Graceful (For Young Women)

“Emily is the big sister in your pocket. As a mentor to young women, I appreciate her ability to paint such vivid pictures of her experiences. She is relatable and authentic to all us good girls.”

Amber Lane

“Emily helped me uncover that hiding behind my daydreams is getting in the way of the dreams God has for me in the real world. She got right down to the point and left no room for me to hide from the grace God has given me!”

Britney Monte

“Emily knows what girls my age worry about—college, grades, who we’re gonna marry—and she gives insightful advice with solid Scripture to back it up. Highly recommend!”

Hannah Fulks

“Graceful made me think about how much I want to be valued by other people. I realized that I don’t need to do anything to be important because God made me in his image, and I have value because of him.”

Kylie Jones

“Emily’s book, Graceful, made me realize that I need to stop hiding my true self behind barriers I have built. I want to be more open to who God’s made me to be, and what he has planned for my life—otherwise I might miss it.”

Rachel Walters

“Emily gives real-life scenarios that girls like myself can completely relate to, and she helps guide us through the crazy emotions and doubts that we have in high school. She reminds us that God’s plan for our lives is bigger than we are, and he is the only one who can really satisfy us!”

Lupita Mendez

“Youth leaders, parents, and mentors can say it over and over again—‘Your value comes from Christ alone!!’—but the message just doesn’t click for most teenage girls. Emily, on the other hand, gets right into their world and becomes their best friend. She walks them through her own story and instead of offering syrupy flattery and a high five, she convicts them with the hardcore Truth of Scripture. Because the Truth is, God doesn’t take low self-esteem sitting down. It actually breaks his heart. He made these girls. He wants them to see themselves through his, their Maker’s, eyes. And Emily will take girls to that place where not only will they start to tear down walls of guilt, insecurity, and self-doubt, but they will also discover a deeper love for Jesus Christ, their Creator and Savior, whose hands are strong enough to carry them through every self-loathing thought.”

Sarah Nutter

“We all have a desire to be right with God that comes naturally. When we try on our own and strive to make ourselves right is when we get in trouble. Women of all ages struggle with this dilemma. How wonderful if young women would learn this lesson early and not spend their adult lives striving to receive the gift that has already been bought, wrapped, and given. Emily has done a great job walking through the book with us and helping us unclench the hand of striving and controlling and helps us open our hands to receiving the beautiful gift of grace.”

Jill Shelby

“The little white house on Gladstone Avenue had a driveway that ran the length of it on the right side. The gravel popped and crackled under the weight of any car coming through, sending up gray billows of dust. So we had some warning when Dad pulled his white Datsun up beside the house at the end of the day. It was the automatic on your mark, get set signal to my sister and me. We needed to get into position for a round of hide-and-seek. Our house was small, and there were exactly three good hiding spots: behind the overstuffed recliner in the corner, behind the long curtains in the living room, or under the kitchen table. But anyone who hid under the table was nearly always found first, so maybe there were really only two good spots. I still remember through seven-year-old-girl eyes: he walks through the back door near the laundry room, and Mom hollers out a mom-ish “I have no idea where the girls are” comment as she stands over the stove, stirring the chili. The pursuit begins. I have an overwhelming urge to I’m too much but not enough all at the same time.”

Anna