Episode Summary: 

Research suggests that girls as young as three years old prioritize beauty, and children in elementary school frequently exhibit body image issues. In this episode of Your Hope Filled Perspective, I chatted with Heather Creekmore of Compared to Who about the pain, wounds, and ultimately, sacred scars, she experienced as a result of body image issues starting in childhood. Together, we explore how God's healing can transform body image wounds into sacred scars, offering hope and freedom.

Quotables from the episode:

• I really believed I had the perfect life, and yet, I have issues.
• I struggled with the way I looked, but I rationalized that as normal because I believed every woman struggled with that.
• Even within the church, the message that seemed to be presented was that part of being a good Christian was following whatever culture told you to follow in terms of taking care of your body.
• Counseling revealed the depth of my identity struggles. I had no idea to feel God’s love, and to feel accepted and approved apart from striving for it.
• Subtly through the years I had built an ideal that I was constantly trying to live up to.
• As I looked up to pastor’s wives, they seemed that ideal. They were thin and trim and beautiful. I believed my greatest gift for our congregation was to be that pastor’s wife.
• I came to realize that my greatest gift to our congregation was to be authentic and vulnerable and let them know I had struggles too.
• I’m angry at the enemy now, as I look at pictures of me as my younger self, and realize that there was nothing wrong with my body back then but he had me believing there was.
• What I’m most sad about is that I was so focused on fixing my body that I really didn’t pursue the opportunities that the Lord had for me to grow spiritually and things that I could have done for Him that would last.
• I invested a lot in deeds that will burn up, like what I ate and how much I exercised and how those two numbers went together to create a calorie-deficit.
• What turned everything around for me was when I had made my own body an idol. There was no weight or body size I could achieve that would bring about satisfaction, peace, and contentment.
• I had to come to a place or repentance and really turn from that…when I realized the depth of my sin and pride and self-righteousness, I realized I was a broken sinner desperately in need of a savior, just like everyone else. That changed it all for me.
• The enemy either comes in and says “oh that’s not that bad,” or he comes in on the other end and says “who do you think you are? You’re worthless!”
• God healed this wound through allowing me to build an identity on Him.
• God can only build if I’ve broken down what I tried to construct. He needed me to come to a clean foundation so I could build my identity on Him, which is stronger, more long lasting, and so much more secure.
• I have freedom in my body image, but that doesn’t mean I never have another thought what I weigh or how I look, but now I have the tools to respond, and I no longer agree with the enemy regarding those thoughts.
• When I’m tempted to go back to that kind of behavior, I instead ask, “What does God want me to do today? What does He want me to focus on?” He doesn’t want me spending my day thinking about my body—that renders me useless for God’s kingdom, and then the enemy wins.
• I do take care of my body, but that is no longer my primary purpose.
• As I have been able to share the darkest parts of my journey, the harder parts of my journey to share, the more others share that they can relate to those wounds and pain!
• Through my pain and wounds surrounding body image, God has given me a ministry to other women through my books, podcast, and coaching women to body image freedom, bring sacred scars for my pain.
• It is an overwhelming blessing to walk with women and lead them into freedom in Christ!

Scripture References:

• 1 Timothy 4:4 “For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
• Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Recommended Resources: 

• The 40-Day Body Image Workbook: Hope for Christian Women Who've Tried Everything (A Journey from Insecurity to Positive Body Image and Self-Worth) by Heather Creekmore
• The Burden of Better: How a Comparison Free Life Leads to Joy, Peace, and Rest by Heather Creekmore
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