Anatomy of a good lunch, the faultiness of affirmations, and a first home birth for a mama of 8

Dear Reader, Part of my personal story is that for about 7 years (age 19 - 26) I was deeply depressed, wildly anxious, and struggling with a unique brand of obsessive-compulsive disorder, too. I praise Jesus for healing me and setting me free, but it's hard to look back on those years of struggle. In that season, I remember trying to use positive affirmations as a tool to overcome some of the intrusive and obsessive thoughts that assailed me. I remember how they rang hollow, how I felt like I...