Are your thoughts and worship aligned with your goals? When we try to lose weight, we sometimes get caught up in the physical, categories-in, categories-out processes. But losing weight is a mental game. By aligning your thoughts and worship practice with your goals, you can keep the weight off while becoming a better Christian.

The way that we think of ourselves has a profound effect on our actions. When we think of ourselves as people who are addicted to food, or lazy people, we become comfortable in the habits we’ve formed. By recognizing the gifts God has given us, we can live in his purpose.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[1:05] Today’s episode is about NEWS, but it will take a different, more spiritual perspective than the previous episode. The “N” in news stands for neurobics, which are activities you can use to exercise the brain; in other words, how you think.

[4:02] Marty tells the story of Victor, a man who was labeled a moron in childhood but was ultimately seen as a genius. Once his genius was recognized, he became an author and became the president of MENSA. What changed was what he told himself.

[9:35] When you take the attitude that “I am all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) and “I am more than a conqueror,” (Romans 8:37) those thoughts also affect how you view yourself.

[14:00] East stands for envision. More than how we think of ourselves, envisioning is about how we see our futures in Christ.

[20:18] How much of yourself can you invest into trying to live a future in Christ when you are drowning in an addiction? What you say and think matters, and envisioning a better future for yourself can help you achieve it.

[22:20] W stands for “why.” Without something to hold you accountable when you face temptation, you still struggle to resist. You “why” is where your dreams meet your discipline.

[26:15] If you don’t know what your why is, you can pray for one. Prayer will help you discover what truly motivates you.

[30:16] S stands for service to others. 1 Peter 4:10-11 reads “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

[34:50] We all have spiritual gifts, and they all work together for God. When we are actively using our gifts for God’s kingdom, it is an extremely powerful feeling.

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book

Do you fully trust in God? It can be difficult to do so. Lots of aspects of our lives are out of our control; we see bad things happen to good people, including ourselves. How do we trust in God when the world feels imperfect, or when we’re struggling? In these moments, shifting our perspectives can help us better understand and trust in God. In today’s episode of Phoenix Chronicles, Jes and Martin discuss trust as it applies to their weight loss and their day-to-day lives.

Martin and Jes begin by explaining how their trust in God has developed throughout their lives and their weight loss. They move into discussing passages that deal with trust in God, and give tips on how you can shift your perspective to better trust in God.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[0:00] Introduction

[1:10] Today’s episode will focus on trust, which deeply affects our relationship with God and our ability to lose weight. Trusting God can be a challenge when things do not always look the way we want them to.

[5:32] Who do we trust when we look at a new diet? For one, consider what a diet program gains from you being on it. While there are great programs that charge money, these programs should be given additional scrutiny. Phoenix Chronicles is a method Jes and Martin share for free.

[9:32] Proverbs 3:5-6 reads “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Dieting isn’t usually a straight line without the power of God; there are distractions.

[14:23] Psalms 37:5 reads “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do it.” If you put your trust in God, He will reward you.

[21:33] Jes has gone to church for her whole life. In Regen, however, she learned that she did not truly trust God.

[27:59] If God is good and just, then He is perfectly trustworthy. When we doubt God’s goodness, it points to a belief that God punishes us for bad behavior.

[33:44] Jes tells the story of a king who does not believe in the goodness of God. His servant repeatedly told him that God makes no mistakes, and eventually he sees that God understands things beyond his own understanding.

[38:40] If we did not allow our children to experience hardship, they would not be able to take care of themselves in adulthood or grow into good people. God treats us similarly.

[46:49] Isaiah 41:10 reads “So do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book

Do you have a pride problem? Better yet, do you know how to identify pride in all of its forms? Pride is more than just thinking you’re better than everyone; in fact, some of the most insecure people have problems with pride. This is because pride can manifest itself in lots of ways, from self-centeredness to people pleasing to complete self-reliance. Learn how to identify your pride, and how to counter it with humility, in this episode of Phoenix Chronicles.

Martin begins by discussing his experiences with pride, a sin that he believes could have killed him twice. Next, Jes explains the insidious ways that pride manifested for her as a refusal to lean on God in her weight loss. Finally, Jes and Martin explain the many ways that pride might manifest in your life, and how service and humility can help you heal.

For detailed show notes, navigate using the time stamps below:

[3:05] Today’s episode is about pride, which hits close to home for Martin because his pride almost killed him. He wanted to prove that he could lose all of his weight on his own. On two occasions, Martin could have died from his weight.

[6:20] Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goes before destruction, the haughty spirit before a fall.” In Samuel 17, Goliath’s pride led him to defy the armies of Israel, and thus defy the God of Israel. Ultimately, he was defeated.

[13:29] As Martin gained weight, he noticed himself start to turn his head back when he watched TV more and more to avoid seeing his body. Eventually, his diabetes diagnosis humbled him.

[18:31] Like most challenges, you deal with pride by making a plan. You make a roadmap, and that roadmap involves dieting and nutrition as well as worship and prayer.

[23:21] Driving used to be a minefield for Martin because of the constant opportunities to get fast food in secret. He believes this is a common problem, but once you let God transform your mind, you will no longer feel that temptation constantly.

[27:02] Jes’s pride was difficult for her to identify because it did not manifest as her thinking she was better than everyone else. Instead, it manifested as a form of self protection.

[33:03] While Jes’s program for eating disorder recovery helped her learn some coping strategies, it also left her acting from a place of pride. She learned to put herself first instead of God.

[36:35] Pride can also manifest as fear. Jes would rather fail at her own hand than trust in God, which came from a place of pride.

[38:15] Pride can show up as arrogance, boasting, self-centeredness, people pleasing, envy, refusing advice, and more. Pride is everywhere, and it can show up in small ways, but it has a way of growing.

[40:13] The opposite of pride is humility. Humility is not about thinking less of yourself, but about thinking of yourself less. It is also about service to others.

RESOURCES

Visit the Phoenix Chronicles Website: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/

Buy A Phoenix Chronicle by Martin Crowe: https://www.thephoenixchronicles.com/book