Podcast Summary: Girls Gone Bible

Episode: How To Get Free From A Strong Hold
Hosts: Angela Halili & Arielle Reitsma
Date: February 13, 2026

Overview

In this emotionally raw and deeply personal episode, Angela and Arielle open up about overcoming strongholds, focusing especially on disordered eating and the journey from shame and secrecy toward healing and freedom through faith. Angela shares her testimony, reading vulnerably from her personal journals, while Arielle supports and reflects on the power of honest confession and compassionate community. The episode is designed to encourage listeners grappling with hidden battles, demonstrating that breakthrough is possible, and that vulnerability—before God and trusted friends—is a powerful key to healing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing the Devotional and Today’s Theme

• The hosts announce a mini-series focused on their new devotional, which chronicles 31 days of real-life struggles and scriptural encouragement.
• Angela sets the stage for this episode’s deep dive into her story of disordered eating, emphasizing that even after writing about it, her understanding and healing are still evolving.
• Quote:

  “I look back on even this devotional about disordered eating… I was writing from the moment in time that I was in… since then, sometimes after big breakthroughs, you find yourself in a different, difficult place, and you forget what God brought you out of.” – Angela (06:01)

2. Angela’s Testimony: Disordered Eating and Shame

• Angela reads directly from her devotional and journals, tracing a decade-long battle with bulimia, control, and shame.
• She describes the isolation, secrecy, and cyclical nature of her addiction, and the pivotal role of honest prayer and journaling.
• Quote:

  "I battled a decade-long silent war in my relationship to my body and to food… It was silent. I was alone in it. I didn’t tell anybody. Mostly because I didn’t want anybody to try to get me to stop." – Angela (10:18)

• Angela reveals that even her best friend (Arielle) didn’t know until much later, underscoring the depth of her shame.
• The power of honest conversation and confession is a major turning point.

3. The Role of Prayer, Fasting, and Scripture

• Angela shares how cycles of relapse and breakthrough were met with consistent fasting, prayer, and scripture, echoing the biblical principle of fighting spiritual strongholds.
• Angela’s journal entries (various passages, 16:39–24:42):
  • Intimate prayers during relapse and recovery.
  • Struggles with feeling God’s love versus fear of His rejection.
  • Her breakthrough finally came not overnight, but through relentless perseverance—“fasting and prayer and falling down and getting back up.” (27:51)
• Quote:

  “That is how you beat something. That’s how you fight through something. I kept saying, I know I’m gonna beat this. I know Jesus is gonna free me.” – Angela (27:22)

4. Breaking the Shame Cycle & The Importance of Community

• Both hosts underscore that freedom is impossible if struggles remain secret—the enemy “works with the shame.”
• Angela wishes she’d told someone sooner and encourages listeners not to struggle alone:

  “The biggest mistake I made was trying to do it alone... Please tell somebody. The biggest mistake I made was trying to do it alone.” – Angela (36:10)

• Arielle points out that opening up creates space for mutual support, often revealing others’ similar experiences.
• Quote:

  “The person that she opened up to said, ‘You know what’s crazy? I dealt with that, too.’ And how less alone did you feel?” – Arielle (41:00)

5. Understanding God’s Heart: Acceptance and Compassion

• Angela describes a gradual shift in her view of God—from perceiving Him as punishing to understanding Him as loving, compassionate, and present even in failure.
• This shift was instrumental in healing and letting go of shame.
• Quote:

  “It’s my desire to comfort you in your sin. It’s my desire to literally wrap my arms around you when you’ve made the biggest mistake of your life.” – Angela (34:43)

• The hosts stress that struggling does not make you less of a Christian—struggle is part of “walking the talk.”

6. Tools & Advice for Overcoming Eating Disorders (47:15–51:07)

• Intimacy with Jesus: Find peace and perspective in the “secret place” before tough moments.
• Active Prayer: Pray before and after meals, invite Jesus into every part of the struggle, and ask for truth over lies.
• Accountability: Talk to trusted people; confess struggles and seek support.
• Journaling: Angela promotes honest journaling as a means to sort emotions and communicate with God.
• Quote:

  “Journal your heart out. Speak to God directly. It doesn’t need to be beautiful… That’s what he desires from you.” – Angela (57:54)

7. On Fasting and Disordered Eating

• They discuss the nuanced relationship between fasting and food addiction, stressing the need for self-honesty and spiritual maturity.
• Angela quotes Lisa Bevere:

  “Dieting changes the way you look. Fasting changes the way you see.” – Angela, quoting Lisa Bevere (45:59)

8. Closing Encouragement & Prayer

• The episode closes with emotional affirmations, gratitude, and a prayer from their devotional for those battling eating disorders. (56:27)
• Angela’s Prayer:

  “Jesus, you are the healer of all wounds, seen and unseen… Replace my distorted perceptions with your truth... Surround me with people who will uplift me and remind me of your love and promises. In your holy and precious name I pray. Amen.” (56:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Shame is a killer. Every time I looked in the mirror, I was reminded of what I was doing and what I didn’t have control over.” – Angela (20:32)
• “You fight on your knees. You fight your heart out. Journal to him, talk to him...” – Angela (34:49)
• “The enemy’s hold on me is coming to an end. I rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I am overcoming...” – Angela (24:42)
• “I just think it’s been so hard for you, this journey of 10 years. But the way you can look at people and say, ‘Me too. You’re not alone.’” – Arielle (52:10)
• “Look what Jesus did. I literally have proof of what he did in my life, and it’s so insane…” – Angela (31:36)

Important Timestamps

• 02:25 – Introduction & Recap of Podcast Mission
• 06:01 – Angela introduces her devotional on disordered eating
• 10:18–16:36 – Angela’s background: decades-long silent struggle
• 16:39–27:22 – Angela reads journal entries, details cycles of shame and hope
• 27:51–30:32 – The “process” of breakthrough, not a single moment but a journey
• 34:43–36:10 – God’s compassion & advice to “tell someone”
• 45:59 – Lisa Bevere quote about fasting vs. dieting
• 47:15–51:07 – Practical tools for recovery & community support
• 56:27–57:54 – Closing prayer for those battling eating disorders

Tone

The conversation is honest, vulnerable, faith-filled, and compassionate, laced with both tears and laughter. There’s a strong sense of empathy and encouragement, with a call to both spiritual and practical action, and an assurance that freedom is possible through Christ and community.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a must-listen for anyone struggling with hidden pain or who knows someone who is. It’s a powerful example of what can happen when secrecy meets honesty, and shame meets the love of God and others. The openness of Angela’s testimony, Arielle's steadfast encouragement, and the integrated faith perspective make this not just a story of recovery, but a blueprint for spiritual resilience and communal healing.