Foreign. Welcome back to Body and Belonging, where we break free from food guilt, calm down the food noise, and rediscover joy at the table. I'm Jamie, a registered dietitian and each week we explore the deeper reasons we struggle with food and why we have such a hard time feeling like we belong in our bodies. I blend gentle nutrition with nervous system awareness and teach you biblically rooted health principles to move you away from dieting and restriction and into care and nourishment. So grab a seat at the table and let's dive in. Today we are talking about something super. What does the Bible actually say about your body? And guess what? It changes everything. A lot of us have heard messages about health and discipline and self control, but very few people have helped us build a truly biblical view of our bodies of food and how to care for ourselves. And without realizing it, we can start approaching health from fear or obligation or control instead of from a place of stewardship and peace and ultimately rooted in freedom, Gospel freedom. This rings true for me personally as I was raised in a Christian denomination that prioritized health ministry and some of the principles taught were plant forward diets, avoidance of smoking, even Avoidance of caffeine, 24 hour Sabbath regular exercise, tight knit community built around church and family and these factors even today lead to a life expectancy of four to seven years longer than the American average. That denomination was Seventh Day Adventists. If you've heard of the Blue Zones, they're a blue zone in the United States. Loma Linda, California. That's the same denomination. So leaders of this movement in the late 1800s shared and taught health principles. They hosted health retreats, they were talking about sunshine and outdoor time and whole foods foods. They were talking about these things far before where science was at at the time. For example, the push for meat and dairy avoidance was only a decade or two ahead of the early 1900s when city life was booming but refrigeration had not yet been perfected. The inner city slaughterhouses ran with nearly zero regulations. Meat and dairy was truly unsafe in many situations. So warning about avoiding meat and dairy for long term health was absolutely accurate and timely. Now Fast forward to 2026 at the recording of this episode. Do I currently believe that a strict vegan diet is the best diet for the average human? Not necessarily. The conversation is so much more nuanced than that and it requires a conversation about that person's individual health history, that their likelihood of deficiencies, what's their actual food availability? See, my concern is that a push for plant based eating nowadays is far more political and far more about removing people's autonomy and self sufficiency around food. But that's a whole different conversation. But that is some context. I was raised vegetarian. I am no longer vegetarian. I do continue to prioritize plant forward meat meals. I'm very comfortable working with vegan and vegetarian clients and peers. Like I mentioned, I earned my dietetics degree at an Adventist university that had a plant based focus. So very very familiar with this whole subculture and perhaps more sensitive to its benefits and its shortfalls when it gets intertwined with the gospel, I do feel like it gives me a unique perspective and I see both sides of this health message coin. See, I've seen people and programs and outreach efforts share messages about health that inspired and uplifted and took a holistic view of the body and its care, incorporating all kinds of health principles including nutrition and clean water and sunshine and temperance and exercise. And I've also seen people and programs and outreach efforts share messages that swing social so far towards restriction, it's reinforcing all the negatives of diet culture or repeatedly pushes a one size fits all approach or dangerously intertwines the freedom of the gospel with a bunch of food rules and condemnation. I've seen and worked with individuals with orthoxia, which is a eating disorder in which someone is so preoccupied about eating healthy and clean it starts to impact their relationships, their body, their ability to eat out and really impacts their mental health. And there's so much more I could say there, but I'll leave this little side trail with this statement. If your health endeavors, and even if you're doing it as unto the Lord, if your health endeavors are causing anxiety, social isolation, overwhelm, it is no longer a healthy endeavor. Something needs to shift. So in the time we have together in today's episode, I want to dive into some verses and some thoughts on what does Scripture actually say about your body and how to care for it? We live in a culture that constantly tells us our bodies are projects, something to fix, something to shrink, something to perfect, something to make smaller, something to control. And even in Christian spaces, this mindset can sneak in. Sometimes health becomes just another form of striving, another way to measure our worth. And I also believe that the enemy has used a culture that obsesses over bodies, changing them, sculpting them, toning them, making them bigger, making them smaller. Even great endeavors like gaining strength or being more resilient to disease or injury. Yes, even good endeavors can be distractions and when you look at scripture, the posture that God takes towards our bodies is quite profound. But first I want to describe for you two different individuals. So person number one, they can be in any sized body. Person number one is eating all the right things, moving his or her body, disciplined, determined. But when she looks in the mirror, she's disgusted, ashamed, embarrassed. She's relying on comparison to fuel the discontentment that propels her into action. Got that picture of person number one. Person number two again, can be any in any sized body, eating all the right things, moving his or her body, disciplined and determined, looks in the mirror and sees an image bearer of God. Sees others in that same light. Not prideful, peaceful. Moves her body because she knows that movement is so kind to her body. Chooses food that nourishes and delights in what she eats. Forcefully present, honors her limitations, works well. Do you have person number two in mind? Which do you more relate to and why are we talking about these people? I want to share a verse with you. 1 Samuel 16:7 says, the Lord said to Samuel, do not consider his appearance his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at things people look at people look at the outward appearance. The Lord looks at the heart. So we're talking about these people because only you know how you live in your body. And I believe the Lord cares deeply about how you live in your body. Your body was made by God in His image called good at creation. And it is the location in which you encounter God. For now, God also gave a good body in Jesus to redeem yours back from an enemy who wishes to destroy it. And rest assured, if he can't destroy it, he will distract you from caring for it. He will nudge you to despise it. He will ensure that you see it as a burden instead of a blessing. Bodies matter and some clues that you might be agreeing with the lies of the enemy are do you feel defeated and discouraged about issues related to your body shape, size, condition, or confused about how to care for it? Do you say negative things about yourself on repeat when you are in need of comfort? Is food your first solution? Do you fear that food is more powerful than you? Do you avoid physical exertion? So we want to shift here. We want to begin seeing your body as something other than the enemy, something other than an inconvenience. It's also not the source of your value. Your body is a gift. It is a vessel. It is location in which you encounter the Lord and interact with other image bearers. For now, it's something that's been entrusted to you. See, Scripture talks about our bodies with dignity, with care, with purpose, not obsession, not punishment, not constant criticism. See, stewardship is very different from control. Control is driven by fear. Stewardship is driven by care. I think this is where so many people get stuck because they hear words like discipline or self control and immediately think, restrict, limitation, perfection, pressure. But biblical discipline is not self hatred or self abandonment. It's alignment. It's wisdom. It's learning to care for yourself in ways that support life and peace. It's honoring your limitations. It's honoring your humanness. See, the foundation for transformation here is not just doing food better. It's not more rules to follow. It's transformation of your mind and your heart posture. It's identity work. If you don't know who God is and you don't know what he says about you. And even then, if you refuse to agree with him when he says your body is worthy of care, you'll keep chasing your value and chasing your worth and the devil's shiny distractions all the days of your life. The goal here is to align our mind with Christ's mind. The goal here is to align our thoughts about ourselves with Christ's thoughts towards us. The goal here is agreeing with him that your body's not a mistake, agreeing with him that God, who called your body good, entrusted you to care for it. What if good was the starting point, not the finish line? What would change? See, in Genesis 1:31, this is right at the end of creation. We see this starting line. Indeed, it was very good. And I've noticed when we talk about the Gospel, we often start in the wrong place. We start in Genesis 3 with a woman and food. We start with the fall instead of starting with the goodness. We start a story on a low instead of a high. But we're missing the identity. If we don't have the correct identity to start with, we don't know what humanity is being restored to. What are you being saved for? So let's explore our bodies in Scripture. And if you have a Bible handy, or if you want to Google these verses as I mention them, go ahead and do so, because I want you to test me. I want you to go back and look at these and dig through these and wrestle with them yourself. The first place we're going is Romans 12:1. And Romans 12:1 says, Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and property. Worship. You are a living sacrifice. See, in the Old Testament, sacrifices were sacrificed. They were dead. You are not a dead sacrifice. You are a living sacrifice with a calling on your life and gifts in your heart and a mission on your mind. And here it says to present your bodies. A living sacrifice. Holy, Holy and acceptable. I also want to take you to John 1:14. John 1:14 says, the word became flesh. This is speaking of Jesus. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Christ in the flesh. Let me assure you that Christ in the flesh, in a body, has deep compassion for your human needs, your human limitations. He also fed the bodies of hungry people and healed the bodies of the sick. He tended to their spiritual needs, their emotional needs. He asked amazing questions. So there's deep compassion there for our struggle. First Corinthians 6:20 tells us, you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies. This means that your bodies no longer are only your jurisdiction. They were bought with a price. They've been redeemed. They've been saved for something. Caring for our bodies, living in them, stewarding them as a gift, is an act of rebellion against the lies of the enemy. Let's continue looking at what Scripture actually says about caring for and nourishing our bodies. Ecclesiastes chapter 3, verse 12 and 13 says, I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and do good while they live, that each of them may eat and drink and find satisfaction in their toil. And it is the gift of God. Food is a gift. Eating is a gift. Eating in community, eating in fellowship, working for our food, and then delighting in it is a gift. We learn this from this verse in Ecclesiastes. Next, we'll go to 1 Corinthians 10:31. This is a famous verse, but it reads, whatever you eat or drink, whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Did you know that portion control is in Scripture? It's in Proverbs 25:16. If you find honey, eat just enough. Too much of it and you'll vomit. I love that sort, so I find it humorous. Here's another good one. 1 Corinthians 10:23 says, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. So everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful. That's a really good verse right there. So if you feel like you are on the struggle bus here. Let me assure you that that you aren't alone. Romans 7:15 says, I do not understand what I do, what I want to do, I do not, but what I hate, I do. And many of us, if we're being honest, can relate to this verse. But let me gently encourage you that overwhelm is a sure sign that you're relying on yourself. Let's shift this conversation a bit to what is he willing to do in me? Because it's him who works in you both to will and to do according to his good purpose. That's in Philippians 2:13. It's him who works in you to do, to act, but also to will. So if you're not even feeling willing yet, that also is his work. Let's get clear on his work. The Lord will meet you where you are at second Corinthians 12:9 says, he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect in weakness. Isn't that reassuring? He also promises daily strength. So if we go to Psalm 29:11 that says, the Lord gives strength to his people, the Lord blesses his people with peace. I believe that also applies to peace with food and peace with our behavior and peace with how we lived our day, we can rest assured that he will fulfill his promises. That's in Romans 4:21 being fully persuaded that God has the power to do what he has promised. His work is also to bear fruit through us. So I'm sure we're all familiar with the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians, but if not, let me read them for you. Galatians 5:22 through 23 says, the fruit of the Spirit is love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and goodness and faithfulness and gentleness and self control. Notice this is fruit. Self control isn't the starting point. It's the fruit of abiding. A plant doesn't produce fruit first. It's builds roots first. It demonstrates growth first, it receives nourishment first. Fruit is evidence of overflow. Fruit is evidence of adequacy, of needs being met, of abiding and resting and rooting well. Now, sometimes we think of this fruit of the Spirit and we think, oh, it'll help me be more kind to my kids or more gentle with people that frustrate me, or it will give me love for the world around me. But have you ever applied the fruit of the Spirit to you? Kindness towards yourself, Faithfulness in the mundane, boring daily tasks that it takes to care for a body, self control, joy, peace with food first Corinthians 6:12 is another one of my favorite guidelines from scripture. It says I have the right to do anything, but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything, but I will not be mastered by anything. So what I get from this is there's some helpful questions we can ask ourselves related to these what boundaries would be helpful for me? What's my body under the power of? What's the fruit of my behavior? And here's what changes everything. Your body deserves kindness because of whose you are. You're already loved, you're already seen. You're already secure. And so health can stop becoming. How do I get it right? And more, how do I care? Well, for what God has entrusted to me. That shift changes everything. And honestly, healing body image can start right here. Not with finally loving every inch of yourself overnight, but with ending the war. Choosing respect before confidence, choosing kindness before adoration. Learning that your body doesn't have to be the barrier to belonging. I really believe that God cares about your health not because your worth depends on it. He cares because he cares about you. And when we begin approaching health from a place of peace and stewardship instead of panic, we create space for things to actually change and not from striving. Which leads me to the question I suspect you're asking, but Jamie, what should I eat? So in the next episode, we're getting practical. We'll talk about gentle nutrition and how to nourish your body without obsessing, tracking, or constantly thinking about food. And of course, we'll intertwine these biblical health principles to that conversation as well. I think it's going to bring a lot of relief. So if this episode encouraged you, make sure you follow the show and join my email list. Through the link in the show notes, I send deeper encouragement Tuesday tips, practical tools, and support beyond the podcast. You don't have to choose between faith and freedom, and you don't have to fight your body to care for it. Well, I'll see you next time, Sam.