The wedding day had finally arrived. The music played. Guests waited with anticipation. But something was missing. The bride was nowhere to be seen.

In a vivid dream that would forever change her life, author Patricia Lloyd found herself cast as this missing bride. She was ready for the moment; except she wasn’t. She had planned everything for everyone else, made sure the day would be perfect, and helped others feel seen and celebrated. But in the rush to care for others, she had forgotten herself. When the moment came to don her wedding dress, she opened the garment bag—and found it full of rags.

That dream became the heartbeat of Patricia Lloyd’s powerful debut book, I LOVE ME: Finding Peace in the Midst. It’s not just a dream anymore. It’s a metaphor for how so many of us live. We serve, support, and sacrifice, but deep down, we’re not ready. Not because we don’t care—but because we’ve never stopped long enough to ask: Am I truly prepared for the life I’m meant to live?

This book is her answer to that question. A raw, faith-rooted, soul-searching guide that weaves pain, purpose, and preparation into a single, unforgettable narrative.

Patricia invites readers into her rags—the overlooked parts of life, the hidden hurts, the unfinished dreams. But she doesn’t just linger there. She leads us through a transformation, one that turns shame into strength and setbacks into stepping stones.

The bridal garment, symbolic throughout the book, represents more than just a dress. It represents readiness—for purpose, for healing, for impact. Lloyd makes it clear: preparation isn’t just about getting things done. It’s about becoming the person your calling needs you to be.

“I had grown comfortable as an observer instead of a participant,” she writes. “The lives I needed to touch were waiting for me to get into position.”

Her honesty is what gives the book its power. She talks openly about procrastination, about losing momentum, about doubting her divine calling. But she also talks about what changed: moments of spiritual awakening, the hard lessons from trying to do everything in her own strength, and the grace that helped her rebuild.

She explains how the rags in the garment bag were actually symbolic of everything she had been carrying—emotional baggage, ignored pain, past failures. These weren’t just pieces of fabric. They were the remnants of a life lived half-fulfilled. She had the gifts. She had the faith. But without preparation, she couldn’t walk fully in her purpose.

One of the most striking visuals in the book is Patricia’s transformation of those metaphorical rags into a quilt. She describes a season, where she became obsessed with quilting—cutting, sewing, designing a physical legacy for her children and granddaughter. But spiritually, she was doing the same thing—taking every torn, rejected, or discarded part of her life and stitching it into something that could cover, warm, and tell a story.

It’s a masterclass in metaphor, but more importantly, a lesson in healing: that nothing in our lives is wasted when we hand it over to purpose.

Patricia’s words aren’t lofty or detached. They’re grounded in real-life struggle. She talks about how she delayed writing this book for years, out of fear, out of self-doubt, and out of the very patterns she’s now helping others break. In that way, I LOVE ME is more than a book—it’s proof of obedience. A lived testimony that even the slowest start can still result in impact.

And for the reader, it’s a wake-up call.

It’s for the woman who’s been stuck in perfectionism.
It’s for the man who keeps saying “Someday.”
It’s for the person buried in ministry, caregiving, or career but quietly wondering if they missed their moment.

Patricia’s answer? Your moment is still here. But you must get ready.

Throughout the book, readers are asked powerful, journal-worthy questions. Not fluff—real questions that hit home: What gifts are you hoarding? What emotional rags have you packed away, hoping to forget? Where have you confused busyness with purpose?

But I LOVE ME doesn’t leave you in the pit. It builds you back up. It shows you how to serve others from a place of wholeness, not burnout. It calls you to the quiet, secret place—where preparation becomes sacred. Where purpose stops being a concept and starts becoming action.

“Your hour, your time is here, and you’re not ready! Your beloved groom is waiting patiently for an unprepared bride.”

That line, spoken in Patricia’s dream, still echoes through every chapter of this book. It’s more than a wake-up call. It’s a divine alarm clock.

In the final chapters, Lloyd reminds readers that healing isn’t the end—it’s the beginning. Once you know who you are and embrace who God says you are, the real work begins. But this time, you’re not starting from rags. You’re starting with a robe.

If you’ve been waiting for permission to live fully—this is it.
If you’ve been holding back because of fear, shame, or exhaustion—this is your breakthrough.
I LOVE ME is not just a title. It’s an invitation to finally, fully prepare for the life that’s been calling you.