Breaking Free from Body Shame: Dare to Reclaim What God Has Named Good
Written by Jess Connolly
Reviewed by Cheryl Thornhill
“I have to separate the God who created me and the fallible humans who have spoken for Him in my life. I have to separate the good, gracious, intentional Father from those who have volunteered to be His spokespeople. We often need to untwist and untangle the truths about our King’s view of our bodies from lies that have been spoken by those who claim to love His kingdom, or by those who mean well but don’t yet understand the kingdom truth about their own bodies.”
Breaking Free from Body Shame
All of us most likely have or will struggle with body positivity at some point in our lives. If we want true freedom in who God made us to be, we must learn to make that separation between what other people have said about our bodies and how God views our bodies.
Jess Connolly wrote Breaking Free from Body Shame to help women learn to rename what the world has labeled less-than and truly break free from body shame. As a woman who has started two women’s ministries and is a pastor with her husband in South Carolina, she recognized the need for a book that talked directly to women about their bodies. This book not only addresses the concept that we were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) but delves further into how to apply that concept to our own bodies. Connolly is not afraid to dig deep, ask the hard questions, and to try and understand how God views our bodies. This book is for women who are tired of the lies and negative views of themselves and who are brave enough to work on changing that thought pattern. As you read, be willing to get vulnerable as Connolly pushes you to truly look at how God sees you and to undo years of negative thinking that you and others have put on yourself.
At the beginning of the book Connolly states that she hopes and prays that this book “is a place of understanding and solace, that it is a ginormous light shining toward God, who created us good, redeems every part of our lives, and offers that balm of healing through the power of the Holy Spirit.” I truly believe that this book can offer that balm of healing if you are willing to do the work to change.
Audience:
Adult women
Usefulness Rating:
This book is very useful for anyone who is struggling with body image and wants to truly see themselves as God sees them.
Entertainment Value:
This book isn't necessarily meant for entertainment; however, it does have questions at the end of each chapter and a “Words from Our Friends” section where readers can hear from other women who are on this journey.
Good For Groups:
At the end of each chapter the author provides questions that could be answered in a group setting.
Cheryl Thornhill is the woman behind Purest Treasure Ministries. She is passionate about equipping women with the skills and resources to intentionally cultivate time in their walk with God. To learn more about Cheryl or to interact with her, visit her on Instagram.
For more information about this book or other reading suggestions, feel free to contact me directly.
