We Are Not Broken – My Instagram Roundup

It took me a long time to tell my story. I feel like I’m still telling it, in fact. And along the way, as I shared bits and pieces, I was met with a mix of mostly wonderful responses and a few idiotic responses. I keep telling my story regardless of the idiots because I hear from people who tell me how similiar their story is. They tell me that they’ve dealt with pain, and most of the time they are still dealing with it.

I tell my story because there are so many people with similiar stories, and when those folks try and share in order to heal they get judged or mocked. I want to be a safe place for those to come and share. I want to be an encourager to those who need a bit of light.

This Instagram Roundup reminds me that we are not broken. We might feel like we can’t push on, but I am here to tell you that you are beautiful and whole just as you are, right now, this day. Keep working on your life so you can embrace happiness more easily. Do not ever give up.

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This painting says: “She saw herself as broken. God saw her as beautiful.” ____________ Every time I do a post about my background, like I did yesterday for #DayoftheGirl, I get a variety of responses. Some people think I’m still in that sad place and feel sorry for me. (Don’t.) Some people think I’m talking about “discipline” or something temporary and in the moment, something that every kid experiences. (Nope, that’s not it.) ______________ Some tell me to “get over it.” (I am. You’re missing the point, but thanks for being you.) Some think I’m trying to tell everyone how wonderful I am. (Which I don’t think, but again, thanks for being you.) _____________ And then there are the other responses, often done quietly and privately, that tell their own stories. And they are steeped with deeply rooted pain that even though they are adults, they struggle with self-worth. If you were never mistreated with systemic abuse, daily, all the time, from the time you were so small your brain was still developing, for no reason other than the people that abused you were selfish and ignorant, then you cannot understand this issue. And that’s okay. There is a part of me that is happy when someone “just doesn’t get it” because it means they didn’t experience it. That makes me happy that they can’t possibly know. ____________ But there are others who do know. I heard from some yesterday, and I was traveling most of the day and am still working through the responses. That’s how prevalent this issue is. That is why I still talk about it, because I want to tell these people who instantly understand what I’m saying that there is a way out of it. It is not easy. But there is a way to be whole, to have a balanced view of self, to live a happy life and best of all, give and receive love in a healthy way. ______________ There is a reason I paint and write the way I do. There is a reason I work in whimsical images and bright colors, because I want to give you a place that exists outside the darkness. If you struggle with the issues I mentioned, count me as the safe place to share your story without judgement. You are loved. ____________

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Oct 12, 2018 at 5:44am PDT

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What can we offer each person? No matter who we are or where we live, we can offer love and prayer. This picture is in honor of a life that puts love first. Signed, matted print available here: https://cherieburbach.com/product/love-and-prayer/

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Oct 1, 2018 at 5:59am PDT

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"Her Home Was Peace and Kindness" was inspired by my desire for harmony. It pays homage to our true home, the one place where we can feel loved and secure.

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Oct 10, 2018 at 6:54am PDT

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We are not broken. That is the name of this blog post by Barbara Techel. @barbtechel ____________ http://joyfulpaws.com/blog/2018/10/we-are-not-broken/ ____________ She bought an art print of mine and shared her story about her own feelings of brokenness, and the redemption that came when she realized she was not broken, but (as this print says) beautiful. God saw her as beautiful. He sees YOU as beautiful, too. ________________ It's hard to wrap your head around if you are in a bad place. I've been there. Barb was there, too. But as you will see by her post, believing you are broken is believing a lie. Embrace the truth. You are beautiful and the world needs you. ____________

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Oct 19, 2018 at 6:35am PDT

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Got some self-esteem issues? You’ve come to the right place. I’ve struggled with them most of my life. It started with my childhood (like all the great problems do!) and living in an alcoholic household. Then, I got older and made choices that reflected what I thought love was. So instead of dating guys who treated me well I went for the ones who cheated and lied and hit. Instead of choosing friends that cared I chose ones who belittled me, gossiped about me, or just wanted me for whatever it was I could give them. ____________ The good news is that I have a much better handle on things like negative self talk. I know bad thoughts about yourself are not from God. _______________

A post shared by Cherie Burbach (@cherieburbach) on Sep 27, 2018 at 9:03am PDT