You see with Broken + Beloved you are soon going to get to know Kristen (the creator or B+B) as God knows her. The girl who struggled and still does with OCD, severe anxiety, depression, addictive behavior, suicidal thoughts due to lack of self worth and past emotional trauma she endured in her childhood. The girl who wouldn't be writing this post if she hadn't found her salvation and worth through Christ. Many of you don’t know her but in hopes that it may help others she is going to tell her story. She’s scared but if it blesses others it will all be worth it.
It has taken her years to start seeing herself the way that God sees her. Beautiful without make up, No filters and with every flaw, worthy of His salvation & grace. Beautifully Broken as she likes to call it and she wants to help other soul sisters do the same.
She's not the only one you are going to get to know their story. You will get to know many soul sisters in Christ who have risen from the ashes and are going to be brave and help others discover the beauty in their brokenness.
Broken + Beloved almost didn't happen. That's just the truth. Listen, it's hard to be raw, real and let the world see you for who you truly are. It was much easier to just walk way.
I will never forget the day I prayed God would give me a sign that I was supposed to stay the course and create Broken + Beloved.
I was scared and it wasn’t too late to just run the other direction, and let the devil win.
I prayed that God would give me a sign that this was his plan for me to create Broken + Beloved no matter how hard, expensive, or vulnerable it would make me.
That day I had to go to a training for work and the minute I walked into the door of the church where the training was held this was the image displayed in front of me.
A huge broken shining, sparkling, stunning mirror. It was the most beautiful object I had ever seen especially because it was so unexpected. Even with the one piece of mirror missing it was so imperfectly beautiful…kinda like how he created us. And from that day on I said “Ok God I get it."
I have not questioned God about the fact that he has placed this calling on my heart but instead prayed for God to let me be brave. Let me be brave enough to share the story that inspired B+B-my Dad. Let me be brave enough to take a gamble on myself when the world tells me you're going to fail. Let me be brave by showing where I am weak and have serious mental struggles often daily. Let me be brave enough to create B + B and not look back. Let me be vulnerable and share things that I don’t always let the world see. In hopes that all of it may help heal other Christian women who suffer too.
It’s time to take the mask off and reveal what makes us truly beautiful. The scars that made us who we are today. The brokenness that made us stronger. Who we are in Christ.
We are Broken by this World but so Beloved by our Savior
Oh, and yeah devil you’re right little ole’ me can’t do this but with God lighting my way you watch me!
-Kristen Stanford-
{Creator of B + B
Beloved Soul Sister}