We recently connected with Rachel Menard and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rachel, thanks for joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

Well technically, there was no career at first. I was 34, 350 lbs, a pill addict, and an alcoholic when I overdosed. Thank God I lived through it, but I had the choice of life or death after that. I began researching the healing power of creation…God’s pharmacy. I also began to move my body with the intention to do more than lose weight, but to be well.

18 months and 175 lbs later, I was physically a different woman, but spiritually I was a new person. My heart had been refined!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

After the overdose, I was compelled to help others learn that they have the power of healing at their fingertips, that through the building of basic disciplines, they can become well. I got my certification in nutrition, I started my degree in Biblical studies at Liberty University, and I opened my hands to see how God would have me join Him in the dire condition of the physical and spiritual un-wellness of our country.

I’ve not gone nationwide….thank goodness because I don’t know that I’m equipped for that quite yet…but I’ve had the privilege of speaking publicly on the transformative power of an intimate relationship with God and the perseverance that manifests from it. I’ve also had the great honor of working privately with many women/families who are done living with the “weight” of generational lifestyle cycles that result in things like cystic acne, dry skin, heartburn, brain fog, insomnia, type 2 diabetes, liver and heart disease, obesity, etc.. It is an absolute thrill to watch the light bulb turn on with the recognition that cycles can be broken, and the next generation be set free!

So now as the founder of A Heart Refined Ministries….as I said, I’m honored to help people become physically well, but above all it is my goal to help them know that God doesn’t need us to be skinny, or even healthy. He does, however, want to help us remove anything that interferes with our ability to know Him, serve Him, and love others.

To compliment this, I have written two books: “Simple Surrender: A 40 Day Devotional” and “Deeply Rooted and Firmly Established: Cultivating Spiritual and Physical Disciplines, through Action and Accountability”. Also, twice a year I host a women’s retreat in East TN to encourage and challenge women in their physical and spiritual wellness.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

It’s no coincidence that you use the word “Unlearn”. This is a common word in my vocabulary and it’s hard to pick just one thing that I had to “unlearn”.

Maybe it could start with unlearning the concept that Bipolar depression, ADHD, over focused ADD, OCD, and Attachment Disorder are my identity, and unlearn that Big Pharma is my only “healer”. Ultimately I have learned that God did give us resources for holistic healing, AND He gave Dr’s knowledge of medicine and wisdom on how to help us in our time of need. I had to unlearn the lie that you have to be all one or the other…that I am ALWAYS responsible for taking care of my temple and sometimes I need extra help with meds.

Or maybe I could jump to unlearning the shame of my history of sexual abuse, and ultimate misuse of sex. In turn I learned that some was not my fault and some is my responsibility. I accepted with joy that I t is now a part of my story that gives me the wisdom to help encourage others into a healthy place.

Maybe I could go on to use the example of unlearning the bitter, resentful, self-pitiful reactive words “I deserve” and replacing them with “God help me learn your perspective and to respond using it”.

Maybe I could also talk about unlearning the default behaviors as an addictive personality. Then learning though, that even if I might still feel driven towards these toxic defense mechanisms (smoking, drinking, drug-taking, overeating, etc), I have been equipped, through Christ, to take them captive and make them honor a God who loves me endlessly.

For sure though, I can say that unlearning my need to “find my best me” or desire to believe that “I am enough” has been the most pivoting “undoing”. I learned to replace those new age, self-help ideas with the knowledge of God being the only one who is “enough” to set me free, and that my identity is in Jesus Christ alone.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’m actually in a “pivot” right now. The fact is there are LOTS of “get skinny quick” programs out there. Their flashy commercials, promising life-changing results in 30 days always seem to win over my message that says, “this is a long journey with hard requirements and slower results with the goal of forever life change”.

My message sounds boring and just not quick enough for our fast paced world; therefore, I tend not draw as many newbies, as well as lose clients very quickly. I do see though, those who have dug in and said, “my long-term pattern of failure is no longer an option”. I’ve watched those who have used fad diets say, “NOW’S THE TIME!” I’ve seen where they’ve made up their mind to succeed, and made wondrous strides right into their desired pant size and a daily walk with God through His Word.

So in this pivot..,this season of small business struggle…I’m saying, “Ok God…please send me more or send me home”. With that I have hope that He will put directly in front of me the resources and people necessary to take the next step.

Contact Info:

• Website: Aheartrefined.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/a_heart_refined?igshid=MjkzY2Y1YTY=
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/groups/188420791578656/?ref=share&mibextid=ykz3hl
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@aheartrefinedwithrachelmen4261