Tuesday, December 15, 2015
LDS MEMOIR: He Delivered Even Me, He Will Deliver Even You by Misti Stevenson
ABOUT THE BOOK
Growing up, Misti thought she had a pretty normal childhood. Right up until the sixth grade. That's when she began to notice things. Like how she was constantly aware of every blink of her eyes. How any normal physical thing could become an enemy that her brain would replay over and over again. She tried talking to her parents about it, but family dysfunction and parental control issues wouldn't let them see her problem for what it was. So she did everything she could to hide it. It would take her many more years to attach a name to her tortuous condition — Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
But after many more years of struggling, praying, and counseling, Misti experienced the miracle she had been seeking — she was healed.
So she's done hiding. This is her story of suffering through — and eventually being healed of — OCD, anxiety, and depression through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This is her story of how the Lord turned her deepest struggles into her greatest blessings.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Misti Stevenson now enjoys her busy and joy-filled life in Kaysville with her husband, Jed, and five busy children. When not helping her kids with homework, tackling a mountain of laundry, or serving at church, she loves to do yoga, go jogging with her friends, and especially loves hiking in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains with her family. Facing her OCD was difficult. Telling her family was almost impossible. Writing about it, the supreme act of faith. She has felt supported by the Savior each step of the way. Misti knows you or someone you love may be among those who are silently suffering in a seemingly insurmountable set of circumstances and loves spreading the Savior’s message of hope and deliverance through the message of her book.
REVIEW
Mental illness has long carried a stigma with it that is sadly still alive and well. Even now people are uncomfortable talking about it and understanding it is difficult under any circumstances. And that is why stories like Misti's need to be told. Misti gives an account of her experiences starting from a very young age that lead her down the road to developing OCD as well as how she dealt with it and how she eventually found healing through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I found myself truly touched as I read about Misti's struggles, especially feeling so alone in her struggles. But like most of us she had her good days too and people who loved her deeply. I'd recommend this book to those who've struggled with not only OCD but any kind of mental illness and the immense challenges it presents. Misti offers hope to those who struggle, that healing is possible when faith in the Lord is exercised and a support network found, including appropriate medical care.
Keep in mind that this is uniquely Misti's story, experiences related to mental illness differ greatly person to person. Appropriate medical care and support from family and friends are vital to anyone suffering from any sort of mental disorder or disease, genetic or not. But as Misti points out, each person's journey is his or her own.
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