What’s in a Name?

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…”

I know. I know. Now a days good ol’ Bill’s iambic pentameter is about as relevant as a MySpace profile in 2016.

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OK OK, maybe an overstatement. After all, one of my favorite roles I ever portrayed was Lady Macbeth…

But I’ve gotta be honest…my boy, Leo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet was the best thing that ever happened to Shakespeare…

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*swoon*

But I digress.

Names.

What’s in a name?

I know I’ve recently come out with my name, but what about BeautyBeyondBones?

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I think a common misconception is that it is referring to my recovery from anorexia. Fromย literally transforming from a skeletal frame to a healthy and vibrant young lady.

Which is true.

During the depths of my sickness, my skeletal frame was the physical manifestation of my interior brokenness. When I would look in the mirror, all I would see was the projection of my guilt, shame and inability to love myself. And I carried that into much of my early stages of recovery.

And I’m going to be honest with you. This aspect of my recovery – the mirror – has been one of the most difficult to shake. It has been an area where I can still get tripped up with –ย being so deeplyย disappointed in the reflectionย staring back at me – seeing only the pain I’ve caused my loved ones and deep shame I carry with me.

It wasn’t until I realized that my beauty comes fromย Christ living in my heart, that I truly began to heal. My physical body – my flesh, muscles, andย bones – they’re beautiful, because they were “knit together in my mother’s womb” by the Lord. His handiwork.

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But it goes beyond that.

I want to just pause here for a second, because when I was in my disease, my mother used to tell me that. And even though she was 100% right on the money, I didnโ€™t want to hear it. I didnโ€™t want to think about being a child of God. I wantedย nothing to do with it. I just wanted to be alone with ED, self-destructing. Maybe you can relate.

Here’s something that I could have related to a bit more.

Thereโ€™s a story in Ezekiel 37 that literally sums up my recovery. And it sums up Beauty Beyond Bones. I seriously almost fell out of my chair when I read it. Allow me to paraphrase:

God leads Ezekiel out into the desert where he is surrounded by tons ofย dead, dry, bones. Ezekiel asks God, โ€œCan these dry bones live?โ€ And the Lordย breathed into the bonesย and theyย came to life. They came together, bone to bone, flesh appeared, and skin covered them. His โ€œbreath entered them, they came to life and stood up on their feet โ€“ a vast army.โ€ ย โ€ฆ God said, (13-14) โ€œI willย breatheย my Spirit into you and you willย live.โ€

I was that pile of dead, dry bones โ€“ both literally and figuratively. My hope was dried up, my body was dried up. I was lifeless: aย shell of a human, without passion, without purpose,ย without hair, and without the belief that I could go on.ย I was a bunch of dead bones.

But Jesus breathed life into me. Into my dead bones, and brought them to life. He restored me. Restored my body, my spirit, my mind. He took the old, dead me, and gave meย new life. He made me aย new creation.ย 

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Believing that my beauty is beyond bones has been a long and arduous journey. And if Iโ€™m really honest, Iโ€™m still on it. But every day, Iโ€™m getting closer. Every day, Jesus works a little more and more on my heart.

And I celebrate the fact that I am no longer that pile of dead, dry, bones. God hasย breathed lifeย into me, andย that, friends, is the beauty beyond bones.

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296 responses to “What’s in a Name?”

  3. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away. And the One seated on the throne said, โ€œBehold, I make all things new.โ€ ~ Revelation 21:4-5 This is what I love about your blog… You are very much a beautiful woman but it is your soul that shines… hence “beauty beyond bones,” I guess. Keep it up.

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  4. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away. And the One seated on the throne said, โ€œBehold, I make all things new.โ€ ~ Revelation 21:4-5 This is what I love about your blog… You are very much a beautiful woman but it is your soul that shines… hence “beauty beyond bones,” I guess. Keep it up.

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  5. I’m not quite sure how I found you, but I’m grateful I did. I really enjoy your posts. You are such a beacon of hope, not just for those in recovery from ED (or anything else for that matter) or those who have or are struggling with faith (I am the latter). You are simply a beautiful soul, and when you share vulnerably with us, we are blessed by it. That’s what I’m striving for in my own life – using my experiences (painful as they may be) to help someone else move through it a bit faster, or at least find themselves a bit quicker at the end of it. Thank you <3

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    • Wow, what a kind thing to say. Thank you Erin. That really means a lot ๐Ÿ™‚ That’s the beautiful thing about community : we all share our stories and we’re all on a journey together, helping one another along the way:) big hugs to you friend xox

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  8. WOW! What a precious beautiful story. What an amazing testimony of Christ’s healing work in your life and heart. He can heal me as well and breathe life back into that pile of broken bones that is my heart. This is beautiful. I would like to re-post this on my blog site, For His Glory https://stevensawyer.wordpress.com/ I know my readers would love to hear how God worked in your life to bring you back from your brokenness. I would re-post it and include a link back to your site as well as a short bio and a photo (I love the one in this post.) I’d like to get a bit more info about you for the bio. Could I ask you to email me at stevesaw@gmail.com? If you’re not comfortable doing that, I can probably get enough from what you’ve shared on BBB. But I’d like to chat by email so we can make sure you have the info in the bio you want and don’t want. This is a powerful testimony. I know my readers will be blessed. I look forward to sharing this with my readers.
    Thank you, BBB, for sharing and for showing us again, where our beauty really comes from.
    Steve Sawyer

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    • Thank you so much Steven ๐Ÿ™‚ What a kind comment! Yes, God has absolutely saved my life and I owe it all to Him. Absolutely. I would be honored for you to share this ๐Ÿ™‚ And absolutely! My email is beautybeyondbones@yahoo.com. So feel free to shoot any questions there! Thanks for stopping by! xox

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  9. This whole post was so beautiful. But I kept coming back to this line in particular, “God has breathed life into me.” It’s an amazing and wonderful statement. When you were at your darkest point, God breathed new life into you. And you are here now.

    May God bless you always. ๐Ÿ™‚

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    • Thank you so much KJ. I appreciate your encouragement so much. God is good and I am so grateful for His work in my life! Hope your week is off to a beautiful start! Hugs and love xox

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  12. Oh, geez! I was trying to think of that term, iambic pentameter the other day! And I agree with your indictment of the same!

    This write reminds of a C.S. Lewis quote: “You are a soul. You don’t have a soul. You have a body.”

    Beautiful as ever, and for what it’s worth, when I saw your name, I got both references. I understand beauty beyond bones!

    Hugs, J

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    • Thanks Maria ๐Ÿ™‚ I really appreciate this reflection. You’re so right! how amazing to know that we were hand crafted by the Father. So awesome. Thanks for stopping by! hugs xox

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  15. That was so awesome … great link between Scripture and right here and now! I feel you about the hair. What is it with women and hair LOL My hair isnt falling out or thinning (yet) but for the past 5 years it started growing in like baby hair (adrenal and thyroid stuff) … once again, great read! So glad you are doing better!

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    • Thank you so much! Oh no! I’m sorry you can relate to the hair! ๐Ÿ™ˆ argon oil is great for hair:) I appreciate your encouragement! Isn’t it awesome how scripture can span the rest of time?! Hugs and love xox

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      • I’m doing what I can to keep my light “lit”. I’m making Pan De Muertos for Spanish classes at school. I’m focusing on getting my students ready for their upcoming December concerts. I’m riding my Vita-Life bike 1/2 hr every day. I’m trying to block out that which is toxic by others around me. Big hugs!! You are wonderful! You are incredible!! You are an amazing light!! xoxoxo

      • Favorite highway… good question. My first thought would be highways that I have distinct memories of. Like US 101… 101 passes through my hometown, so pretty much every childhood family road trip started there. And it’s one of the highways that is iconic in California culture; it goes along beaches, through rural valleys, through the coastal hills, and (farther north in the less familiar part of the state) through redwood forests. I’m also a bit partial to California state highway 99 (formerly part of US 99 before the Interstates were built), since that’s where I live now. There’s also a stretch of 99 north of here, between Sacramento and Chico, that I’ve always enjoyed because it reminds me of childhood trips to visit relatives in Chico.

        My favorite highway for its trivia and oddness is Interstate 238, in Alameda County south of Oakland. It is the most incorrectly numbered Interstate in the country; with a number ending in 38, it should intersect I-38 somewhere, but there is no I-38 at all, and if there were it would have to be at least partially south of I-40 which would put it hundreds of miles away from Alameda County. (How it got there: A short stretch of state highway 238 between I-880 and I-580 was upgraded to an Interstate in the 1980s. Because it intersects two other 80 highways, it should have a number ending in 80. But all the numbers ending in 80 were already used by other highways, so they just kept the existing number. After the intersection with 580, it continues on a city street as state highway 238, and the mile numbers on the exits on I-238 are numbered treating I-238 and state highway 238 as one continuous route. Personally, I think they could have made it 1080; I don’t think there is any hard rule that Interstate numbers can’t be more than three digits long.)

      • haha wow this is awesome. I can honestly say I’ve never driven on any of those! Maybe the 101, but it would have been my mom driving. I don’t know. If it goes by USC, then yes! fascinating stuff. thanks for sharing! xox

      • If I remember right, the 101 (or just “101” as we say up north) isn’t too far from USC, but it’s not right by USC either. It would have depended on where you were going to or from.

  24. Couldn’t help but to think of the song Come Alive (dry bones) by Lauren Daigle while reading this! It’s one of my favorite songs right now, you should listen! Awesome post ๐Ÿ˜Š

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  26. We all receive and therefore have the capacity to reflect God’s infinite grace and beauty, when I first read the name “Beauty Beyond the Bones,” I thought of that infinity. I thought of a beauty that was within, without, and throughout the bones, but not at all dependent on them, because the Beauty comes from God. Thanks for all of your great and inspirational posts!

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    • Thank you so much for this great response. What a powerful view too! So true: beauty DOES come from God. And it’s seriously all around us: people. Nature. Music. The human brain. I mean, truly awe-inspiring when you take a minute to see it. Thanks for stopping by! Big hugs xox

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  28. Hey I thought this was a great read. Check out my blog, I post my progress and experience as I progress with my fitness. braedonsjourney.wordpress.com

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  29. This post is so touching, I’m honored to have the privilege of finally understanding the true meaning behind your blog title. You’re so amazing to have the strength and courage to be this open and you’re such an inspiration to me. Stay strong always ๐Ÿ™‚ (did you get a chance to look at the email I sent you?)

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    • Hi friend. I feel you. I have been in that place too. I just had to remember that no matter what crap I felt was separating me from God or making me unworthy of His love … God could handle it. I couldn’t be too messed up for Him. Because He can mend anything. That’s what helped me. ๐Ÿ™‚ sending big big hugs xox

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    • Thank you friend. ๐Ÿ™‚ The difference that tiny little word can make. Praise God for the past tense! haha ๐Ÿ™‚ but seriously, it’s true. God makes all things – even broken things – new. Hope your week is off to a great start! hugs xox

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  33. Oh my I love that story. It always makes me wonder, what happened to those people?? Did they walk away and go back to normal lives? Did God really even actually physically literally do that? I mean there have got to be some serious repercussions for going out into the desert and breathing life into the bones of an army, right?

    And it kind of reminds me of how things go after someone has a major crisis – all of a sudden everyone is there and then slowly things cool down and eventually it all settles back down to something like how it was before–for everyone else. It makes me wonder what happens to some people after the after–except that I know because I’ve walked that road with people; it can be messy. But what happens to those people?

    I guess where I’m going with this is you know, you’ve come a long ways from that desert valley. And it still has a part of your identity but it isn’t all of your identity because there’s so much more beyond that graveyard and it’s really only the first chapter of the real saga. There won’t ever be a time when it won’t be a pertinent part of your story to say “Oh yeah, God found me in a valley full of dry bones,” but what’s in a name? I’ll tell you what’s in a name; God’s name is I Am; Presence. Your whole story is in a name. It’s so awesome to watch you, still looking ahead, still expectant for the more, for the greater, for the beauty beyond the bones, as well as the beauty that was them. There’s still a whole story ahead of you and I’m sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what Father has written in your book!

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    • thanks Carson. Yeah, the only way I got out of that desert is with the help of God. He rescued me. And you’re right, that is my identity: I’m His. Wow, what a powerful way to look at it. Our stories all have one thing in common : God being I Am. Thanks for the encouragement Carson. I am definitely ready for God to reveal His plan for my life…annnnny day now ๐Ÿ™‚ haha I will welcome it with open arms! haha thanks for stopping by! i hope your week is off to a great start! big hugs xo

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      • I like that, one thing in common. It makes me think and puts everything into an interesting and provoking perspective because all the heroes and all the greats and all the mighty men all had the same I Am as me. I was thinking the other day about how all these people in the Bible we look up to had such horrendous flaws–I mean, lieing, cheating, adultery, murder, disobedience, you name it–but God. And people–Christians even–judge so quickly so harshly with zero wiggle room for I Am. It makes me sad to see stories being buried by the church before they’ve even started.

        Ha ha yes, annnnyyy day now! But He is I Am not I Will Be, so chill ๐Ÿ˜‰ because it’s not just about our hope and future, it’s also about who He is Right Now and that’s the most important thing for all our deserts. Especially the deserts we call “Monday” – glad mine’s over ๐Ÿ˜‰

        But kidding (mostly) aside, my week is off to a lovely start because it’s one less day till the weekend! ;D #letsjusttakethisonedayatatime
        Happy Tuesday! -The Other C

      • haha Desert Monday! I think you just created “a thing” ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ thanks again Carson! Keep it real ๐Ÿ™‚ – The Other Other C ๐Ÿ™‚

    • Wow Mack. What a kind thing to say. thank you. God truly is my saving grace ๐Ÿ™‚ And I am forever grateful for that. Hope your week is off to a great start. big hugs to you friend xox

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  35. That writing is a thing of beauty in and of itself. It’s hard when you are in the depths of despair and other try to help but cannot. It can only come from within and with the help from God. You are awesome. Keep up the good work ๐Ÿ™‚

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    • Thank you so much for this. You’re right – I owe, literally my life to God. And you’re right .. He gives us the tools and empowers us to be able to do the work too. It’s a both/and ๐Ÿ™‚ thanks for stopping by! hugs xox

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  36. What is so exciting is that the new life you have been given doesn’t stay with you but shines through your blogs and touches many people – such an inspiration to us all.

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  38. Love this bible ref. of Ezekiel. Yes it’s so true, kudos to you Caralyn for sharing it. In my prayer healing training, I learnt that names and labels are very crucial to who we are, who we become, how they define us and how we see ourselves. Although BBB was very relevant to you when you were in recovery, that’s not who you are now. You have become the vibrant, empathetic and spirit filled woman who has a lot of love and wisdom within. Ask God to give you a new name, one which will define your true inner self.God bless you <3

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    • Thank you so much ๐Ÿ™‚ How interesting. It’s true…our names do tell a lot about us and are definitely crucial to our identity. Thank you for these beautiful words. I am touched. ๐Ÿ™‚ big hugs xox

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  39. Ahh I almost knew the meaning behind your name yay LOL. I saw it as beauty beyond the bones that carry you, the beauty inside of which god put within you, I must admit this has kept me coming back to reading your Blog because the light in and shining from you is so powerful and so visible and of course the words God shares through you, even when its something personal like your virginity, I have released so much personal by speaking about them to church family, including the moments leading up to being ‘saved by God’, I was on the verge of following through with the plan of the voices in my head and when I started church they actually got worse because the voices were of the enemy, trying to cause me harm to the fact I feared going to places, because there was a possibility of it still happening, the fact was that I had to forced myself to stay on the sidewalk and not walk into oncoming traffic!!
    well on that not I shall send you lots of love hugs and butternut squash ice cream!

    Benjamin (the last born of Jacob!)

    Also check out this song: Awake my soul by Chris Tomlin ft lecrae

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  42. Hi Carolyn, wow say God works in mysterious ways? Where do I begin? I jave just spent 2 good hours reading random posts of yours. You see, I got the notification of this post in my inbox and I read it on my phone but thought to read it again on my laptop and then take the time to leave one of those my comments. Then one click after the other on the links therein led me to several posts and you’ll see I liked several a while ago after reading them that is. Now another gist is, I couldn’t open the vlog where you revealed your name, and just as I was about to return to this post and leave any comment which will come up, I saw you post on you revealing a picture of your former self. Well, it turned out be a vlog again which I couldn’t open but I went on to the comments and that’s where aha I SAW YOUR NAME ๐Ÿ™‚
    Both your real name and BBB are beautiful, beautiful like our Heavenly Father
    I had a bout with ED but didn’t get any close to 35 kgs which is what my computer conversion of 78lbs is. I got to 68kgs at 1.70m and my mum was already reaching out for God’s Hair. Talking of Hair, I love yours and your storry of losing it and finding it all over again reminds me of Job’s story which my kids love getting me read it over and over…. ah I could on and on, but Thank you for being this heavingly in all your vulnerabilities… keep writing and you are blessed in abundance and I know you know that ๐Ÿ™‚

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    • Hi Marie, wow what kind words! I am seriously so touched by this. Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚ I’m sorry that our pasts are in common, but praise God that we both are now living in freedom! ๐Ÿ™‚ God is good. And that’s so strange about the vlogs! I’ll attach the link at the end of this comment. hopefully it works. ๐Ÿ™‚ Anywho. Thanks again for stopping by! big hugs xox https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E577lJLMcoA

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      • Oh Princess Carolyn, yes you are a princess because your are the beautiful daughter of An Almighty King: don’t worry with the vlogs, it’s the poor internet connection out here oh ๐Ÿ™‚

      • Carolyn, I finally got to see your picture of that previous you and I coincidentally stumbled on one of my previous me too and now see why so many asked me tirelessly if I was sick. It was even at my kid sister’s wedding and I had tried to ‘puff up’ but I still had those shoulder blades so sunken and the face gaunt and the eyes shallow and all. I tried to mask those with eye glasses but I now see I resembled the grandmother of the bride in a size 6 dress. Oh God is so good. I left over eating to numb my inner pain out, and braved it from 115 kgs to whatever it was now… I remember fasting 40 straight days and mum almost pulling her eyes out. You are a blessing to me and multitudes. I am currently not even sure am ready to meet my Boaz yet, but am doing my ‘clean up’ by his grace. A spiritual retreat starts tomorrow. Big big hugs too all the way

      • Hi Marie, I am so glad you’re living in freedom now and that you are no longer in that pace. Praise God. He is so so good. Thanks again for sharing this โค๏ธ

      • it’s never all gone I dare say, but by His Grace I strive to thrive every single second. Goodnight princess, it’s 8.40 pm here and my mind shuts of at 9 pm to the second ๐Ÿ™‚

  43. Reblogged this on Church Set Free and commented:
    Whatโ€™s in a name? As I was reading this post by BeautyBeyond Bones it brought to mind another name I hear so often. That statement of naming:

    โ€œI am a Christian.โ€

    And as I read BBB explain whatโ€™s behind her blog name, I pondered โ€“ how many of us look deeply at what the naming of ourselves – our naming of โ€œChristianโ€ – really means. Do we ever get past the standard response of sin, sinner, saved, faith, believe, Jesus, rose again, eternal life, Church, God … ?
    And when I say โ€œI am a Christianโ€ โ€“ how deep do I really I want to go? How much do really want to know what my self-acclaimed naming really means to me today – right now – and just how might that new knowing change me?

    >>> As usual, comments are disabled here for a reblog โ€“ please join the (big) conversation at BBBโ€™s place, thank you.

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    • Thank you so much for the reblog my friend! ๐Ÿ™‚ You’re right — saying “I am a Christian” … that name changes us. I love this introspection. How deep does that name go? After all…even the name itself…CHRISTian. He’s in the name…He’s in our hearts….:) ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ hope you’re having a great day! hugs xo

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  46. It must have been really difficult to be face to face with your illness every time you looked in a mirror or even at your hands. At least addicts can pretend they’re okay when they aren’t using! So glad you got over it and are able to share

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  47. I’m amazed by your open testimony of faith. If only more people were so open and unashamed. Keep growing in that faith and being a living testimony for Him!

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  48. Nice symbo-literalism! It’s something that’s been on my mind as well, and I’m glad you’ve latched onto how to read the scriptures that way and applied them to you.

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  49. Absolutely Beauty Beyond Bones! God is faithful who knitted us in our mothers whom. The devil on the other hand sows seeds of doubt, lies and discourage into our hearts blinding us to see and feel the love of the Porter – Our Lord Jesus who loves us unconditionally regardless of our brokenness, doubt and unbelief. Thank you Jesus for being there with us always!

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    • Thank you so much Ruth-Ann. so kind of you to say ๐Ÿ™‚ I appreciate you stopping by and for the little nudge of encouragement ๐Ÿ™‚ you’re a blessing to me! hugs xox

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  52. When God formed Adam and Eve, He breathed into them His breath! His breath which gives us the strength and courage to overcome everything the enemy can throw at us. His breath which reminds us that He loves us in spite of ourselves every single moment. His breath which can heal any affliction, restore any bad decision, and remove the burden of guilt we pile on ourselves. His breath…is in you!

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    • Hi Timere! I didn’t put those two together, but that’s SO TRUE! His breath is powerful to say the least. And yes, how truly amazing that it is in both you and I ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for sharing that!! hugs xox

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  53. Another beautiful post! Your insights are spot-on and I so appreciate your sharing your thoughts and feelings. The Ezekiel inclusion is so perfect.

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  58. “a long and arduous journey. And if Iโ€™m really honest, Iโ€™m still on it. But every day, Iโ€™m getting closer. Every day, Jesus works a little more and more on my heart.”
    Thankfully, He will not be done with any of us until we see Him – hug Him at the end of the journey.

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  59. You’re amazing. To overcome such a difficult disease and come out shining as bright as you are is just magnificent to see! You are an inspiration and I hope you save many lives! I’m sure you have already!

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  60. Yupp! Truly beauty beyond bones!One day I realized God does breathe into us each and every moment..moment quicker than my attempt of a blink..we can’t stay ill or age when God is always breathing His spirit into us ๐Ÿ™‚ we just need to Believe.

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    • Thank you Roo!! So true. What a beautiful thought to know that the Maker of the Universe also made us and is sustaining us through His very breath. It’s powerful. Hugs and love xox

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  61. God makes everything beautiful in His own time. He’s refining in His timing, diamonds out of dust. If the blind man had not been blind for forty years, since birth, how else would they see the glory of God?

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  62. Life is a hoot. One day we wake up and relieze we are really broken. Along comes Jesus and puts us back together. We are whole for the first time in our life’s. Now there is nothing we will let come in the way of staying in God’s hands. Rise up dead bones and live. Wow! This spoke voulumes to my heart. I loved the way you laid it out. Blessings to you for sharing this with us.

    Peace to you

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  64. I love Ezekiel 37! God is had to breathe breath to my dry bones twice in my life: once when I recovered from alcoholism and again when I became a quadriplegic and felt hopeless. I’m so thankful for his life-giving breath.

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    • Hi Terri, thank you so much for sharing your powerful story. I am so glad you know that life-giving breath too! Thank you for stopping by and for taking the time to respond. big big hugs xox

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  65. “I want to just pause here for a second, because when I was in my disease, my mother used to tell me that. And even though she was 100% right on the money, I didnโ€™t want to hear it. I didnโ€™t want to think about being a child of God. I wantedย nothing to do with it. I just wanted to be alone with ED, self-destructing. ”

    Wow…wow…WOW! ๐Ÿ™‚ You’re spot-on here, girl! What a “beautiful” insight! That we would all remember this when we feel all dried up and dead inside. It always amazes me how we like to “wallow” in our “I am not’s” until the Great “I Am” can heal us of these alien identities. I know your brave testimony will shine the light on that truth and help others out of this pit. Blessings.

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  67. Magnificent! There is so much hope in this name. And since you like that Catholic TOB stuff ๐Ÿ˜‰ It’s only because we can say “beauty beyond bones” that we can also say “these beautiful bones,” which just happens to be the title of a great book, “These Beautiful Bones: An Everyday Theology of the Body”. (I haven’t read much of it, but have enjoyed what I have read). Thank you!

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    • Than you so much:) I’ve never heard of that book but I’ll definitely check it out! I love theology of the body. It is so beautiful and speaks so much truth ๐Ÿ™‚ glad you stopped by! Have a great night! Xox

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  68. Girl let me tell you that Ezekiel 37 is my favourite scripture In the bible! Continue sharing your story it’s truly a blessing to many! Including me! ๐Ÿ˜˜

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  69. A+ post. That passage is one of my favorites; it’s read every Holy Saturday during Easter. Very apropos to your situation, and life in general.

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  70. You are so very courageous! You are sojourning to the right place. I am currently in treatment for Alcoholism; some of the same stuff tries to rear it’s ugly head. But, through The Way, and multiple approaches, I am healing the ROOT CAUSE of my addiction! Thank you for sharing

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    • Thanks Rob:) I appreciate you sharing this. I’m am so glad you’re healing and on the journey to recovery. That’s so awesome. Know I am cheering you on! Hugs and love xox

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    • Thank you so much Kristen:) amen to that! He is NOT finished! And I’m so excited to find out the plans He has in store:) thanks for stopping by! Have a beautiful day! Hugs and love xox

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  76. And boy when God “breathed life into those dead bones,” of yours, did He ever create someone BEAUTIFUL, INSIDE AND OUT! Love ya and God Bless, SR

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  77. Ha! I have to admit that I thought of both meanings. But I wasn’t sure if you were thinking about and implying the Christian, spiritual one. Glad to read it.

    As I get more sensitized to seeing inner beauty, it’s amazing how blown away I can get by the (outwardly) most ordinary looking people. It’s not till they smile and you see that light in their eyes… On the other hand, some outwardly ‘attractive’ people can look really ugly to me if they seem hard or arrogant.

    Have I mentioned this here? I know I did somewhere. And the person added… well, maybe the person was just having a bad day… which is also valid. ๐Ÿ™‚

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    • Haha that’s awesome! And I’m so with you on that. You can tell so much from a person’s eyes. You know what they say…they’re the window to the soul:) thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! Hugs and love xox

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  80. Wow, I’ve actually written about what’s in a name, plus my blog name comes from Ezekiel 37, a story I thought no one knew about anymore, Weird how things like this end up telling me otherwise. I think Ezekiel 37 is just what our generation needs. (I also do Shakespeare, so I agree he’s awesome.)

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    • Thank you so much! Or really? That’s awesome! I know, I thought it was a pretty obscure verse but t turns out that a lot of people know and love it! And I can see why! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox

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  81. Hi Caralyn….I had assumed the origins of your blog title, at least the obvious part ๐Ÿ™‚
    The dry bones story is one of my favorite from the OT, although I look at it a little differently and think about how bones themselves can’t get up and move, that muscle and tendon are needed. So bones dancing takes a deeper miracle.
    Having missed a few days, and reading your previous post as well….hmmm, wonder if you missed the obvious (to me at least, but what do I know?!) connection between the romantic desire and miracle of dancing bones.
    Anyway, as always I appreciate and enjoy your writing.
    Hugs

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    • Hi Jeff!wow what an awesome connection. I hadn’t thought about that but you’re so right. It really is a miracle. It makes you think what those muscles and tendons are in our lives. Hugs and love xox

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  82. I’ve never thought of that passage in Ezekiel like that! What a beautiful revealed word of God to you personally and to others as well! Thank you for sharing! Just beautiful redemption! Love it!

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  86. I love this! And that passage in Ezekiel is literally one of my faves ever…have you heard Lauren Daigle’s song, “Come Alive”? So powerful and all about this passage.

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    • Hey friend! thanks for this. You’re right, it’s such a powerful and relatable verse. No I havent! I’ll definitely check it out! thanks for passing it along ๐Ÿ™‚ hugs xo

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  89. The Ezekiel reference is one of my favorites. Here is another I thought you may enjoy it is from the Quran. “Behold, then, [O man,] these signs of God’s grace – how He gives life to the earth after it had been lifeless! Verily, this Selfsame [God] is indeed the One that can bring the dead back to life: for He has the power to will anything!” (Surah 30:50)

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  92. Your comments about Shakespeare aside–Dicaprio? Sir Laurence Olivier is the man!–but I digress, lol. I just love how you tie your faith into your recovery. Because they ARE one in the same. And in the mirror is God’s Child…

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  93. Hello,

    Great that you shared your mission statement, your platform. Isn’t it good to look back and remember why you do what you do? Keep on letting the Lord flesh you out from the inside out.

    In Christ,

    Gary

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  94. I’m not religious, but the quotes you took really moved me. I’d never really thought too much about the name ‘beautybeyondbones’ except for the the first more shallower point and the fact that I’d never want a blog name that referred directly to eating disorders/food/purging/symptoms/thinness/anxiety etc. But that’s a personal choice. And your choice; well, I respect why you’ve made it. Thank you for explaining, for sharing, for believing.

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    • Thank you so much:) I’m so glad you enjoyed the quotes! Thanks, yeah I always shied away from that too, so I wanted to share the deeper meaning:) thanks so much for your encouraging words! Sending big big hugs! Happy Halloween!! Xox

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  96. โ€žIt wasnโ€™t until I realized that my beauty comes from Christ living in my heart, that I truly began to heal. My physical body โ€“ my flesh, muscles, and bones โ€“ theyโ€™re beautiful, because they were โ€œknit together in my motherโ€™s wombโ€ by the Lord. His handiwork.โ€œ

    YES, BABY!!!! ๐Ÿ˜€

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      • The story in Ezekiel 37 is really amazing. These words match perfectly your story. Only just before I have read your words, I read that:

        โ€žGod is revealed in the heart and it is there that man comes to know Him. The heart is where the knowledge of God is revealed to us. The heart is the innermost part of our being. It is part of our sub-consciousness. You only become aware of it gradually. The heart is the control center that reigns over the body. It is the place from which grace penetrates throughout the body and the mind. It is the deepest part of the soul and where Christ comes to dwell within us.โ€œ
        http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.de/2009/07/nature-of-soul-mind-brain-and-heart.html

        He has given you a new heart; the Heart of Christ.

        Ezekiel 36:26. A New Heart and Spirit
        โ€žโ€ฆ25″Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26″Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27″I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.โ€ฆโ€œ

        Now you are placed in Christ, there is no separation between you and Christ, your Body, your whole existance, is a unique part of his one Body. Write a note and stick it on the mirror and say every morning to yourself: this Body is wonderful and amazing, this is a Divine Body, because I am in Christ.
        My body is the holy temple of his everlasting Spirit.

      • That’s such a great idea. I love sticking powerful reminders right where I can see them. Thanks again for sharing these awesome passages. Hugs and love xox

  97. I just want to tell you, that I really love you. And this are not only nice words. I really, really love you. I have never meet you physically, but I know you through Christ. We are both together in the BODY of CHRIST here and now and this is a intimate connection beyond time and space. Christs being is in us (Eph 3:17; Col 1:27) and our being in Christ (2Co 12:2; 1Jo 5:20) and so are we in each other. I am in you and you are in me through Christ. Every time I see you, I see Him. Every time I read your words, I can feel His presence. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
    *Hugs in Christ ๐Ÿ˜›

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  103. Your words made me feel kinda funny. I’m actually touched and I believe I am kinda going through something.. probably not the same extent or matter as you but I can relate because I’m going through something of a disorder myself. I knew it’d catch up to me sooner or later and got a relapse. I’m in the hospital trying to word my way out of this whole situation I’m in. It’s kind of funny, you think maybe you should live like you’re about to die but force yourself to believe that there’s no measure in time so you can stay consistent and have faith until the end. And maybe in some alternate universe, if you tried hard enough you could make a difference in your life. Though, I’m hardly dying.. maybe of laughter because not all is as it seems. I finally see that I am not my mind. My mind is not me. I went through my problems believing that the illness portrayed a certain image of me. That there was a stigma and I knew I would have to live with it in secret. You on the other hand embraced it and found a way to reverse the roles and actually helped others in their recovery. Only the holiest names can help me embrace this thing. Thank you for your nurturing words. Your admirer, Nam.

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    • Hi Nam, thank you so much for sharing your story and for your kind words. I’m so sorry to hear that you’re in the hospital going through something. Know that I am praying for you full healing. You’re so right, you are not your illness. And i believe in you:) sending big hugs xox

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  104. Good afternoon Ana,
    I’ve been struggling with my dislike for mirrors and scales for a long time. I pray that one day God will heal my heart and that I can see myself like you through Jesus’s eyes.
    Two songs that I thought of when reading your message here:
    Dry Bones come Alive by Lauren Daigle
    Through Your Eyes by Britt Nicole
    God Bless you and thank you for being here.

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  107. There is a lot in a name. Most native cultures believe that your name is your essence, a key to who you are and what you are here to do. Knowing someone’s name can tell you a lot about the person, and saying someone’s name out loud with consciousness can invoke the qualities of the bearer’s name.

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  108. I think you are a beautiful soul .
    I found your post so very inspiring and transparent:)
    Thank you !
    Also thanx a ton for liking my posts on a consistent basis .
    I’m a very new blogger , and every like is appreciated !
    Much love from India โค๏ธ๏ธ

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  109. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your journey to recovery!
    And thank you for following my blog.
    Evelyn
    Here’s to Your Health!
    evelynmmaxwell.com

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  110. This is BEAUTIFUL! Your testimony is one of beauty! I am so glad that you know that your value is more than skin deep. We read that Ezekeil passage at church last week. How amazing is it that His breath alone will bring life to any dead situation that has been written off. He is our life and our hope๐Ÿ’œ

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  112. Love this! When I first visited your blog, I had instantly thought of this song (“Come Alive-Dry Bones) based on the scripture Ezek.37. I meant to share it with back then, so I was reminded of it tonight after reading this post. If you haven’t heard it, I think you will LOVE it..it has meant a lot to me during my battle with this auto-immune disease. It is sung by Laura Daigle, an award-winning artist who actually was on American Idol, for a time, before being cut. I love her heart and her music; it always brings me to tears. Sidenote: I even had one of her songs in my daughter’s wedding .:) Oh, and she was just on the ACM Awards (tonight) singing with Reba. Here’s the link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XAeyFagceQ Blessings!

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