Sometimes, the pain you’re feeling isn’t because you’re weak—it’s because you’re not ready. You’re standing in the middle of a life you’ve dreamed of, a purpose you’ve prayed for, but deep inside, something feels off. You’re overwhelmed, exhausted, and asking, “Why does this still hurt?” The truth might be this: you haven’t prepared for what you asked for. In I Love Me: Finding Peace in the Midst, Patricia Lloyd unpacks this powerful reality through a greatly symbolic dream that changed her life. In the dream, Patricia is the bride on her long-awaited wedding day. The guests are seated, the music is playing, the groom is waiting, but the bride isn’t ready—she doesn’t even have a dress. While she spent all her time helping others prepare, she never stopped to prepare herself. That moment of revelation wasn’t just about a wedding—it was about life, purpose, and the healing we delay when we forget to do the inner work.

This dream became the foundation for a life lesson Patricia returns to again and again: preparation is the key to purpose. And without preparation, even the most beautiful dream can feel like a burden. In her book, Patricia walks us through how our emotional “rags”—the disappointments, heartbreaks, delays, and unresolved wounds—pile up when we don’t take time to deal with them. At first, we just store them away, thinking we’ll get to them later. But eventually, those rags become heavy. They travel with us. They shape our self-worth, affect our decisions, and dim our ability to see clearly. Healing can’t happen when we’re pretending the pain isn’t there. And healing can’t begin if we’re not willing to prepare. Patricia shares that healing isn’t just about releasing pain—it’s about making space for purpose. And that requires work. That requires planning. You can’t live a purposeful life by accident. Just like a farmer has to till the soil, plant the seeds, water the crops, and wait for harvest, your healing requires preparation at every stage. Purpose doesn’t land in your lap—it grows where you make room for it. So what does that preparation look like?

First, it starts with acknowledgment. Patricia’s own journey required her to face the truth that she had delayed obedience to what God called her to do. Writing this very book took over ten years. Not because she lacked wisdom or inspiration—but because she struggled with believing in her purpose. Like many of us, she was waiting for the “right time,” when in reality, what she needed was the right mindset. Healing began when she admitted that procrastination was disobedience. That waiting too long was robbing her—and others—of the message God placed inside her. Second, preparation means letting go of perfection. So many people delay healing because they believe they have to have it all together first. Patricia reminds us that even in the dream, the garment bag meant for the wedding dress was full of rags. But it was in those rags that God began His most beautiful work. Each piece of broken fabric represented unfinished dreams, emotional wounds, and forgotten gifts. But with time, those rags became part of a quilt—stitched together into something whole, something that told a story, something with value. That’s what preparation does: it takes what you thought disqualified you and turns it into a platform for purpose.

Third, preparation is strongly spiritual. Patricia found her healing not in hustle, but in the secret place—a space where she could meet with God daily, reflect, rest, and be reminded of who she really was. She learned that preparation isn’t always about doing more—it’s about being still enough to hear clearly. It’s about trusting that the same God who gave you the dream will give you the instructions, if you’re willing to stop and listen. Her journey taught her that without intimacy with God, we end up operating in our own strength—and that always leads to burnout. Healing begins when we lay down our burdens and make space for divine clarity. And finally, preparation leads to transformation. Once Patricia began preparing—not just writing her book but living her truth—she noticed a shift. The things that once felt impossible started to flow. The burden lifted. The message became clear. And most importantly, she realized that the healing she thought she needed in secret was meant to be shared in public. Her story, once stitched together in quiet moments, became a voice for others who felt lost, tired, or unworthy.

Purpose doesn’t come without a cost. It will ask you to heal from things you’d rather ignore. It will require you to stop blaming others and start dealing with your own heart. But it’s worth it. Because when you’re healed, your presence changes atmospheres. Your life becomes a story that inspires others. And your purpose becomes undeniable. As Patricia reminds us, anything worth having requires work. A dream is beautiful, but without preparation, it remains just that—a dream. To walk in purpose, you must be willing to heal, to grow, and to plan. Healing isn’t a magical moment. It’s a process of intention, obedience, and trust.