Grace McCready was a thin, beautiful girl; but when she looked in the mirror, all she saw was fat and ugly. What started out as Grace trying to lose a little weight by slowly changing her diet led to telling lies, starving herself, and exercising herself nearly to death. As Grace developed a relationship with Ed (Eating Disorder), she kept believing lies about who she was instead of who God created her to be. When her family finally realized the health crisis she was in, Grace was already so involved in her new lifestyle that she didn’t want to give it up. But with the support of her family, doctors, counselors, and God, Grace climbed her way out of the brink of death and has made her way back to a healthy lifestyle. Using her own experiences, Grace challenges other girls to reevaluate how they look at themselves and to embrace the body that God has given them.
If you’ve ever let a single pound gained ruin your day, this book is for you. If you’ve ever seen food as your enemy and thinness as your very best friend, this book is for you. If you’ve looked to programs, websites, apps, or do-better-mantras to help you overcome your battle with an eating disorder only to find yourself stuck in the same destructive patterns, this book is for you.
Because all women struggle with disordered eating patterns and all people look to the wrong sources for hope, this book is for all of us. In her raw book Real Recovery: What Eating Disorder Recovery Actually Looks Like, Grace points us to the only Source of true hope and lasting change, Jesus and His Word. Let her story inspire you to open your Bible and live a life freer in Christ.
Erin Davis
Bible Teacher, Author of Graffiti: Learning to See the Art in Ourselves
Co-author of Fasting & Feasting: 40 Devotions to Satisfy the Hungry Heart
This book is an excellent tool for anyone who wants to understand what it is like to walk through and recover from an eating disorder. Grace’s openness and authenticity invite the reader to journey with her through the ups and downs of her struggle with anorexia nervosa, guided by the valuable insights of counselors and doctors. Her story will be a blessing to those who are in recovery themselves.
Taylor Eising
Editorial Assistant for Unlocked devotional magazine for teens
Grace McCready has created a beautifully authentic book filled with personal insight about her road to recovery from anorexia. Embracing both the myths and reality of her painful journey, Grace shares the bumpy road of fighting to silence her negative self-talk (which she names “Ed” for Eating Disorder) in order to live free in Christ. In Real Recovery, Grace sets expectations and provides an honest guidebook for those in recovery and their loved ones.
Cyndie Claypool de Neve
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist
Author of God-Confident Kids: Helping Your Child Find True Purpose, Passion and Peace
If you want a peek inside the heart of someone who has walked the difficult journey of an eating disorder, this is the perfect book for you. Grace peeled back the layers of her heart and showed the actual journey one walks while trying to find recovery transparently and authentically. As a counselor myself, I found such truth and power in Grace’s writing. I would love to hand this book to clients who are walking their recovery journey so they could have this trusted friend help them see they are not alone. I am so grateful that Grace offered her actual recovery journey for us and the truths that helped her walk free. This book is a treasure for a struggling heart.
Jennifer Hand
Author of My Yes is on the Table: Moving from Fear to Faith
Podcaster at Coming Alive Conversations
Executive Director of Coming Alive Ministries
God created our bodies and the food that fills them to reflect His beauty and goodness. And yet, sin and Satan are constantly trying to twist God’s design into something poisonous. This is the broken reality of living with an eating disorder, and Grace knows that better than most. Her book offers a raw, starkly honest, and desperately needed glimpse into the dark valley of anorexia, also providing truly helpful advice for those walking the long path of recovery. Her words will encourage, convict, and point you to Jesus every step of the way.
Naomi Vacaro
Author of Quiet: Creating Grace-Based Rhythms for Spending Time with Jesus
Founder of the Wholehearted community