From Shame to Shepherding

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

“Don’t judge someone for where they are because it’s where you used to be.” 

Pastor Boyd Byerly

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𝐌𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐞-𝐔𝐩 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 

I didn’t hear those words in a nutrition class. I heard them in church. But I felt them years earlier at a health event—Diet Coke in hand—when a woman looked at me and said, “I cannot believe you’re going to drink that HERE!”

In one sentence, I felt small. Shamed. Exposed.

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𝐈 𝐃𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐃𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 

Here’s the truth: I had only learned about whole-food nutrition a couple of weeks before. I was just beginning my health journey. That Diet Coke was my “normal.” I didn’t know better…yet.

And like so many people starting out, I was curious, hopeful, and brand new. That moment could have pushed me back to stay in old habits and hardened my heart toward “healthy people.”

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞 

Instead, it became a vow: I will 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 shame someone into change.

I decided that if I was going to share health, I would do it with love, not judgment.

𝐌𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧:

 •𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠. “What’s one change you’re open to this week?”

 •𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐩𝐬, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. “If you love soda, let’s try a seltzer water + lime or a clean soda alternative.”

 •𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬. A win is a win—water before coffee, protein at breakfast, veggies at lunch.

 •𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 “𝐰𝐡𝐲” 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲. Understanding fuels conviction better than fear ever will.

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𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” — Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

Jesus discipled people in process. He didn’t shame them into transformation. He met them where they were and walked with them step by step. If lasting change is the goal, love is the method, and time is the ingredient.

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𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝟐𝟎 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐈’𝐦 𝐫𝐞-𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝,

𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 & 𝐅𝐮𝐞𝐥 🩷

Friend, if you’ve ever felt judged on your health journey, I’m sorry. You don’t need more shame. You need hope, encouragement, and a reminder that small, consistent steps matter.

That is what NEWR YOU was when I taught that. This is what Faith & Fuel is about. No shame. No guilt. Just grace, guidance, and the steady reminder that your body is a temple and your life has purpose.

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𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 

What’s one small swap you’re willing to try this week…no shame, just support? 🍋🥗

Share it in the comments below ⬇️ .

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲.  𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐚𝐲, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬!! 😍