I have read more books about weight loss and health than I care to remember. Some of the books were profound while others were silly. Some offered realistic advice, while others were flat out ridiculous. Some books treated our bodies like evolved machines while others reminded us that we were created by a Holy God. When I agreed to review My Big Bottom Blessing: How Hating My Body Led to Loving My Life by Teasi Cannon, I was expecting a book about getting skinny. Well, that is not what I got. Instead, what I got was a touching, and at times funny, story about one woman’s lifelong struggle with her weight. That struggle brought her through many highs and lows and left her right where she belongs. This book is not about losing weight, it is about finding the beauty within you, accepting who you are, being happy, and taking care of yourself on every level.
I will admit that I found the first several chapters trying as I could not see where the book was going. I kept expecting to hear her fabulous weight loss secret. Then, suddenly, the tone shifted and my stomach dropped as her tale got very personal. Something terrible happened to Teasi when she was a child and while I cannot relate to what happened to her, we can all relate to life dealing us a bad hand and causing us to question our value. One of my favorite quotes from the book is from page 184:
It’s easy to forget God’s epic plan as we sort through never-ending piles of laundry. It’s easy to forget we are children of the King when we compare our own anticlimactic Facebook status to those of our “friends ” – friends who all seem to be living the high life. And it’s easy to be tricked into loosening our hold on what God has given us when we take “just a peek” at the new real-estate listings – including the dream house we will never be able to afford.
This book is not about losing weight. Instead it is about finding your value as a woman. Maybe the journey Teasi takes you on this book will feel familiar. Maybe you have always struggled with your weight, or maybe your struggle is about your face, or even your worth. Whatever the issue, Teasi believes that the thing you hate most about yourself “can become the catalyst for serious life change” (p. 202). And do you know what? I agree with her.
Teasi argues that women need to reach out to others, tell their stories, and lay their pain at the feet of Jesus. Teasi issues her readers a challenge at the end of the book – a challenge I intend to take:
Let’s stand together as daughters of the King and tell our stories to all who will listen. Once we carried a load of pain and shame and despair, but God knew exactly how to use that burden. He knew exactly how to bring beauty out of those ashes. He knew that in the end it would all be worth the weight (p. 203).
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book to review and one to give away. All opinions expressed are mine.
About Janice
This sounds like an interesting book! I like how it seems to get to the root of why some of us have emotional eating issues, etc. I think everyone should know HOW to lose weight by now. But the why often leads to the lasting success.
That is so true. Eat less, move more…so why can’t we just do it!
I so need this book, this sounds just like me.
God Bless
This sounds like something I really need to read. I have always struggled with asigning my value to the number on the scale. I recently have struggled with gaining back weight I had lost, and am feeling like my sense of worth gets displaced more and more as the weight comes on. I feel like maybe God’s biggest desire through this is to help me see who I am in Him anbd remove the strong-holds that I have lived with all my life. Then I can find freedom.
I am loving the fact that it is a Christian based book. I find these kinds of books most inspiring.
I could pull out a few nuggets that would inspire me or help me. I’m not into the religious part but I am spiritual and I’m sure some things would jive with my perspectives. 🙂
I have struggled with my weight since having kids and was able to lose about 20 pounds and felt great. Then gradually began to gain a lot of it back. I feel like I could relate to this book and maybe it will be an inspiration to me to lose the weight and then some and keep it off.
Wow! Awesome review of the book!
I think it sounds like a great book! I also have struggles with my weight.
I’m interested in learning about her weight loss journey.
I love to read non-fiction!
I am always trying to improve myself so I love non fiction books
All of my life I have struggled with weight, period. I was a chubby kid, which turned into a nightmare when I starting liking guys, and I turned anorexic. Mom had to spoon feed me to try and get me to eat, and later in life, into my 30’s, I turned to food for comfort and here I am, 43 yrs old, and battling with being overweight. Thanks for the book review, I am currently on a diet and pray that I succeed in losing lotsa weight the healthy way this time around!