Faith, Freedom
& The Atonement.
Articles on guilt, shame, perfectionism, leadership, and what it looks like to actually set the ball down.
More From The Blog
The Difference Between Guilt and Shame (An LDS Perspective)
These two words are used interchangeably — but confusing them may be exactly why healing feels impossible. A clear, definitive breakdown of both, and what the Atonement does for each.
What Is Performance-Based Faith — And Are You Living It?
You read the scriptures. You go to every meeting. You serve. So why does it feel like it's never enough? You may be living performance-based faith — and it has a way out.
Bishop Burnout Is Real. Here's What Nobody Tells You.
Nobody in your ward knows you cry in your car. Bishop burnout is real, it is common, and for too long it has gone unnamed. Here is what it is and what to do about it.
To the Returned Missionary Who Came Home Feeling Empty
Everyone told you it would be the best two years of your life. Nobody told you what comes after. If you came home from your mission feeling hollow, you are not alone — and you are not broken.
The Silent Sin Nobody Talks About in Church: Comparison
You've never confessed it. But comparing your testimony, your calling, and your family to everyone else's is quietly killing your peace.
What Healing from Religious Shame Actually Looks Like
Religious shame isn't just guilt about what you did. It's a deep belief that who you are is fundamentally wrong. Here's what healing looks like.
What the Five Surrenders Actually Do (And Why You Can't Just Think Your Way Out)
The Five Surrenders aren't a prayer, an affirmation, or a checklist. They are a specific act of surrender. Here's what each one does.
A Letter to Every Leader Who Feels Like They Are Failing Everyone
You haven't slept well in weeks. Someone in your ward is in crisis. Another is angry at you. This letter is for you.
How to Forgive Yourself When God Already Has
The hardest part of the Atonement isn't receiving God's forgiveness — it's believing you don't have to earn it again.
When You've Repented But It Still Doesn't Feel Like Enough
You did every step right. You confessed, you changed, you moved forward. So why doesn't it feel finished?
The Real Cost of LDS Perfectionism (And What It's Costing You Right Now)
You can serve faithfully for years and still feel perpetually behind. This is not what the gospel requires of you.
If Temple Recommend Interviews Fill You With Dread, Read This
The interview should feel peaceful. Instead it brings dread and a spiral of self-examination that never seems to end.
When Your Spouse Stops Going to Church
Nobody warned you about this part. You made covenants together. And now they don't come anymore.
To the Young follower of Christ Who Feels Like They'll Never Be Good Enough
You're doing everything they told you to do — and it still feels like you're always one mistake away from losing everything.
Ready to Put It Down?
The book is the starting point. The process is what changes things.