What if one of the most peaceful, steadfast people you knew also happened to be an expert on one of the most overwhelming and confusing aspects of your life? That's exactly what this interview is with our friend Emily. You won't walk away with a list of do's and don'ts from an expert. You're going to get wisdom and encouragement from a real mom that will restore your joy in feeding your family. You'll walk away with your shoulders a little bit less burdened because we want to help redeem an area of life that God has always wanted to bless you with. Instead of adhering to an endless list of evidence, restrictions and shoulds, in part one of this interview, Emily will share how you can still have fun with food. Our whole purpose with the Again Podcast is to bring purpose and joy to the repetition of motherhood, and we think this interview will do just that!

Interested in bringing clarity and direction to your parenting? Listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-again-podcast-for-christian-moms-encouragement-in/id1700555502?i=1000754826666

Scripture Referenced:

Genesis 3

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

1 Corinthians 10:31

Colossians 3:23

Emily's Recipe and Blog Recommendations:

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Egg Bites with Cottage Cheese

Classic Hummus Recipe

Dutch Pancake (Emily's tip: I use less butter and do half avocado oil and half butter = 4 Tbsp total.)

Meal Planning Notepad

Real Food Dietitians Blog

Gimme Some Oven Blog

What if one of the most peaceful, steadfast people you knew

2

also happened to be an expert on

one of the most overwhelming and

3

confusing aspects of your life?

4

That's exactly what this

interview is with my friend Emily.

5

You won't walk away with a list of

to-dos and don'ts from an expert.

6

You're going to get wisdom and

encouragement from a real mom that will

7

restore your joy in feeding your family.

8

You'll walk away with your shoulders

a little bit less burdened.

9

Because we wanna help redeem

an area of life that God has

10

always wanted to bless you with,

11

instead of adhering to an endless list of

evidence, restrictions and shoulds in part

12

one of this interview, Emily will share

how you can still have fun with food.

13

Our whole purpose with the again podcast.

14

Is to bring purpose and joy to

the repetition of motherhood,

15

and I think this interview

will do just that.

16

Steph: There are the joyful

agains, our children.

17

Shout on the swings, the exhausting

agains of cooking and laundry and

18

the difficult agains of discipline.

19

So much of what we do

as mothers is on repeat.

20

So what if we woke up with clarity,

knowing which agains we were called

21

to and went to bed believing we

are faithful in what matters most.

22

We believe God's word is

the key to untangle from the

23

confusion and overwhelm we feel.

24

Let's look up together to embrace a

motherhood full of freedom and joy.

25

Today I am super blessed to be

with a friend Emily Schumann.

26

Emily, you might not know this, but you

are just a constant inspiration to me.

27

We are in the same homeschool co-op

and my daughter's in your class

28

this year, and your peace and the

steadfastness that you operate with,

29

One of my big issues in life

is I overcomplicate things,

30

but I don't see that in you.

31

I see just a clarity about you, and so

when I learned what your degree was in

32

and how well you bless your family with

those things, I thought you are the

33

perfect person to bless moms to bring

clarity to a really confusing topic, and

34

we're getting all of these messages about

how we should be feeding our families.

35

And it can almost be paralyzing because

you wanna do well, and then you turn

36

around and someone's telling you you

should be doing it better or differently.

37

So thank you so much for

carving out the time.

38

I know you're very busy and this is

just a real blessing for me to get

39

to sit down and talk with you more.

40

Emily: it's so exciting.

41

Such a joy.

42

Steph: tell our listeners a

little bit about your family and

43

the stage you're at right now.

44

Emily: so I've been married to

my husband Michael for 14 years

45

and I have four children, ranging

from 11 all the way down to four.

46

that's about where I'm at.

47

Steph: Wonderful.

48

And even your kids, you can see

your influence so much in them.

49

They communicate so maturely,

50

You can tell that you've trained

them about difficult things

51

about such an age appropriate.

52

Manner.

53

Emily: Oh, thank you.

54

Yes, my, I'm married to a

counselor too, so I feel like

55

that helps me communicate better.

56

Like he's definitely helped me

in communication and he stewards

57

our kids well in that too.

58

So that's probably a lot of him.

59

Steph: You're a dynamic duo for sure.

60

Before we get into all those things

that you're doing right, I wanna

61

know, do you prefer salty or sweet?

62

Oh man, I think, I usually don't like

to do this, but I think I'm gonna say

63

both, which I know isn't fair but I

like both of them together so much

64

that I can't decide between the other.

65

So I like them together.

66

Okay, that's great.

67

And do you have a lot of weaknesses in

foods, or has this always been an easy

68

area of your life to have self-control?

69

Emily: No, I feel like I'm a normal

human being when it comes to this

70

and, for sure have weaknesses.

71

Chocolate is probably my biggest

weakness, especially if it's

72

something I specifically love, like

a specific type of chocolate or.

73

Anything homemade and warm coming

out of the oven that has chocolate is

74

definitely a struggle with self-control.

75

So I'm pretty normal.

76

Steph: Okay, great.

77

And that's why we wanna hear from you,

what was your degree in school and what

78

led you to choose that course of study?

79

Emily: My degree is a master's in

nutrition and wellness, and I also

80

have a Master's in public health, and

then I'm a registered dietician, so

81

I completed an internship that was

specific for becoming a dietician and

82

specific schooling, and then passed an

exam to become a registered dietician.

83

Steph: Wow.

84

That's even more impressive.

85

I

86

realized.

87

Emily: It feels like a little while

ago now, but yes, that's what I did.

88

And so I continue to be registered

and licensed as a dietician.

89

and I got into that

field because I thought.

90

I was gonna go into nursing, so I loved

anatomy, so I knew I kind of wanted

91

to study something in those sciences.

92

And then took a nutrition course

through the nursing, curriculum that

93

was laid out and fell in love with

it and realized that a lot of what I

94

loved combined together in nutrition.

95

So I loved Food already

and I loved wellness.

96

Food is such an awesome platform for

bringing people together and having

97

memories and traditions based on it.

98

And so I was so excited when I

took it and it incorporates that

99

anatomy stuff that I liked as well.

100

So the science part, but also a lot of

just the relational and food aspects.

101

I fell in love and, and felt

102

called to that field for sure.

103

Steph: I love how you phrased that so

often I wanna steward my family well and

104

feed them healthy foods, but then there's

the joy of celebrations It's so awesome

105

when we can do that in a way where we

feel like we're not compromising one or

106

the other, but bringing them together.

107

Emily: Yeah.

108

But it's such a sweet gift from the

Lord, like you can taste something

109

and it draws you back to a memory or

an experience and how sweet that is.

110

That food does that

111

Steph: And what did you learn

in school that still helps you

112

today as you cook for your family?

113

Emily: So I'm not specifically working

as a dietician right now, but I still use

114

so much of it, um, at home with family,

teaching them skills related to food the

115

way that we talk about food in our home.

116

Um, I'm really passionate about, we talk

a lot about their satiety and fullness

117

and things like that, which is an

important part of nutrition and eating.

118

Um, I also love to teach them

about nutrients and foods, they

119

come to start asking about that.

120

Like, mom, what does this heaven in?

121

Or what is this food good for?

122

So we discuss health benefits and things

like that through what they're eating in

123

kid appropriate ways, but they're asking

questions, because we talk about it a lot

124

and they're in the kitchen with me a lot.

125

And so they're learning

some of those skills too.

126

Steph: That's fantastic.

127

Talk to me a little bit more about

how you train them in fullness.

128

Emily: So we talk a lot about like if

they are saying they're done even with a

129

meal, we'll say, okay, is are you full?

130

Like, how does that feel when kind of

talk about what that can feel like.

131

Does it feel like.

132

Uncomfortable full or does it feel

like I'm still a little bit hungry?

133

So just starting even just to have

more conversations with that I think

134

is really helpful, even at a young age.

135

'cause then they have words to speak

and start having an awareness of what

136

that feels like and if they should

have more, or if they are probably done

137

or times that they've had too much.

138

Then you can use that as a

teaching opportunity and be

139

like, that feels kind of yucky.

140

It'll pass.

141

You'll be okay.

142

But.

143

Next time when we talk about that,

you can remember that was a yucky

144

feeling to have way too much.

145

Or, you know, when they're hungry the

next morning you can relate back to,

146

and that happens a lot with my kiddos of

like, they're hungry the next morning.

147

And I'm like, well, let's remember you

didn't love what we had for dinner.

148

You didn't eat a whole lot.

149

And this feels yucky this morning.

150

So at the next dinner it's like, remember,

let's try to fill our tummies with good

151

food so that we can feel okay for the

rest of the night and into the morning.

152

So just having conversations.

153

About what fullness really feels

like can connect it for them.

154

Because at the beginning, they

don't really know how to put

155

words to it or what feels like.

156

They kind of eat but start talking and

encourage them to not eat their whole

157

plate or discourage asking for more.

158

But kind of use words of like, you

want more, are you still hungry?

159

Like does your tummy still feel empty?

160

Like do you still more portions.

161

Steph: The way you're speaking.

162

there's such health and making.

163

Them see that food is

helpful and a blessing to us.

164

I'm hearing that come through already,

165

Emily: Yeah, And trying to keep it

positive, you know, instead of you

166

shouldn't have done this, or you don't

get more, but okay, do you want more?

167

Like how does your tummy feel?

168

'cause then that should be

what's leading you to tell you,

169

you either want more or you're

170

done.

171

Steph: It seems like whenever.

172

I, even look in my phone, there's some

sort of guidance or direction or opinion

173

about food and things I thought were

healthy they're saying are no longer

174

healthy So are there any trends in

nutrition today that you're cautious about

175

or that might be disproven in 10 years or

176

so?

177

Emily: Man, there are so many messages

nutrition and so many things, like you

178

said, hitting us all the time in our inbox

or people talking, or there's just a lot

179

of nutrition ideas and trends and things

like that, and so I get leery of any.

180

That eliminate an entire food group have

negative language around a food group.

181

Um, or just a lot of quick labels of

negativity towards a specific food even.

182

so that's where I would

be cautious, I think.

183

so much discernment needed with all the.

184

Various messages that are out there

and it can be super overwhelming.

185

Um, that's what I was most excited to

talk about, I think because I, I see

186

all the messages that come through and

I know it can get easily overwhelming,

187

um, to feel like we should be doing this

maybe we should be avoiding that or we

188

hear friend talk about something and

then we're tempted to maybe try that.

189

And that makes sense.

190

'cause it sounds like it's working them.

191

Um, and I think seek the Lord in peace.

192

Um, with where he has us.

193

So like what capacity we can even take

on, can we take on what we're hearing

194

or are we currently already undergoing?

195

Adjusting our home to a new allergy or

a new food thing, or even just something

196

outside of nutrition that we don't

have capacity to take on nutrition.

197

That's just another plate we can't have

spinning right now to try something new.

198

So I think praying and asking the

Lord for discernment right now

199

to take something like that on?

200

and then if I do, which is great and

there's seasons for that, then having.

201

Discernment and asking the Lord to

put on the forefront of your mind.

202

What does your specific family

or whoever's in your home need?

203

Because what you may hear or see may

not apply to your specific family too.

204

And so thinking the Lord has

designed you and your family.

205

Because nutrition is so personal, which

is sweet, but can make it tricky at

206

times, um, to give specifics and things

like that and have something that

207

applied for somebody else work for you.

208

But I think the Lord is

who gives us that wisdom.

209

And so seeking him and trusting the

Holy Spirit to put to the forefront

210

this makes sense for our family.

211

And then I get excited because I

think when we're in a place confidence

212

with what the Lord has put before us.

213

We can listen to the other messages

and hear them with less temptation

214

to, to be tempted to try them or

compare what we're doing with that.

215

But we can be more confident and

this is what we're doing and I trust

216

that this is what the Lord has us in

right now and it's helpful for us.

217

So I can hear a friend or somebody else

talk about what they're doing and be

218

less tempted to say, oh, maybe I should,

or all those shoulds or things like

219

that maybe I should do that instead.

220

Thinking I know we're doing the best

we can with what we've been given right

221

now, and so maybe if our season changes

or something, we could try that, but I

222

can hear that and kind of let it roll

off my back instead of implant in my

223

heart or mind of doing something well

or I should be doing something else.

224

I get excited about

225

that.

226

Steph: I think our listeners can

already hear why I asked you to do.

227

This, the clarity and

the intent behind it.

228

I so agree with you.

229

as believers, we think if we hear

wisdom, we have to follow it.

230

That that's just good stewardship and

then I think we can fall into a tendency

231

to be so reliant upon our own work,

um, and our own efforts to bless our

232

family instead of trusting the Lord.

233

You're right.

234

And seeing that we have limitations.

235

Emily: Like anything else, the standard

we can set ourselves for nutrition

236

is sometimes too high or just outside

the realm of even possibility, and

237

so it sets us up to have so much

shame or failure around it when

238

if we can step back and take just.

239

The next step that's right for us, without

putting on a lot of shame or guilt related

240

to nutrition or food, it leads us to the

next thing, and then that builds momentum.

241

Like a snowball effect of I can keep

doing the next thing and then end up

242

in a place of confidence walking and

stewarding our family well with nutrition.

243

Steph: Sure I can relate so

much to what you're saying.

244

I heard a friend in our co-op that

got a flour mill and she was sharing

245

the nutritional blessings behind

it and I researched it and I prayed

246

about it and I felt, you know what?

247

I think.

248

This sounds fun.

249

There's the initial investment, but after

that it's really inexpensive and I'm

250

like, I think I would really enjoy this.

251

And so I asked for that for Christmas.

252

And then I'm sitting down to meal

plan after Christmas and I was like,

253

I can't buy buns from the store.

254

I have a flour meal now.

255

And I just felt like the Lord prompted me.

256

No, like.

257

you have to start slow.

258

Just you have the tool doesn't mean

you have to do a whole overhaul.

259

I was so thankful that he

was slow down, Stephanie.

260

It doesn't have to be all

261

Emily: for sure.

262

Yeah.

263

We see the end goal and we want that

so much that it's hard not to just

264

jump right there, but it's helpful

and it sets us up for more success

265

if we don't jump to the end goal,

but try to get there slowly, like

266

you're saying.

267

Steph: And then there can

be joy in the process.

268

Right.

269

So how would you describe your

overall philosophy of nutrition

270

and meal preparation right now?

271

Emily: I think my philosophy is

about staying positive, mainly about

272

food, the way that we talk about it

with our kids or even ourselves, in

273

our, our minds and our mental talk.

274

and.

275

I'm also focused a lot on Whole

Foods and being aware, like we talked

276

about, of, body's cues and being more

in tune with that and just enjoying

277

food and the benefits that it gives

us, I think is more my philosophy.

278

Steph: That's great.

279

do any of your kids have food challenges

or any of your family members?

280

Food allergies, food restrictions?

281

Emily: None of my kiddos, um, my

husband has some health issues

282

that he then avoids things.

283

and I've had the opportunity to help

him out with that, which has been really

284

sweet, the way the Lord has gifted me or

given me the education to then help him.

285

And it's been really helpful for him.

286

that's given me such empathy for what

that looks like and the challenges that.

287

that.

288

Presents and all the

circumstances where that comes up.

289

Steph: Sure.

290

you said you're cautious about eliminating

an entire food group, but has that

291

been part of your meal planning at all?

292

To.

293

Avoid anything Or is it more a pursuit

of how much of the good can I fit

294

Emily: Yeah, I think more it's.

295

Making sure that I have balance, but

not avoiding anything necessarily.

296

Because luckily I don't have to, and I

know that's not the case for everybody.

297

Speaker 6: Let's pause from our

interview for just a second because

298

I wanna help bring clarity to

two other aspects of your life.

299

First of all, our number one goal.

300

Is that you would be rooted in

the word of God and that that

301

would guide you in your parenting.

302

That's why we created the

Daily Dwelling Place podcast.

303

It's just for moms and every

day We'll talk about the Bible,

304

read a portion of scripture.

305

And then close praying

over you and your kids.

306

All in under 10 minutes,

307

Secondly, the world is

giving you so many messages.

308

About what good parenting looks like.

309

But listen to this testimony from Amanda

about how Entrusted brought direction.

310

She says The Entrusted with the

child's heart parenting study has

311

been such a blessing to our family.

312

Parenting three Boys is not always easy,

there are so many different approaches

313

and ideas that it feels overwhelming

to know what the right way is.

314

We had a few friends who had used the

tools and strategies discussed and

315

Entrusted with their own families, and

we had seen the fruit of a biblically

316

based parenting approach up close.

317

That's exactly what we wanted for

our family and this study gave

318

that to us, Entrusted brought

everything back to God in the Bible.

319

So not only did we learn how to parent

our three boys in a biblical way, but it

320

also strengthened our own relationship

with the Lord and our understanding

321

of him as our Heavenly Father Entrusted

gave us the foundation and real

322

tools to bring biblical obedience,

discipline, peace and wisdom into

323

our home at every stage of parenting.

324

If this sounds like the clarity

you're longing for in your parenting.

325

We can equip you to take the study on

your own or start a church or home group.

326

I'll link an episode in the show notes

that provides some of the key benefits

327

of this scripture saturated study.

328

back to our interview with

the amazing Emily Schumann.

329

Steph: What are some practical ways

you incorporate your philosophy?

330

Emily: I get really excited about

families eating meals together, and I

331

think that can incorporate that positive

environment I was talking about, about

332

food and staying positive in that

environment with eating and doing it

333

as a family and having fun with it.

334

Discussing food and making it a

fun topic at the table while you're

335

eating, amongst talking about

all the other things of your day.

336

We like to discuss the food we're eating.

337

then we also as a family,

like to try new foods.

338

So we do something we

call fun food Friday.

339

And so most Fridays, not every Friday,

whenever we can, we incorporate, uh,

340

new food on Fridays and sometimes

it's usually not anything I even prep.

341

It's like a fruit or vegetable that

looked interesting at the grocery store.

342

We bring it home and we look at it, then

we figure out how to cut it sometimes or

343

how to consume it, and then the kids get

to be involved in and we get to talk about

344

it, and then we try it and we get to share

our opinions and nobody has to like it.

345

Everybody can love it.

346

So it gives freedom to experience food

together and make a memory, but also

347

have fun with it and kind of be creative.

348

Sometimes it's like a random grocery

item that we see, and so it's not even

349

a fruit or a vegetable, but we're.

350

Excited, like a spread on a toast or

something that the kids get to try,

351

but then they're trying new things,

expanding their horizons a little bit

352

and talking about it, and it's safe

for them to say they don't like it

353

or it's safe for them to say it looks

weird, um, but it just makes food fun.

354

Steph: That is fantastic.

355

What a practical way, and I

love that you're saying it

356

doesn't necessarily take prep.

357

Just grab that vegetable or

fruit you've never seen before.

358

Right.

359

Then I'm sure they're very willing to

transfer that adventurous, culinary spirit

360

to other experiences that they have with

361

Emily: I think it does, and it

just starts that dialogue of

362

positive experiences with food.

363

Even if they don't like it, it was

still a positive experience to try

364

it and see something new and unique.

365

And it does, it increases their

likelihood of trying other things,

366

even if it might different than they

would normally try or something like

367

that.

368

So it's.

369

Steph: And do all four of your kids

seem equally willing to try these

370

things or do they feed off of each

other when someone doesn't like it?

371

How do you

372

Emily: For sure.

373

Sometimes they'll feed off of each other.

374

Um, but if you can get one on board,

usually you can get the rest to

375

try it because they're intrigued

to see what it does taste like.

376

So if you can get one to eat it,

like my, if my oldest will eat it,

377

then she'll start talking about it

and so then it, it draws the other

378

ones in to be willing to try it.

379

And they can take like

a tiny lick or bite.

380

It doesn't have to be big.

381

I don't make it be a certain

amount that they have to take.

382

And they can spit it

out, like I don't mind.

383

But it's just the willingness to

384

try.

385

Steph: Okay.

386

So what is your meal

planning routine right now?

387

Emily: I feel like my meal

planning routine is fairly basic

388

and I use paper and pencil.

389

maybe That's super old school,

but I like to write down what I'm,

390

what we're gonna have for the week.

391

Generally, I do it over the weekend and

I get breakfasts and dinners in there.

392

I throw some lunches in the mix.

393

So I have seasonal recipes jotted down

on another piece of paper that I like

394

will pull out and kind of plug into the

meal plan, things that work well for

395

our family, things that I enjoy making

or fit within our family's needs and.

396

jotted down seasonally, and then

that gives um, easy ones to insert

397

into the week when I'm meal planning.

398

I love variety.

399

I am not great at eating leftovers

or I just need lots of variety

400

in what we eat as a family.

401

And so for better or worse,

my whole family gets that too.

402

I like to add in other recipes so I'll add

in some of tried and true ones that we.

403

Have done time and time again.

404

And then usually I'll be excited to try

a few other that I find through or blogs.

405

I really enjoy following

a couple food blogs.

406

I love food, so that makes sense.

407

But I think it's really helpful for me

at least to receive some emails when

408

through like bloggers and things and

they throw out some meal ideas and then

409

I can pick and choose between those as

to what I might wanna try in the week.

410

If one sounds.

411

Interesting.

412

Oftentimes it's maybe just one or two

out of the five or six they throw out,

413

but that's super helpful for me to have

another one kind of add into our rotation.

414

And so we have breakfast ideas

that work well for our family and

415

those rotate a little more quickly.

416

And so there's a little

less variety in that.

417

We add those in.

418

Um, lunch is the hardest as a homeschool

mom to be prepping another meal in

419

the middle of the day, so I to do

lunch, but that's my hardest meal.

420

So just to be real not all meals

are easy and food is, is hard and

421

a lot of work sometimes, but I

think for me, I like the variety.

422

And outside resources really helped

me make that a little bit easier by

423

plugging in some recipes that I'm excited

to try that are different in the week.

424

That helps jazz things up a bit.

425

Steph: Great.

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would you mind recommending any blogs

or the emails that you subscribed to,

427

that you found particularly helpful?

428

Emily: I've gotten emails

from the Emma for Mama.

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She does some emails, sometimes

with some meal ideas, and.

430

I like the blog.

431

Um, gimme some oven.

432

She doesn't do an email with

meal ideas, but I go on her

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site often to find meal ideas.

434

And, Real food dieticians is one

that I like and they do send out

435

some like, meal ideas for the week.

436

Or when they develop a recipe,

they'll send out an email for it.

437

And so that gets me excited to try I

should mention shopping, I guess, in that.

438

So with the meal planning, I'll ride

it all out, try to make a grocery

439

list from that of whatever I don't

already have on hand at home, and then

440

I go grocery shopping based on that.

441

The goal would be once a.

442

week You do your shopping once

to cover my whole meal plan.

443

But the reality is that never happens.

444

So just so you know, don't

have that expectation.

445

That sounds lovely.

446

But in a home where you're feeding

four kiddos, I end up having to run

447

back to the store maybe once, , in the

week to up whatever I forgot to put

448

on the list or whatever in the week.

449

I feel like totally normal

and an expectation that's

450

helpful to set instead of.

451

Grinding my heels down, which I can try to

do sometimes and say I'm gonna just make

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it with whatever I got, but giving myself

some grace and needing to go back and pick

453

up anything I forgot.

454

As you've grown in your faith,

has your commitment to nutrition

455

and healthy eating increased, or

are there verses that guide you?

456

as you continue to pursue this area

457

I don't think my commitment has

necessarily changed or increased, the

458

dependence that I have on the Lord,

to give me more confidence and peace

459

with stewarding that for my family, has

definitely grown and changed and matured.

460

The peace that comes along with

that I think has grown and,

461

developed but I also just love.

462

Thinking about food in the Bible in

general and seeing how often it's

463

brought up and the themes of food in

the Bible, it's so sweet, to have that.

464

Relatable theme throughout the Bible,

through manna and the Levitical

465

practices and Daniel, and there's so

many times in the Bible that food is a

466

central part of, the way that the Lord

is showing us Jesus and the gospel.

467

And so it's so sweet to

seafood interwoven in that.

468

I like how it shows.

469

Our dependence on the Lord too.

470

Food is something that we have to have.

471

And so it reminds us that we

are, dependent on something and

472

we're dependent on the Lord.

473

And he's made us each unique.

474

Like I said, nutrition is so

personal, but it's sweet to know

475

the Lord has made us individually.

476

And so we do have needs that can be

met individually through nutrition.

477

And so what works for us

is personalized as well.

478

And then just the gift of food itself.

479

Being from the Lord is so sweet to, like

we said, it being tied to memories and

480

experiences and getting to taste that.

481

And man, I think food's gonna taste

even better in heaven, so it's free.

482

Sweet.

483

Steph: Yes.

484

It really is amazing how it's

throughout the pages of scripture.

485

Mm-hmm.

486

recently, I was listening to a podcast

about bread and they were saying,

487

you know, bread is even in the curse.

488

And We press into so many parts of

the curse, but we don't talk about

489

that bread aspect much, but that it is

gonna be more effort to make our food.

490

But I love that you keep weaving in

that there can be still be such joy

491

in the process and seeing God's intent

to bless us with what he's created.

492

Mm-hmm.

493

Emily: Yeah.

494

And, and prepping food.

495

I mean, there's, like you were

saying, the toil of, you know, growing

496

our own food even prepping food.

497

We don't necessarily, we're not

sustained on what we grow as anymore,

498

but, that can feel like a toil

and that can for sure feel hard.

499

and so trying to, like I said, just lean

into the Lord and where he's allowed you

500

and equipped you, um, To To be and to

flourish, but it can be hard for sure.

501

And consuming and daunting food.

502

It's interesting, it's something that

we need, but because of that, like you

503

can't get away from it sometimes, right?

504

It can be, daunting, but the Lord has

called us to steward it for our families.

505

As

506

Steph: Mm-hmm.

507

Emily: far as verses go, I think about

one Corinthians six, 19 to 20 that talks

508

about your body being a temple of the

Holy Spirit within you, whom you have

509

from God So glorify God in your body.

510

That's like a quicker

version of those verses.

511

But in just thinking about seeking

the Lord and the Holy Spirit and using

512

his leading and that mindfulness of.

513

What we've been given from the Lord and

stewarding that and using that well.

514

And then, first Corinthians 10

31, whether you eat or drink,

515

do all to the glory of God.

516

So similarly, like thinking about

what we put into our bodies and

517

seeking him in wisdom with that.

518

And Corinthians 10 12,

which is helpful with.

519

Thinking about comparison when we're

talking about feeling more confident in

520

what we're doing, which helps us look to

others and be tempted to compare as much.

521

And then Colossians 3 23, is a

good reminder for us to focus on

522

what the Lord has before us and

work for him and not for man.

523

So those are the ones I think about

when I think about nutrition and that

524

positive, atmosphere and environment

and seeking the Lord for wisdom.

525

Steph: I really appreciate you drawing

that distinction again just because

526

someone you respect or love or you know a

great friend, you don't need to be called

527

to the same things that they're called

to if the Lord hasn't given you capacity

528

Emily: when you asked, I came home to

reflect on what I wanted to talk about

529

and I feel like that's what the Lord

brought to the forefront of my mind.

530

'cause I can't speak practically

to like tell someone what

531

to do, which seems kind of.

532

LAME in a way, like it's not

helpful probably to hear all of this

533

nutritionally, but it's because it's

so personalized, you really can't.

534

So then it's between you and

the Lord to decide what that

535

really needs to look like.

536

And most people know.

537

A general understanding of nutrition.

538

It's just the like overwhelm of

feeling like they need to do it

539

all, or the lack of discernment

in knowing what's right for them.

540

, It reminded me of like Sarah McKenzie

when she says some things sometimes that

541

are like, oh, this makes so much sense.

542

If you take the time to reflect

on it and actually follow through

543

with something practical like that.

544

So it just takes that like

reflection of what am I doing now?

545

What am I tempted to be doing,

but what actually should I be

546

Steph: Right, right.

547

because we, with so much

information coming at us all

548

the time, we often don't take.

549

The wise moment to reflect and

think, what is at the heart of this?

550

What are my motivations?

551

What are the similarities that

everyone is saying is right?

552

sometimes it feels like there's

so much disagreement, but really

553

everybody agrees on vegetables.

554

You know, we don't have to, we don't

have to make it so complicated, but if we

555

don't take those moments to seek the Lord

and we just keep obtaining information,

556

we're not going to have peace.

557

Emily: I think we get to a couple steps

ahead of ourselves of we don't have

558

a basic nutritious eating style, but

then we're gonna jump into these maybe

559

more complicated or more complex or

more restrictive eating plans when we

560

haven't really established piece in

what we were doing from the get go.