Dakoda

“By preventing us from discussing anything controversial or sensitive with each other, the instruction not to “stir up contention among the brethren” became a tool for silence, for control, for guilt.”
― Jill Duggar, Counting the Cost

“Commit to doing at least one thing in service of your writing every day.”
― Maggie Smith, Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life

“Any piece of writing is a time capsule. It reflects the choices—and the abilities, and the limitations—of the writer we are at the time.”
― Maggie Smith, Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life

“All along, I thought I was protecting the kids. Shielding them from realities behind closed doors. Sacrificing to maintain a two-parent Christian home. Making hard, better choices for their faith, family, and education than I made for myself, trying to safeguard them from pain.
But they saw. That was obvious now. And staying meant raising sons who hit women. Staying meant raising a daughter who stayed with the man who hit her. And that would be my fault. I'd be the one who taught them life like this was okay. I didn't just let erratic violence continue happening---I helped by refusing to leave. Good mothers don't let this happen to their kids.”
― Tia Levings, A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy