Episode 272-Intentional Choices

We all know that if we want anything in our lives to change we have to intentionally make different choices. We have to change the way we’ve done things for years. If we continue eating the same way we always have, we will either stay the same or continue to gain weight.

If we don’t add some intentional times of exercise, we will likely not lose weight even if we are eating healthy. If we don’t forgive issues in our past that have us stuck in the cycle of eating to overcome emotional issues we won’t change our situation. If we don’t change our minds we won’t change our behaviors.

So the big question is how do we make intentional choices that lead to a permanent change in our behaviors?

God wants to help us create the intention to make the right choices so that our desires are aligned with His desires.

Overcomers Academy: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers/

Rebuilding Jayne: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DGXTXR53/

Episode 271-Thoughts Have Power

What kind of mind games do you allow to take residence inside you? One of the biggest mind games I allowed was that I have to act on every directive that enters my mind. This is a lie that the evil one loves to perpetuate.

The devil and demons do have power to speak to humans, but not to read our minds. The devil and demons can speak to us. The devil can anticipate what we will do in a given because of his knowledge of humankind and of each of us. Yes, the devil knows us better than we know ourselves, luckily so does God!

Rebuilding Jayne on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rebuilding-Jayne-Her-Fathers-Protection/dp/B0DJTBJWWK/

Overcomers Academy: https://teresashieldsparker.com/overcomers/

Episode 270-Write the Vision

“Write the vision. Make it plain so that those who read it will run with it.”

Habakkuk 2:2

What is your vision? What is your message? What is the passion that grabs your heart? What do you desperately want people to know?

Make it plain.

Be sure people understand what you are saying. Use scripture. Make it real. Make it known. Don’t write something no one understands.

So those who READ. Nothing happens unless someone reads what you’ve written. Show don’t just tell. Make readers cry or laugh. Incorporate God moments.

Will Run With It

If you engage your readers they will want to tell others about your book. Provide at least one sensory detail, color, sounds, smells, textures, tastes, seasons, locations, sight, sound, smell, taste, touch in all your chapters and encounters between characters.

Make sure there is both conflict and character transformation in your book. Without these, there is no story.

In the end, writing a book is not about money, fame, or star status, it’s about the message. However, you never know when your first book just might make it to be a #1 Bestseller. Plan for it. Believe it. And then leave in God’s Hands to show you what to do next.

Rebuilding Jayne on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rebuilding-Jayne-Her-Fathers-Protection/dp/B0DJTBJWWK/

Overcomers Academy: https://teresashieldsparker.com/overcomers/

Episode 269-Listen!

I tried to avoid it. I didn’t want it to be my word for the year, but everywhere I turned it followed me. I finally gave in because it was the only word that God would give me. It was everywhere I turned.

The last straw was when I was filling my calendar in for January. And right there on Jan. 1, 2025, I had written down Listen! In reality, I had not forgotten that word. It had been following me around like a nagging three-year-old wanting a piece of candy. I had pretended listen wasn’t my word for 2025.

My word for the year is always something God gives me so I will remember to focus on that topic. Last year was rest and I was always being reminded of that by people who knew that was my word.

This year it’s listen. I went to the Bible first to see what it says about that word. I found that in the NLT version that word is mentioned 584 times. It’s a pretty important word. It doesn’t just mean to hear but also to understand, apply, and carry out whatever is being said. That’s the reason we listen.

Rebuilding Jayne by Teresa Shields Parker: https://www.amazon.com/Rebuilding-Jayne-Her-Fathers-Protection/dp/B0DJTBJWWK/

Overcomers Academy: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers/

Episode 268-Jesus and His Dad

Have you ever had a question you’d like an answer to, but the answer is not available. For years I’ve thought about this question because Jesus was divine. But then when He came to earth, He was fully human.

So when did Jesus figure out who He is and who told Him? When He was in Heaven He knew who He was. But when He came to earth He became a human. He came right out of His Momma’s box. He had the same abilities as His Daddy God, but when did He discover all of that?

Was there a time that Father God said, “OK, Listen Son, this is who you are? This is your job here on earth. You will become the Savior of all people. It will be a really big deal.”

I love to think of these kinds of conversation. Jesus came to earth as a helpless baby. He did that of His own free will. No one made Him do it. If you have never trusted Jesus as Your Savior, now is the time to do it. Let it be your Christmas gift to yourself.

Pray with me.

Jesus,

I confess. I love only myself. I try to fix issues in my favor. I don’t like people. I’d never die for anyone.

Still, I live in terror every day afraid someone will kill me. I need Jesus to help me, but I’m such a big sinner I don’t know how to change. I’ve been told once a sinner always a sinner.

But that’s not what Jesus says. He says no matter what, He loves me. Right now, I’m choosing to follow Him instead of my earthly desires. Jesus I give You every sin I’ve committed and every sinful thought.

I hand to you all these things that are bringing me down, breaking me down, and making me worried, anxious, and fearful to You, Lord.

Save me from myself, Lord. I need You.

If you prayed this prayer, send us an email to tparker@socket.net.

If you are interested in joining Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy, go here: https://teresashieldsparker.com/overcomers/

Episode 267-Craving Sugar?

It’s Christmas and you know what that means. Lots and lots of cake, candy, pies, and every other kind of desserts. It’s the day we celebrate Jesus’ birth. It’s the day we get together with family and friends.

Most of us, though, aren’t focusing on the people we will see or even worshipping Jesus, who made a willful decision to come to earth, live as a human, and die on cross in our place. He did it for no other reason but to let us know how much He loves us.

Still, all we can think about is getting our next sugar high. Yes, it’s very addictive. It’s like a drug. It is eight times more addictive than drugs or alcohol. And, it’s a killer. Sugar feeds cancer. It promotes obesity from which all kinds of diseases take hold of us.

The devil knows all of this. He has become a drug pusher to us who consider ourselves good Christians. It’s his voice speaking when we hear, “Go ahead and eat another piece of cake! As a matter of fact take two or three because it will be gone before you have time to finish everything on your plate. It tastes so good. It has to be good for you.”

However, my Friends, the devil is a liar. We know this, but we still want sugary foods because we feel like they make us feel better. And they do for a short-time and then our bodies crave more sugar. Only this time we have to eat more than before. It’s always a matter of more.

Can we stop craving sugar? Yes, we can. Are you ready? Join us in Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy and start the New Year off right.

Overcomers: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers/

Episode 266-Bitten by the Fiction Bug

I’ve been bitten by the fiction bug, and no it didn’t hurt. It felt pretty good. After writing 10 nonfiction books, I finally wrote and published the fiction book God gave me the storyline to 10 years ago.

“Rebuilding Jayne” is on Amazon now in Kindle, paperback, and will soon be out in Audible and a little later in hardback. It is Fiction That Transforms. This particular book’s tagline is “Her Father’s Protection.

The best way I can describe this series is that it is the fiction version of my best-selling book, which is my memoir entitled, Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds.

It was a fun book to write because God was there the entire way. There was one time when I was writing a very integral chapter. It was a key piece of the book. I wrote the chapter and then went to bed. When I woke up the next morning, God clearly spoke to me and said, “Throw out that last chapter and start over. I will show you what to write.”

From the minute I put my hands on the computer keys to the end of that chapter, not one word had been in my head. It was if I was the scribe and God was the author dictating the words to me. That chapter set the tone for the entire book. He gave me places, people, and the depth of the story line. It was nothing I did except be obedient and write.

Get the book. Write a review so others can find it.

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Rebuilding-Jayne-Her-Fathers-Protection-ebook/dp/B0DGXTXR53/

FREE CHAPTER of Rebuilding Jayne: https://www.teresashieldsparker.com/rebuilding-jayne-free-chapter/

Episode 265-Build Each Other Up

In Romans 15 and 16, Paul covers a lot of ground to make sure he’s telling those in the church at Rome everything they need to go forward until he comes to them again in person. He’s teaching them and us how to build each other up. This is critical to any forward motion. We don’t do our journeys alone. We do them in a community of faith.

He encourages mature Christians, while at the same time warning them. Romans 15:1 AMP: “We who are strong in our convictions and faith ought to patiently put up with the weaknesses of those who are not strong and not please ourselves.”

In order to follow Jesus we need to deny ourselves or not just please ourselves. In John 5:30 AMP Jesus defines that as setting aside our selfish interests. If we are mature followers of Christ one of the first things we must let go of is our reliance on anything other than Jesus.

Overcomers Academy Link: https://Teresashieldsparker.com/Overcomers/

Free Eating Stress Course Link: https://www.teresashieldsparker.com/stress/