Finding Beauty in Imperfection: Lessons on Faith, Connection, and Authenticity with Brooke Romney

In a world that often celebrates perfection and curated social media lives, Brooke Romney offers a fresh take on faith, family, and finding joy in life's messy moments. As an author, Instagram personality, and motivational speaker, Brooke has built a platform focused on helping teens navigate social challenges and teaching families to embrace authentic connection. Her book, "I Like Me Anyway" (I Like Me Anyway: Embracing Imperfection, Connection & Christ  ), explores how to embrace imperfection and deepen connection with Christ. As a mother of four boys (one married with two grandchildren, one returning from a mission, another preparing to leave for Brazil, and a 13-year-old at home), Brooke brings real-life experience to her insights on faith and family relationships.

This conversation from the Why We Believe Show reveals thoughtful wisdom about navigating faith journeys with authenticity and grace. Throughout the discussion, Brooke shares personal stories that show how embracing imperfection leads to deeper spiritual connections and more meaningful relationships. Her perspective invites us to reconsider what "perfect" faith looks like and how God works uniquely in each person's life circumstances. Let's explore the key insights from this thoughtful conversation on faith, connection, and finding beauty in life's variety.

Embracing Imperfection: The Journey Beyond Pinterest-Perfect Faith  

Many believers struggle with the misconception that spiritual maturity means doing everything right. Brooke admits she spent years believing that following all the rules would guarantee a smooth life journey. This perfectionist mindset created unrealistic expectations and unnecessary guilt when life inevitably presented challenges. It wasn't until she had children that this perspective began to shift dramatically.

Parenthood became Brooke's unexpected teacher on the value of imperfection. Through raising four boys, she discovered that opposition and difficulty weren't signs of failure but essential parts of God's plan for growth. One pivotal moment occurred when her stake president encouraged everyone to attend the temple weekly. With three young children including a nursing baby, Brooke attempted to follow this counsel but found herself miserable and tearful after trying. In prayer, she received a personal assurance that this particular guidance wasn't meant for her current season. This revelation showed her circumstances were understood by God and that perfection means doing what's right for your unique situation, not checking every spiritual box.

This experience fundamentally changed Brooke's understanding of faith. She realized God's personal relationship with each individual means He communicates different expectations to different people in different seasons. What worked for her husband (who benefited from early-morning temple attendance) wasn't the same for her during that season of motherhood. This realization brought freedom and a deeper connection to God rather than guilt or spiritual inadequacy. The lesson became clear: perfection isn't doing everything; it's doing what God would have you do in your specific circumstances.

The Value of Undistracted Presence in Relationships  

In our hyper-connected digital age, true presence has become increasingly rare. Brooke emphasizes the importance of undistracted attention in building meaningful relationships. She admires her husband's habit of putting his phone completely away when spending time with family, creating an environment where people feel truly seen and valued. Studies show that children's screen time habits directly mirror their parents' digital behaviors, highlighting how our example speaks louder than our words when teaching connection.

One particularly moving story Brooke shares involves an acquaintance who showed extraordinary presence during a difficult period in her life. After a community meeting, this woman asked Brooke how she was doing and, sensing there was more beneath the surface, pressed further: "No, how are you really doing?" They stood talking in the rain for much longer than planned, with the woman never checking her watch or phone, simply listening. Later that day, the acquaintance delivered fresh bread and an encouraging note to Brooke's home. This follow-through showed genuine care beyond the initial conversation and modeled the way God continues to show up for people rather than offering one-time help.

This experience changed Brooke's understanding of connection and ministry. She recognized that meaningful relationships require both attentiveness in the moment and continued care afterward. The undistracted presence this acquaintance offered became a model for how Brooke wanted to show up for others in her life. It also revealed how small moments of genuine attention can become spaces where healing begins. True connection happens when we create distraction-free zones in our relationships, spaces where phones are away, eyes are focused, and hearts are fully present.

Finding God in Variety: Different Ways We Feel Divine Love  

Just as God created diverse landscapes, from tropical beaches to desert canyons, He designed humans with beautiful variety in how we experience spiritual connection. Brooke describes a fascinating exercise she uses in her speaking engagements: showing young women photos of various beautiful landscapes and asking them to rank their favorites. Inevitably, everyone has different preferences, showing how God values diverse beauty in His creation. Similarly, each person connects with God through different spiritual pathways.

Within her own family, Brooke has observed distinct patterns in how each person experiences divine love:

• Her husband feels God's presence most strongly through music

• One son connects through acts of service and working with others

• Another experiences spiritual connection during moments of joy and fun with others

• Her more academic son feels closest to God through learning and studying spiritual concepts

• Brooke herself feels God's love most strongly through connection with other people

Understanding these differences changes both parenting and spiritual mentoring. Just as effective parents discover unique ways to connect with each child, whether rebounding basketballs or having deep conversations, God adapts His approach to reach each person in ways they can recognize and receive. This diversity isn't accidental but intentional, allowing God's love to be accessible to everyone regardless of personality, background, or life circumstances.

Guiding Teens in a Digital Age: Authentic Faith Conversations  

Working with teenagers has given Brooke unique perspectives into the spiritual challenges facing young people today. She acknowledges that teens navigate a complex world where information hits them at unprecedented speeds, creating special obstacles to faith development. Rather than approaching teen spirituality with rigid expectations, Brooke advocates for creating safe spaces for honest questions and authentic dialogue about real struggles.

One story shows her approach perfectly. A teenage boy asked Brooke if God could see his thoughts, clearly concerned about the swear words still present in his thinking despite efforts to clean up his spoken language. Instead of offering generic religious platitudes, Brooke validated his concern while reframing it through God's perspective. She explained that when God sees those unexpressed thoughts alongside the teen's sincere efforts to change, He celebrates the progress rather than condemning the imperfection. This approach created space for the boy to feel understood rather than judged, deepening his faith rather than creating shame.

Brooke's work with teens emphasizes hope over condemnation, understanding over judgment, and personalized spiritual guidance over one-size-fits-all expectations. She recognizes that teenagers are often thinking deeply about spiritual matters but need frameworks that acknowledge their genuine efforts in challenging circumstances. By affirming God's awareness of their hearts and not just their behavior, Brooke helps teens develop authentic faith that withstands real-world pressures. Her approach has led to resources including her Instagram platform focused on teen manners and a family connection game designed to facilitate meaningful conversations across generations.

Embracing Your Unique Faith Journey  

The conversation with Brooke Romney reminds us that faith journeys rarely follow straight lines or match our carefully planned expectations. True spiritual growth happens 'Right in the messy middle, when plans fall apart, when children challenge our assumptions, when temple attendance isn't possible, or when we're standing in the rain trying to make sense of life's difficulties.' These moments, rather than signaling spiritual failure, often become the foundation for our closest connections with God.

God's love for variety extends beyond beautiful landscapes to the diverse ways we experience and express faith. Just as a spice cabinet filled with only salt and pepper would severely limit culinary possibilities, spiritual communities need diverse talents, perspectives, and experiences to accomplish God's purposes in the world. Your unique way of connecting with God isn't a deviation from some spiritual ideal but an essential ingredient in the divine plan.

The question Brooke answers at the conclusion of the podcast serves as a fitting close to our exploration:

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE?

"I believe because where else would I go? I have such a strong connection to Jesus Christ and to my Heavenly Father that I cannot imagine my life without them in it."

May we all find such authentic connection in our own faith journeys, perfectly-imperfect as they may be. If you've ever felt pressure to fit into someone else's mold of spirituality, this episode offers a refreshing view on personal faith journeys.

If this conversation connects with you, consider exploring Brooke's resources at BrookeRomney.com or joining her Instagram community @BrookeRomneyWrites. Her family connection game offers practical tools for cultivating the undistracted presence and authentic conversations discussed in this episode. Most importantly, take time to recognize and celebrate your own unique spiritual pathways while creating space for others to connect with God in their distinctive ways.

Join the Why We Believe Show to hear the full conversation with Brooke Romney, and consider sharing it with friends who might need permission to embrace their own spiritual path. The discussion touches on parenting, connecting with teens, building authentic relationships, and finding God in life's imperfect moments.

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review. Stay tuned for future conversations that explore the many ways we can experience faith, family, and genuine connection in today's fast-paced world.

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