Let's be honest today: do you look around and compare yourself to others? In other words, do you struggle with comparison? Do you feel shame because you compare to others and fall short? Who and what are you comparing yourself to? Are you trying to become the person you are comparing yourself to? And how is it working for you, really?

What is the comparison ladder you are trying to climb? Physical appearance and body image? Career? Home status? Who are you trying to better? And, what does Jesus have to say to all these questions? Jesus does not place on us the burden and pressure of comparison, like we tend to. He has already finished all the work, and the finality of the cross is our reality to embrace. How do we then free ourselves from the pressure of comparison? We know the answer is Jesus, but seriously, how does that work?

Today we are kicking off our Summer 2022 series with Stephanie's friend Heather Creekmore. They invite you to enter a comparison-free summer. Heather shares her struggle with comparison, and how toxic it was in her spiritual walk, and in every area of relationship. Heather's particular area of comparison was in body image -- she believed the lie that her life would be better if she looked a certain way. But comparison is something we can all be prone to, even if it is not body image (though, let's be honest - it is a problem many of us have, men and women both, regardless of what we actually look like!). As a man, do you feel you should look like Thor or Captain America to be accepted? As a woman, do you feel you should look like Wonder Woman to be loved? Does God care about our body image, our weight, our physical appearance? How can we honor Him in this area?

Now, how about those of us who say, "I don't compare myself to others, but only to the ideal version of me." What does Heather have to say to that? She gives us a practical blueprint to overcome the toxic temptation of comparison.

Heather says, "I spent two decades battling my body image. No matter how I changed my body, I couldn’t find contentment. I even became a fitness instructor thinking that would fix my body image issues. As a Christian, I knew that the Bible should have the answer, but I could never find it. I heard all the cliches, ‘I was fearfully and wonderfully made‘ and ‘It’s what’s on the inside that counts‘ but they never helped me. I still struggled with wanting more beauty."

CONNECT WITH HEATHER CREEKMORE

website: https://comparedtowho.me/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherCreekmoreblog/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comparedtowho/

Twitter: @comparedtowho

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/comparedtowho/_created/

Her YouVersion reading plan "Compared to Who?": https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/29320-compared-to-who-a-10-day-plan-to-improvebody-image

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him.

Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel.

Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer!

You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer 

There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.

But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?

As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.

If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!

A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER

To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.

We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.

So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.

There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.

Let’s begin.

THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE

Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.

So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.

Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!

So, let’s get started.

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