"You Don't Have to Change Who You Are to Love Who You Are" - Andrea's Story

Her dad died when she was five. Her mom was kicked out of church and told God was punishing her. Andrea grew up without boundaries, without faith, and without anyone showing her what love looked like.By 14, she ran away. By 15, she was in a home for troubled youth. One night, she jumped off a bridge and broke her leg. Her brother spent the entire night writing her a letter — because he thought she was dead.In this episode, Andrea shares the decade she spent desperately hoping God was real. The night she was attacked in her apartment and knew He was. The 3 AM moment on a porch where God whispered, "Be still." The move to a tiny town in Iowa where she met her husband a month later. And the cancer diagnosis that arrived three days before she boarded a plane to Hawaii.This is a story about body image and shame. About gaining 45 pounds on medication and learning that beauty isn't a size — it's a story. About a season where all God asked her to do was breathe.If you've ever looked in the mirror and struggled to love what you see — this one's for you.Guest: Andrea Mathes — With Light and Lens Photography (withlightandlens.com) Host: Rachel D. FoxHave a story to share? Apply here: https://forms.gle/4N5hrWWcFWKjvpPB9