The Things We Try to Hide

... and the God who wants to free us

Sep 02, 2025

I love to throw a get-together—a chance to cook new recipes, plan games, send invites, and decorate the house. What I don’t enjoy—and usually put off until the last moment—is the house cleaning that must precede the event. (I often quote comedian Leanne Morgan, who says, “I’m fun! Fun people don’t clean!”)

I once hosted a wedding shower and found myself in a predicament: Guests were arriving at our home at any minute, and my kitchen sinks were piled a mile high with dirty dishes! With only seconds to spare, I threw every last dirty plate, bowl, and utensil into a laundry basket, hid it in the shower, and pulled the curtain closed. It was brilliant. (Follow me for more anti-cleaning tips.)

No one even knew until months later, when I mentioned it to a friend, who now checks my shower for hidden dishes every time she visits.

The act of hiding saved my reputation and sanity that day.

However, its effect is usually not so constructive.

My guest on UnPerfect this week knows the bondage that hiding can bring, as well as the freedom that comes from coming clean, and walking into the light of God’s sustaining love. She’s also known loss to a degree many of us can’t even imagine. And in episode #116, she’s telling her story, warts and all, to enable us to walk in our own more purposefully.

Listen in on one of the links below to hear Rachel Faulkner Brown, author of Widow’s Might.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

A few of my favorite quotes from this episode:

“I made a deal with God, that if he’d let me keep this hidden, I’d give him absolutely everything else. God didn’t make that deal with me, he said, ‘I’m going for total freedom.’”
“You can’t experience the gospel in shame. You can’t experience freedom in shame.”
“The work of the Gospel is rest.”

If you’d like to hear more on Biblical Community, Jody Allen and I had a great discussion on this topic in episode #104. And I’d love to hear from you, your story of coming out of hiding, or a creative way you’ve hidden your dirty dishes. Both are valuable:)...

Blessings,