Pulling Weeds: Recovering from Christianity

by Elizabeth Garrison

Perfect for fans of Anne Lamott It wasn’t the acts of abuse on my body that inflicted the most damage—it was the lessons they taught me about God. The bruises healed, but the wounds on my soul remained. From the bestselling author Wounds of the A True Story of Child Abuse, Betrayal, and Redemption comes a series of essays detailing Garrison's struggles to free herself from the hateful, punishing God of her born-again Christian upbringing and find a God of love. She provides an uncensored look into her raw confessions of faith that are all at once funny, shocking, practical, and profound.

180 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2016

About the author

Elizabeth Garrison has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and works as a researcher for the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. Her research focuses on the effects of childhood abuse and developing interventions to help children recover. She also is a well-known celebrity ghost-writer. Given her talent in helping others to tell their stories, Garrison decided it was time to tell her own story. Visit her at www.elizabethgarrison.info.

Reviews

[Adam Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intriguing look at the author’s journey of faith and relationship with God. I didn’t land with the author on all of her theological points, but I found it fascinating to see how her life circumstances combined with her inner longings shaped her world-view, and more specifically, her view of God.

I also see this as a tribute to God’s own desire for a relationship with every person, (such as the author of this book) and how he consistently and continuously reaches out to each individual in a personal way, regardless of how others (such as some of the people the author references) may misunderstand and misrepresent his character to others.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really glad I read this book. I didn't know what to expect, but I was enriched by her journey. There is a lot I don't know about this world, because of lack of experiencing so many things. So it was great to read and gain understanding of people and experiences. Thank you to the writer for being able to write these experiences in this book and sharing them with us. The writing is great.....

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Reader's Comments

This memoir does a wonderful job of following up on what became of its author after she overcame her abused past. It gave me hope and made me feel good to see a survivor of child abuse to come out better than ever.

[Ruth Ann Maynard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very deep!

I really enjoyed her first book. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy this one—I did. But it was very, very deep. I had to really think about what she was saying.

[Charlene McGrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the analogy

Another beautifully written book by Elizabeth Garrison! She is so honest in her books it hurts. I would recommend her books to all that struggle.

[SnapDragon X. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book. . . is not at all what I expected. I honestly thought a mistake had been made; it was absolutely riddled with mechanical errors! I understand that it was self-published, but this read like someone’s diary: disorganized, repetitive, and simplistic. There was also a running heading throughout the entire book “Surviving Baby’s First Year”. Why? For someone with an advanced degree in psychology—as the description suggests—this gives absolutely zero research or references. While I did enjoy some of her narrative, I give this “book” a major thumbs-down. . . for the simple lack of editing!

[Sharon Clousing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

Great book for all us who consider ourselves to be Christians, or not . Want a relationship with God? Then be sure to read this book all the way to the end. Perhaps, you too will be able to let go of preconceived ideas of God, and move closer to feeling Him in all situations.

[Almaz Ayalew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borne again Christian

To be born again in Jesus Christ means to have a new life spiritually
So that we walk on a new spiritual walk which makes us to acknowledge God is with us It means that we are a new person