Good Enough: Learning to Let Go of Perfect for the Sake of Holy

by Wendi Nunnery

You’ve checked all the boxes. You’ve followed all the rules.
 
But something has still gone terribly wrong.
 
This is where Wendi Nunnery—Jesus follower, college graduate, and newlywed—found herself eleven years ago. After years of meeting all the expectations set for a “good” Christian girl, she was suddenly spiraling into an unknown terror she would later discover was Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and questioning everything she’d ever known about herself and about God.
 
It took nearly a decade, but eventually Wendi learned her value was fixed. Finished. Holy. And it’s in the pages of this book where she lays out the story of how and invites you to come along, find a friend, and realize you are not alone in your wandering.

Driven by thoughtful, poignant essays with just the right amount of colorful language, Good Enough tackles the lie that we are required to be perfect in order to be good and, most importantly, reveals the truth about how much we’ve already been given.
 

160 pages, Paperback

Published October 20, 2020

About the author

Wendi Nunnery is the author of a young adult duology and a bestselling spiritual memoir. Her work has appeared in The Huffington Post and she writes regularly on her Substack, The Nook. Wendi lives outside Atlanta, Georgia with her husband of sixteen years and their two wild, wonderful children. Connect with her online at www.wendinunnery.com or at wendinunnery.substack.com.

Reviews

[Mary West Barclay · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Good Enough” spoke to my heart. I’ve struggled most of my life with feelings of inadequacy. If I could only just pray like those other women in church. If I could only have grown up the way others did. If I were smarter, prettier, kinder, then maybe I’d like myself. Always striving to be something different, something perfect. While reading “Good Enough”, I finally accepted and realized how beautiful and perfect I already was, and I bowed my head to our God and thanked Him for my beautiful life! I wasted so much time on not loving myself, the me made in His image, and I’m not going to waste another minute! It’s a beautiful moment when you learn AND accept that you’ve always been “Good Enough”! Thank you Wendi Nunnery for this insightful, raw and tender book!

[Steph Whitacre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendi Nunnery's ability to offer her experiences in a way that is both gut-check honest and warm in personality is a real gift. Her heart as a woman, mother, and Christ-follower shine through on every page.

[AL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Good Enough felt like going for coffee with an old friend and staying for a few extra hours deeply engrossed in the conversation. This book drew me in and I’m better off for having read it. Can we make this required reading?! In a world that is hyper focused on accomplishments and curated Instagram feeds it was refreshing to focus on what is true, that we are all good enough.

[Wendi Nunnery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm the author of this book.

I come from a generation of believers who got turned into performers by the Church culture in which we grew up. Now, as an adult who has had to re-learn her faith after being diagnosed with a devastating mental illness, I understand that God is so much more than we made him out to be. And so am I.

If this sounds like you, too, I hope you'll read Good Enough and share my story.

Happy reading!

[Frankie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wendi shares an important story of striving for perfection, having shattered expectations, and putting together the pieces of a tough yet joyful life by learning to love herself as 'good enough'. The book felt as though it was written as a letter to her younger self. For this reason, I would primarily recommend this book to white Christian women, who are mothers or who are interested in becoming mothers, the people who can most directly relate to Wendi's life experience. Personally, I would have preferred to read this story in more of a memoir style; to learn about and share in the experience of her story without feeling like I was being given advice. While the audience felt rather narrow, the message—that perfectionism can be tragic and goodness is wonderfully sufficient—is broad. I am glad this story, including a change in understanding of a Christian faith, beauties and difficulties of motherhood, and the trials of mental illness (obsessive compulsive disorder and postpartum depression, in particular), is available for all to read.

[Meade Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendi’s use of simplicity in storytelling combined with brilliant description and metaphors to bring us into her world of perfectionism and OCD, shows how much of a talented writer she is. “Perfectionism was wound intricately with my despair, and I could escape neither......It would be perfection or total destruction, but there would not be, and could not be, a middle ground.” As a mental health professional, her descriptions are so on point with what sort of hell people go through who struggle with a perfectionistic mindset and OCD. Some of her writing brought me to tears because it was so genuine and authentic, and also because I could relate to so much of it. I recommend this book, especially to those who suffer from postpartum depression, perfectionism, or OCD, and have their faith put to the test as a result.

[Lauren G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Good Enough, Wendi shares her own story of darkness and growth as a serial perfectionist. Her story reminds us that God doesn’t want us to strive for perfection. He made us flawed for a reason. The lessons learned through our mistakes, missteps, and experiences are where He really shines through us. Wendi has this amazing ability to really grab and connect with her readers, and this book is no different (moms, I guarantee chapter eight will have you nodding your head in agreement while you reach for the tissues). At the end of the day, we are all good enough. Thank you, Wendi, for the beautiful reminder.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Enough came into my life at the perfect moment — six months postpartum, during a pandemic. I am not exaggerating when I say this book literally got me through the toughest time of my life so far. In this book, Wendi invites you into her heart and mind and shows you all her imperfections — something we’re all trying our best to hide these days. I recommend this book to anyone striving for perfection, anyone struggling with feeling disconnected from God, new moms, old moms, anyone with a mother figure in their life. This book lives on my nightstand so I can flip through it often. My new life motto is “Good Enough”.

[Peyton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendi knows that Christ never gave us the Gospel wrapped up in a pretty pink bow, but she knows His goodness. And because of that, she knows a freedom that her writing beautifully reflects.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendi’s new book is amazing. Her thoughts are raw and she really keeps the reader engaged the whole time. As an OCD sufferer myself, I connected with her experiences and felt encouraged by her vulnerability. I loved getting to know more about her and her journey through motherhood and finding herself as a Christian. I highly recommend this book if you are doing some soul searching yourself

[Rachel | All the RAD Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

These words from Wendi are the very ones I most needed to hear. As a recovering perfectionist myself, I am so grateful for her gentle and open-hearted invitation into holiness over perfection, into belovedness over brokenness. Her willingness to go first and share her story (of faith, of motherhood, of mental battles, of marriage, and more) gave me the freedom to explore more of my own evolving story, and I am confident that readers will experience the same gift in her words. Hearing Wendi's reminder that God's banner over me says "Good. Holy. Beloved. Called." helped me remember what is true, and I will cling to that.⁣

[Kelsie | kelsielovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wendi’s book is an invitation to lay down all of our striving and proving and step into the identity God has already given us: good enough. With self-awareness and kindness, Wendi writes about her journey to unroot perfectionism from her view of God and herself. Her experiences with marriage, motherhood, and OCD have given her a clearer view on life that is invaluable. As someone who also grew up in the church and has wrestled with mental illness, I found her writing to be relatable and her story empowering. Good Enough brings the reader back to the basics of faith: that in God we are loved, and in Him we are good enough. I highly recommend this book!

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute MUST READ!!!! How do we as humans battle the incessant pull of perfectionism in our lives? Do we exhaust ourselves with the burden? Depend on unhealthy habits to cope? Maybe even engage in self or projected harm?

In Wendi’s page-turner, easy-to-read book, “Good Enough” she walks her readers through the shadow sides of her life, intimately describing rich and intense examples of the cracks and crevasses that make up her Kintsugi cracks in the teacup, or in her case THE coffee cup of life. She works to rebuild the broken coffee cup not just with gold or glue that the Japanese use, but she embraces the entire process, good and bad, with tools that many of us still see as taboo to utilize, such as medicine, talk-therapy, prayer and petition, or even just talking about her struggles outwardly to those who care.

She exemplifies and encourages the successful journey of piece by painstaking piece, putting ourselves back together again. We do so with the help of the Lord meeting us where we are in our deep, dark, brokenness, while REMEMBERING our cracks filled with gold still make for a fantastic, imperfect, glorious cup of coffee.

As you read her book enjoy the journey and empowerment friends! Be encouraged and challenged in the road to self-acceptance, letting go of perfectionism, discovering the bright sides of life’s mountains and valleys. There is no place I’d rather be, especially with a perfect cup of coffee and this book during the fall season, to grow into who I’ve always been. Enjoy y’all, it most assuredly is worth it!!!
~MB

[Mary B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Enough: Learning to Let Go of Perfect for the Sake of Holy walks through Wendi’s process of coming to terms with the fact that her value that doesn’t depend on her ability to follow the rules perfectly. How relatable is that? What I love about this book is how Wendi honors and embodies the process through the book. As she learns to live with OCD, as she works the truth of her worth into her everyday life, as she wrestles with shame and doubt, she is honest, encouraging, and thought-provoking.

If you are tired of striving and long to believe that your value is fixed, Wendi is your person, and Good Enough is your book.

[Traci Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honest look at living life with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Also a powerful reminder that we can't earn any more of God's love or approval than he has already given us. An excellent resource for youth and 20-something groups.

[Allison Leich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw and Encouraging

The author vividly portrays the unspeakable horror of Harm OCD. I felt personally validated and encouraged through the text. Uplifting read!