I left in 2010

But I didn’t understand what I was leaving, or why.

I was brought up in and deeply formed by a cult made famous by a reality TV family – and then rendered infamous by the mass of sexual abuse allegations against its founder and leader.

Inside that group I learned that my female body was a danger to every man who saw it. I learned that the best way to honor God was to hide myself.

I learned to deny and hate myself, because I was told that this was the path to life.

I learned to read scripture frantically.

I learned a false gospel.

Seven years later, deep internal chaos became the rock bottom I touched. The excruciating climb out is part of my testimony. 

These days, I write about naming the harm in purity culture. I write about looking at our own lives and not looking away, so that we may be filled with the life of Jesus in the very act of uncovering lies we were told in his name. And I write about the freedom that is ours now, in the midst of brokenness, because God is always coming to meet us here.

Emma Hyde writes to learn how her formation in a fundamentalist expression of purity culture influences who she is today – and why it matters for her and thousands of women with a similar background. She is in the refining stage of preparing her first book for publication.

In the outskirts of St. Louis, Emma cultivates a beautiful life with her husband and two daughters, all of whom love to pursue adventure in wild places. Rock, snail shell, flower and dirt displays feature regularly in their home.

Emma is fiercely committed to not posting cozy coffee pictures, even though she is, in fact, daily cozied up with coffee. Organic and half-caf, thank you. 

Synonyms are her darlings and commas her enemies. 

She is never bored. 

Connect with me!

EmmaHydeWrites@gmail.com

Written in St. Louis, MO