Mary Rezac offers a boisterous pushback to a book that is not just bad, but very bad. Bad in the sense that she expected far more from a Christian, from the daughter of a pastor, and the mother of four children. Girl, Wash Your Face seems to be a thing–a thing I’ve missed, but I’ve not missed if you know what I mean.
“Girl Wash Your Face” was a #1 New York Times Best Seller last year … marketed clearly as a Christian book, and it’s published by a Christian publisher. I’m normally not one for these kinds of books (see above) but the ubiquitous popularity of it, and the promise that it was Christian, made me curious, so I picked it up for 30 percent off at Target and pitched a story on it at work. In Hollis’ book, each chapter deconstructs a lie she once believed about herself, lies many can probably relate to: “I am not enough.” “I am not a good mom.” “I should be further along by now.” And so on.
These lies come to us from society, from trauma we’ve experienced, and even, Hollis admits, to some degree “from the Devil himself.” So, how does Hollis suggest you fight the lies of the devil? By being rooted in your identity in Christ, by working on your relationship with God, by reading Scripture and filling your mind with Truth?…THAT IS WHAT I WAS EXPECTING FROM A CHRISTIAN BOOK, AMIRIGHT?! But that’s not Hollis’ approach. Hers is a “pick yourself up by your bootstraps, work harder, refuse to take no for an answer” kind of approach. Work out more, write more, have sex more, dream more, self-care more…DO more BE more TRY more GET more…woof. Girl, take a nap!
I was especially shocked that when it came to a chapter about one of the most significant traumas in her life, her advice for those experiencing something similar was about going to therapy and talking through it. Those things are good and often necessary parts of healing from trauma, but to omit God entirely from the chapter really shocked me. Girl, talk to Jesus!
The whole short take-down deserves a read, since every point this purported Christian woman makes is counter to the cross of Christ, a proper discernment of God’s will, and the priorities natural to a committed woman of faith. (Can you imagine distinguishing who are the trustworthy souls by who sticks with their diets??) Mary Rezac did this heroic act of reading and dissecting a bad book to save you the trouble. Girl, thank your sister!
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