Forever Beloved

Faith, Love & Truth

Searching For Confidence

I pulled into the parking lot, grabbed my camera bag and headed out for my photo shoot. Before my feet hit the ground, she excitedly ran over to me.

Guess what I had done? The tummy tuck we always talked about.

As soon as she spoke those words, she looked me up and down. The next words she spoke left me feeling like I had been punched right in the gut.

It’s really too bad you got sick, you were looking so good before that.

The photo shoot felt like a blur. All I wanted to do was crawl back into my car and cry my eyes out.

As soon as I pulled out of the parking lot, I couldn’t hold the tears back any longer.  
Words matter.
Words hurt.

The things we speak to each other carry so much weight. The things we speak to ourselves determine what we believe.

On the drive home, through many tears, I ran to God. Y’all have no idea how many times He’s held me while I’ve ugly cried. I talked to Him like He was sitting right beside me.  Thank goodness He doesn’t judge my swollen face and puffy, red eyes.

For most of my life I’ve been a Negative Nancy and a Debbie Downer. As far as negative talk went, I was a pro. I could talk a mean game and cut to the bone with my words. The sad thing, this all went on inside my head. My entire life, I’ve compared myself to others around me. I was too fat, my booty was too big, I hated my nose, my teeth weren’t white enough and now lets add to it a stomach that is riddled with scars and looks like a road map.


Over the past few years, I’ve had a lot of bad days. I mean horrible, breakdown, take you to your knees days. Add to that the stress of multiple surgeries, weight gain, hair loss and scars beyond scars.

And it just hit me like a ton of bricks. I am beautiful as I am because I’m a daughter of the King and I’m made in His image. The tears slowed and a smile graced my lips.

I don’t have to compete with anyone.

My entire life I’ve been striving to be someone that I’m not.

I was searching for confidence in places I would never find it.

My husband loves me as I am.  My friends love my heart.  My scars from a bazillion surgeries tell a story of survival.  I am perfectly perfect as He wanted me to be.


A precious gem’s beauty isn’t always recognized until it enters the hand of a skilled jeweler who knows just how to clean and cut the gem in the way that will best reflect the light that shines on it.

I can be confident and so can you!  We can walk through this world with heads and hearts held high as daughters of the King.  Daughters who are messy and broken but transformed into beautiful simply because we are His.

True beauty is found on the inside. When we allow Him to guide us, mold us, to cleanse our hearts of anything that doesn’t please Him it’s reflected on the outside. We are beautiful on the inside and outside when we acknowledge Christ’s deep and abiding love for us. Love that doesn’t change with our appearance. He loves me in spite of my scars, booty, nose, bags under my eyes and droopy eyelids. His love is always, always, forever there and He accepts us exactly for who we are.

Sweet girls, embrace this truth with me today.

Slow Cooker Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Is there anything more comforting on a cold winter day than soup?  I found a few variations of this recipe on Pinterest, took a little of this and a little of that from each recipe and made it to fit what I had on hand.

This is a must make soup for the cooler months ahead. It is absolutely delicious, comforting, creamy and it has bacon. Did I mention that it has bacon? Oh, well it is packed with bacon. It is such a hearty soup that the entire family will love!

Slow Cooker Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Ingredients
8 potatoes, peeled and diced
1.5 lbs. hamburg
1/2 lb. bacon
3 cups chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 tbs. Tastefully Simple Onion Onion {or minced onion flakes}
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Peel and dice the potatoes, place them in the bottom of slow cooker.  Cook and drain the hamburg.  Layer it on top of the potatoes.  Sprinkle the Onion Onion (or minced onion flakes) on top of the hamburg.  You could also add in a little garlic.  Pour the chicken broth over the top.  Mix in the cream of mushroom soup.  If you feel you need more liquid, add a bit of water.  Cook on low for 4 – 5 hours, occasionally stirring, until potatoes are cooked through and break apart easily.  Careful not to cook too long or they’ll turn to mush.  Keep a close eye on the liquid level, adding more if needed.  Cook the bacon and drain it on a paper towel.  Cut the bacon into bite size pieces and add it to the soup.  Then add in the Velveeta cheese, cream cheese and shredded cheddar cheese.  Mix the cheese into the soup.  Cook this on low an additional 30 minutes until you see the cheese is fully melted.

MEAL PLANNING MONDAY

Monday – Hamburgs, baked beans and macaroni salad.


Tuesday – Chili Cheese Dog Bake…one of our favs!


Wednesday – Subway 


Thursday – French dip beef sammy, bacon cheese fries and homemade ranch…at the request of my youngest little, this is her FAV…


Friday – Pizza night ♥


Saturday – Finger food NYE party…cheese sticks, onion rings, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Brown Sugar Smokies, Queso Dip and Cucumber Party Slices.


Sunday – Sauerkraut, kielbasa, hotdogs and pork roast with homemade mashed potatoes and dumplings.