Speaker 1: 0:02

Hi and welcome to our podcast Revelation Within On the Go. I'm Heidi Bilesma-Epperson, one of your hosts and the owner and lead coach of the RevelationWithinorg ministry.

Speaker 2: 0:13

And I'm Christina Motley, your other host, also a Revelation Within coach and Heidi's partner in all things Revelation Within, and we're so happy to invite you to join us for this episode of Revelation Within on the phone. Oh yay, that was so much fun.

Speaker 1: 0:39

Welcome to 2025. 2025 is here and in our revelation within community, we are celebrating the theme that this can be your best year ever. It can be your best year ever, Christina.

Speaker 2: 0:56

My best year ever. Oh, I love that idea. That's so fun and hopeful. My best year ever too.

Speaker 1: 1:04

Yes, and it can be our listeners' best year ever as well. So today we're kind of diving in to how can we break free from counterfeit comforts and embrace Christ-centered confidence. That's kind of what we are all about. So we thought let's start the podcast this year. Actually, we started with Joy Lynn's last week, which was awesome, awesome.

Speaker 2: 1:30

If you haven't heard it, go back and listen.

Speaker 1: 1:33

Yes, it was so good, but today we're going to talk about a little bit about breaking free from counterfeit comforts and embracing Christ-centered confidence.

Speaker 2: 1:43

I love that, I love that. I love breaking free from counterfeit comforts and embracing Christ-centered confidence. Wow.

Speaker 1: 1:53

So tell us, what counterfeit comforts even are. What does that mean?

Speaker 2: 1:57

Well, of course, a counterfeit is a fake. It's something that beckons us and we think, oh, this is it, this is going to be great, this is what I need. But it's a fake, it's a counterfeit. It's something that we go to that doesn't help. In fact, a lot of times it does the opposite it destroys, it drains, it, brings us down, it takes us to a place we don't want to be. It causes more problems, actually.

Speaker 2: 2:24

But it always promises a solution, as though it's the be all, end all, and it isn't Right exactly and in the moment it feels like this is it If I could just work more? If I could just work more, if I could just eat this or eat that, if I could just have this drink, if I could just get on my phone and scroll through all the videos and reels for an hour or two or five, if I could just relax, I could just have that body. Yeah, if I could just have that body, if I could just go on vacation every other day that sounds lovely. It does sound lovely, but there's so many, and many of them are great. I was talking with someone the other day who's in like six Bible studies.

Speaker 1: 3:16

I've been there. I've been there.

Speaker 2: 3:18

Yes, it's like Bible study is fantastic, that is wonderful, but she's drained, she's exhausted and she's full of shame because she can't keep up and she's not ready for any of the studies and she wants to just quit them all and run away.

Speaker 1: 3:39

Well, and sometimes counterfeit comforts, of course, can be things that we know aren't best for us. Right, bible study is tricky because we know that's a good thing, but maybe the counterfeit comfort is something we know we shouldn't be involved with at all.

Speaker 1: 3:54

It's off God's path for us, and yet we go to it anyway to numb out, shut down, forget, escape. Sometimes sneaking adds to it the thrill and the dopamine hit, and so it feels really good to do things that we're not supposed to do. Other counterfeits are like the Bible study it's good things that we take to excess. Right there you go. I have a bazillion examples of both kinds. But in 2012, my first husband went into a pretty deep depression and he would still leave home every day for work, and that was something I was thankful to God for. I was so grateful, in fact and I found myself, triggered by his depression, into my own kind of depression. It was deep sadness.

Speaker 1: 4:43

Watching the man that I had known for 25 years, who had been such a rock, changed so drastically, and so I got involved in something that had been a love of mine earlier in my life, and a little bit as an adult I got involved in tennis again, and I don't just mean tennis, I mean competitive tennis, and I tend to be pretty competitive, and I mean that in attitude.

Speaker 2: 5:10

I'm going to say yes, I have experienced that with you, heidi.

Speaker 1: 5:15

At first it was just one tennis team and then it was a you know a tournament here or there. At the time I was seeing a therapist who was really celebrating that I was getting involved in something and not letting my husband's depression be all that I was about. She loved that I was returning to my love for tennis. But over time I figured.

Speaker 1: 5:37

If some is good, more is even better and more than that is excellent. So I began to play more and more, until one point I was involved at one time in eight tennis teams.

Speaker 2: 5:49

Woo.

Speaker 1: 5:52

All weekend, every weekend. So I had turned a healthy thing into a counterfeit comfort. I could stay away from my house and not have to deal with the sadness at all, as long as I had that fuzzy yellow ball. To focus on the fuzzy yellow ball and beating the tar out of it if necessary, and I remember when my therapist expressed a concern that something that had becoming part of a bigger problem.

Speaker 2: 6:25

Yes.

Speaker 1: 6:27

I had no idea how far that excess would pull me from the peace that I truly longed for, because the reality of it is. I had to come home again. I had to come back to what was going on at home and each day face the same truth what was going on at home and each day face the same truth.

Speaker 2: 6:45

That was tough, so hard, so hard. Okay, so I'm going to share one that I didn't even know I was going to share. Fun, I love those. Yeah, I had something else in mind, but while you were talking, this came up and I feel like God wants me to share this. Okay, so several. Well, for many years really. When I look back, I think what was my counterfeit? I mean, I had several, I had several. I've talked about food and eating before. That was definitely front and center, but there's another one that I want to share today and it's kind of, you know, a little bit embarrassing to share. I think I can fix everything. I am going to be the one I'm going to fix everything. If somebody said we don't have enough people on the team, I said I'm on the team.

Speaker 2: 7:38

If someone said I need someone to lead this. I would say I can be that person. If there was something wrong, if there was something that needed to be done, I'll go do it. I thought that that was my way to get to a place of peace. It was just like being the be-all for everybody and sometimes it felt really good. Somebody would give me a big hug and say, oh Christina, you're amazing, amazing, or you're a lifesaver. What would I have done without you?

Speaker 2: 8:16

I just can't believe that you stepped in with all that you're dealing with and your cape flying in the wind. Yes, the cape is flying, but what happened was, if you've seen the Incredibles, you know that capes are not helpful. Anyway, my cape got stuck in this counterfeit comfort because I was getting drained and overwhelmed. I remember thinking I just want to get sick so I can stay home by myself. I was a teacher, my kids were at school, you know, and I was this end all be all person. It's like I can't, I can't. This is before I got sick with Lyme disease. Obviously, this is before I met you, heidi, because when you and I started coaching, you called me on it. I kind of did. I remember that you did, and I mean, I had lists and lists of responsibilities and I thought I was called to all of them and I thought God had given me this cape and I thought this is what I'm supposed to do. Then why am I feeling so bad all the time?

Speaker 1: 9:33

Yeah, exactly, exactly. Well does the word of God address counterfeit comforts? And the answer is I bet you are excited to hear yes, yes. The answer is, I bet you are excited to hear yes, yes. In Isaiah 55, verses two and three, god says why, why, christina, do you keep flying over buildings? No, I'm kidding.

Speaker 2: 9:55

I'm trying, I'm trying, there she goes. Oh, she hit that one.

Speaker 1: 10:00

Oh, she's going down, oh but seriously, the word of God doesn't say that. It says why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Yes, listen, listen to me God says and eat what is good and you will delight in the richest affair.

Speaker 2: 10:19

Oh, does it really say that in Isaiah?

Speaker 1: 10:21

That's amazing it is. It is, isn't it? There's a lot of gems in the Old Testament. When God says listen, listen to me and he says twice yeah, listen, listen to me I'm like, oh man, he's really serious about this one.

Speaker 2: 10:34

He really wants us to hear this one. Yes, yes.

Speaker 1: 10:38

And basically, he tells us that these comforts, these are counterfeit comforts. They promise relief but they fail to truly satisfy. Now, if others who are listening are like Christina and I've been this way too, where we want to help people, you want to please people, that is a really tricky one because it looks so good yes, there are so many aspects of it that are really good but boy, it gets murky. I think the enemy loves it when we are constantly trying to please. And you know what? Once upon a time I had this conviction that God I am sure it was at the heart of he said what you're trying to do, when you're pleasing everybody, everybody, everybody is control them to guarantee that they will be happy and content, so that you can feel at peace. That was the way it was connected for me.

Speaker 1: 11:31

Yeah, but whether it's people pleasing or overeating or something else. We so often spin our wheels and spend our time on things that don't really satisfy on things that don't really satisfy on things that don't give us what we need. They promise relief but fail to deliver really, and sometimes this is what it reminds me of it's like being thirsty but drinking salt water. It only makes that problem worse. I mean if you've ever been at the ocean and saltwater got into whatever beverage you know whether it's water or soda or whatever it's like nasty and that's kind of the way it feels when I am going after a counterfeit comfort.

Speaker 1: 12:16

It's like it makes the problem worse.

Speaker 2: 12:20

Oh yeah, that's so true, and I just I mean I can't tell you how many people have said to me lately something about social media and scrolling, Like it has become this huge thing, much more than even last year, five years ago. Yeah, yeah, I know it's like changed. It's become this thing and everywhere you go you're sitting on a bus everybody's on their phone and phones are amazing Smartphones. I mean I do banking on my phone. I do so much. I love how we can communicate with each other and all of those things. But, wow, getting on your phone, I mean so many people I know and myself and you, Heidi, we're all talking about this how we're getting stuck on something.

Speaker 1: 13:10

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 13:11

And suddenly every one of the videos we're watching is about that, and we're stuck and we're stuck on videos and being silly.

Speaker 1: 13:22

Or this morning it was cats attacking babies. Oh my God, I mean jumping out and startling babies.

Speaker 2: 13:33

You know. I mean I've talked about how the wedding bloopers just draw me in and also severe weather draws me in like tornadoes. I'm I'm fascinated by and huge waves in the ocean and stuff like that. I don't know.

Speaker 1: 13:50

And before we know it, two hours has gone by and we haven't come up for air yet.

Speaker 2: 13:55

Well, and here's what's really creepy about it is that somehow that whatever's happening behind the scenes, which I don't understand at all, has figured me out. And there are things popping up that I'm like what is this? Why does it know that I'm drawn to this, you know, like issues stuff with food and eating, stuff, with body image, and it pops up and I'm like, oh man, this is just freaking me out. But it is such a prevalent counterfeit comfort right now to be on our iPad or our phone or our computers watching reels and videos and then comparing ourselves with everybody out there. Oh, I know.

Speaker 1: 14:43

Oh it's so draining. It's so draining. Definitely not the comfort God has in mind if we turn to him. He doesn't just want us to be numb.

Speaker 1: 14:53

No, that's not his version of comfort. His version of comfort is in the context of our life. Whatever we're facing, he will supply comfort. He's called the God of all comfort, the father of all compassion, and there's a reason for that. It doesn't matter what we're facing, we don't need to escape it, we don't need to numb out to it. We can be present to the Lord in it and experience what he offers.

Speaker 2: 15:18

Well, and I'm just imagining somebody out there saying but Heidi, you don't know what I'm going through, I don't want to feel this. I don't want to feel this, I don't want to feel anything, I'm not going to survive if I don't numb out. Anyway, we understand, we get you out there, we get you, we understand.

Speaker 1: 15:36

And then you know, of course, Heidi and I have talked so many times about food and eating and how we have gone to food and drinks. You know um fancy coffees or a glass of wine or soda, diet soda. I love bubbles, effervescence, it's awesome.

Speaker 2: 15:55

We, they make you happy. Oh no, here we go. Chocolate chips, ah, oh my gosh. So we, we understand, we understand, they are frauds. Yeah, frauds, that's a good word. Yeah, that's a good word. It really is False refuge.

Speaker 1: 16:15

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 16:15

That's what we heard in our Zoom call yesterday. That was so good. False refuge, that's what it is.

Speaker 1: 16:21

Yeah Cause there is no rest there, not really no there's no rest For me when I have gone to a counterfeit or a false refuge, as one of our participants described it. It means I'm shut down, I'm numbed out, I'm not present to life, and that's not really a refuge. A refuge is a place of refreshment, a place of encouragement, of hope, and I can't experience that with a counterfeit or a false refuge.

Speaker 2: 16:50

Yeah, it's so, so true. Just one more little story about that, because I'm feeling so convicted, but it's a good. It's a good conviction. You know, conviction is from God, it's loving, but it's good to see these things. I want to see what I'm doing. So last night for whatever reason there were several reasons everyone in the house was gone for like 20 minutes, which is huge because we have a busy house right now and I'm not often alone, and so I had this 20 minutes and my first thought was to go to the Lord and debrief about the day, and that thought went whoosh out the window. That's so cool.

Speaker 1: 17:35

Let's stop for a moment and have a moment of silence, of praise and thanks that God put that in your heart first it was.

Speaker 2: 17:42

It was there and I thought, oh, this will be so good I'll have. And then it was just gone. And then what I think happened was I picked up my phone to answer a text and all of a sudden, I was looking at reels.

Speaker 2: 17:59

I don't even know how it happened, I wasn't even cognizant of it and I found this person on I think it was Instagram, who has a chronic illness like, you know, something similar to me, and she was talking to the world about what it's like and I got so stuck in there. And not that it was bad, and not that what she was sharing was bad, but I just thought, and before I knew it, 20 minutes was gone and then what happened? The front door opened. I'm just being so honest today. Yeah, thank you. The front door opened and I grabbed my phone and my reading glasses because that's how old I am and I shoved them under the pillow on the couch. That's how old I am, and I shoved them under the pillow on the couch. You were sneaking. I was ashamed, I was sneaking. I didn't want them to walk in and see me looking at reels on my phone. Okay, can anyone out there relate to that? Right, it's awful.

Speaker 1: 19:02

It doesn't feel good and shame is a terrible place to land, especially if you don't do something with bringing it to the Lord and experiencing freedom from it, because shame is a liar. Shame is from the enemy. It is, it is, and if we don't process it, it's like a monkey on our back it rides with us everywhere, into the next hour, into the next day.

Speaker 2: 19:23

Oh, that's so true. It's so true, so I feel so much better having shared that.

Speaker 1: 19:31

Well, let's give the listener a chance to think about this for a minute. What about you, listener? Is there a counterfeit comfort that you've turned to recently, or a false refuge recently, or a false refuge, and how did it leave you feeling? Did you feel shame? Did it satisfy, or was it like what Isaiah describes is spending on something that isn't satisfying, on laboring over what?

Speaker 2: 20:08

does not satisfy. We want to listen to what God has for us, and that's the really, really good news.

Speaker 1: 20:10

He invites us to something far, far better. He does, yes, and it's not just bolstering your self-confidence, it's a confidence rooted in him, his truth, his promises, who he is in your life, who he says you are. That is what we want. We want that comfort that comes from knowing I know who I have followed and who I'm following now, and he is able to do whatever it takes to bring me to a place of being like Philippians 1, 6 says he's going to accomplish that which he has started, and so that's what we want. We want that confidence rooted in his truth and his promises.

Speaker 2: 20:48

Well, and Heidi, you and I have experienced that hundreds of times. We love the way that feels, we love the way it feels to go to God, but we still trip and we still stumble, and that's what it's like to live in this world, and so it's okay to trip and stumble, but it's also feels really good just to share it and say you know what? Let's go to where the life is. Let's go to what feels good in our hearts and souls and stays with us.

Speaker 1: 21:17

It sticks to your ribs it sticks to your ribs Counterfeit comfort.

Speaker 2: 21:23

You know they're often tied to lies that we believe about ourselves or about God, like I'm not enough or I'll never change, or he's holding out on me. Yeah, I mean, I just gave that example of trying to be everything for everyone. That came very much out of I'm not enough. I'm not enough just as I am. I'm not enough just getting the dishes done. That's not enough. I got to run out there and save the world. You know I'm not enough. And so I think that that is something to look at. To ask God, it takes some courage to go there, right, but to just say, lord, I'm believing some kind of a lie about this counterfeit comfort, Otherwise I wouldn't keep going back to it. Will you help me to see what the lie is? What am I believing? What am I thinking about? What's going on in my thoughts?

Speaker 1: 22:24

Yeah, we love Romans.

Speaker 1: 22:26

12, 1 and 2 here at Revelation Of course, I want to just read it and then we're going to launch into what is God's solution and how do we dive into that. Romans 12, 1 and 2 says I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, and I love this because Paul says at the outset I'm not just asking you to think about this, I'm appealing to you, therefore, brothers, and I love this because Paul says at the outset I'm not just asking you to think about this, I'm appealing to you, I entreat you. There's all kinds of words used in different translations for this, but basically it means please do this, please do this. He's pleading, and so, and what is it? He's pleading with us to do that by the mercies of God. And what is it he's pleading with us to do that by the mercies of God? Think on those. Think on the mercies that God has poured on your life. His mercies are new each morning, and I think they're new each minute too, and so God has told us in his word he wants us to think on his mercies, and in doing so, then he commissions us present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. You're not supposed to do this just in a vacuum. Okay, be a living sacrifice, Stay there on the altar, don't move. It's fine, you're going to love this, trust me. God is not saying that. He's saying look at what I have done, what I am doing, what I will do, and as you ponder the mercies of God, that is what will motivate you to be that living sacrifice, holy and acceptable. And then it goes on in verse two. So that's the context for verse two Do not be conformed to this world.

Speaker 1: 24:05

And why? Because this world is filled with counterfeit comforts, false refuges. Yes, I mean, it's just, it's all a pipe dream, it's nothing compared to the substance of going to God. So do not be conformed to this world. But here's the contrast. I love this. I love when God does a contrast of some kind, or or when he shows up like it says and then God, what? I love that. So, instead of being conformed to this world and what they tell us is the answer to our problems, especially this time of year, we're being pushed into. I feel like, almost like a bunch of cattle being funneled into a shoot, what they call it on farms and stuff, where they then load the cattle into trucks for slaughter. That's a pleasant analogy.

Speaker 1: 24:56

Like, really conforming to the world is like that. They're telling us. We need to have resolutions, we need to go to the gym, we need to fix this, we need to fix that, not asking God, the one who made us. God made us and he knows. And so it goes on to say do not be conformed to this world. But here's that contrast be transformed how. By pulling yourself up by your bootstraps? No, by buying a 12-month plan at the gym or whatever. No, no, no, no, no.

Speaker 2: 25:30

Saving everybody Putting on a cape.

Speaker 1: 25:33

That's how you're transformed. Super girl, get that cape on again. No, we are transformed by the renewal of our minds. So, being transformed by the renewing of your mind, and we're going to be talking about that a little bit more next week as well. But what does this even look like? What does it mean? It's not more Bible study, it's not more praying, it's not more memorization of scripture. I think it's safe to say that the only way it's more of those is if you're not doing any, and then what you want to do is be able to reel in God's truth in order for it to truly be mind renewal.

Speaker 1: 26:11

We can quote verses all the time, but it doesn't affect us where we live unless we apply it. So I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me is great, but I need to apply it to those strongholds I need. You know I can not scroll because of the strength of Christ that lives in me. I can do all things, including not go back to the kitchen again. Through Christ who strengthens me. I cannot say that snarky word. Through Christ who strengthens me, I really can.

Speaker 1: 26:42

Can, yes, and so being transformed by the renewing of my mind. I love this because it doesn't end there. It says this is the result basically, by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good, what is acceptable and perfect. I love that. That sounds amazing. That's what god desires for us is to, yes, experience transformation, but it's not a program for this or a structured plan for that. It really isn't. It's his will, his way, and he's going to do the transformation.

Speaker 1: 27:18

We want to renew our minds. So what are ways we can renew our minds practically? And we, of course, christina and I and we at Revelation Weekend we love to equip those of us who love Jesus that's probably you if you're listening to this podcast, if you struggle with experiencing victory in your walk with him. We want to equip you to move from grasping for counterfeit comfort to really experiencing that Christ-centered confidence by renewing your mind. We want to show you how to do it. We get to participate in the process with God. He wants to do the transformation and, of course, like we said, reading the Bible is helpful. Praying is helpful. Memorizing scripture is helpful. Like we said, reading the Bible is helpful, praying is helpful. Memorizing scripture is helpful. If, over the years that you have done that, you are seeing no transformation, then that might be a clue that what you're doing isn't actually mind renewal.

Speaker 1: 28:16

I know it seems counterintuitive. Yeah, we just don't take the truth of God's word far enough.

Speaker 1: 28:22

Sometime, we keep it at a distance right, fill in our blanks, we memorize it, we quote it chapter and verse. But the litmus test about mind renewal is if we are transformed. God says he will transform us. Yes, it's not more of the same stuff that we've been doing all along, but different. Yes, it's not more of the same stuff that we've been doing all along, but different. So mind renewal tools is what we've come up with to help us do that, yeah, and it's not rocket science, they're simple, they're actually fun.

Speaker 2: 28:57

I mean, every time I think both of us, heidi every time that we coach someone, whether it's in a group or one-on-one, we do mind renewal together and it is so uplifting. It's like, oh, can we just do more of that? I know I want to do it the whole time. It feels so good because we're filling our minds with God's truth and it's like it rejuvenates our souls and we can grasp moments throughout the day to do this.

Speaker 1: 29:24

I mean driving, running errands. I can do it when I'm on the phone, I can. I mean really, especially if I'm on hold, if I'm standing in line at the grocery store. You've heard us say all these different little examples of grabbing those moments for eternity. Really, I want to grab those moments and tell myself what are God's thoughts right now? His thoughts are going to be glorious and good and life-giving.

Speaker 1: 29:48

So I want to practice thinking that way, so that when I'm pushed up against the wall and things are tough, that is the kind of thinking that comes out, the mind of Christ type thinking instead of my own fleshly thoughts.

Speaker 2: 30:01

Okay.

Speaker 1: 30:02

So let's do it. Let's start by teaching y'all, if you haven't done it before. One of our tools.

Speaker 2: 30:09

So one of our tools and I know that Heidi and I both this is in our top five for sure, and we have, you know, a lot, a lot of tools now, and this one is called what is true. And so the first thing and we've kind of talked about this a little bit already, but let's go through it step by step it's so simple and profound at the same time. Profound at the same time you can sit down with a journal and really get into this, or you can do it at a stoplight when you're in your car, in the shower or on a podcast, when you're in your car, in the shower or on a podcast. Anyway, okay, what is true?

Speaker 2: 30:50

So step one is to identify the lie. And I mean this might, you know, be a little tricky at first. It's like I'm not believing lies. Why would I believe lies? Just ask God. He'll tell you yes, yes.

Speaker 2: 31:02

So this is kind of the way I think of it in my own life. If I'm seeing a pattern of behavior in my own life that is taking me down for whatever reason, whatever it is, I know I'm drained, I know that it's not good for me, it's not helping me, it's not bringing life to my life. It's not what God wants for me. Then I take that and bring it to the Lord and ask him what am I believing about this? What am I believing about you, about me, about whatever I'm doing that is causing me to continue this behavior? Without even thinking, I just go back to it again and again. What is that lie? Yeah, okay. So here's an example, and I know that you know so many of us struggle with this because life is exhausting, and many of us also struggle with physical issues as well. So here's the lie I need this to feel better. I need to feel better. It's kind of both. It could be either one.

Speaker 1: 32:15

What is the this? I need this food, I need this drug. I need this glass of wine. That's the fifth glass of wine. Yeah, I need-.

Speaker 2: 32:18

I'm being a new model now, yeah, you don't feel like you might need it, like it's a strong urge. You feel like, in order to survive, in order to get through the next half hour, in order to get through moving in my life, I need this. Yeah, I need it, and that's a lie. That's a lie. It feels so true in the moment it does. It feels very true. We understand that.

Speaker 1: 32:47

And it's kind of related to another lie that might be paired with it, and that is I can't do my life.

Speaker 2: 32:52

Yes, I can't do my life, I can't do this. You know, whatever is going on in the moment that lie comes up that's been a big one for me for years is I can't do this, I can't do this. So that's a huge, huge lie that we want to look at with the Lord. Okay, step two. Step two is it's gets better, it gets much better. Step one is like ah, oh, yeah, heaviness and oh, but step two is to replace the lie with God's truth. Wow, okay.

Speaker 2: 33:28

Well, how do I know what God's truth is? Well, we know because he gave us the whole book, the whole Bible. We also know because the Holy Spirit speaks to us. And we also know because we hear God's truth, all of it, that lines up with his word. We hear it at church and we hear it on podcasts and we hear it in devotions and we hear it in videos and everywhere. There's so many resources, but of course, it all has to line up with God's truth in his word.

Speaker 2: 34:01

An example of truth to replace this lie, remember, the lie is I need this or I need to do this to feel better, and we can replace it with Psalm 46.1. God is my refuge and strength. And if you look up the word refuge, if you look up the word strength in the Bible, if you look up the word provision or comfort or whatever you need, there are so many verses there that you can grab a hold of. And then, of course, we like to personalize verses to really bring them home to our hearts. So, for example, god is Christina's refuge and strength. God is Heidi's refuge and strength.

Speaker 2: 34:48

You know, that's one way to put your name in. And so then we get to step three, because now we have the truth. What are we going to do with it?

Speaker 1: 34:56

We're going to repeat it a million times.

Speaker 2: 34:58

Yes, because if I don't, I mean I'm going to forget this in a minute. You know, I go to church and I hear like the best sermon I've heard in my life. And I walk out the door and talk to three people and I'm like what was the sermon about, right? I mean, we all do that. We can't hold so much in our brains. And so step three is to meditate on that truth, to really say it out loud, engage with it.

Speaker 1: 35:25

I think pray through it, sing it If you have to put it on a note card journal about it, if you can I mean you don't? Have to do all of those and you don't have to do any of them. But saying it out loud, like while I'm driving, is when I like to kind of speak the truth out loud. I do. I really I need that.

Speaker 2: 35:44

I need it too, you know, for example, maybe I'm on my way to a difficult meeting at work. When I was teaching, there were times when I thought I'm going to have to have this very difficult meeting with a coworker or with a parent who's, you know, nervous about her child or whatever. On the way there I can take this very verse God is Christina's refuge and strength. God is for me. God is with me right now. It actually helps me to jump off into more mind renewal and truth when I read one of his verses.

Speaker 1: 36:21

That's beautiful.

Speaker 2: 36:22

It changes my experience, it calms me down and it helps me to be prepared for whatever is to come, because he really is my refuge and strength.

Speaker 1: 36:32

He's the strength in me.

Speaker 2: 36:34

We would love to encourage you to think about what's going on in your thoughts. Is there a lie that you're believing, and what does God's word say that counters it? And then speak that truth aloud again and again, and again this week and see if it doesn't make a difference. Yeah, give this a try. Invite God in to help you with whatever it is that is drawing you into that counterfeit comfort.

Speaker 1: 37:03

And when you speak God's word, his truth, about that lie you've believed. We're not just talking about quoting it chapter and verse, but personalizing it to that lie, because the enemy loves it when we. He targets the lies he puts in front of us, and so we really want to target the truth, to deal with the lie in a targeted way. All right, so we're going to be moving from counterfeit comforts, from the lies that feed them, into Christ centered confidence.

Speaker 2: 37:34

Great, that sounds so good, let's go there.

Speaker 1: 37:38

Let's go there, okay well, first corinthians 2 16, of course, says that we have the mind of christ and I, as I say a lot of the time, I want to think with that mind, not my fleshly short-sighted, self-centered mind. I don't want to go there. I want to think with the mind of christ, and romans 8 9 also says his spirit lives in me once I'm in Christ, so I can allow and welcome and invite his spirit to show me what the thoughts of God are. And so, thinking with the mind of Christ, his thoughts about people, about God, about myself, about food, about tennis, about the little yellow fuzzy ball, yes, thinking God's thoughts about scrolling and whatever else. I want to practice thinking his thoughts with his mind as much as possible early and often, early and often.

Speaker 2: 38:35

Early and often.

Speaker 1: 38:36

Yes, and the more I do that, the more likely I am I'm training myself to think with the mind of Christ the more likely I am then to think his thoughts with a renewed mind when things get challenging, when a trial hits, when I get news that is difficult to swallow, and a real quick example when things did go sideways with my first husband, I wrote a list of things I was grateful for for the previous 25 years that he had done very specifically, instead of focusing on the ways I was disappointed right now with what was happening in his life and in mind.

Speaker 1: 39:11

I took time every morning to go over that list, and it was a long list. I mean from changing the baby's diapers to giving them baths, to burping them in the middle of the night, and the list goes on and on and on, and so that made a huge difference in how I thought about him as he was going through that difficult time, and instead of thinking with my fleshly self-centered mind, I could think more frequently with the mind of Christ. So, christina, what does it look like for you to have Christ-centered confidence? You know we're not just talking about bolstering your own self-esteem, or whatever what does it look like for you to have that confidence.

Speaker 1: 39:53

That is because of his truth, his promises, his work in you.

Speaker 2: 39:57

Boy, that's a really good question. I've been thinking about this, and what does it look like? One of my favorite things about this is kind of what you just said. It's not about me, I don't have to figure it out, it's about God in me. So there's a few things that I thought. Well, I'll just share these few that I use a lot, so that maybe that will be helpful for someone to be able to take with them right after the podcast. Yeah, a big one that I have struggled with for years is my identity, and for many years I thought my identity is being a mom, my identity is being a teacher.

Speaker 2: 40:40

Oh, dear, my identity is being a wife. Those were the big three. I get it. I totally get it, yes. So when things go sideways, when you have a big fight, you know, with your husband, or things don't go well with one of your kids, or, for me, I had to stop teaching because of my health Well, what happens to my identity? My identity crashes and burns and again it's all about me, it's all about my performance. Okay, so if that's something that resonates with you, this is what I do, and I know Heidi does as well. We go to the word and ask God who am I in Christ? Not who am I on this earth? Who am I, according to the hats that I have on my hat rack, of all the roles that I'm playing right now? Who am I in Christ? Because that's the identity that never changes, never, ever changes.

Speaker 2: 41:47

And there is so much peace in that, there is such relief in that, no matter what happens, you know I was a caregiver for my parents. Well, they died, they went to heaven, and it's like what happens to my identity then. But if my identity is rooted in who I am in Christ, how God sees me, then I'm good. I'm good, so that's a big one.

Speaker 1: 42:15

Yeah, it is a big one, and so we have a resource. If you want it and don't have it yet, go to teamlifeisgoodcom. That's all one word. Teamlifeisgoodcom. Forward slash identity and you can download a list from the Bible of all kinds of. Who am I in Christ?

Speaker 2: 42:37

Oh my gosh, that is one of my favorite go-tos. I read through it Maybe I only choose three and they all have scripture references and it reminds me I'm God's girl. No matter what happens in this world, no matter what goes wrong sideways, upside down impossible, I'm God's girl, I belong to him, my identity in Christ is rock solid, it's secure and, wow, that's Christ-centered confidence. Oh, that feels so good. Another one that is just again something that really I use every day, especially when I seem to be really fixated on myself, on my own thoughts, on my own failures, when I'm really stuck there especially, but really anytime I need to be turning my heart toward the Lord and looking at who he is rather than who I am, because he's enough for me. His strength is in me, it's his confidence that I'm looking for, and so I go to him and it's like okay, lord, who are you? So one of my favorite tools is you are the God who.

Speaker 2: 43:51

I love this tool. I love it because, again, my heart turns. The minute I start doing this, my heart turns and not only does it turn, but it softens and that huge weight comes off of me. Well, christina, you're the one that has to be all for everybody. You got to do it all. You got to figure this out.

Speaker 2: 44:13

No, I'm looking to the Lord for who he is. So you are the God who makes the sun rise. You are the God who created the squirrels that run around the tree in my front yard. You are the God that created giggly teenage girls that are upstairs in my house. You are the God that gives me strength for my hardest days. You are the God who is faithful and steadfast, no matter what. You are the God that moves mountains and keeps every promise. You are the God that loves me, no matter what I do. I could go on and on and on. I love this tool so much, so that's definitely one that you could take with you today from the podcast. The first one was who am I in Christ? And the second one who is God? You are the God who.

Speaker 1: 45:07

Right. Thank you, Christina. I love that and I love just how it flows right off your lips. You can tell you're well-practiced.

Speaker 2: 45:17

Oh, that's one of my go-tos, for sure.

Speaker 1: 45:27

So, summarizing, we want to encourage all the listeners and live this way ourselves to move from that place of grasping for counterfeit comforts or false refuges to a place of Christ centered confidence. And so there are just a few ways that we suggested we do this kind of step. Identify your counterfeit comforts. See what? What do I tend to go towards when I'm feeling desperate about something, or sad, or like angry even. It could be any number of emotions, but what do I grab to numb out, to veg? We use all kinds of words for it. Identify what that is and then invite God to show you. Is there a lie that's at the heart of it that keeps me going to this counterfeit?

Speaker 2: 46:13

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 1: 46:14

Then you want to replace the lie that's there with truth from his word that's personalized and targeted, not just quoting chapter and verse, but bringing it in close and then try one of these tools that Christina has shared with us and see what happens. I mean, really, it could be that this time next week you'll see a huge shift in the way you think.

Speaker 2: 46:37

I love that, yeah, Okay. So this week, choose one counterfeit comfort to surrender to Christ. You know there's going to be one that jumps out at you right now. I think when we say, when we ask you to do this, you're going to say, oh, I know which one it is. Ask God to fill that space. That kind of that void that you're trying to is. Ask God to fill that space, that kind of that void that you're trying to fill. Ask him to fill that with his truth and his peace. Ask him to show you the lie that fuels returning again and again to this counterfeit, to this false refuge. And ask him for the truth that you can repeat to yourself and begin to train yourself to think differently. Thoughts fuel beliefs, Beliefs fuel actions. So if we want different actions in our lives, we have to start with what we think.

Speaker 1: 47:30

That's so true, we really do. And if you want support in your journey doing this, join us at RevWithinteam. We would just love for you to experience having your best year ever with us. And in January we have a weekly truth practice challenge that we're doing. We're going to be focusing on one tool each week, starting with this one.

Speaker 2: 47:56

I love it too. I love it.

Speaker 1: 47:59

And we support one another, and if you need any support in how to apply or make this relevant to a particular stronghold, we can help with that. Too Many in our community came because they wanted to put food and eating in their proper place, where God wanted them to, so we have a lot of experience with that, but it doesn't have to be the one that you're struggling with. Right, you can have the best year ever. Christine and I both hope we'll see you in the community. You can just visit one of two URLs for that revwithinteam, t-e-a-m or revelationwithinorg and you can learn all about it and just join us a month free to see if we're a good fit.

Speaker 2: 48:46

We would love to have you. We would. We would love to have you. Heidi and I are in there every single day and our community is amazing it is it really, is we? Love our community. We'd love to have you join us. Yes. It really is. We love our community. We'd love to have you join us, yes, and we'd also love to have you join us for our next podcast episode on Revelation Within, on the phone.

Speaker 1: 49:13

Oh, we'll see you next time. Thanks for joining us. Bye for now.