Statements
Mission
Our mission is to help people find Jesus in the middle of their struggles with food and body image. Our vision is to make a Kingdom impact and cultural shift by creating a safe space for people to walk toward freedom in Christ-centered community.
Background
Founded in 2002 by former Sparrow Records Marketing Director, Constance Rhodes, FINDINGbalance is a Christian health and wellness organization, with a mission to help people repair their relationship with food and their bodies so they can live the abundant life they were created for. The mission was personal for Rhodes, who watched her mother battle bulimia in the early Eighties, long before eating disorders were something people talked about or understood. Rhodes developed her own eating disorder as a Freshman in Bible College in the early Nineties. Her eating issues continued for a decade before she began to find freedom through Christian counseling and participation in a general recovery group. For more than twenty years, FINDINGbalance has established itself as the leading Christian resource for those seeking freedom from eating and body image issues. Through the use of multimedia and technology, their programs extend beyond borders to reach people all over the US and even Internationally.
The only Christian non-profit focused exclusively on a population that ranges from basic dieter to clinical eating disorders, FINDINGbalance is intentional about providing quality, balanced resources which are sensitive to all who struggle with food and body image concerns. Founded on Christian principles and led by Jesus, we are dedicated to providing Clinically-respected resources to impact churches, ministries, campuses, and Christian organizations whose members currently lack options for Christ-centered recovery paths.
Impact
In the past 18 months, we have:
- Made a worldwide impact serving the United States, Canada, Spain, Australia, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Portugal, and more;
- Hosted community groups to meet the desire for additional support and connection; prayer groups for those supporting a loved one in their fight for freedom and groups for overcomers;
- Released 2 new seasons of the "Old School Food Freedom" podcast to increase the amount of people we can reach with the biblical message of freedom;
- Sponsored and participated in the Holy & Whole Women's Conference in Fort Worth, Texas; granting scholarships to 6 attendees; Executive Director was a guest speaker;
- Spread the message of our mission to new audiences by having our Executive Director appear as a guest on other podcasts;
- Grown and strengthened our team, enabling us to minister to more people while balancing responsibilities;
- Partnered with Beth Ask for the third annual "Eating Disorder Day of Prayer" during NEDA week;
- Increased the amount of Christian professionals, clinicians, and programs specializing in eating disorder treatment, recovery, and freedom on our Christian Treatment Finder;
- Added donors to our Fb Giving Family;
- Seen an increase in engagement and growth on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
In 2025, we plan to:
- Release 2 additional seasons (20 episodes) of the "Old School Food Freedom" podcast to cover more topics and increase the amount of people we can help find hope and freedom
- Create two new, secure websites: Our seasoned websites have become outdated and are now at high risk of cyber attacks and crashing when automatic updates occur. To elevate us to a safer position and reflect where Jesus is taking us, new, safe websites are crucial.
- Create a new Jesus-led, gospel-centered discipleship community: Unhealthy habits thrive in isolation; Christ-centered community heals shame. We see the need to move from clinical, performance-based support to a Jesus-led discipleship community. Through sharing, listening to Jesus, prayer, scripture, creativity, and joyful movement, we connect more deeply to God - the only path to flourishing and freedom.
- Begin planning Gatherings or Events: The same Jesus-led, gospel-centered discipleship community can happen through in-person events and intimate gatherings. These events will be designed to help women restore the connection between their identity in Christ and relationship with body, mind, and food.
- Add donors to our Fb Giving Family
Needs
FINDINGbalance operates in a minimal-staff capacity, with volunteers helping us serve our constituents with resources as we increase funding to allow for additional staff hours. We are being faithful to operate as leanly as possible while moving toward new ways to help those searching for the hope and community they need to break free from eating issues.
Our goals in 2024 & 2025 are to:
1. Sustain free services such as:
- The Daily Vitamin email devotional ($7,000)
- Christian Treatment Finder ($2,500)
- Lasting Freedom Course ($7,000)
- Eating Disorders Day of Prayer ($1,000)
- Blog ($3,500)
2. Offer Lasting Freedom scholarships to those seeking help for food struggles who are in need of financial assistance (estimated $3,500/annually)
3. Release two additional seasons (20 episodes) of the "Old School Food Freedom" podcast to increase the amount of people we can help find hope and freedom (staff hours and production costs; estimated $16,000).
4. Update and roll out new, secure websites for findingbalance.com & cedcn.org ($15,000)
5. Create and roll out a new Jesus-led, gospel-centered discipleship community, merging our current prayer group model ($30,000)
6. Begin planning to host in-person gatherings or events ($20,000)
CEO Statement
After struggling with food and body image issues for more than 25 years, God led me to the Lasting Freedom course at FINDINGbalance where I was set free from the chains of "diet culture". With 23 years of diverse ministry and professional experience as a software analyst, marketing director, worship leader, and Christian life coach, my passion is to help others find hope in the Christ-centered truth I've found. I am honored today to carry on the mission of FINDINGbalance.
Studies have shown that eating issues can start simple and quickly escalate into something very serious. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental health disorder, and bulimia (and other eating disorders) can destroy bodies, finances, and relationships. But even if you're just always on a diet - a normal thing to do in our culture - the amount of time, energy and money required to follow programs that don't even work often leads to anxiety, depression, and being held back from the life God has called you to live. Our children are growing up less healthy than ever - mind, body, and soul - and few of us are living the life God created us for. It may not show on the outside, but it's killing us on the inside.
At FINDINGbalance, we've spent the last 22 years creating tools to end this trend. Our resources are designed to get below the surface into the heart of what really drives our issues with food. We see the need for Jesus-led community that provides a safe space for sharing, listening to Jesus, prayer, scripture, creativity, and joyful movement, all of which can connect us more deeply to God - the only path to flourishing and freedom.
Board Chair Statement
As Director of the Larry J Crabb Center for University Counseling at Colorado Christian University, I have the honor of serving college students and training the next generation of therapists. My 20 year career as a psychologist has focused around three passions: faith, eating disorders, and university mental health services. In my role as Board Chair for FINDINGbalance, I am able to blend these passions in support of this organization's mission. Serving FINDINGbalance is an honor. I enjoy getting to help educate and train Christians in working with those struggling with eating disorders, food, weight, and shape issues. I am also working to ensure that we uphold the integrity and mission of this outstanding organization.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Mental Health & Crisis Intervention - Eating Disorders & Addictions |
| Secondary Category: | Religion- Related - Christianity |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
Based in Franklin, TN, our national and international efforts are accomplished through online curriculum and our extensive video-based website. Occasional conferences occur in Franklin, Tennessee.
| National |
| International |
