GLP-1 drugs, the injectable weight release medications that have gone viral, get a lot of attention. What gets far less attention is gastroparesis, a condition Dr. Tabatha describes simply: “Your stomach literally stops functioning.” In this episode she talks with Angela, a Fast to Faith certified coach living in a remote part of Hawaii, who knows that condition from the inside, and who found her way back to health and to God after feeling dismissed by the medical system.
When Doctors Start Talking About a Feeding Tube
In her early thirties, Angela heard doctors raise the possibility of a feeding tube. She felt her body shutting down, with no clear path forward. Living somewhere remote, she felt isolated, and after repeated hospital visits she started searching online for answers. That search led her to Dr. Tabatha.
Feeling Dismissed Is More Common Than You Think
Dr. Tabatha names what so many women experience: being told symptoms are “in your head” and leaving appointments with no real solutions. If that is your story, you are not alone, and you are not crazy for wanting answers.
Looking for the Root, Not Just the Symptom
What changed Angela’s outcome was learning that stress, gut dysfunction, and hormone imbalances are connected. Working on those root causes through Dr. Tabatha’s program, rather than only chasing symptoms, is what turned things around for her.
That is the heart of functional medicine and the Fast to Faith approach: ask why. If you are considering any medication, including a GLP-1, it is wise to ask your provider what it treats, what the side effects are, and whether there is a root cause that also needs attention. (Dr. Tabatha explains how to ask those questions in her own functional medicine story.)
God Uses Messy People
Both Angela and Dr. Tabatha share that past mistakes and seasons away from God once made them feel unqualified. Angela thought that not being married, or not having a “picture-perfect” Christian life, disqualified her from coaching or leading anyone.
They both landed in the same place. “He uses the messy ones. That’s where grace lives,” Dr. Tabatha says. And Angela adds: “God doesn’t wait for us to be fully healed to use us.” In her experience, “authenticity is more powerful than perfection.”
Saying Yes Before You Feel Ready
Angela describes becoming a coach as an act of obedience she said yes to before she felt ready. Dr. Tabatha reminds listeners that healing is an ongoing journey, and that women who are a few steps further along can help those just starting out.
A Sisterhood for Women Who Don’t Fit the Mold
The Fast to Faith community was built for women who don’t always feel at home in traditional church or friend groups, including women who have walked through trauma, divorce, loss, or chronic illness. What unites them is keeping Jesus at the center of their healing.
Thrive, Don’t Just Survive
Whether you are in menopause, postpartum recovery, or another big transition, Dr. Tabatha’s message is the same: God wants you to thrive, not just survive. He came to give you life, and life to the full.
Take-Home Steps
- If you feel dismissed, keep asking questions and look for a provider who looks for root causes.
- Before starting any new medication, ask what it treats, what the risks are, and what else could be driving your symptoms.
- Look at stress, gut health, and hormones together.
- Don’t let your past convince you that God can’t use you.
- Find community. You don’t have to heal alone.
Related reading: why diets don’t work for women over 40 and Angela’s story.
Meet the coach: Angela is a certified Fast to Faith coach and one of our Coach of the Month features. Read Angela’s full story →
Your next step: If this episode spoke to you, start the 5-Day Empowered by Faith Challenge and take your first faith-filled step toward healing, with Scripture, simple daily actions, and a community of women walking the same road.
This article summarizes a Fast to Faith podcast episode and is for education only. It is not medical advice. Talk with your own healthcare provider before changing medications, supplements, or your care plan.
Listen to the Full Episode
When Your Stomach Stops Working: Healing Gastroparesis, Faith, and Finding Sisterhood
In this soul-stirring episode, Angela shares her courageous journey from being dismissed by doctors to finding healing from gastroparesis—an all-too-common side effect of popular weight release injections. Living in a remote area of Hawaii, she felt isolated, sick, and hopeless—until faith, functional wellness, and a powerful community transformed her life.
We talk about messy Christianity, how God uses imperfect people to do His work, and the importance of showing up authentically—even when you’re still healing. Angela opens up about becoming a coach, why investing in herself changed everything, and how sisterhood gave her the strength to lead others. If you’ve ever felt unworthy of healing or ministry, this episode is your reminder that you were made for more.
If you liked this episode, watch it on YouTube! 👉🏻 https://youtu.be/8YPDhORxTcE
Chapters:
0:00 – GLP-1 Drugs & The Hidden Side Effect No One Talks About
1:10 – Living With Gastroparesis in Isolation
3:32 – From Emergency Rooms to Desperation to Divine Nudge
9:17 – Messy Christianity & Feeling Unqualified for God’s Work
14:03 – Creating the Sisterhood We Wish Existed
20:00 – Saying Yes Before You’re Ready
26:15 – Hope for Women in Transition and Healing Through Faith
If this episode spoke to you, share it with a woman who’s ready to rise again. 💛
The Transcript:
When Your Stomach Stops Working: Healing Gastroparesis, Faith, and Finding Sisterhood
(00:00)
Dr. Tabatha: Welcome back to the Fast to Faith Podcast! Today’s episode is one of the most important we’ve ever done. We’re talking about GLP-1 agonists—the injectable weight release drugs that have gone viral—and a dangerous side effect that isn’t getting enough attention: gastroparesis. Your stomach literally stops functioning. And for many women, this hits without warning. But this isn’t just about medication side effects. It’s about what happens when you feel dismissed by the medical system, isolated in your struggle, and unsure where to turn—until faith steps in.
(01:10)
Dr. Tabatha: I’m so excited to introduce you to someone I love deeply—Angela. She’s a Fast to Faith certified coach and someone who has walked through the fire. She lives in a remote part of Hawaii and has faced real, raw health battles, but she didn’t give up. Today, she’s sharing her story of hitting rock bottom with her health, hearing doctors say there was nothing more they could do, and choosing to believe there was still hope.
(02:32)
Angela: I still remember hearing them suggest a feeding tube. I was in my early thirties—young, vibrant, full of life—and yet my body was shutting down. I was desperate. I knew God had more for me, but I didn’t know how to find it. That’s when I started searching online for answers, and that’s how I found you, Dr. Tabatha.
(03:41)
Dr. Tabatha: What you just said is something so many women can relate to. Feeling dismissed by doctors. Being told your symptoms are “in your head.” Being offered no real solutions. But God doesn’t leave us there. When the world says “this is the end,” He says “not yet.” I’m so glad you didn’t give up.
(06:47)
Angela: I was in so much pain. Nothing made sense. And I was alone—physically and emotionally. But then I started learning how stress, gut dysfunction, and hormone imbalances were all connected. And once I began addressing the root causes through your program, it changed everything. I got my life back.
(09:08)
Dr. Tabatha: I want to shift gears for a second and talk about something just as important—our faith. You and I have both been through messy seasons. We’ve made mistakes. We’ve strayed from God. And for a long time, I believed that disqualified me from doing His work. But the truth is, He uses broken people. He uses the messy ones. That’s where grace lives.
(10:14)
Angela: I felt that too. I used to think, “I’m not married. I don’t have the picture-perfect Christian life. How could I ever be a coach or a leader?” But I’ve learned that authenticity is more powerful than perfection. Women need someone who gets it—not someone pretending they have it all together. That’s what this sisterhood is about.
(14:03)
Dr. Tabatha: YES. That’s exactly why we created this community. There’s a whole generation of women who don’t feel like they belong in a traditional church or friend group. Especially those of us who’ve been through trauma, divorce, loss, or chronic illness. But the truth is—God wants you anyway. And He wants to use you.
(16:07)
Angela: That’s what makes this sisterhood so special. It’s not just support—it’s spiritual growth. We’ve got women from all walks of life. Some have been married for 40 years with the white picket fence. Others, like us, have taken a messier road. But we all have one thing in common: we want to keep Jesus at the center of our healing.
(20:04)
Dr. Tabatha: Let’s talk about coaching. You didn’t stop at your own healing—you felt called to help others. That takes courage. Most people wait until they’re “perfect” before they take action. You stepped out in faith. Why?
(20:55)
Angela: Honestly, it was obedience. I didn’t feel ready, but I knew I couldn’t keep this to myself. God doesn’t wait for us to be fully healed to use us. He works through our healing. I knew if I could help even one woman feel seen, it would be worth it.
(24:10)
Dr. Tabatha: You’re living proof that our pain has purpose. And I love what you said—healing isn’t a destination. It’s a journey. You never “arrive.” But when you’ve climbed a few steps, you can turn around and help the woman behind you up the path. That’s what coaching is. That’s what ministry is.
(26:15)
Dr. Tabatha: If you’re listening right now and you’re going through menopause, postpartum recovery, or any big life transition—this episode is for you. God’s not done with you. He created you to thrive, not just survive. He came to give you life and life to the full—not just a life of scrolling and survival.
(27:40)
Dr. Tabatha: If Angela’s story touched your heart, please subscribe, like, and share this episode with a woman who needs encouragement. Let’s flood the algorithm with messages of healing, hope, and faith. There is a better way. And you’re not hearing this by accident.
(28:46)
Dr. Tabatha: Follow Angela on Instagram and YouTube—she’s just getting started. And if you want to be part of a faith-based coaching program or find a sisterhood like this one, reach out. We’re here for you. You were made for more.
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