Are you exhausted from trying to be a “better Christian,” follow all the rules, or just fix yourself? In this episode, Heather Creekmore dives into the age-old dilemma every believer faces: Am I supposed to be working on me—and if so, how much of it is up to me, and how much is God’s job?

Inspired by the Crowder song “He’s Working on Me Still,” Heather explores the difference between self-powered striving and Spirit-powered transformation. Using honest stories, biblical wisdom (especially from Galatians 5), and practical illustrations, she helps Christian women understand why hustling for holiness leaves us tired—and how true freedom and growth comes when we move from “I’m working on me” to “He’s working on me.”

In This Episode:

• Why spiritual striving, religious rule-following, and willpower can’t bring long-term freedom

• How diet culture mindsets sneak into our faith and make us rely on formulas instead of God

• What it means to step out of the driver’s seat and let God be in control (with relatable analogies and humor)

• The power of relationship over religion and why faith is more than just “doing all the things”

• How to recognize if your spiritual life is based on head knowledge, not heart transformation

• Practical steps to move from self-reliance to Spirit-dependence—including honest reflection questions and the importance of daily worship

Key Takeaway:
Stop striving for self-improvement and start leaning into God’s grace. When we let go of self-reliance and invite the Holy Spirit to lead, we experience true rest, freedom, and lasting spiritual growth.

Mentions & Resources:

• 40-Day Journey: Starts October 1st, with groups beginning October 7th. Details at improvebodyimage.com or directly at: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge

• Body Image Freedom Framework: Heather’s online course for deeper freedom in the areas discussed in the episode.

• Coaching and community offerings: Here are links to programs designed to equip women for the real battle.

• Book Rec: “When People Are Big and God is Small” by Ed Welch (Amazon affiliate link)

Listener Challenge:
Who’s really in the driver’s seat of your faith right now?

This week, pause and ask God to lead, spend extra time in worship, and notice where you’re striving instead of surrendering.

Leave a Review:
Has this episode helped you break free from comparison and spiritual exhaustion? Leave a quick review—it helps others find the show!

Subscribe to Compared to Who? for Christian perspectives on body image, freedom from comparison, and finding true rest in Christ.

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In this “Compared to Who?” episode, Heather Creekmore talks about how growing in spiritual maturity can help you break free from comparison and body image struggles. She gently challenges listeners to re-examine the belief that life will be easy if you just do everything right—a mindset she calls “magical thinking.” Instead, Heather explains how holding onto this idea can prevent us from fully trusting God and experiencing real growth.

She shares her personal experiences with disappointment, especially around marriage and body image, and how letting go of perfectionism and unrealistic expectations made space for deeper faith and emotional stability. Ultimately, the message is about moving away from idols and quick fixes, and toward a more honest, grace-filled relationship with Jesus—even if it means accepting that life will have its hardships.

There’s a lot more nuance and encouragement in the episode, so it’s definitely worth a listen!

Resources & Opportunities Mentioned:

• 10 Days of Encouragement (Free!):
  Sign up at heathercreekmore.com to get 10 days of personal, encouraging emails straight from Heather.

• Improve Your Body Image—Fall Programs:

  • 40 Day Journey: Starts Oct. 1, with group meetings from Oct. 7. Sign up at improvebodyimage.com (Look for the “40 Day Journey” tab).

  • In His Image Conference:

    Happening outside of Dallas, TX, on Nov. 15. Details here: https://www.wonderfullymadenutritioncounseling.com/events/in-his-image-body-image-conference-for-teen-girls-and-women-2025 (Early bird pricing ends soon!)

Related Episodes to Check Out:

• Coaching Episode with Presli: Surprising Anger and Idols
  (Heather references Presli's honest story of getting unexpectedly upset over a meal—highlighting hidden idols.)

• 4 Ways to Stop Thinking Negatively About Your Body

• How Spiritual Maturity Can Transform Body Image Struggles

• The Comparison-Free Life book: Heather expands on grace, maturity, and living “comparison free.”

Connect & Support:

• Subscribe so you don’t miss this fall’s gentle, but life-changing, journey toward spiritual maturity.

• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—Heather loves hearing how the show impacts you!

Find more encouragement and Christ-centered content at the Life Audio Network.

If you’re ready to stop comparing and start truly living, this is the episode for you.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Heather speaks into the aftermath of last week’s tragic events to address how these unsettling times can actually serve as a wake-up call for Christian women struggling with body image and comparison.

Instead of focusing on the headlines, Heather invites listeners to examine what we’re really battling daily. She explores the big idea that our struggle isn’t with the scale, the mirror, or even other women—it’s a spiritual battle, not “against flesh and blood,” as Ephesians 6:12 says. Heather shares a relatable story about getting a speeding ticket (and her less-than-humble reaction!) as an illustration of the subtle ways pride and self-focus sneak in, keeping us distracted from what God is calling us to.

Here are some references & main themes:

• The assassination of Charlie Kirk: Not the main focus of the episode, but this tragic event is used as context for discussing spiritual wake-up calls and living boldly for Jesus.

• Us vs. them mentality: How cultural polarization and volatility can lead to numbness or withdrawal, even from our spiritual callings.

• Spiritual battle vs. physical struggle: Using Ephesians 6:12, Heather emphasizes we need to recognize the spiritual nature of our struggles—especially with body image, insecurity, and comparison.

• Armor of God (Ephesians 6): Are you more worried about what you wear or making sure you have the armor of God on?

• The lie of “my truth” vs. God’s truth: Heather draws from the cultural trend of embracing “my truth” and contrasts it with God’s truth, especially in how we view ourselves and our worth.

• Pride and self-righteousness: Illustrated through her personal speeding ticket story, reminding us how quickly we default to excusing ourselves and judging others.

• Encouragement for action: Rather than “doing more” or “trying harder,” Heather invites listeners to actually follow Jesus, not just fit Him into their goals and plans.

• Overcoming shame and guilt: She warns listeners not to get caught in the enemy’s trap of shame for not being "further along" in their spiritual walk, and instead to run toward Jesus, the light, and real security.

Programs and Resources Mentioned:

• 40-Day Journey: Starts October 1st, with groups beginning October 7th. Details at improvebodyimage.com or directly at: https://www.improvebodyimage.com/40-day-challenge

• Body Image Freedom Framework: Heather’s online course for deeper freedom in the areas discussed in the episode.

• Coaching and community offerings: Here are links to programs designed to equip women for the real battle.

Questions to Reflect On:

• Which “battle” am I spending most of my time and energy on each day?

• How does believing my own truth about my body or worth keep me from living in God’s truth?

• Am I taking Jesus along for my ride, or am I letting Him lead?

Final encouragement: Heather calls listeners to reject shame, fight the real battle, and let their light shine for Christ. She challenges us to think about how we will be remembered—not as women obsessed with their image, but as those unafraid to shine the light of Jesus.

For more: Listen to this episode for Heather’s personal stories, practical encouragement, and a heartfelt call to step out of comparison and into true freedom. Plus, details on the 40-Day Journey and more great episodes at LifeAudio.com.

Loved this episode? Share, subscribe, and leave a review—or join a journey to grow deeper in faith and freedom!

The Compared to Who? Podcast is part of the Life Audio Podcast Network.

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Welcome to a heartfelt and transformative episode of Compared to Who?! Today, Heather Creekmore gets real, sharing a sincere apology and a powerful re-focus for the community. If you’ve been on a journey of body image struggles or striving for personal freedom, this episode will meet you right where you are.

Episode Summary:
Heather shares how she’s been convicted about how she’s focused on the roots of body image issues over the past few seasons, particularly focusing too much on intellectual understanding and analysis. Using the wisdom of Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” — Heather shares how she’s issuing a fresh call to the freedom that doesn’t come from unraveling the origins of our issues, but from surrendering to Christ, being discipled, and letting Jesus heal and transform every part of us.

Key Insights from This Episode:

• The Power of Surrender: Understanding why we struggle with body image isn’t the path to freedom; surrendering to Christ is.

• Shift from Self-Help to Discipleship: Heather unpacks the biblical idea of discipleship — growing to be more like Jesus — as the most effective way to address body image battles and find lasting satisfaction.

• Freedom Beyond Understanding: Instead of searching for intellectual solutions or falling into endless self-analysis, this episode encourages letting God into the healing process and allowing your heart (not just your head) to be transformed.

• Counter to Cultural Messages: Heather warns against both secular and “Christian” body positivity messages that focus on self-pride and fixing your exterior, reminding us that Scripture leads us to humility and dependence on Christ.

• Living with Satisfaction: Drawing from Matthew 5:6 and Philippians 3-4, she explores the true path to satisfaction in life and body image, which is found only in hungering and thirsting for righteousness through a relationship with Jesus.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Heather Creekmore’s website: heathercreekmore.com — Sign up for 10 Days of Encouragement!

• 40 Day Body Image Workbook & Journey: improvebodyimage.com — Next group starts October 7th!

• In His Image Women & Teen Girls Conference in Dallas, November 15th

Join the Community:
Subscribe to Heather’s email encouragement or join a coaching group for deeper connection. Connect here: https://www.improvebodyimage.com

Connect & Share:
If you’re seeking more than behavior change and longing for deep soul-level transformation, this episode will resonate — share it with a friend or leave a review to help others find gospel-centered hope for body image and self-worth.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this compelling episode, Heather Creekmore unpacks the cultural impact of Netflix's Fit for TV: The Biggest Loser Documentary. With her trademark blend of vulnerability and biblical wisdom, Heather examines how The Biggest Loser influenced society's attitudes toward weight loss, body image, health, and the meaning of transformation. Drawing from years of body image ministry and personal experience, she delves into the most damaging messages perpetuated by the show and offers hope for those seeking authentic freedom—especially Christian women who have struggled under the weight of diet culture.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Damaging Legacy of ‘The Biggest Loser’ TV Show

  • How The Biggest Loser established a false definition of "salvation" through weight loss

  • The cultural obsession with before-and-after photos and the illusion of transformation

  • Exploring the "Biggest Loser Gospel" vs. the true Gospel of Jesus

• Disordered Fitness & Diet Standards

  • The normalization of extreme calorie deficits and dangerous exercise routines

  • How toxic weight loss methods impacted contestants’ metabolisms and overall health

  • The misleading belief that weight loss equates to happiness, rest, and peace

• Mental Health & Emotional Consequences

  • The toll of public weight shaming and abusive coaching tactics

  • Why extreme methods for body transformation often worsen fixation on food and body image

• The Illusion of Control Over Body Size

  • Dispelling the myth that weight is just a matter of discipline and self-control

  • The harm in assuming all bodies can—and should—fit a narrow ideal

• Christian Perspective on Body Image

  • Why body shaming and weight stigma are incompatible with biblical teachings

  • Understanding the sin of favoritism and prejudice based on appearance (James 2)

  • Embracing our purpose as part of the body of Christ—beyond body size or shape

• Finding True Freedom from Diet Culture

  • Heather’s call to reject the idolatry of thinness and pursue holistic health and spiritual purpose

  • Wisdom for women navigating body image struggles in the church and beyond

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• ImproveBodyImage.com – 40-Day Body Image Freedom Challenge, resources for Christian women

• HeatherCreekmore.com – Books, speaking, and 10 days of encouragement
  
  

Takeaways:
Whether you followed The Biggest Loser or felt its ripple effects in your life, this episode offers compassionate clarity. Heather encourages listeners to critically examine cultural messages about weight, celebrate our God-given bodies, and find lasting transformation through the hope of Christ—not the promise of diet culture.

Subscribe and Share:
If this episode resonated with you, leave a review, share with a friend, and check out the resources at improvebodyimage.com. Join Heather next time as she continues to tackle the tough topics shaping body image and faith for Christian women today.

For more support and practical guidance on becoming free from body shame, diet culture, and comparison traps, start your journey at improvebodyimage.com.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

It’s September—the “January of Fall”! In this energizing and relatable episode, Heather Creekmore welcomes productivity and balance expert Leah Remillet to talk all about busyness, productivity traps, and how to refocus on what truly matters as routines pick up and our schedules start to fill.

Episode Highlights:

• September as a Fresh Start:
  Heather and Leah discuss why September often feels like a more realistic time for fresh starts than January, especially for women who manage families and homes.

• Busyness vs. Productivity:
  Leah shares what it really means to be productive, and why being “busy” doesn’t always correspond to truly living or achieving your goals.

• The "Why" Behind Your Hustle:
  Discover Leah’s favorite foundational exercise: asking yourself “why” five times to get to the heart of what you want most out of your time and activities. The deeper you go, the more clarity you’ll have for setting up a life you genuinely love.

• Distraction Cycles & Phone Habits:
  From endless scrolling to notifications, hear practical tips to reclaim your focus—starting with Leah’s real-life suggestions, like removing distracting apps or setting boundaries on tech use (even her 80-year-old dad is joining in!).

• The Power of Incremental Change:
  Both Heather and Leah reflect on how going “all-in” doesn’t last. Real, lasting change is about taking small, sustainable steps—embracing the wisdom of the tortoise, not the hare.

• Making White Space & Rest Guilt-Free:
  If sitting still makes you uncomfortable, you’re not alone! Hear about Leah’s journey towards valuing unstructured time, how she learned to let go of productivity guilt, and why we all need more “white space” on our calendars to really be present.

• The Default Settings of Our Lives:
  Leah encourages listeners to treat their routines like they would a new device—customize the default settings with intention! She and Heather provide practical ideas for planning, creating rest, and finding your own version of a “mini vacation” every day.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• In His Image 2025 – Body Image Conference for Women and Girls (details also in show notes)

• Balancing Busy Podcast with Leah Remillet

• Leah’s Free Guide: 10 Favorite Time-Saving Hacks

If you struggle letting go of busyness, want to feel more present, or are tired of letting distractions run your life, this episode is your fall reset. Grab your notebook, get ready to dig deep on your “whys,” and get inspired to say yes to the right things (and more blank space!).

Loved the episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—Heather and the team love hearing from you!

For more Christian podcasts, check out lifeaudio.com.

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If the tension between holding on and letting go feels all too familiar, you’re not alone. This episode is rich with encouragement and real talk about living surrendered, even while navigating hopes and disappointments—rooted in the steady goodness of God. Today Heather welcomes back her friend, author, and fellow pastor’s wife, Rebecca George, for an honest, relatable conversation about the ever-challenging tension between surrender and control.

Episode Highlights:

• Surrender vs. Control: What’s Really at Stake?
  Heather and Rebecca dive headfirst into the push and pull many women feel between wanting to surrender to God and desperately trying to control outcomes—especially around good and godly desires, like marriage, family, health, or career.

  • Heather observes how easy it is for our goals and expectations—even the good ones—to become idols, subtly pulling our hearts away from God.

  • Rebecca shares her personal journey of longing for marriage later than most of her peers, describing the emotional wrestle of watching others get what she deeply wanted and how that desire, while good, could easily take God’s place on the “throne of the heart.”

• Modern Culture Makes Surrender Even Harder
  They reflect on how instant-gratification culture (think Amazon Prime, DoorDash, and Uber) actually conditions us to expect control, which makes real spiritual surrender even harder. Heather likens our current approach to life as having an “Amazon Prime mentality”—believing we can make anything happen if we try hard enough.

• Redefining Surrender
  Rebecca explains that surrender isn’t simply giving up or becoming passive (“I’ll just sit at home and wait for God to drop someone on my windshield!”)—but is more about daily, sometimes moment-by-moment, recognizing where our desires have edged into idolatry, and inviting God to search our hearts (Psalm 139:23-24).

  • True surrender may require us to “lay it down at Jesus’ feet” repeatedly—sometimes a dozen times in a single day.

• Living in the Tension (Not the Black-and-White)
  The conversation unpacks the problematic “black and white thinking” that makes us feel like we have to choose between frantic striving and total resignation. Instead, Heather and Rebecca discuss how the Bible calls us to live under God’s grace, trusting His goodness even in the waiting and uncertainty.

  • Rebecca emphasizes God’s sovereignty and immutability—He is good and in control, regardless of whether we get what we want.

  • Surrender is deeply tied to humility—admitting, “You are God and I am not,” and being okay with that.

• Practical Encouragement
  Rebecca urges listeners not to be discouraged if surrender is a daily (or hourly!) process. The “muscle memory” of waiting and trusting needs to be built, especially in a culture that minimizes waiting or struggle. Heather adds that inviting God to lovingly “press on sore spots” may hurt, but always leads to healing.

• About Rebecca’s New Book
  Rebecca introduces her new book, You’re Not Too Late: Trusting God’s Timing in a Hurry-Up World**, designed for women at any stage who feel “the ache of the almost.” Every chapter includes prompts, prayers, and real-life case studies, plus a free companion video series for small groups or personal study.

Connect with Rebecca:

• Instagram: @rebeccageorgeauthor

• Podcast: Radical Radiance

• Book: You're Not Too Late (available wherever books are sold) **Amazon affiliate link.

Learn more about the In His Image Conference 2025 here.

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