an apple is a better choice than a cupcake. The difficulty comes with wanting to make the right choice in the moment you are tempted. It's what happens when: • You're stressed. • You're lonely. • You're tired. • You're frustrated. • You've already broken your plan and think, "I might as well keep eating." That's why lasting recovery involves more than food. It requires learning new ways to respond to cravings, emotions, and difficult situations and makin

Life is not about being perfect. Neither is recovery for overeating and emotional eating. It's about getting back up and trying again. Many people give up too soon because they believe what they've done isn't good enough. But one difficult meal or even season doesn't erase the healthy choices you've already made. The enemy wants us to focus on our failures. God invites us to keep moving forward. If you slipped this weekend, don't spend the week beating yourself up. Learn from

“I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.” Isaiah 45:2 (NIV) This is a beautiful promise of God through Isaiah. We don’t always know where we are going or how we will get there but knowing that God leads the way and helps us is so comforting. With this knowledge, we can trust that we will be okay. Dear Lord, thank You that You make a way for me when there seems to be no way. Help me to remember You rath

Sometimes saying "I'm sorry" is only the beginning. Real healing happens when we take responsibility for our actions and do what we can to make things right. As I wrote in my book: "What is an amend? It’s more than an apology. It’s making right the wrongs one has done to improve yourself and your relationship with others." Making things right isn't always easy. It takes humility, courage, and God's help. But when we stop making excuses, take ownership of our part, and seek pe

Happy Friday! 😊 Weekends can be wonderful, but they can also bring extra food temptations, busy schedules, and disrupted routines. As you head into the weekend, remember that recovery doesn't take a break on weekends. But also remember God's grace when we fall. If you slip, don't give up. If you're struggling, pray. If you're tempted, reach out for support. And don't forget to make a plan. With God's help, keep taking the next right step. Have a blessed weekend!

You don't have to win the whole battle today. Sometimes we look at our eating struggles and feel overwhelmed. We think about all the weight we want to lose. All the habits we want to change. All the mistakes we've made. But God doesn't ask us to fix everything today. He simply asks us to take the next right step. The next meal. The next prayer. The next honest conversation. The next act of obedience. Recovery isn't built in giant leaps. It's built one faithful decision at a t