Tell us about yourself!
I’m a Texas-born, Alabama-raised Southern girl, currently living in Birmingham, AL, where I own and operate a nutrition and eating disorder recovery private practice. Unlike other approaches that only focus on food-related habits, I help the women in my program replace negative beliefs with spiritual truth to discover their God-given identity (without their eating disorder). I take an evidenced-based, Scripture-filled approach in helping women hop off the dieting hamster wheel and become the expert on their own bodies so they can confidently nourish themselves well without feeling deprived or shameful.
I’m a major podcast nerd 🤓 who loves to both listen to and record episodes on topics like faith, nutrition, mental health, and business. When I’m not coaching women or chasing my two littles around the yard, I love to bake and decorate cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. I almost went to pastry school instead of becoming an RD, and even made my own wedding cake! (But let’s face it, who wants to voluntarily clean a kitchen every day after covering every surface with sugar and flour?!)
What is your God story? How did you come to faith in Christ, and how did that transform you?
I grew up in a Christian home with two parents who loved the Lord and demonstrated to me and my sister what that love looks like. Although I had accepted Christ as my savior at an early age, it wasn’t until college that my faith truly became my own. I made some really poor decisions as a college freshman that kept me distracted from what God was calling me to. Shortly after a hard breakup with my high school sweetheart, however, I was introduced to a small group that helped me start cultivating an intimacy with the Lord that I never knew was possible. This group also ended up leading to some of the deepest, most fulfilling friendships I’ve ever had… including my best friend, who I now call my husband.
What are some challenges you have faced as a girl or young woman and how have you persevered through them?
Control. I yearned for it.
When my husband and I moved from Texas back to Alabama, we were beyond excited to start a family of our own. Little did I know, we had a long journey ahead. I kept our struggle with infertility quiet because I didn’t want anyone asking us questions or telling me AGAIN, “It’ll happen when the time’s right.” I felt the Lord tugging at me to tell my small group about our desire to have a child, but I stiff armed Him. No way was I going to tell a bunch of ladies I barely knew my greatest hope and most vulnerable struggle.
But one night, God got convicted me, and I couldn’t keep it in anymore. So I opened up. I ugly cried. And I finally experienced peace. Letting go of my perceived control and surrendering to what the Lord was asking of me was more freeing than anything I had ever experienced.
Eight weeks later, I brought my sonogram to that same group. And despite the timeline we were expecting, our doctor dated my son’s conception back to that night when I surrendered it all to Him. Camden is literally a miracle baby.
How do you live out and grow in your faith each day?
One of my favorite ways to grow my faith in this stage of life as a mom of two littles under the age of five is through audio. I am most definitely a podcast junkie and keep a running list of 10-15+ episodes in my queue at all times. Right now, I’m studying the book of Leviticus with a group of friends, and I get so much out of listening to the Scriptures read aloud through the YouVersion Bible app, then pairing that with podcast episodes that dig into the original language and history behind the text.
I also have to make it a priority to surrender to the Lord on a daily basis. There are still areas of my life and faith where I know it takes more intentionality to let go of control and choose surrender so that I’m able to more fully grow in my walk with the Lord.
What is your favorite verse right now?
Amidst all the craziness and chaos we’ve been experiencing over the last two years with COVID, I find such peace in Exodus 14:14, when Moses says, “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Regardless of the circumstances around you, it’s possible to experience peace–the kind of peace that only comes from the Prince of Peace. So, when I need that reminder for myself, I read this verse and allow myself to be still, continuing the practice of surrender.
What message of encouragement do you have for other young women struggling with similar experiences as you?
If control feels like a safety blanket for you, I get it. If it’s comforting being in control because it means life feels more predictable, I’ve been there. And if you’re drowning in stress and anxiety… I’ve walked in your shoes.
But no more.
Feeling the need for constant control is one of the Enemy’s tactics that he knows has the potential to keep you from experiencing true freedom. Freedom in your mental health. Freedom in your physical health. And freedom in your spiritual health. I know that trading control for surrender can feel terrifying. But you don’t have to go it alone. Start by choosing to surround yourself with people who will give you the encouragement, support, and accountability you need to daily surrender to the Lord’s will and calling on your life.
You are valuable and worthy of love, and your true identity can only be found in Christ. Not in your abilities. Not in your body size or shape. Not in what someone else thinks of you. So, take the leap and let go of that control that’s keeping you trapped. Because freedom follows surrender.
Brittany Braswell is a wife, mom of two, Registered Dietitian, and founder of Fed Up with ED, a Christ-centered coaching program that helps women break free from the bondage of disordered eating and negative body image. She’s a true Southern girl from Alabama with a passion for seeing women ditch diet culture and take hold of their true identity in Christ.
