In my preteen years, I’d primarily been taught that holiness pertains to the outward appearance of being in right standing with God. If I wore certain clothes, didn’t wear makeup, kept certain kinds of friends and appeared to be a “good girl” then I was living in holiness.

There were classes and youth conferences dedicated to teaching me how what I did and how I acted dictated my level of holiness. So I stressed myself out trying to live a perfect life in my own strength as part of my commitment to making God love me. When I realized the adults who told me I had to... (Continued)