Your Body, Food and Identity - with Brooke Rienow

Negative body images and eating disorders are far too common today—and many of us can trace those struggles back to our early years. In this episode of Family Vision, Amy is joined by a very special guest: her daughter-in-law, Brooke Rienow.

Brooke shares her personal testimony of how insecurity and body image struggles began as a young girl, intensified through painful peer experiences, and later escalated in college into a serious battle with anorexia. She describes how "control," comparison, and pride quietly took root, and how an outwardly productive, high-achieving life hid a growing internal darkness.

This is a raw and hope-filled conversation about what an eating disorder can look like behind the scenes—and why true healing is not just physical, but spiritual. Brooke also opens up about how her relationship with God became "checkbox Christianity" during the hardest seasons, and how the Lord began to bring her back to real freedom. Amy and Brooke share key Scriptures that provide a foundation for hope and healing.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

- How early body image struggles can begin (even in kindergarten) - How comparison and peer cruelty can shape a child's self-image

- Why college can become a pressure-cooker for control and insecurity

- How eating disorders often shift from "I'm in control" to "it controls me" - Why isolation is one of the most dangerous parts of disordered eating - What anorexia can do physically—and why it becomes life-or-death - Why spiritual healing is essential for long-term freedom

Resources:

Visionary Parenting – Start reading for free: https://visionaryfam.com/parenting

Join the Visionary Family Community – Become part of a global community of families committed to following Jesus: https://visionaryfam.com/community

Support the Philippines Mission Trip – Help provide clean water filters and share the Gospel. Donate at: https://visionaryfam.com/hope (Type "filter" in the notes section)

Upcoming Events – Visionary Family Conferences and Family Camp details: https://visionaryfam.com/events

Connect With Us:

If your family is navigating the challenges of an eating disorder and you would like prayer, please reach out to us at podcast@visionaryfam.com. Our prayer team would be honored to pray for your family. You can also request a prayer call with our prayer team leader, Peter Rothermel.