Create the Table from Body Struggle to Joy RaeEllen Ellis’ Path to Freedom through Faith

Changing outfits 10 times. Opting out of photos. Avoiding mirrors. Coach and founder of Create the Table RaeEllen Ellis was all too familiar with this storyline, having spent years in a constant struggle with self-acceptance.

Taking root in high school and intensified by an abusive relationship, RaeEllen found the degrading voices of others replacing her own, leading to years of disordered eating and a painful relationship with her body.

Everything came down to how she looked. Each January she chose the same word of the year, quietly hoping it would finally become her reality: freedom. “That was all I wanted so bad,” she said.

After hard work, she was able to break through and recover her relationship with food, though she was still “trapped in the smallness of body image, shame, and lack of confidence,” she continued. It affected the jobs she took, men she dated, and overall lifestyle, as she accepted the treatment she believed she deserved. “I couldn’t grasp onto joy,” she said.

From 12 steps and group therapy to one-on-one guidance and life coaches, RaeEllen tried to heal the void—but it wasn’t until a women’s Bible study that something broke inside her. While she was a Christian, she didn’t have a true foundation. “It’s very different to actually walk with Jesus and know your value in that... There’s this lack of internal knowing who and whose we are,” she shared. It wasn’t about men, professions, or the number on the scale. It was knowing who she was created to be.

But this truth revealed that the problem ran deeper than just her own story. Because of social media, “girls as young as five are dealing with comparison and body image [issues],” she said, calling out movies for praising the woman who does it all, working full time, being a perfect wife, and looking flawless. At times, this intense pressure even morphs into negative self-talk, “the kind we wouldn’t even use on our worst enemies,” RaeEllen said.

She knew she couldn’t sit idle, so RaeEllen put her own testimony to paper. “It just poured out of me. I realized this wasn’t just my story—it was something so many women were quietly carrying” she said on developing Create the Table. “My goal is to help other women not take 10 years to find their peace and freedom in their bodies,” she continued.

Now, the founder of Create the Table helps women change their internal voices to ones of confidence and joy replacing years of self-criticism with true redemption. Through Create the Table, RaeEllen brings women together in a powerful community centered on body freedom, faith, and Christ-centered identity. The program guides women out of long seasons of shame and negative self talk into lives where internal peace becomes their foundation.

This freedom extends beyond body positivity, RaeEllen explains, helping others tap into Jesus. “I want women to live with greater peace and confidence and not just achieve more,” she says.

Meeting women where they are, she acknowledges that not all may be initially drawn to faith, recognizing church hurt and individual experiences. “I don’t know that I would have been attracted five years ago to something like this if I led with faith,” she continued, “...but as you get into the work, the faith starts to integrate.” Still, the heart of Jesus remains at the core. “Faith is grounding, and walking with God is freeing.” she says. This turns the program from a space focused only on healing the self into an opportunity to restore one’s identity and relationship with Christ. Through Create the Table, RaeEllen now brings women together in a community centered on body freedom, faith, and identity. This approach naturally ties into RaeEllen’s work with her other business, Kingdom Consulting Solutions, where she helps families and church leaders navigate mental health challenges and reach freedom in a similar format.

When it all comes together, every part of life transforms. RaeEllen’s relationships, work, and opportunities began to reflect the value and worth she now carries, and the women she has helped share similar experiences. “My vision is to help women feel at home in themselves—not performing, not proving, not fighting their bodies, just living fully in the freedom they were created for,” she said.

By Ruby Ford-Dunker