Sweet Grace For Your Journey

Episode 233-Forgiven I sat on the back deck of the lodge at the north rim of the Grand Canyon while my family was hiking. I just wanted to sit there forever and take in the glory and the splendor of God’s majestic, vast creation. The canyon is miles across. It looked huge. I thought of the song, “There is a cross to bridge the great divide.” The width of the chasm visibly reinforced the fact there is a wide gulf between me and God. There is no earthly way I can jump to the other side of the Grand Canyon.  As a human many things look impossible, but with God everything is possible, especially forgiveness. Overcomers Academy link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers

Episode 232-Am I Greedy? I never really thought of myself as greedy, but my journey has really been one of greed. What is greed? The definition of greed is “an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.” Did you get that? It’s not just an intense desire for money or position. It’s also a selfish desire for food!  Are you greedy? Listen to this episode to find out if you are and what to do about it. Overcomers Academy Link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomers/  

Episode 231-Deception A person who deceives is one who misleads by a false appearance or statement. Isn’t it interesting Satan can appear as an angel of light.  One big deception the enemy threw to me was that I needed food to eat so I could eat all I wanted to. The devil is a deceiver who turns something, which looks good, into something which leads to death, even though it may be a while coming. So what can we do when we have bought into a lie that has become such a habit we think we can never get free? That’s what this episode is all about. Overcomers Link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers/  

Episode 230-Prayer Answers For many years I was frustrated because I would pray and it felt like God wasn’t answering my prayers. I knew the Bible said He would, but I didn’t believe it because I wasn’t experiencing the answers I wanted, which was to have my mother healed of her bipolar disorder. They weren’t selfish prayers so why wasn’t He answering? This episode examines two huge instances of how God answered prayer but it wasn’t because of me. It was because it was because it was in God’s will and His time. If you have unanswered prayers, this is the episode to listen to. Overcomers Link: https://teresashieldsparker.com/overcomers  

Episode 229-This is My Surrender The other day I was listening to a church service and they were singing, “I will Make Room”. As I sang along with them the words arrested me. “Here is where I lay it down. Every burden and every crown. This is my surrender. This is my surrender.” God stopped me and asked, “How are  burdens and crowns alike so that when we lay them down they define surrender?” Burdens are negative. Crowns are positive. We want to get rid of burdens. Crowns are what God gives us in return for the good we’ve done here on earth. How are both of these related to surrender?  We explore that in this episode. Overcomers link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomers. 

Episode 228-Backdoor Grace "Crisco, Crisco fat in the can" churned around and around in my head for decades after a three-year-old said that to me when I was 11. He said it so he could distract me.  Thoughts of I am fat went through my conscious mind and were archived in my subconscious right then. Our childhood emotions can lie dormant for years ready and waiting to be retrieved and then expressed in our actions.  Through the years I did gain weight. God told me what to do, but I didn’t listen to His straight-forward approach. He had to come in through the backdoor. You’ll want to listen to this episode. It’s one of my favorites. Overcomers Christian Weight Loss Academy link:  https://www.teresashieldsparker.com/overcomers  

Episode 227-Lies or Truth? It’s hard for children to separate truth from lies. When we grow up lies from childhood still chase us and take us down treacherous roads.  Then my lies sounded like this: “I can eat whatever I want whenever I want it. If I want sugar or dessert I can eat as much as I want. It doesn’t hurt me. If I’m upset foods with carbohydrates will make me feel better.” Losing physical weight is wonderful. Many things change just because of being thinner, such as having more energy and stamina. However, true freedom for me came at handing each piece of emotional baggage to Him and receiving a gift of renewal in exchange. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36 NIV). Overcomers Link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomers/  

Episode 226-I Can't Lose Weight I CAN’T lose weight, I just can’t. I carried this feeling of defeat with me for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I was always outgrowing my clothes. Hey, it’s what kids do. They grow.  It was true, as a child I couldn’t lose weight. I was designed to grow, not lose weight. The difficult part, especially for a child, is separating out what is true and what is a lie. A child is not meant to understand all of this. They are to be loved and supported by the adults in their lives. They are not supposed to overhear conversations which make them feel like they are hopeless.  I can’t lose weight was a lie the enemy fed me because he didn’t want me to know the truth. He wanted me to think eating desserts and candy was the best thing in the world. And yet, God loved me too much to leave me wallowing in that lie. His truth would completely set me free! Overcomers Academy Link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers  

Episode 225-Listen to Gdd All the time there are at least three voices vying for our attention: my voice, the tempter’s voice, and God’s voice. For years, though, I listened to the tempter’s voice constantly. It always has an element of truth to it. What he tells me is half-truth, half-lie. In the past he hadn’t needed to be too subtle. He just put the bait out there and like a hungry, naïve fish, I’d bite, and gobble it up plus more.  I listened because my rational mind agreed with him. My flesh wanted something sweet and carbohydrate-laden with tons of unhealthy fats. This time though I had made a firm decision. I was going to listen to the voice of God. I had invited God to tell me when I was making a wrong decision.   Listen to episode 225 and I’ll share with you 10 things that help you know it is God’s voice instead of the enemy’s. Overcomers Academy link: https://teresashieldsparker.com/overcomers/  

Episode 224-Fighting the Battle Eleven years ago I weighed 430 pounds. Now let’s be honest that’s really, really large, especially for a woman who isn’t that tall. I’ve lost 250 pounds and I feel a whole lot better. However, to me the more important thing is I’ve undergone a total lifestyle change of a slow, steady weight loss. No matter what the quick fix, it doesn’t work to keep the weight loss off. We must change our habits. It’s not easy, but it is worth it.  The only way to change our habits is to realize that overeating is sin. If we want to do what God wants us to do we must listen to Him and do what He says. Romans 12:2 MSG states it as plainly as possible. “Fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.”  In order to lose weight, the inside of us needs to be transformed, changed and renewed first. We help you do that in Overcomers Academy. Join us Overcomers Academy Link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers/  

Episode 223- God's Great Adventure Most of us love a good adventure story. I love Sunday nights when we’d hear foreign missionaries tell us about their adventures. They seemed so different from my life, which was very boring in comparison. I longed for a bit of adventure, and a great adventure with God would be even better. Back then I didn't have the concept that following God completely would always be a great adventure all on its own.  I’ve learned since then that there is nothing more fulfilling and satisfying as surrendering to God and doing what He wants me to do even though I don’t think I can do it. That’s OK, though. All God wants is a willing vessel to do what He asks.  Overcomers Academy link:  https://teresashieldsparker.com/Overcomers/   

Episode 222-Confessions of a Sugar Addict I am a sugar addict, set free by God Almighty. Most people greatly dislike the concept of surrender. It feels too hard, too difficult, too unnerving to actually give in to God. To me it is just the opposite. Surrender is beautiful because we finally discard everything we’ve been holding on to that is keeping us from being all-in with God. Surrender is a key concept on the journey out of sugar and food addiction.   It took me a long time to surrender to Him, but my God-sized intervention was coming. I went to a meeting with a friend. I was listening to another friend of mine share his story of being a sober alcoholic for about 25 years at that point.    All of a sudden, though, he had my total attention when he said, “Alcohol is one molecule away from sugar. Alcohol is liquid sugar.” Everything in my world came to a stop. All the pieces of my life seem to snap together like a magnetic puzzle.   If you don’t listen to any other episodes, please listen to this one. All I know is once I surrendered everything to God, and began to walk out my journey, my life has been a series of one beautiful adventure after another.  Overcomers Academy link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomers/.

Episode 221-Eating Myself to Death Most of us want to blame someone else for any problem we have. I knew good and well no one was to blame for my extreme weight gain, but me, myself, and I.  My desire to do my own thing regarding what I ate and how I didn’t exercise or listen to God about my health was not working well for me. As a matter of fact, I was eating myself into an early grave. The cardiac surgeon told me that and stamped an expiration date on me if I didn’t lose 100 pounds and keep it off. Overcomers Link: https://teresashieldsparker.com/overcomers  to join.

Episode 220-Move My Mountain In order to lose weight and keep it off we have to begin and continue.  We have to be committed to transformation. I was a reluctant loser, but God helped me lose 250 of the 430 pounds I once had on my body.  I say I was a reluctant loser because God told me to give up sugar and I didn’t want to. Today, I'm a Christian weight loss author, coach, speaker and podcaster. I pray my story impacts and moves you to do what God wants you to do, whatever that is. If you desire to lose weight and keep it off, check out my new Overcomers Academy. Doors are open now.   Overcomers Link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomers  

Episode 219-Overcomers Academy New God called me to coach others with weight issues after I lost 250 pounds. With His help I’ve been coaching now for 10 years. I was hesitant, but I have learned if God calls me I don’t have to worry about my qualifications. When God asks us to do a specific task, He and He alone will qualify us.  He goes before us to pave the way. He is all we need to complete whatever He calls us to do. “It is not your strength, but it is God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work, that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 AMP). In Overcomers Academy, diet is a four-letter word and not a very nice one. Instead we talk about commitment, habit change, surrender, along with accountability to God and ourselves and many helpful tools. These were huge keys for me and should be for you too. They are difficult concepts for many to grab hold of and implement. I know, for me, everything changed when I tapped into these.  In Overcomers I also help members identify root issues that have them stuck in the cycle of overeating and lead them to get set free and reconnected to Father God, Holy Spirit, and Jesus.  We have four lines of defense in our group. First: Join Overcomers. Second: Join the weekly call. Third: Listen to and apply our courses each week. Fourth: Pray for each other. Overcomers webpage: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers/ Overcomers Academy circle community link: https://overcomers-academy.circle.so/checkout/join-overcomers-academy

Episode 218-God's New Thing I read this somewhere and it resonated with me. I don’t know the author. “God is telling me today, rest in Me. I am already ahead of you, working in your life. I will turn around every bad situation you are in. I will bless you and your family with all that you need. I will heal all that needs healing. I will wipe away of your tears. You will be blessed.” Rest became my word for 2024, but it’s not the ordinary sleeping kind of rest. God showed me some new reasons to embrace this word. Check out the podcast to learn more.  Doors to the New Overcomers Academy are open now. To join go to: TeresaShieldsParker.com/Overcomers/.   

Episode 217-Here's My Heart, Lord You’ve likely gotten all kinds of gifts for Christmas already, but I want to give you another one. When I take the love language test, mine comes back words of affirmation, imagine that. It’s what I love to receive, but it’s also what I love to give.  Words can build us up or tear us down. I hope these words, which one day may become a picture book or illustrated book, will make you think and cause you to draw closer to our loving Heavenly Father.  So here is the Gift of Purpose. Overcomers’ Academy link: https://teresashieldsparker.com/Overcomers/  

Episode 216-Season for Temptation It’s the season for temptations especially for a sugar and comfort food addict like I used to be or like you may be right now. How can we resist falling into temptation?  If we are surrendered to God it can help us resist temptation. Overcomers Academy link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers/  

Episode 215-Make Time for God With so many time-stealers in our lives, how do we make room for God? First, we have to first above everything else. If we don’t have time set aside specifically to spend time listening to God, How will we know what He’s saying to us. How will we know what He wants us to do? James 4:8 NLT tells us, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” It is really up to us to find time to meet with God. It boils down to making time, space, and room for Him.  Overcomers Link: https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers/  

Episode 214-Stubborn Surrender My mother used to say to me, “You’re so stubborn you’d argue with a fencepost if it would talk back.” Stubbornness is not a good trait when you are not wanting to do what you know God wants you to do. It just reveals a whole lot of the very worst of our humanness.  Stubbornness is a huge part of being human and we think we don’t really need any help from God.  However, if we stay stubborn and never surrender to God, we will just sink deeper into sin. We will never experience the life He wants us to have. God gives us the option of life and death. He wants us to choose life.  Will we? Overcomers Academy link:  https://TeresaShieldsParker.com/overcomers