The Christian Habits Podcast

One of the things we tend to do during hard times is head to the refrigerator for comfort, excitement, or stress relief. The other night, the only thing that saved me from that was that I had no treats in the house–and didn’t want to go out to buy any with the coronavirus going around! To help with this, I thought I’d do a podcast episode on how to avoid gaining weight during the coronavirus. How to Listen to the Podcast: * Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple podcasts * Click here to subscribe or listen on Google Play * Click here to subscribe or listen on Stitcher. * Click here to subscribe or listen on Android. * Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. Resources We Talked About on the Podcast: * How to Truth Journal * Routines vs. Schedules: How to Organize Your Time * Other Resources for Procrastination * My Interview on the Homeschool Sanity Podcast with Homeschooling Tips * Facebook Live Videos (You can also watch replays of these by clicking on the previous link. Next week I’ll be doing daily FB Lives Monday-Friday at 1:00 EST) * My Facebook Page * I Deserve a Donut app Things We Talked About on the Podcast: * Practical tips to help if you’re busier than normal * Practical tips if you’re newly working from home * Practical tips if you’re just experiencing the general stress of the pandemic * These will be tips to structure your life to avoid emotional eating (which will help you avoid gaining weight during coronavirus) and also tips to avoid eating so much. * Lies and truth that will help you renew your mind Lies We Talked About on the Podcast: * Life is so boring and it will always be boring. * I can’t make myself work at home. (We’ll have a FB Live on this topic next week.) * I deserve to eat because life is boring. * I’ll just eat something and then I’ll start working. * I’m so busy I deserve a treat. * I’m so busy I don’t have time to plan. * I’m so busy I deserve to eat since I’m suffering like crazy while the rest of the world does nothing. (One thing I forgot to mention in the podcast is a big shout out and THANK YOU to all of you who are putting yourself in harm’s way to go to your jobs and help people! I appreciate all of you!) * I can’t handle all this pressure. * This will last forever. Why This Episode Is on Both Podcasts: * Basically, it’s because I don’t know what I’m doing! Usually I  have a helper put these podcasts out, but she can’t do it right now due to the coronavirus, so I’m taking her place – and I don’t know what I’m doing. So I thought better safe than sorry, and I’ll just leave it as is – so enjoy it on either podcast (Taste for Truth ...

Earlier this week, I was sitting at a restaurant in the Denver airport having a cup of coffee and journaling. I’d already sanitized my hands, checked the news for Montana (6 cases), and was wondering if I should sanitize my hands again since I’d just picked up the cream pitcher to pour cream in my coffee. As I took all these unusual precautions, I thought of you guys and wondered, How are you doing with coronavirus anxiety? Are you in a frenzy? Taking precautions but not super anxious? Or are you blowing the whole thing off and living life as usual? No matter which camp you fall into, we’re all affected by Covid-19. Either we’re in immediate danger of the virus itself, someone we love is in danger, or we’re affected by all the closures. It’s no longer life as usual. On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, we’ll be talking about six tips for letting go of coronavirus anxiety, stress, and boredom. These are the tips we’ll be discussing: 6 Tips to Ease Coronavirus Anxiety, Stress, Fear, and Boredom (We’ll go into these more in depth on the podcast. Scroll down to see how to listen to the podcast.) * Stay away from the news as much as possible (at least if you tend to be a worrier). * Visit with God about the things you read. * Renew when necessary. * Plan your day. * Place your trust in God–not fun, safety, health, or being in control. * Every time you catch yourself being worried, bored, or stressed, pray for the person you’re worried about, thank God for five different things, or do something for someone who needs help. Facebook Live I’ll also be doing 3-5 minute Facebook lives for the next few weeks on Monday through Friday (and maybe Saturday) beginning Monday, March 23 at 11:00 EST. You can find these on my Facebook author page. I think if you click the like and follow button, notices of these FB lives will appear in your notifications (you can turn the notifications off if you don’t want to be notified). You can also catch the replay of these later by going to my Facebook page and looking in the posts for that day or clicking on videos on that page. During the FB Lives, we’ll be going through Philippians and discussing things like: * Finding peace in the midst of chaos * Not beating ourselves up when we’re not handling things well * Persevering (and tips) for handling things better * Loving each other * Growth vs. grumpy * Getting along with each other in close quarters (both in parenting and marriage) * How to stop coping with food and internet * How new trials such as coronavirus quarantine and potential illness affect our walk with God, our attitude, and our habits * An antidote to worry * How to dwell on the good Free Coaching and Daily Challenges At the beginning of each Facebook Live, I’ll let you know if I have any openings for coaching that day – and then you can leave a comment on the video if you’d like to coach. These coaching calls can be used for help with things like marriage, parenting, fear, anxiety, and procrastination. (I won’t be doing any weight loss coaching during those calls.) I’ll probably only have 5-6 openings each week but I’m hoping I can help a few of you at least. I’ll also include a daily challenge at the end of each Facebook Live based on the topic for that day. Hope to see you Monday morning on Facebook! How to Listen to the Christian Habits Podcast: To listen to today’s podcast, click on the links below: * To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts:

Do you ever agonize over decisions for days or even years? Do you wait until the last possible moment to make the decision so you can keep your options open? Do decisions stress you out? If so, today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast will help. We’ll be talking about how to make decisions peacefully. I’ve also included a chance to renew your mind at the end of the podcast with the decision questions from The Renewing of the Mind Project for a decision you’re currently struggling with. Following are the 11 tips we’ll be discussing in case you don’t have time to catch the podcast. 11 Tips for Making Decisions * Recognize that there are no perfect decisions. Often we head into a decision not just wanting to make a decision, but wanting to make the best decision possible: the perfect decision. Because there are no perfect decisions out there, we take forever to make the decision. After all, we’re sure that if we just wait long enough the perfect solution will present itself. It’s critical at the beginning of the decision making process to recognize that there are no perfect decisions. Each choice will have its advantages and disadvantages. That’s why the next tip is so important. * Limit your options.  One of the reasons we have such a hard time making decisions is because we have too many options. If you can narrow down the choices, it will be easier to make the decision. For example, when my friend Lauren and I used to go over to each others house after grade school, one of us would choose three games to play. The other person would narrow it down to two, then the person who started would eliminate the other. It was an easy way to decide which game to play. * Make a deadline for the decision and try to stick to the deadline. This is huge. Often we put off decisions for years that could easily be made much sooner. When we do that, we have constant low-grade stress hanging over us because the decision is always there in the background. If you don’t want to make the decision now, just say, “I’m going to keep going as is and then revisit this decision in a year.” Then don’t think about it until next year. Which leads to the next tip. * Set a timer and only think about the decision when the timer is running. Too often we wear ourselves out thinking about the decision for hours on end. To avoid this energy drain, set a timer. You have x number of minutes to think and pray about your decision. When the buzzer rings, time’s up. No more thinking about the decision until your next decision-making session. * Use helpful tools and ask friends or mentors for advice. Here are a few things you can do in your decision-making sessions: Make a pro and con chart. Answer the decision questions from the Renewing of the Mind Project. Ask some friends for advice. Ask yourself, “What’s my gut feeling?” These are all helpful ways to gain input. You can also use the decision making template or problem solving worksheet that I often use, which you can find at this link: Resources from Freedom from Procrastination Bible Study. * Pray for a set amount of time. If it’s an important decision, you may want to make a commitment to pray about it for a few hours. I did this with the last book I wrote. I made a plan to pray for three hours before I chose the topic of the next book. I did this in 15 and 30 minute increments, often while walking. I felt far better about my decision than I usually do (and also didn’t quit writing it halfway through like I often do) because I took so much time to pray ab...

Do you ever feel like you’d like to start a new habit but you just can’t make yourself do it? In today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I interview Ian Warner, an expert on habit stacking. Ian created a habit tracking app. Interestingly enough, the number one positive habit that people want to build is reading the Bible each morning. Ian Warner is a follower of Christ, Olympic athlete, NCAA all-American, and the author of two books. In the podcast, he gives a wealth of information and ideas on how to use habit stacking to start habits that are hard to start. Here are a few of the things we discuss on the podcast: * Tips for starting a quiet time habit. * How to habit stack—adding the habits we want to start to the habits or activities we already have in place. * The value of starting out small. * Habit stacking during those difficult times of the days such as the 3:00 mid-afternoon slump. * How to use rewards to get yourself to do new habits. * Using times such as the morning “making-your-coffee” session to set yourself up for success. Resources we talked about on the Podcast: * Ian’s App –  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wewake-morning-routine-habits/id1445178269 * Ian’s Book for Athletes – https://www.amazon.com/Endure-Athletes-Guide-Faith-Success/dp/0692232443/ref=sr_1_1?tag=habitstacker-20 * Ian’s Website – https://thehabitstacker.com/ * Ian’s Course – https://habitmastery.thinkific.com * Freedom from Procrastination Bible Study * I Deserve a Donut app How to Listen to the Christian Habits Podcast: * To listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here * To listen and subscribe on Android: click here * To listen and subscribe on Stitcher: click here * To listen and subscribe on Google Play: click here * To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here

On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I interview Neil Anderson about gaining freedom in Christ. Neil Anderson is the author of many best-selling books including The Bondage Breaker and Victory Over the Darkness. He writes and speaks worldwide, helping people resolve personal and spiritual conflicts.   Here are just a few of the things we’ll be discussing on today’s podcast: * What a stronghold is and how to break free from strongholds. * The steps to freedom in Christ. * Why it’s important to know who we are in Christ * The difference between identifying ourselves as sinners saved by grace or saints who sin * How unforgiveness affects us and why we need to forgive * The importance of replacing lies with truth * The importance of letting go of rebellion and submitting to God * How the things we learn in childhood affect us. Tips from Neil Anderson Podcast Here are two tips I got from Neil’s podcast that I thought were super helpful: * Go through the Steps to Freedom in Christ that are in his books. Neil said that if you want information, you should read the book. If you want transformation, do the Steps to Freedom in Christ with God because we need an encounter with God if we want transformation. * Try reading through the “Who Am I in Christ” once a day for 30 days. Neil gave a great example on the podcast of a person who was transformed by doing this. Click here for a downloadable PDF: Who I Am in Christ Resources We Talked About on the Podcast * Victory Over the Darkness * Freedom from Fear * The Bondage Breaker * Freedom from Addiction * A Way of Escape: Freedom from Sexual Strongholds * Managing Your Anger * How to Truth Journal Other Helpful Resources from Neil Anderson * Great free resources from Neil’s website * Steps to Freedom in Christ How to Listen to the Podcast * To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here * To listen or subscribe on Android: click here * To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here * To listen or subscribe on Google Play: click here * To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here  

A few weeks ago, I asked members of my Facebook page if they were afraid of failure. I was overwhelmed by the responses. It seems that I’m not the only one out there who fears failure! In today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, we’ll talk about seven steps you can take to overcome fear of failure. But first let’s look at some of the things we’re afraid of. Examples of Fear of Failure Here are just a few of the examples Facebook readers gave of the areas where they were afraid of failure. * Trying weight loss again after so many defeats. * Messing up at work. * Trying to be social and being or feeling rejected. * Starting your own company and having it not work. * Making decisions because you might make the wrong one. * Deciding to resign and stay at home with the kids. * Losing weight and then gaining it back. * Raising kids. There’s no end to the things we could come up with in the fear of failure arena. Let’s take a look at how to overcome fear of failure. If you’d rather listen to this as an expanded podcast episode on the Christian Habits Podcast, click on the links below. Keep reading for the blog post version. * To listen or subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here * To listen or subscribe on Android: click here * To listen or subscribe on Stitcher: click here * To listen or subscribe on Google Play: click here * To listen or subscribe on Spotify: click here How to Overcome Fear of Failure 1. Find out what you’re afraid of and why you’re afraid of it. We can’t fight something until we know what we’re fighting. Thus the first step in overcoming fear of failure is to ask yourself, “What am I most afraid of?” and “Why am I afraid of that?” Naming your fear will help you take the next step which is to evaluate your fear. Here’s an example: I’m afraid whenever I publish a new book. When I ask the question, “What am I most afraid of?” my answer is that I’m afraid someone will write a horrible review on Amazon berating me up and down for how terrible my book is. When I ask the next question, “Why am I afraid of that,” I answer with “then no one else will buy my book” and “all of my friends and family will read the negative review and think I’m a loser.” I’m not the only author with these fears, but there are many who don’t feel this way. I was talking to one very successful artist a few months ago and he told me that every time he finishes a painting he thinks its great and that everyone will love it. By the time I finish a book, I usually think it’s terrible and that everyone will hate it. This is probably the main reason I’m so bad at doing book launches – I’m afraid to put the new book out there. Often our fears are shaped by our childhood. When I was young, I had two different experiences where I did something in a public...

How do you hold onto your faith when it seems like God has disappeared? Whether in struggle, illness, death, or failure, the presence of pain is often so overwhelming it can drown out God’s voice. On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I visit with Michele Cushatt who offers hope and faith for times when life is so hard we can’t always feel God’s presence. A three-time head and neck cancer survivor, Michele is a (reluctant) expert of trauma, pain and the deep human need for authentic connection. Michele shares her story on the podcast and also helps us with the following questions: * Why doesn’t God take away the pain? * What do you do on the days when the emotional and/or physical pain feels devastating? * How do you deal with the doubts about your faith that often accompany relentless pain? * How do you deal with the fairness issue–when it seems like everyone else has great lives and you’re stuck with this hard life? * What final advice do you have for the person who is suffering? Relentless, by Michele Cushatt Michele also discusses these questions and more in her new book, Relentless: The Unshakeable Presence of a God Who Never Leaves. Like the Old Testament story of Joshua’s altar of twelve stones, Relentless delivers twelve key biblical stories that demonstrate God’s unfailing presence. Each chapter offers an invitation to identify a “stone” in your own life as tangible evidence of God’s nearness. With the turn of the last page, you will have discovered twelve markers of your own, an altar of memory to carry you through questions and losses, even ones yet to come. Where to Find Michele Cushatt Online WEBSITE: michelecushatt.com SPEAKING: http://www.michelecushatt.com/speaking/ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/michelecushatt/ TWITTER: twitter.com/michelecushatt INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/michelecushatt How to Listen to the Christian Habits Podcast:

Do you ever feel like you have a million things to do, but you only have time and energy for about three things? Do you often ignore the important things in life because you’re too busy doing the million things in life? If so, you’re in the same boat as most of us. We’ve all experienced this at some point. The question is, “How do you stop feeling overwhelmed when you have a million things to do?” We’ll be talking about that today in the Christian Habits Podcast (but I’ve also included a summary below if you don’t have time to listen to the podcast). How to Listen to the Christian Habits Podcast: * To listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here * To listen and subscribe on Android: click here * To listen and subscribe on Stitcher: click here * To listen and subscribe on Google Play: click here How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed 1. Do the important things first. In Dr. Stephen Covey’s book First Things First, he gives an example of how to put a few big rocks and lots of little rocks and pebbles into a jar. If you start with the big rocks and fill in with the little rocks and pebbles, it works. But if you start with the pebbles and fill in with the big rocks, they don’t all fit. In like manner, when we focus our lives on all the little details, we ignore the important things we need to do (the big rocks) and that completely stresses us out. We can avoid that by starting the day with this question: What are the three most important things I need to do today? 2. Don’t let others choose your important things. Often we let other people answer that question for us. We’ll open an email and all of a sudden that email item is first on our list. We spend an hour working on it, ignoring our other to-dos, even though the email to-do wasn’t all that important. Or we’ll get involved in projects and goals that aren’t important to us–all because someone else wants us to do them or we feel like we should do them. Sometimes when we feel like we should do something, it’s legitimate. God wants us to do that thing too. But other times it’s not legitimate. It’s on our list only because others want it on our list or because experts tell us we should do that thing. This happens on a daily basis, but it also happens on a monthly and yearly basis. If you look at your life, you may find all kinds of things in it that don’t belong there. Not because they’re bad things, but because we don’t have time to do them. 3. Eliminate the things that don’t belong on your list. Sometimes we’re overwhelmed because we’re procrastinating or not managing our time well, but other times we’re overwhelmed because we really do have too much on our plate. We’re trying to fit too many huge rocks into that quart-sized jar. When that happens we need to take a close look at our lives and visit with God about what to keep and what to eliminate. If you need help with this, I have a chapter on reducing overwhelm in my Freedom from Procrastination Bible study. 4.

On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I’m excited to have Tricia Goyer with us. This will be the last podcast for the next few months as I’ll be taking a break from both the Christian Habits Podcast and Taste for Truth Weight Loss Podcast over the summer.   Tricia Goyer is a woman I could sit down and visit for hours with because I feel like she has so much wise advice. We talked about both productivity and parenting in this podcast and I’ve been thinking over one of her tips on productivity (the 80/20 rule) ever since I recorded the interview a week ago. We talk about productivity first on the podcast and then parenting. Here are a few of the things we’ll be talking about: * How the 80-20 principle can help you get more done. * How to be productive in a house full of kids (Tricia has ten kids and has published 70+ books. I can’t even begin to imagine that!) * How to calm angry kids. * Why angry kids want to see you get mad as well. * How the 80-20 rule can help you in parenting as well. * What it’s like to live in a house full of kids. * Why God wants us to get out of our comfort zone. * Some of the things we struggle with when we get out of our comfort zone. * How God can help us grow when we get out of our comfort zone. Resources we Talked About on This Podcast: * Tricia Goyer’s book Calming Angry Kids * Tricia’s website * Tricia’s Podcast: Walk It Out Podcast * Tricia’s Facebook Page How to Listen to the Christian Habits Podcast: * To listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here * To listen and subscribe on Android: click here * To listen and subscribe on Stitcher: click here * To listen and subscribe on Google Play: click here

Do you ever feel like you’d like a little help with some area of your life? If so, consider starting a “renewing of the mind project.” We’ll talk about what that looks like and how to get started on today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast. This podcast will be a little different than my normal as I’ll be the interviewee rather than the interviewer. I’ll be sharing a recent interview I did with Jodi Aiken on her podcast, Pennies from Heaven. Jodi Aiken is a writer, podcaster, and speaker. Raised in a small South Carolina town, Jodi grew up in a non-Christian religion, the youngest of five children. She understands and desires for others to know that trusting God with the past, present, and future is essential to living free in Christ. She is a “mom” to two adult sons. Thirty years of marriage to her husband Chris have provided countless adventures, including life as a military spouse, a police officer’s wife, and now the wife of a pastor. Resources Mentioned on the Podcast * Jodi’s podcast: Pennies from Heaven * Jodi’s website * Jodi’s Instagram * The Renewing of the Mind Project How to Listen to the Christian Habits Podcast * To listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here * To listen and subscribe on Android: click here * To listen and subscribe on Stitcher: click here * To listen and subscribe on Google Play: click here

Are you going through a difficult time right now either in your own life or the life of someone you love? On this episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I’m excited to have Sarah Forgrave with us to talk about connecting with God during those difficult times in our lives. During hard times we have one of two choices: 1) We can go to God for help and grow closer to Him and more like Him, or 2) we can be a bit angry with God and distance ourselves from Him. Sarah Forgrave talks about connecting with God during hard times so that we’ll grow closer to Him and mature. Sarah Forgrave is the author of Prayers of Hope for Caregivers and Prayers for Hope and Healing, prayer devotionals that connect readers to God during hard times. Familiar with the broken messes of life, Sarah loves encouraging others toward a deeper walk of faith. When she’s not writing or speaking, she loves to shop the aisles at Trader Joe’s or spend time with her entrepreneurial husband and two preteen children. Resources We Talked About on the Podcast * Prayers of Hope for Caregivers * Prayers for Hope and Healing * Sarah Forgrave’s website How to Listen to the Christian Habits Podcast * To listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here * To listen and subscribe on Android: click here * To listen and subscribe on Stitcher: click here * To listen and subscribe on Google Play: click here

Do you ever find yourself working on a goal but secretly thinking, I’ll never be able to do this? In today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, Dr. Melanie Wilson shares three mindset shifts that can help us accomplish goals. Here are the three mindset shifts we’ll be discussing on today’s podcast: * You don’t have to feel like working on it. * Let go of all or nothing thinking. * Believe that you can do it with God’s help if He has called you to do it. Melanie also discusses what to do if you’re not sure whether or not God has called you to do something. Resources we Talked About on This Podcast * A Year of Living Productively by Melanie Wilson Ph. D * The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey * Time Warrior, by Steve Chandler * Melanie’s podcast, The Homeschool Sanity Show * Melanie’s blog * How to Get Organized – podcast episode with Melanie * 3 Habits that will Help You Boost Your Productivity – podcast episode with Melanie How to Listen to the Christian Habits Podcast * To listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here * To listen and subscribe on Android: click here * To listen and subscribe on Stitcher: click here * To listen and subscribe on Google Play: click here

On today’s episode of the Christian Habits Podcast, I’ll answer a listener’s question about what to do when your spouse is unfaithful. We’ll talk about it from both a practical standpoint and also a spiritual standpoint: what to do with all of those emotions that well up. In the first half of the podcast we’ll discuss some of the lies we might believe if we decide to stay with our husbands and in the second half of the podcast (starting at about the 17:00 mark), we’ll discuss what to do on a practical level: do you stay or do you leave? Resources We Talked About on This Podcast * Truth Journaling * I Deserve a Donut (and Other Lies That Make You Eat) * Option Charts * Renewing of the Mind Project How to Listen to the Christian Habits Podcast * To listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here * To listen and subscribe on Android: click here * To listen and subscribe on Stitcher: click here * To listen and subscribe on Google Play: click here  

Do you ever want to have a quiet time, but you can’t make yourself do it? That happened to me for ten or twenty years. Each year, I’d put “Have consistent quiet times” on my New Year’s goals list, and each year I would fail to meet my goal. I wanted to meet with God, but I couldn’t make it happen. In time, I was afraid to put the goal on my list because I knew I wouldn’t be able to follow through with it. If you struggle to have consistent quiet times, I hope today’s podcast will help. We’ll talk about 10 lies that make us not want to do our quiet times. Example Here’s an example: Let’s say it’s 8:00 in the morning and I remember my quiet time commitment, but I have a long to-do list. The first thought that pops into my head is, “It’s not that important. I’ll just skip it today.” At that point I have three options: 1) Skip the quiet time, 2) try to make myself do it with brute strength (which doesn’t usually work for me), or 3) truth journal so that I actually want to have a quiet time. When I truth journal, I ask, “Is this belief true? What would God say?” And then I’ll write the truth down next to the belief. The truth will make me actually want to have my quiet time–and when we want to do something, we usually do it. On today’s podcast, we’ll look at more lies we believe that keep us from having consistent quiet times. For each lie, we’ll look at the truth that will help us to actually want to have those quiet times. If you’d like to renew your mind while listening to the podcast, just turn the podcast off after I introduce each lie and think about what you would say for the truth before I go ahead and say it. Here are the lies we’ll be discussing: 10 Lies That Keep Us From Having Consistent Quiet Times * It’s not that important. * I’ve read it all before. * It’s too much effort. * It’s too boring. * I don’t have time. * I can’t concentrate. * I’ll do it later. * I don’t have the discipline. * I need to have an hour to do this. * God doesn’t want to meet with me after what I did yesterday. Resources We Talked About on This Podcast * How to Truth Journal * Renewing of the Mind Tools * Anne Graham Lotz printable Ephesians study * The Magnificent Obsession Bible Study by Anne Graham Lotz * Renewing of the Mind Project * Coaching with Barb How to Listen to the Christian Habits Podcast To listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts: click here * To listen and subscribe on Android: click here * To listen and subscribe on Stitcher: 

Do you ever feel like weight loss is a battle? Not just a one and done but a back and forth lose/gain experience?  On today’s podcast, I visit with Sandy about the ups and downs of weight loss. Here’s a sampling of the topics we’ll be discussing. Topics we’ll be discussing: * cheat days: are they worth it? * fatigue and how that affect dieting * sweets addiction * vacation eating and how to stay the course while on vacation * careless living after losing weight * how God feels about us in the midst of a binge * the importance of renewing We also discuss the following lies: * This is a special treat so I should eat it. * We never get to do this so I should enjoy it. * It won’t hurt. It’s only a little bit. * I’ve already blown it. I might as well keep eating. * I’m on vacation. I’ll get back on track when I get home. * God doesn’t love me when I’m bingeing. 12/28/18 Update from Sandy: I asked Sandy for an update to put on the blog and here’s the email she sent me: Though I have been struggling the last few months, I am not quitting.  God is still working on me and I am making progress internally and I know the external will follow.  When I start with the external/food plan, it isn’t sustainable for long because the root causes are not fixed.  Through a number of things God brings my way, I am slowly working through the spiritual and emotional part of eating, which will yield more permanent results. Thanks for the update, Sandy! How to Listen to the Podcast: * Apple Podcasts: click here * Stitcher: click here * Google Play: click here Resources we Talked About on This Podcast: * I Deserve a Donut weight loss app * Taste for Truth: A 30 Day Weight Loss Bible Study * Freedom from Emotional Eating: An 8 Week (40 Day) Bible Study * Renewing of the Mind Project * Diet Bets