Girls Gone Bible: "What We're Leaving Behind in 2025"

Podcast Hosts: Angela Halili & Arielle (Ari) Reitsma
Release Date: January 9, 2026

Episode Overview

Angela and Arielle return from a rare two-week hiatus to kick off 2026 with honesty, humor, and spiritual encouragement. This episode is a candid conversation about their personal reflections, growth, and the habits, mindsets, and patterns they want to leave behind in 2025. They discuss their New Year's resolutions, spiritual disciplines, struggles with self-talk, and dreams for the year, offering practical and scriptural encouragement for listeners looking to deepen their walk with Jesus and embrace a healthier, more hope-filled life.

Main Discussion Points

Catching Up After the Break

• Returning After Hiatus: Both hosts share how refreshing it was to visit family and "revert to being kids" in the comfort of their childhood homes.
• Family Antics: Stories about Ari’s dad blasting Lil Wayne's "No New Friends" and Nan’s TikTok humor were highlights of time at home. Angela reflects on missing her own late grandmother.
• Feeling Different Outside LA: Both describe feeling “awake” and lighter outside of LA, attributing LA’s atmosphere to both spiritual heaviness and practical annoyances, like taxes.

  "Whenever I drive to Orange County, I feel something lift." — Angela, [06:58]

Self-Image & Location

• Florida Vibes: Self-deprecating humor about feeling "uglier" in Florida, poking fun at how different locations affect their self-image.
• New Year, New Makeup: Jokingly resolving to stop "caking" their makeup in 2026.

Health, Fitness, and Resolutions

• Fitness Focus: Ari is motivated to keep up her daily gym routine, while Angela admits she needs to get back to working out.

  "There's something different about going to the gym, getting on the treadmill, doing the stairs, lifting the weights." — Angela, [09:50]

Fasting & Spiritual Discipline

• Fasting as a Priority: Both want to regularly fast again for spiritual and personal breakthrough.

  "True biblical fasting is abstaining from food and, or drink. ... I want to implement fasting back into my life one day a week and then a two day fast every month because it is so good for you." — Angela, [12:14]

• Freedom from Disordered Eating: Angela shares her healing journey from disordered eating to food freedom, crediting prayer, intentionality, and learning to focus on eating enough protein.

  "A lot of us don't receive breakthrough because we don't actually want what we're asking for." — Angela, [15:51] "Counting my protein completely reversed old patterns of wanting to eat less." — Angela, [16:23]

Mindset & The Power of Words

• Speaking Life: Ari focuses on Proverbs’ teaching ("Life and death are in the power of the tongue"), aiming to stop negative self-talk and encourage others.

  "This next year, I just...do not want to speak death over myself." — Ari, [23:09] "No more self-doubt, no more speaking badly about ourselves, no more saying I can't do it, ... Let's come out of it." — Ari, [45:18]

• Scripture Memorization: Both resolve to memorize and speak scripture to reinforce truth and hope.
• Community Participation: They propose a “GGB community” scripture memorization challenge.

Nighttime Worship & Reducing Screen Time

• Worship Before Bed: Angela’s goal is to spend nights worshipping Jesus instead of numbing out with TV or social media.

  "There's something about worshiping at night all alone that's so special." — Angela, [27:18]

• Phone Fasting: Both acknowledge their struggle and plan a “weeklong phone/social media fast,” inviting listeners to join in.

Therapy & Emotional Healing

• Embracing Therapy: Angela shares her commitment to therapy:

  "2026 is my year of therapy. We are breaking patterns, getting truly to the bottom of everything." — Angela, [32:56]

• Importance of Boundaries: Intentionality, honesty, and setting boundaries with others are both highlighted as mature goals for the new year.

Communication & Relationships

• Texting & Boundaries: Both aim to improve at texting/replying and set healthy boundaries about time and energy.
• Hope for Family: Angela opens up about her desire to intentionally share Jesus with her dad, despite past hurts and a complicated relationship.

  "If I lost my dad tomorrow, I wouldn't know where he is...I want this year to be the year where I sit with my dad and I really teach him about Jesus." — Angela, [58:07]

Stepping Out in Boldness

• Walking in Power and Authority: Both encourage listeners to pray expectantly for miracles, healings, and greater spiritual impact in everyday life.

  "I want us to become obnoxious when we're out in public...step out in faith." — Angela, [61:11]

• Persistent Prayer: Ari emphasizes the power of continual, unrelenting prayer, especially for loved ones.

  "You have no idea how powerful your prayers are. He hears every single prayer. None of it goes to waste." — Ari, [62:48]

Joy, Fun, and Rest

• Having Fun & Resting: GGB wants to inject more fun and rest in 2026, asking listeners for hobby suggestions and reminding everyone of the importance of true rest—not just “numbing out.”

  "This whole nobody knows how to lay down like I do though." — Ari, [44:01]

• Physical Touch: Angela humorously admits her need for hugs, emphasizing the little things that help with emotional well-being.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [23:10] Ari: "This next year, I just...do not want to speak death over myself."
• [18:53] Angela: "I just don't care...it's also so helpful, like dressing modestly too and being like, I don’t need anybody to like, see, like, nobody needs to think I have a nice body."
• [27:18] Angela: "There's something about worshiping at night all alone that's so special."
• [45:18] Ari: "No more self doubt. No more self doubt. No more speaking badly about ourselves. No more saying I can't do it. No more saying I'm sick, I have too much of a past. Let's come out of that."
• [62:48] Ari: "You have no idea how powerful your prayers are. He hears every single prayer. None of it goes to waste. So just pray for your family, pray for your friends, pray for yourself, sit in prayer, have consecrated time every single day, every single night, all through your day, we should be praying."
• [58:07] Angela: "If I lost my dad tomorrow, I wouldn't know where he is...I want this year to be the year where I sit with my dad and I really teach him about Jesus."
• [43:42] Ari (on hobbies): "We’ve had our head down in the dirt with the people for a long time. What do you. What do we do? What do you guys do for fun? Let us know in the comments."
• [54:48] Angela: "I just want to show up as the Angela who lives life with Jesus and she doesn't need to be anything. She doesn't need to be special. I don't need to say anything profound. I am who I am and I’m gonna show up as that."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:24] Returning home & reverting to "childhood" with family
• [06:39] On feeling spiritually lighter outside LA
• [09:56] Gym routines & health resolutions
• [12:14] The spiritual discipline of fasting in 2026
• [13:38] Angela's journey to food freedom
• [15:51] The role of will, agreement, and spiritual deliverance in healing
• [18:53] Changing attitudes about body image and modesty
• [23:09] Power of the tongue and speaking life
• [24:31] Memorizing scripture in community
• [27:18] Night worship routines
• [30:29] Proposing a phone/social media fast
• [32:56] Angela commits to therapy
• [36:38] Boundaries and intentional communication
• [43:42] Looking for fun and hobbies in 2026
• [45:18] Rebuke of self-doubt and negative self-talk
• [58:07] Angela's vulnerability about her relationship with her father
• [61:11] Stepping out in prayer and spiritual authority
• [62:48] Ari on the power of persistent prayer
• [63:26] "Be about our Father's business" call to action for 2026

Key Takeaways

• 2026 is being embraced as a year of spiritual deepening, intentional growth, and self-compassion.
• The hosts encourage practical steps: fasting, scriptural memorization, less screen time, therapy, honest communication, and unwavering prayer.
• A core message: leave self-criticism, people-pleasing, and helplessness behind—step boldly into faith, healing, and positivity for yourself and your community.
• Humor, vulnerability, and real-life examples ground spiritual principles in everyday life.

Invitation to Listeners

The hosts finish with a challenge:

"Write in the comments what your New Year's resolution is. Yes. We want to know your New Year's resolution. We love you guys." — Angela, [64:07]

This episode is a heartfelt manifesto for spiritual and personal renewal, setting the tone for a year of authentic faith, disciplined growth, deeper relationships, and real rest.

For more Girls Gone Bible content, find them on Instagram: @angelahalili & @ariellereitsma.