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284 How to Stop People Pleasing and Break the Cycle of Co-Dependency

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Release Date: 09/19/2024

300 How to Transform Body Image Wounds into Sacred Scars with God's Healing show art 300 How to Transform Body Image Wounds into Sacred Scars with God's Healing

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary:  Research suggests that girls as young as three years old prioritize beauty, and children in elementary school frequently exhibit body image issues. In this episode of Your Hope Filled Perspective, I chatted with Heather Creekmore of Compared to Who about the pain, wounds, and ultimately, sacred scars, she experienced as a result of body image issues starting in childhood. Together, we explore how God's healing can transform body image wounds into sacred scars, offering hope and freedom. Quotables from the episode: I really believed I had the perfect life, and yet, I...

info_outline 299 Faithfulness Over Resolutions: Embracing God’s Path for You Right Now show art 299 Faithfulness Over Resolutions: Embracing God’s Path for You Right Now

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary:  As a new year approaches, many of us feel pressured to make big changes and set ambitious resolutions. But what if God is calling us to be faithful in the work we’re already doing? In this episode, we explore how faithfulness in our current season can bring deeper fulfillment, peace, and a stronger sense of purpose than constantly striving for the next goal.   Quotables from the episode: Today we're going to be talking about faithfulness over resolutions, embracing God's path for you right now. As we enter into this new year, many of us feel pressured to make big...

info_outline 298 Finding Hope While Grieving at Christmas: Practical Tips for Navigating the Holidays with Hope show art 298 Finding Hope While Grieving at Christmas: Practical Tips for Navigating the Holidays with Hope

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary:  For many, the holiday season is synonymous with joy, family, and celebration. But for others, it brings a heavy reminder of loss and sorrow. Grief can take many forms—the loss of a loved one, a relationship that ended, or even a dream that was never realized. Today, we will navigate this journey together and explore how, even in the midst of grief, we can find glimpses of hope. You are not alone in this, and we’ll spend time talking about practical strategies, share stories, and dig into Scripture to see what God says about our pain. Quotables from the episode: I...

info_outline 297 Word of the Year or Not? How to Reflect, Grow, and Plan Without the Pressure show art 297 Word of the Year or Not? How to Reflect, Grow, and Plan Without the Pressure

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary:  The end of the year often brings about a time of reflection over our growth and achievements from the past year, as well as dreaming and planning for the next year. A popular practice at the start of a new year is to choose “a word of the year” to guide our focus, goals, and resolutions for the next year. For some, this is a rewarding and encouraging practice. For others, it leads to guilt and shame when they don’t have a word of the year.  In this episode, Dr. Michelle and Rev. Jessica share their experience with the practice, as well as several alternatives...

info_outline 296 How to Find Healing and Purpose After a Life-Threatening Crisis show art 296 How to Find Healing and Purpose After a Life-Threatening Crisis

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary:  Continuing in our “Sacred Scar Story Series,” in this episode I chatted with Veronica Sites, who shared about the pain and wounds she endured that culminated in her believing the lies that she would be better off dead. She attempted to eliminate her life, but God had other plans. Now she shares the sacred scar that God is using to educate the church and leaders about how to respond in such a mental health crisis. Quotables from the episode: If you have ever experienced depression or anxiety, or suffered the loss of a friend or loved one to death by suicide, then...

info_outline 295 How To Celebrate the Holidays with Hope, Even When Life Isn’t Merry show art 295 How To Celebrate the Holidays with Hope, Even When Life Isn’t Merry

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary: Reverend Jessica Van Roekel joins me as a co-host as we take on the challenge of how to celebrate the holidays with hope, even when life isn’t merry. They explore common struggles such as grief, unmet expectations, loneliness, and the pressures of maintaining traditions. Offering both spiritual and practical tips, they share how to hold joy and sorrow simultaneously, lean into God's presence, and embrace meaningful rest during this season. Whether you're personally struggling or know someone who is, this episode provides encouragement and tangible ways to navigate the season...

info_outline 294 How to Change Your Life with Gratitude and Neuroscience show art 294 How to Change Your Life with Gratitude and Neuroscience

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary: As the holidays approach and we’re inundated with messages about thankfulness, you may wonder: does gratitude actually change anything? Is there science behind the old advice to “count your blessings”? In this episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, I’m diving into the connection between Gratitude and Neuroscience, showing how adopting a heart of gratitude impacts not just our spiritual lives but also our mental and physical health. Scripture reminds us that what God commands aligns beautifully with how He created us. I’ll share 25+ unique things to be grateful for...

info_outline 293 How to Heal and Trust God When Life Doesn’t Go as We Hoped show art 293 How to Heal and Trust God When Life Doesn’t Go as We Hoped

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary:  In this episode of the Sacred Scar Story Series on Your Hope-Filled Perspective, I had the opportunity to talk with Becky Beresford about a significant time in her life when things didn’t go as she hoped and meticulously planned. She experienced physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual pain. She shares how her first pregnancy was fraught with complications, leading to grief, loss, and deep wounds. Becky discusses how she learned to trust God through her struggles and how He brought healing, leaving her with beautiful sacred scars as a reminder of His...

info_outline 292 How a Mother Helped Her Child Find Healing from Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidal Thoughts show art 292 How a Mother Helped Her Child Find Healing from Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidal Thoughts

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary:  In this Sacred Scar Story, we hear from Lori Wildenberg who faced the unimaginable pain of nearly losing her daughter to depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. She shares how her faith and God’s presence guided her through this dark journey, ultimately bringing healing to both her daughter and herself. This story of resilience and hope offers encouragement for anyone navigating similar struggles. Quotables from the episode: Wounds have to be uncovered and cleaned out before real healing can take place. With great pain often comes fear, which can paralyze us and...

info_outline 291 How to Find Freedom from Anger and Build Healthier Family Relationships Through Faith show art 291 How to Find Freedom from Anger and Build Healthier Family Relationships Through Faith

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Episode Summary: Our guest on this episode, Kathy Collard Miller, was raised by a very angry mother. The more Kathy tried to suppress her anger, the more it surfaced. Over time, Kathy found herself expressing her anger toward her husband and her daughter, and in her own words, abusing her daughter. Kathy shares her painful wounds in this episode, as well as the story of redemption and the beautiful sacred scars God has given her. Quotables from the episode: Sometimes when we talk about pain or wounds, that pain comes at the hand of another. Sometimes we have no explanation for why it happens...

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Episode Summary: 

Many of us unknowingly invest our time and energy seeking validation and acceptance from others, often at the cost of our own well-being. On this episode, I sat down with Aliene Thompson, founder of Treasured Ministries International, to discuss her journey through painful emotional wounds that led to co-dependency. She shares how God revealed these patterns to her and brought healing, turning her pain into sacred scars. Aliene shares how this transformation allows her to help others find freedom and healing in God’s love.


Quotables from the episode:

  • We will all go through painful experiences, but when we will give those painful wounds to our heavenly father, he will redeem and restore what was lost and bring beautiful sacred scars for them.
  • I learned at an early age to perform to be perfect in order to receive love.
  • Emotional wounds exist but are harder to see than physical wounds.
  • Ugly words are equated with murder in Scripture, so Jesus validates emotional wounds from the words of others.
  • When I came to the Lord, I learned I don’t have to perform in order to receive His love.
  • I consistently found myself in a place of overwhelm, trying to please others.
  • I used to be ashamed to share my weaknesses with others, but I learned it actually helped others.
  • All of my works came tumbling down, and I struggled to understand how these works could be wrong.
  • Codependency is really idolatry of man.
  • Any time we have a lack of God dependency in our lives, God will not allow the idol to succeed.
  • The enemy convinced me to soothe my emotional wounds through performance, people pleasing, and perfectionism, which is me looking to people to gain my worth and value, which led to a co-dependency crash.
  • The enemy is not very creative. He always goes back to where he was successful before. So, if you have struggled with people pleasing, he will try to get you to please more people.
  • An idol is putting something or someone ahead of God, but those idols will never satisfy.
  • God fought for my heart. In his love for me, he would not let my idols win. I felt like I was being punished by God, but now I know it was Him fighting for my heart. He was freeing me. It was a pruning season out of love.
  • What you bow down to, you will be bound to!
  • God ushered me into my wilderness season. In the wilderness is where I learned God-dependency. That is where the healing came, and I learned to put God first. He is now all the validation I need.
  • God was teaching the Israelites God-dependency before entering the Promised Land so that they would always remain dependent on Him.
  • My promised land season was when called me back into ministry and had me teach more and brought healthy great friendships and relationships.
  • I never want to spend one more day without God-dependency.
  • Before Moses died, he looked into the Promised Land. God didn’t take him into the Promised Land, but Psalm 90 tells us that God was his home.
  • Home with intimacy with God brought great healing.
  • The deeper we go in our healing, the more quickly we recognize the efforts of the enemy and the more quickly we can run back to God and use the tools He has taught us.
  • The wilderness season gave me the opportunity to return to my family as my top priority ministry. That was a beautiful piece of redemption. Our family is our greatest ministry.
  • God also gave me the opportunity to see my pain wasn’t in vain. God gave me lessons that I could then share with other women, so I could comfort them.
  • The enemy will use a half-truth and mix it with lies to us. But God gives us complete truth.
  • God always has a greater plan, that we are often not even aware of. But if you will trust God, he can turn your situation all around and use it for good, as a beautiful sacred scar.
  • Loss is not the end of your story. For every child of God, endings are beginnings. Loss is often the beginning of life.

 

Recommended Resources: 

 

Social Media Links for Guest and Host:

Connect with Aliene Thompson:

Website / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube

For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:

Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  /  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube

Guest:

Aliene Thompson, is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the creator of the Nourish Bible Study Method and the author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. Aliene describes herself as a biblical soul strategist, which means that she helps women transform their lives by changing their approach to Bible study and by educating them on how timeless biblical truths heal soul hurts. She is passionate about helping women uncover how timeless biblical truths heal soul hurts. Aliene is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication studies.

 

Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson