Stephanie Sheafer: Battling My Inner Lies with the Truth

Stories of Hope in Hard Times

Stephanie has battled bulimia, depression and the loss of loved ones in her life. Listen as she shares how leaning on God and family have helped her pull through with faith.

Episode Discussion Points

• Stephanie’s struggle with bulimia as a teen which followed her into adulthood.
• How she finally talked to her husband about her struggle with bulimia and his response which helped her change—”Let’s do this together.”
• How even 17 years after stopping binging and purging she still feels tempted to go throw up.
• How Stephanie battles her inner voice with the truth: Purging doesn’t make her feel better.
• How she has chosen to be open and honest with her husband and children about her struggle and has tried to teach by example that you can lose weight healthily. (She lost 80 pounds by exercising and lifting weights 4 times per week).
• Stephanie’s 1-2-3 punch to start her day powerfully with God on her side: studying God’s word, talking to God in prayer and listening to praise music to combat her negative thoughts.
• When her husband was not around to help her and she felt unworthy or unloved, Stephanie leaned on God to speak the truth to her through the scriptures:
• “I’m fearfully and wonderfully made.” God does not make mistakes. He made you beautiful and perfect for you.
• “There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus.”
• Surround yourself with people who love you and will help you. Stephanie found one of the keys to overcoming bulimia was being completely honest with her husband and with God. If she made a mistake, she would tell her husband. He would pray with her and then she would pray and talk to God about it as well. We were not meant to live life alone.
• How to combat the negative voices in her head when she made a mistake—constantly falling on her knees at the feet of Jesus to beg for help, strength, forgiveness, and begging for Him to walk with her.
• Post favorite motivating scripture verses all over your house to remind you God is there and loves you.
• What depression has looked like for her all of her life—feeling so alone
• The advice a therapist gave her about journaling and writing that helped her immensely
• God is with her in her dark, lonely places as she invites Him in through studying his word and prayer. He doesn’t always make it better, but He stays there with her.
• The tragedy of losing her sister to cancer during 2020 and learning to grieve and mourn and heal when they were locked down. She also lost her uncle to COVID.
• How she vented and cried to God and how He lovingly consoled her and reassured her He hadn’t taken the wrong child (her).
• Why it is important to be real to God with all the emotions you are experiencing (even and especially anger.)
• She can still talk to her sister in heaven.
• Reminding herself she will see her sister again.
• The concept that we are and can be victorious, “beauty from ashes,” and God can turn our weaknesses into strengths. Be patient.
• Our struggles allow us to help us empathize and then help others who have similar struggles.
• Stephanie started writing years ago—so she started writing fantasy because she wanted to live in another world.
• Stephanie’s Zelina trilogy can be found here: https://www.authorstephaniefaye.com/

Ways to Help People Struggling With Depression

• Give them a hug
• Say/text “I love you. I’m thinking of you.”
• Pray with them
• Take them to lunch
• Don’t say, “Snap out of it. Choose to be happy.” (They would if they could).
• Say, call me when you need help. Then listen with love and without judgment.

Connect with Stephanie

• Website: https://www.authorstephaniefaye.com/
• Instagram: @stephaniefaye_books
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/s.faye.books

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Transcription

You can find the transcription of today's episode here: https://www.tamarakanderson.com/podcasts/stephanie-sheafer-battling-my-inner-lies-with-the-truth