I didn’t write Messy Brave because I had everything figured out. I wrote it because I didn’t. I wrote it because there was a time I thought my story was too messy to matter. Too stained to be seen. Too broken to be used by God. But then He reminded me—nothing is wasted in the hands of a Redeemer.
This book was born out of trauma, but it’s rooted in truth. It walks through addiction, abuse, shame, courtroom battles, and the painful reality of starting over as a single mom. But even more than that—it’s a testimony of what God can do in the rubble.
Messy Brave is the story of my rescue. Not the polished version, but the raw, real, still-in-progress one. It’s the story of jailhouse prayers and whispered worship in the middle of anxiety attacks. It’s about hearing God in the chaos and choosing to walk with Him even when nothing made sense.
It’s not a “how-to.” It’s a “me too.”
And if this book saves even one woman from carrying an ounce of shame she was never meant to hold—then every late-night writing session, every tear I cried while reliving it, every moment of fear about releasing my story into the world—it will all have been worth it.
Because I believe God still saves.
He still heals.
He still calls us out of the darkness and into His glorious light.
And if Messy Brave can be the light that leads one daughter home—then that’s everything to me.
I wrote this book for the woman who feels like she’s too far gone.
For the mama crying on the bathroom floor.
For the woman sitting in shame, silently asking, “Could God still want me?”
The answer is yes. Always yes.
So here it is—my story. Not because it’s pretty. But because it’s proof. That Jesus meets us right where we are. That grace runs deeper than guilt. And that there is hope, even here.
If you’ve taken the time to read Messy Brave, first: thank you. I pray it met you in a place you thought God might never show up. I pray it whispered truth to your heart. I pray you felt brave, seen, and so deeply loved.
Second—if you feel led to share a review (even just a sentence about what you felt, loved, or took away), it would mean the world to me. Your words can help more women find the courage to face their own mess and trust that beauty is still being made from it.
This story was never just mine.
It was always His.
And this is just the beginning.
Messy Brave Mama is following close behind—a faith-fueled guide for single moms and every mama trying to lead her children while holding the pieces of her own story. If you want to be the first to know when it hits the shelves, sign up for notifications:
Because sister, we’re not just surviving this. We’re building something holy in the middle of it.
With you in the mess,
Courtney