Imagine the “it” girl who decides to do everything to prove that she is tough. This was Heather Schott during her teen years. The pastor of Mercy Culture Church in Fort Worth, Texas, gives the details about childhood and beyond in her memoir, Unscarred: A Freedom Story.
Tumultuous Beginnings
In memoirs, we usually expect to read about a childhood filled with happiness before a life-altering event changes everything. No so with Heather’s story!
From the beginning, we see a child whose home is torn apart at a young age. Heather’s parents divorced during her toddler years, which led to her primarily living with her mother where there were rules and a distinct order to things. Unfortunately for Heather, her mom and stepdad divorced just in time for adolescence, which led to her decision to live with her father.
What Rules?
For Heather, life with her dad was pretty sweet. There were essentially no rules, which meant she could do whatever she felt like doing in the moment. And, boy, did Heather feel like doing some things!
She gave her body to various men and did whatever drugs were present because Heather was intent on proving (to herself?) that she was big enough and bad enough to be wild. It was not until she experienced a life-threatening overdose that Schott leaned into changing her ways.
Redemption
Heather’s path of restoration began in an abandoned apartment building where she was left to die by her “friends” who were more concerned about their well-being than her life. From that moment, the reader sees how Schott’s life drastically changed for the better.
A Cute Love Story
Perhaps, one of the best things about this book is the love story between Heather and her husband, Landon Schott. The reader gets the inside scoop on how the two met and the ways by which he pursued her into marriage. It is always a cool thing to learn the backstory of individuals in the public’s eye. Heather provides some (not all, though) details in her book.
Calling All Christian Memoir Readers
Unscarred: A Freedom Story is a good choice if you are a Christian who enjoys memoirs. Heather’s testimony could serve as an encouragement to never give up on a person you hope will come into the Kingdom. In all, I would give this book three stars.