Recently, at the end of a busy day helping family members, I had a moment to pause. In the past, this familiar process of packing up belongings and closing up a home for a seasonal move had been contentious and stressful. But now the thought came, “I am content. I am at peace.” This angelic message thrilled me. 

I had struggled tirelessly for mental peace for many years, and now it felt so natural. Although peace is our divine right as God’s children, it had been important to me to take a strong stand for mine and to continue to defend it. 

As a teenager and young adult, I suffered from repetitive thoughts of “You are fat; you are ugly; you are stupid”—like a vicious mental recording. Intellectually I knew I was not any of those things, but when I listened to the words and accepted their message, it impacted my self-esteem and made me feel unlovable and inadequate. It also led to medically diagnosed depression and an eating disorder.