By Emily Scheffel 

My name is Emily. I am a believer in Jesus, a 32 year old farmer’s wife, and a mom of two from Oklahoma.

I have suffered from what I now know to be OCD since I was around six when I would walk around like a robot and repeat the phrase “I will start to be a very good girl.”

My family thought it was cute and quirky. I thought I had to do it. Fast forward to adolescence with a compulsion to confess and a mind filled with intrusive thoughts, and you create a young lady who thinks her brain is broken.

I fell in love at the age of 25, was married at 26, had my son at 28, and my daughter at 31.

It wasn’t until I was 5 months pregnant with my daughter that I was officially diagnosed after checking myself into the emergency room and later into a mental hospital.

This was not the pregnancy glow you hear about in books and movies. This felt like losing myself and bringing down everyone I loved with me.

I spent 5 days in a psychiatric ward where I finally got the help I had been needing for decades.

Today I am in therapy and on medication.

Today I advocate for Christians, and mothers, and those with no voice. To shine a light on the fact that there is hope, there is healing, and there is abundant life possible even in the midst of OCD.