The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast
Episode: The Way of the Belovedness with Ruth Chou Simons
Date: December 16, 2025
Host: Candace Cameron Bure (“CandyRock”)
Guest: Ruth Chou Simons

Episode Overview

This heartful episode closes out Candace Cameron Bure’s season-long exploration of freedom from anxiety alongside artist and bestselling author Ruth Chou Simons. The conversation centers on the profound concept of being loved by God—not just intellectually, but emotionally and personally—unpacking how our sense of “belovedness” shapes self-worth, identity, and daily battles with anxiety, self-doubt, and body image. The discussion ranges from personal vulnerabilities and childhood wounds to practical steps for realigning thoughts with biblical truths, with listener questions prompting advice for those struggling to see God as a truly loving Father.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Journey from Transactional Love to Belovedness

• Ruth candidly explains her early misunderstandings of God’s love, which she first equated with earning approval and performing well, due to her family dynamics and cultural upbringing. She describes a gradual journey from “trying to be so amazing that I wouldn’t need amazing grace” to understanding “God loves me because He made me on purpose, for a purpose” (05:29–10:19).
• Candace relates, noting her background as a child actor conditioned to equate love with praise and achievement, and how maturity is needed to experience God’s unconditional, deep love (10:22–11:57).

Navigating Self-image, Body Struggles, & Cultural Messages

• Ruth shares openly about childhood experiences of being an outsider due to her Asian heritage—both Western and Asian communities contributed to her struggle with feeling unlovable or “different” (11:57–13:05).
• She distinguishes between the culture’s notion of “self-love” and a biblically rooted acknowledgment of one’s value: “As Christ followers, we should be the ones who love ourselves in a way that is supernatural because we subscribe to what God says about us” (13:05–15:11).
• Both discuss ongoing struggles with self-criticism, body image (including perimenopause changes), and how these experiences require realignment of self-perception with divine truth (16:02–19:06).

Realigning with God’s Truth in Daily Life

• Ruth and Candace stress the importance of daily, intentional alignment with God’s view: “If I remember that, I can say it’s not about you…. These are the challenging things. But it’s helped me… it’s helped me do the hard thing” (21:57–24:47).
• Both admit that even with a strong faith, feelings don’t always follow truth automatically—persistent practice is necessary.

The Body as a Temple and Vessel of Love

• Candace reflects on seeing her body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, which shifts her perspective from nitpicking flaws to gratitude: “When I sit on that, when I really let it sink in… I’m housing His spirit. That is mind-blowing to me” (29:32–30:22).
• This theological truth becomes a daily practice for countering negative self-talk; Ruth emphasizes the value of speaking these truths aloud each morning (30:22–31:04).
• Both underscore that our bodies are vessels for God’s love—sometimes the only “Jesus” someone may see in a day comes through our actions (31:04–31:52).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ruth Chou Simons on earning love:
  “I was trying to be so amazing that I wouldn’t need amazing grace… I was like, I’m good, I don’t need grace, because I actually figured it out and did a good job here.” (07:44)
• Candace Cameron Bure on experiencing unconditional love:
  “It took me a while also to… truly feel… a really deep love, like I’m actually special in His eyes…He cares for me in ways that are even beyond my mom and dad…” (10:35)
• On biblical self-love (Ruth):
  “When we say, what does God say about you? …If He loves you that much, then you shouldn’t find a lot of reasons to hate yourself…It’s easier said than done.” (14:13)
• Ruth on lifelong practice:
  “It’s a daily fight. I’m just saying it doesn’t come natural for me.” (24:47)
• Candace on being a temple of the Holy Spirit:
  “I am physically an ambassador, like God lives in me… when I sit on that, when I think about that…it changes everything” (29:32)
• Ruth on Jesus’ invitation to intimacy:
  “Let them be part of us… I just got invited into this amazing love that the Father has for the Son, the Son has for the Father… It’s exactly the surrendered, imperfect life that has been invited into being part of this holy union.” (31:52)
• Candace’s advice to a listener:
  “It’s not honoring to God for you to tell him that his creation isn’t deserving of grace and love because He loves you and has so much grace for you… You have to know what God says about you and know His Word so that you can tell yourself those truths.” (36:30–37:53)

Segment Highlights & Timestamps

• Advent and Heart Preparation
  Ruth explains the meaning of Advent and how her devotional “Emmanuel” invites presence and heart-preparation, not just tradition.
  (03:36–05:06)

• Transactional Love vs. Belovedness
  Candace and Ruth’s personal histories of equating love with performance, and their shifting understanding through faith and time.
  (05:13–11:57)

• Body Image, Cultural Pressures, and Practicing Truth
  Candid stories of outsider-ness, self-loathing, body dysmorphia, and fighting these with biblical self-understanding.
  (11:57–24:47)

• Theological Deep Dive: The Body as God’s Temple
  Candace’s insight on the body as a vessel for God’s presence, leading to practical gratitude and outward-focused living.
  (28:19–31:52)

• Listener Q&A: Grace for Your Body

  • Q1 (Karen): “How did you learn to treat your body with grace and love?”
    Candace shares a transformative dream informed by Numbers 22, relating her body-care to compassionate parenting, and stresses the need for “practicing” love daily.
    (35:20–37:53)
  • Q2 (17-year-old from Africa): “How do you learn to see God as a father and fully believe He’s always on your side?”
    Both discuss healing from disappointing earthly father figures and the necessity of replacing those models with God’s example in Scripture. Candace references loving TV dads as “imperfect models” to help imagine God’s love, while Ruth speaks tenderly from experience of slowly moving from “proving herself” to receiving God’s embrace.
    (38:31–41:34)

Tone & Style

The conversation is warm, transparent, and encouraging, marked by personal vulnerability and practical, faith-based advice. Both speakers balance humor and depth—sharing relatable struggles, tender memories, and insight rooted in Scripture.

For First-Time Listeners

• This episode is an invitation to self-reflection and spiritual growth, especially for those who are weighed down by self-doubt, comparison, or wounds from conditional love.
• Ruth and Candace model how to preach truth to oneself, offering hope for anyone wrestling with feelings of inadequacy or longing to know God’s fatherly love.
• Expect a mix of personal stories, theological discussion, and actionable encouragement—perfect for those wanting not just comfort, but practical steps for inward renewal.

Further Resources

• Ruth Chou Simons’ Advent devotional: “Emmanuel”
• Candace’s discussion of Numbers 22 for a fresh perspective on body image (35:20–36:30)

Memorable Wrap-Up
The episode closes with Candace reminding listeners of the crucial truth: "Be grateful all day, every day." (43:16) and an offering of Ruth’s Advent guide as a gift—highlighting the season’s call to both reflection and belovedness.

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