My Big Bottom Blessing: How Hating My Body Led to Loving My Life

by Teasi Cannon

The media feeds us distorted images of beauty and what an "ideal woman" should look like. In My Big Bottom Blessing , author Teasi Cannon offers a way out of distorted body images and the pain of self-rejection.  She says, "My obsession with fat and failure robbed me of a lot of the good in my life.  I have been miraculously set free from the lie that being thin equals being beautiful."

My Big Bottom Blessing offers Teasi's story--and real-life solutions for the millions of women who struggle with poor self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy and rejection.  Whatever it is that you despise most about yourself (it doesn't have to be weight) can become the catalyst for serious life change. Teasi' story proves that emotional pain can be healed and self-confidence found from knowing that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

My Big Bottom Blessing is a joyful, compassionate, and wise guide from someone who knows the power of exchanging the way we look with a new way of seeing.



"The healing truths and humor in this book have been like a song to my spirit. Every woman will find herself--and a new way of seeing--in this life-changing book."
--Wynonna Judd , five-time Grammy winner and New York Times best-selling author of Coming Home to Myself
"Regardless of what you weigh or the crazy diets you may have tried, My Big Bottom Blessing will set you free from the numbers game, to embrace God's beautiful best for your life!" --Constance Rhodes , founder and CEO, FINDING balance and author of Life Inside the "Thin" A Personal Look into the Hidden World of the Chronic Dieter
"If you are tired of being defined by your pant size or three little numbers on a scale, My Big Bottom Blessing is for you. Snappy, authentic, and powerfully written, Teasi has finally given real women something BIG to cheer about." --Allison Allen , Broadway actor and author of the forthcoming Windblown novel, The Magdalene

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Self Help, Religion

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 6, 2009

Reviews

[Jasmine Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I think about a dream vacation, I imagine being on a beach and being able to read to my heart's content. (I'm not much of a water person, but I like looking at it!) However, I am terrified to think about being out in the sun in a bikini or swimsuit, especially with my post-baby, a little more squishy, and a lot more wobbly body. That's why reading My Big Bottom Blessing was such a blessing to me this summer because God thinks I'm beautiful just the way I am!

I NEEDED this book this summer. Summertime means the temperature goes up and the clothes get smaller, which means that I need to show more skin if I want to stay cool and not be a sweaty mess all the time. I think one of the biggest things I wasn't expecting after having a baby was how much pregnancy, breastfeeding and being a new mom would change my body. I guess I was just hoping that it would go back to normal after some time, but I'm realizing that there will always be a soft pooch to my tummy because no matter how many crunches I do, it just ain't getting any tighter. Alongside all these changes has been the Enemy feeding me with endless, constant lies and frankly, I've been believing them.

What I loved about Cannon's book is that she told her story with truth and raw honesty. There was a section in the beginning about how she even dreaded going to family gatherings because she was the "fat cousin." This is one insecurity I have myself and it was so refreshing to see that I wasn't the only one who dreaded being the definitely-not-thin one at a big family reunion. Cannon spoke from the heart and poured our her soul onto these pages and I appreciate that because it made me realize that I am not alone. I am not the only one being pounded on daily by the lies of the Enemy and my own insecurities. I enjoyed reading about all the different voices in her head because they sound a lot like the ones I have my own head.

I devoured this book in a day and couldn't put it down once I got started. I think the only thing that was lacking was more practical steps towards believing that I am God's beautiful creation. I'm a girl that likes specific how-to's or things to do. I am proud to say that after reading this book that I am more apt to combat the negative voices in my head and fight back with the truth- I AM BEAUTIFUL JUST THE WAY I AM. :)

If you have similar insecurities like me and want some relief from the daily battles with the Enemy about your body, you should definitely check out My Big Bottom Blessing.

For more reviews from the bookish mama, please click here.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Big Bottom Blessing is a nonfiction book about well... Teasi Cannon's big bottom! It's a delightful, humorous and fulfilling book regarding our "broken" views of body images. If you are looking for a diet book, this is not the book for you! However, if you are looking for an inspirational, God-honoring, love yourself as you are book, then you've chosen well!

I really loved the format of this book. There was the reading or what I like to refer to as the "testimony" part with scriptural references/reinforcement, then there was the self evaluation part, thoughtful questions that really allowed me to examine why I respond the way I do, and finally the "pep talk." Combined, these different approaches all helped to reinforce the reading.

You can see this review and more at my blog: Take a Walk With ME www.maggie965.blogspot.com

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

another thin person who thinks they're fat lecturing me on trusting God with my emotional issues and accepting myself while still making veiled fatphobic statements

[Allizabeth Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review:

Finally, a witty, down-to-earth and well-written book about one woman's lifelong struggle with her self-esteem and body image! I have read so many self-help/diet/women's nonfiction guides pertaining to weight loss and body happiness that I have learned to take little stock in the genre. There are so many doctors/trainers pushing "the best" diet, exercise plan, weight loss surgery, etc, that it is easy to lose hope when one of those millions of plans fails. For most of us who struggle with our bodies, one small failure can cause a total loss of hope and motivation, which is why Teasi Cannon's book is so refreshing. My Big Bottom Blessing is all about acceptance, inner beauty, and the realization that we are all made in God's image. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down! Teasi's inner and outer struggles with her body image mirror my own, and her writing style makes it easy to relate. She balances humor, heartbreak, wisdom, encouragement, honesty and compassion to create an authentic and enjoyable chronicle of her life experiences, from her feelings about family gatherings, to the horrors of her past, and her acceptance of her future. It is a very personal story, but one that has forever changed the way I feel about my own body. Knowing how to accept one's image is a much better source of motivation than a book about dieting, exercise or liposuction. There is also a section at the end of each chapter that allows the reader to reflect, take notes, read related scripture, and evaluate what they have learned about themselves. These sections inspired me; as a Christian woman I have always been told that humans were made in God's image, but I had never really thought about what that meant. In a world that emphasizes a skewed vision of outer beauty, (perfect skin, perfect hair, model thinness, etc.), this is a lesson that everyone needs to be taught. Everyone is perfect and beautiful in their own way - it shouldn't be rated or judged - body image is at the discretion of the individual. This book is recommended for Christian women of all ages, and to those who want to find out more about themselves instead of pursuing another emotionally empty diet plan.

Rating: Clean Getaway (5/5)

*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In My Big Bottom Blessing, Teasi Cannon reveals intimate details about struggling with her weight. She has listened to the inner voices of "Trainer" and "Young Fat Girl" most of her life. The voices were negative thoughts that she believed about herself. She recalls like most people the pain of childhood and name calling. Her maiden is Teasi Gootee and she had to endure the effects of being bullied. When she was in sixth grade a boy started saying, "Teeeezee Goooody has a greasy bootie". Eventually other classmates started teasing her with that saying. The cycle of comparison started to consume her life. She continued to tear herself down with negative thinking and she let her weight stop her from living her life fully and freely. God came in and started transforming her mind into his image and thoughts.

One of the scriptures that spoke to me was:
"But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." Matthew 12:25 (Page 19)

I connected to this book because I too have had to deal with others hurtful comments about my weight. There were many times that I believed the lies from satan and the people he used to convince me that I'm not as fit and accepted as someone else is. I would recommend this book to women who are having trouble with believing the truth about what God thinks about them. God can help you overcome negative thinking by replacing the lies with His truth. Men could also read this book in order to find out what women have to face daily. As I man, I understand and I'm seeing the pressure the world is putting on women to look a certain way. This book is very well written to lead women to loving their bodies completely. The book is filled packed with scripture to mediate on, believe, and to speak out over their lives. The book also contains wonderful questions to answer after each chapter. Reading this book will assist readers in building up their self-esteem by confessing what God declares in his living word.

"I received this book for free from Worthy Publishing for this review".

[Hannah Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by Teasi Cannon is more than a book about overcoming self image issues, its about truly becoming a daughter of The King.

I absolutely love the way that this book is written. Not preachy, not impersonal, like your typical self help book. It was like sitting down and talking with a friend most of the time ( you know, those friends who give it to ya straight). I think this was a great way to write it because a lot of people can relate and be engaged. If this book was more preachy, then I think that I would have skimmed right through this book without skipping a beat, but the writing style pulled me in instead.

I also love how real this book is. In the book the author talks about hearing the voices of "trainer" and other internal voices. I think that we've all had those thoughts or "voices" at some time or another. Its something that we all deal with, but we hardly ever talk about.
I think that the authors transperancy with her life, and her willingness to talk about different womens issues, and issues with people in general, really made this book for me. There are a lot of truths to be found in this book, for sure.
I also loved how she didnt just talk about her life, etc. She backed everything she was saying with scripture, so you could actually see that the Bible lines up with what she's saying.

The only thing that slightly annoyed me with this book, was the little workbook like pages at the end of chapters. Honestly, I thought that you made the connections to your own life as she was telling the stories just fine without the workbook pages. It seemed like that was trying a bit too hard. But that is literally my only qualm with this book.

It was great! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to know more about truly becoming a daughter of God, or someone who has self esteem or body image issues, but I would also recommend it to just about any christian woman out there. There are a lot of truths to be found in this book, whether you are having self esteem issues or not.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine pulling up your favorite comfy, cozy chair next to your coolest friend. Now, she is beginning to share her deepest hurts in a way that makes you say...

"That's me!"

"I thought I was the only one who felt this way."

"I'm not the only one who is hearing voices!"

Whenever I see a "Christian self-help book I cringe and read in a lot of negative thoughts. As a Christian and acknowledging Christ in my life, I know it is only by God's grace, mercy, and work in / through my life can I overcome my many mental strongholds. That said, I am so glad I read Teasi's book!

Teasi Cannon has shared her painful past including weight issues, self-esteem, believing satan over God, and more. Yet through her walk toward godly living, she has learned to identify the lies and find healing in Christ. A self-help book this is not. Not a "do A and B will happen."

Through her conversational style of writing and humor, the reader feels as though she is having a 'coffee talk' just with Teasi. She doesn't put herself as the one with all the answers, but points you to God and His truths concerning you and your life. She doesn't just talk about the Bible, but includes complete scriptures (along with their addresses) that reveal God's love and truth about His people... including you and me! At the end of each chapter are pointed questions to reveal the heart of the reader to help us identify any weaknesses / lies we are believing. A "Pep Talk" completes each chaper to encourage us in our healing process.

As she revealed the negative self-talk she had with herself, I could identify with her characters: trainer (body image), reflection (the mouth of moral weakness), scale god, sabby the saboteur, and entitlement. I know I have a few more, too.

She pens a new acronym WWJFO. Grab the book and learn what it is and how we can incorporate this into our lives!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing and Handlebar Marketing for my honest review.


Blessings,


Ellen

[Pilar · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I let my doctors (not Vanity Fair or Cosmo) tell me if I'm physically healthy,
and I let God alone assign my value." - Teasi Cannon

My Big Bottom Blessing was a God send. I couldn't help being amazed by the parallels and similarities of Teasi Cannon's life and my own. Except for the fact that she is way funnier than me.

Teasi Cannon is a gifted writer and entertaining storyteller. She writes about difficult topics with ease and makes them understandable to the reader. She also writes with humor, authenticity and transparency.

In My Big Bottom Blessing, Teasi Cannon's writes about her own struggles with weight, which coincidentally happens to be one of my struggles.

Since childhood, I've struggled with my weight, inheriting the slow metabolism gene. I was a chubby kid which resulted in my being made fun of a lot. Unfortunately, between being ridiculed and other factors which this book discusses at length, I developed a complex. You can call it low self esteem, bad body image or self image. As a result, shame is associated with my weight and body image.

I am thankful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Handlebar Marketing to read and review. This book brought clarity and changed my perspective on many levels.

My Big Bottom Blessing helps dispel the lies women believe about themselves. If you are a woman struggling with weight, self esteem, body image or anything hindering you from seeing yourself the way God sees you, I encourage you to get this book. My Big Bottom Blessing will completely change your life!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would never in a million years consider my big bottom a blessing! But author Teasi Cannon (don't you love her name?), has not only learned to love her big bottom, she has learned how to love her life.

My Big Bottom Blessing - How Hating My Body Led to Loving My Life is chock full of humour and powerful insights into how we as women have not only lied to ourselves, but have allowed the media, the world's expectations of us and even Satan to torment us because of the way we look.

Let's face it, not many of us are happy with the way we look, but does God care about what we look like? Not a bit. But knowing that, doesn't help some women. They still keep putting themselves down by focusing on those parts of their bodies that they don't like. Then they start to believe the lying voices in their heads like:

"No one could possibly love me with the way I look."

"I will never lose any weight. I might as well give up now."

My personal favourite is one that torments me: "Why are you sucking in your stomach? It doesn't hide anything anyway!"

Yes, we all have things we don't like about ourselves, but as Teasi points out, these attitudes are not God-honouring, nor are they doing us any favours. With insight and wisdom and a whole lot of humour, Teasi shares how she finally came to appreciate her big bottom and love life in the process.


Teasi has included some wonderful verses of encouragement in each chapter and thought provoking questions as well, that will dig deep into your soul to help you find the real you and love her as much as God does.

[IrenesBookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would be a great book for any woman who struggles with how they look. If you look in the mirror and do not like what you see you will glean some much needed guidance from reading this book.

The author, Teasi Cannon is very open and writes with a sense of humor. Learning how to ignore or change your inner voice can be a challenge, especially when it comes to how you see yourself. I liked how the author used personal examples, I thought they really helped you see how much she understands what she is writing about. The section about putting on the armor of God is one I especially enjoyed. Her comparisons to today’s clothing were excellent.

There is also a study guide included with helpful questions to further your growth. The extra questions and scriptures made each chapter richer with information. Learning to love your body can be such a life long struggle but I think that if you read this book you will be taking a step in the right direction.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read.

[My Book Addiction and More MBA · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY BIG BOTTOM BLESSING: HOW HATING MY BODY LED TO LOVING MY LIFE by Tessi Cannon ​is a religion/christian living book. A thought provoking and powerfully written book with a bit of humor. It is about the struggle with self-image,abuse,and allowing God to change you inside and out. Ms. Cannon has written an interesting and compelling story full of insight,scripture and healing. "My Big Bottom Blessing" is written from the heart and experience of this author. A wonderful book for anyone with painful memories,who needs healing and who often has negative thoughts running around in their heads. A powerful story with powerful values. Received for an honest review from the publisher. Details can be found at Worthy Publishing,the author's website,and My Book Addiction and More.
​
​RATING: 5
HEAT RATING: NONE(Self-help,religion,christian living)
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, My Book Addiction and More

[Wendy Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Big Bottom Blessing is a motivational Christian based story of Teasi and how she overcame how she felt about her looks. I think almost every female has an issue with how they look and in retrospect, how they feel. Teasi shows us how to change our perspective. It's more about emotion than body image.
My Big Bottom Blessing isn't preachy but is glimpses of Teasi's life and how it affected her as an adult. She calls herself Fat Christian Woman and has many talks with God. Each chapter ends with a prayer, a Bible verse an a pep talk. It also has discussion questions that can be shared in a small setting, perhaps a church or women's group.

I really enjoyed My Big Bottom Blessing. I could relate to Teasi on many levels and appreciated her candor and emphathized with her struggles. Well worth the read!!

[Chrystal Mahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

We've all been there. That constant struggle. Some of us have lost the weight and life went forward without a hitch. For other, the weight was a constant battle. Some still want to lose, other just want peace. In My Big Bottom Blessing: How Hating My Body Led to Loving My Life, Teasi Cannon shares her story on how she finally made her peace with her weight. I can't stress enough how great and helpful I found this book to be at this point in my life.

The rest of my review: http://www.selfemployedwriter.com/201...

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this humorous and thought-provoking book on what can go on in a woman's mind as she looks at herself and those around her. I would love to re-read it with the purpose of working through it slowly to dig deeper into myself and it's concepts. Met the author at our Book Study group and she was as real and interesting in person as she appears in the book. A totally awesome Christian woman sharing her soul with us. Meeting the author at our book club was a real blessing. T. Cannon was truly as honest and charming as the book as she shared her story with us.

[Lorri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and humor. She goes from telling about her problems with weight to how we can overcome whatever it is that is bothering us, in an almost step by step guide. Along with each chapter are questions to ask ourselves and Scripture verses. She also includes recommended reading and an appendix. The one thing I took from this book is that we should never settle for a low self-esteem or body image.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest opinion

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read!! Love, Love, Love, Teasi Cannon's humor. At first I thought this book was JUST about a woman dealing with weight-loss issues, but oh my, it is so so so much more than that. It's time we took our rightful place as daughters of the King and kick the devil's schemes and sabatoging ways right to hell where they belong! If you want to be spiritually and emotionally free - this book will get you well on that path!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was amazing. It made me stop thinking about myself as being fat. It made me look at myself the way that God looks at me. He loves me for me, not for what I look like.

[Alexis Neal · Rating 2 out of 5]

A memoir of sorts, tracking the author’s struggles with obesity, self-image, and spiritual growth. I confess, I was expecting more of a how-to book—something that would offer me advice and hope in my own attempts to achieve (and maintain) a healthier weight. I’m not sure exactly where this idea came from, other than the fact that nearly all books about weight loss and “body image” are, at heart, guidebooks to the svelte figure of your dreams (or at least to the wholehearted embrace of the beauty of your body, whatever its shape). And this book is more autobiographical than instructional. It tells me about the author’s story, but offers little to no help for my own battles with gluttony, laziness, self-indulgence, fear of man, and vanity. But now that I re-read the blurb on the back of the book, I realize that the book was billed as a memoir from the start. There’s a brief line on the back cover, telling me that her story will propel me to realize my own value and beauty, but I suspect that’s just hype from the publisher. This is her story, not yours. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

As for the content itself, I didn’t love it. Cannon is honest about the internal conversations and struggles that plague most women in today’s image-conscious society. I expect most readers will see themselves reflected in Cannon’s neuroses and temptations. But the gospel isn’t super clear here. Cannon focuses on God as adoptive father—and our resulting identity as princesses—rather than on our sinful rebellion against God. Of course, God is the adoptive father of His people (Eph 1:4-6), and the image of adoption is a beautiful picture of the gospel and the unmerited favor bestowed on us when we deserved nothing but wrath. (Ez. 16:1-14) Unfortunately, Cannon seems to be so fixated on this loving God that she doesn’t fully engage the sin issues that, at least in my case, are the true cause of my weight issues. I don’t gain weight just because I don’t see myself as the princess that I am. I am sinning—giving in to self-indulgence, gluttony, laziness, self-pity, and a host of other sins. I make my stomach my god. (Phil. 3:17-20) My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. It is not my own but was bought with a price. (I Cor. 6:19-20) Yet I neglect it by filling it with junk food, overeating, not getting good exercise. When I do this, I sin against God. I am not merely ‘not living up to’ my royal position. I am actively wronging God. (Ps. 51:4) And for this sin, I need to be forgiven and reconciled to my Father. Praise the Lord, this reconciliation has been effected by Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross in my place. (Rom. 5:9-11) But I don’t think we can meaningfully engage in a discussion about obesity without a healthy understanding and acknowledgement of the serious nature of our sin.

Now, I realize not everyone who is obese is sinning—there are, after all, varying body types and thyroid issues and who knows what all. But I know my weight is a direct result of sin, and it sounds like Cannon’s struggles are steeped in sin as well—fear of man, envy, vanity, etc., all of which I know well myself.

Cannon’s incomplete understanding of sin is particularly noticeable when she is discussing the sexual abuse she endured as a child. She recalls a ‘conversation’ with God (the book is full of these) in which He essentially told her the story of a little boy who was physically abused and thus grew up to be so terrified of adults that he became a pedophile. She does not claim that this was true of the man who abused her, but seems to imply that sin is based on brokenness—that is, we sin because we’ve been hurt. This is contrary to the Bible’s assertion that we sin because we are sinners. Ever since the Fall, it’s been in our nature to do bad things. (Ps. 14:3; Eph. 2:1-3) We don’t need to be victimized in order to victimize others. It may be easier and more palatable to extend forgiveness to a pedophile if one believes he was the victim of circumstance, but I don’t know that it’s consistent with scripture. After all, God forgave us when we were in rebellion against Him, and we had no excuse. He didn’t say “well, she had it rough, so I’ll let her into heaven.” His forgiveness is revolutionary precisely because there were no mitigating factors. “Guilty, vile, and helpless”—that’s what we were. Only when we have a complete understanding of sin can we fully appreciate the lavish grace He has poured out on us.

Cannon also runs into problems in her discussion of God’s sovereignty. Again, when dealing with the sexual abuse against her, Cannon asks God why He didn’t protect her and prevent the abuse in the first place. Her conclusion, placed once again in the mouth of God Himself, is that God is powerless to override free will. He gave us free will and if men choose to pervert it, He cannot stop them. This interpretation leaves us with an image of a helpless God, wringing His hands in heaven as he worries distressedly over the horrible things people do to each other—things He would like to stop, but he cannot. This is not the God of the bible. (Gen. 50:19-20; Ps. 33:10-11; Ps. 45:6-7; Prov. 16:4, 9; Prov. 19:21; Prov. 21:1; Ecc. 7:14; Is. 46:9-10; Acts. 4:27-28; Eph 1:11-12) The theology of suffering is challenging, to be sure, but stripping God of His sovereignty is no answer.

Finally, a word about Cannon’s “cure.” Essentially, the course of the book could be summed up as follows: I hated my body and my weight and I was overweight and sinful and I tried everything and nothing worked and I prayed and went to conferences and nothing worked and then one day God fixed it and now I’m happy. The end. It has the merit of being honest, at least—Cannon doesn’t claim that the solution lies in books or conferences or diets or even prayer. The solution is God, and He steps in when He sees fit. True, but not terribly helpful for those of us not yet ‘healed’ of our body image issues.

Then, too, this ‘healing’ doesn’t deal with the very real sins often interwoven with obesity. Even if tomorrow God shows me that my body is ‘beautiful’, that doesn’t mean it’s beautiful when I stuff myself even though I’m already full. It’s not beautiful when I give in to every craving even though I know the fat or sugar is bad for my body. It’s not beautiful when I laze about on the couch instead of stretching my muscles and taking care of my body so I will be fit to serve the Lord well and can stay mobile. We may be beautiful to God, and it is wonderful when He allows us to see ourselves as He sees us. But He cannot see our sin as beautiful—nor should He. Our sin is ugly. And no amount of God-given self-acceptance can change the sinfulness of sin. Our sin is forgiven; it is not accepted. (Prov. 15:25; Is. 61:8; Matt. 23:25; Gal. 5:19-21) If we view our sin with complacence, we are not seeing ourselves as God sees us.

At the end of the day, this book was simply not all that helpful, and seemed to suffer from some very questionable theology. As such, there wasn’t really enough to warrant recommending it to others. If you struggle with food/health/weight issues, you’re better off reading Elyse Fitzpatrick’s Love to Eat, Hate to Eat, and giving this book a pass.

I received this book for free from Handlebar Marketing for this review. This book has been identified by the marketing campaign as pertaining to body image, self image, low self esteem, sticks & stones, hurtful words, and how to build self esteem.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many people, I’ve had a life-long battle with my weight.  I’ve had highs and lows and at times bought into what society is saying.  Coming to terms with my body being MY body and not someone else’s has been a challenge and only attainable through relationship with God.

That is the very premise of My Big Bottom Blessing: How Hating My Body Led to Loving My Life by Teasi Cannon.

She shares her journey through the years in a humorous and down to earth style.  I could so relate to so much in this title.  I never named the negative voices like she does here, but either in my head or out of the mouth of others I’ve heard many of the derogatory comments about my body that she felt about hers.  And, I’ve joined in on the negativity at times without thinking about how my own projections might hurt others.  Misery loves company, don’t ya’ know!

Is Teasi looking in MY head or is it just that so many of us suffer such similar maladies?

Okay, if you are looking for an inspirational story of someone who took the bull by the horns and is now model thin and living the dream life, then don’t bother with this book.  However, if you are unhappy with your life and the struggles with weight and body image, this book could be inspirational for you.

As she goes through the different struggles she experienced, Teasi also adds in lists of Scripture to point you toward the truth in God’s Word and questions for the reader to delve a bit deeper on the topic addressed and how it applies to them.  Some of the questions might not even ask you to leave your comfort zone and face some ugly truths about yourself.  The bottom line in this book is that only God can bring us happiness and contentment while the world will always disappoint.

Have I completely overcome my struggles with weight and body image?  No.  But, I’ve sought counsel in prayer and become more proactive in my choices to be able to enjoy life rather than try to transform myself into the image society says is ‘desirable.’  Reading Teasi’s words helped to cement much of what I’d already come to realize and gave me further fodder for consideration as I journey in relationship with God here and do my best to live my life with an eye on the ultimate prize…Heaven.

Disclaimer: I was given an advance reader copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

[Michelle Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I should probably read it again before leaving a review, because I definitely plan to read parts of it again. Portions of this book were so profoundly life changing for me. I listened to the audiobook and as I drove along I kept finding myself nodding in the affirmative to having felt the same feelings, having the same thoughts, and saying the same things to myself. Teasi's experiences are no doubt the same as so many people have had, and I'm so thankful that she was willing to put it all out there and share her story, and what she learned in the process, to help those of us who haven't quite made it to that place of healing just yet. God used this book to minister to me in such an incredible way, to answer questions that maybe I'm still not 100% happy with the answer, but at least I have more understanding now. There was a lot of food for thought here and many "aha" moments.

I don't know if people who aren't Christians would glean as much from the book as it is heavily about the relationship between yourself and God, and the healing He can bring. They could definitely relate, I'm sure to the feelings, and emotions experienced, as those happen to most of us in our life regardless of faith. It's up to the individual if they would like to read it, but I just thought I would offer up the information that it has scriptures, prayers, and speaks very much to the Christian faith experience.

Some things I didn't like as much - I didn't care for the narrator of the audiobook. I also cringed every time God was referred to as "Daddy", that might be a personal thing, it has always bothered me.

Overall though, I would highly recommend this title to anyone who has experienced trauma, and struggled with their weight and all the emotional sabotage it brings with it.

[Kaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a title! 😄 This book is for any woman wanting to see change happen in her life, not just those dealing with a bit of extra weight. ✨ Teasi Cannon opens up to the reader in a very vulnerable way. She uses her own story and God's work in her life to encourage the readers to do some digging in their own lives. She writes from the perspectives of different "voices" in her head for example Fat Christian Woman (her vulnerable side) and Trainer (the "person" in her pushing her to do better). Instead of being weird, I felt like I better understood Teasi's situation because of the multiple perspectives. And although we might not refer to them as "voices" or "people," I think we can all relate to the different perspectives we all deal with as we live, evaluate and make choices.

Trigger warning: child sexual abuse 😔

[Sue Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed listening to this enlightening book. It was filled with scripture and concrete ideas on how to get past some emotional issues. The main theme is that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God and as His workmanship we shouldn’t be hating on our bodies.
She was easy to listen to.

[Cindy aka "The Book Fairy" · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a pleasure to read! Wise and wonderful :)

[Denise Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on learning to accept your body by meditating on God’s word. I loved her transparency. She’s a victim of sexual abuse became overweight then started hating her body

[Jodi Uplinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good. So many lies we tell ourselves because of how we look, but we need to see ourselves as God sees us (audio book)

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how Teasi made the hard stuff make sense. I know how I have missed out because of weight gain and loss. Our struggles really draw us to God and that is a blessing.

[Sandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

If one thing is sure, it is that most women dislike something about their body. Some don't like their noses, others their hair. But overwhelmingly, women are obsessed about their weight and peg their self-worth to the numbers on the scale.

Teasi Cannon was one of those women. She has struggled with her weight all her life, and fought constantly with the negative, self-hating thoughts she had about her body. How could anyone like her? How could she possibly go have fun on the beach or in a hot tub? Did her husband really love her, or was that just pity that made him stay with her? Did her friends constantly talk about her behind her back?

My Big Bottom Blessing is not a diet and exercise book. Rather it is a book about learning to accept that God loves each individual, no matter what their size or shape. God doesn't judge on external appearances. Once someone truly accepts that fact, size loses its focus. Cannon discusses her life journey to get to that point, pointing out with humor and honesty her mistakes along the way.

This book is recommended for readers of Christian literature, and for women struggling with body acceptance issues. Each chapter outlines an issue, gives Cannon's experience with it, then talks about what the Bible says about it. The chapter ends with discussion questions and motivating thoughts. This book can be a help in changing self-images and thus worth the read, especially for those who are religious.

[Sandy Sandmeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my review of this book here: http://sandysandmeyer.wordpress.com/2...

[Book Blogging Beauties · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read our review here:
http://bookbloggingbeauties.blogspot....#

[Lindsaylu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew that this was coming from a Christian perspective when I began reading it, but it was waaaaay preachier than I expected.