If you’ve ever found yourself in a tug-of-war between your plate and your peace, you’re not alone.

Many women don’t realize how connected our eating habits are to our beliefs. Not just about food– but about our worth.  We compartmentalize our health journey, not realizing how spiritual it really is.

What if God cares not just that you eat—but how you feel about it?

What does the Bible say about food?

Here are 4 grace-centered truths about food and our bodies:

• Nourishment: God designed food for sustenance and strength (Genesis 1:29, Psalm 104:14–15).
• Celebration: Feasts and festivals were God-ordained (Exodus 12:14; Nehemiah 8:10).
• The Body as a Temple: Caring for ourselves is an act of worship (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).
• Jesus fed people—not just spiritually, but physically (John 6:1–13). It mattered.

God isn’t distant from our daily choices. He’s a God who sees and cares—even about what’s on your plate. (But without condemnation.)

 Which truth speaks to you? Take some time to journal that truth along with at least one of the Scriptures listed. Meditate on the verse(s) in your favorite Bible version.

What the Bible Doesn’t Say About Food

Our modern culture’s approach to healthy eating is usually more along the lines of dieting– deprivation and shame when you fail.

Nowhere does Scripture glorify obsession, shame, or self-punishment. You won’t find a commandment about counting carbs or earning your worth by clean eating in Scripture. In fact, freedom is a key biblical theme (Galatians 5:1), not a fixation on food.

The enemy loves to twist what God made good—and food is no exception. But God brings clarity, not confusion.

My Journey

When I found T-Tapp I was fully breastfeeding my youngest child. I had been a part of a Bible study weight loss group, so I already knew that what I call deprivation dieting was NOT the answer. I knew enough that just cutting calories wasn’t truly healthy.

A few years after starting T-Tapp my whole family went on a gut healing eating plan. While it did help, I got so caught up in how good I felt that I ignored the little warning signs that my body needed more carbs. (Good, nutrient dense carbs– not cookies and pastry!)

Did I mention my mother had an eating disorder? I did not want to go down that path, but my obsession with “doing it right” and not listening to my body resulted in a crash.  An “I need 3 naps a day just to function” crash!

I also got too thin. I wasn’t really chasing a particular size at that point, so I was concerned when I lost too much of my womanly curves.

I learned later that my body was actually catabolizing itself– think “cannibal”. Yes, it was eating fat I needed in a desperate attempt to keep balance.

What drove me?

Fear. Fear of losing my health.

And because of it, I lost my stamina and strength.

It took awhile to start to heal my metabolism, but I learned a valuable lesson:

Stop chasing numbers.  All of them. Weight, inches, sizes, A1C, cholesterol…. we can get so focused on getting the numbers down we miss the little warning signs.

Then we crash.

It’s not worth it.

God didn’t expect me to be a certain size, or even to eat a certain way. I’m not accepted because of how I look or even how well I “perform” in the eating department.

I’m already a much-loved daughter of God.

He wanted to heal my fears, my heart. Healing from the inside out. Then my healthy habits, my eating could flow from my identity instead of trying to find my identity in them.

The shift was huge!

I didn’t focus on my eating for awhile. Not that I pigged out, but I didn’t get caught up in how many grams of fats/carbs/protein.

I just ate.

And gave thanks. For the food, for my body.

I didn’t need another food rule. I needed freedom— and that started with inviting God into my health.

Partnering with Him in every area– food, exercise, healthy habits– so that I could be and do all He created me to be and to do. 

Practical Grace Tips for Faith-First Food Freedom

Three Simple Shifts:

1. From Fixation to Fuel–  Ask, “How can this food serve me today?” Not “Did I earn it?”

2. From Shame to Stewardship– What would it look like to treat my body like a beloved        temple—not a project under construction?

3. From Rules to Relationship– Start your meals with a short prayer of thanksgiving. “Lord, thank You for this provision. Help me eat with joy and wisdom.”

In God’s eyes, eating isn’t just for nourishment– it’s also for communion with your loved ones, your friends and, most importantly, with Him. 

You are already loved— before your next meal, before your next workout, before your next health goal is ever met.

This isn’t about controlling every bite—it’s about walking in wholeness and inviting God into the journey.

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ~1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV