In a world that romanticizes overwork and glorifies sacrifice, “loving yourself” can feel like a luxury; something squeezed in between obligations or tacked on as a hashtag. But for Patricia Lloyd, self-love is not a trend. It’s a lifeline. It’s preparation. And it’s a prerequisite to purpose.

In her deeply personal and spiritually charged book, I LOVE ME: Finding Peace in the Midst, Patricia redefines what it means to care for yourself. This isn’t about spa days and surface-level affirmations. This is a journey back to the soul—a journey through pain, procrastination, purpose, and finally, peace.

The heart of her message is simple but often overlooked: you cannot pour from an empty cup, and you can’t love your neighbor if you don’t first love yourself. And not a version of yourself you’ve airbrushed for approval. The real you—the broken, beautiful, work-in-progress you.

“Healthy self-love helps me see myself as Christ sees me,” she writes. “I am precious, I am bought with the precious blood of Jesus. I am forgiven; I am redeemed; I am called; I am chosen.”

This isn’t just theology. It’s therapy. And it’s exactly what Patricia had to believe to pull herself out of the cycle of burnout and people-pleasing.

For years, Patricia gave everything to others. She served in ministry. She supported her family. She even helped others pursue their dreams. But deep inside, she was running on fumes. She had delayed her own calling—writing this very book—for more than a decade. Why? Because she didn’t believe her own healing deserved that level of attention. She didn’t think her voice mattered that much.

Sound familiar?

In a standout chapter, Patricia recalls a vivid dream of being a bride—on her wedding day, no less—but unprepared. She had spent so much time preparing for the event and helping others that she forgot one vital thing: her dress. When she opened the garment bag, it wasn’t filled with silk or lace. It was full of rags.

That moment became a spiritual metaphor. The rags represented the unresolved issues, the hurts she had packed away, the gifts she hadn’t used, and the brokenness she refused to deal with. And like many of us, she had confused activity with progress. She was busy helping others, but not healing herself. She was present everywhere but within.

From that dream grew a message. One that sits at the core of I LOVE ME: before you serve the world, serve your soul.

And that’s where the book truly shines. Patricia doesn’t just identify the problem—she guides you through the process. She shows readers how to get honest with themselves, how to embrace their emotions without shame, and how to listen to God’s voice above the noise of insecurity.

She teaches that self-compassion isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. It’s how you become strong enough to love deeply, lead faithfully, and live purposefully.

This is not a quick-read “motivational” book. It’s a heart check. A faith reset. A deep breath in the middle of chaos.

One of the most powerful metaphors in the book is her quilt.

Over the years, Patricia carried around a garment bag filled with fabric scraps—literal rags she planned to someday turn into a quilt. Like the dream’s rags, these were remnants from life’s hardest seasons: grief, loss, transition, betrayal. For years she carried them, unsure of what to do with the pain they represented.

But then the purpose met preparation.

Inspired by a friend and driven by new clarity, Patricia began to cut, stitch, and assemble the quilt—each piece symbolic of a past she was finally ready to redeem. That quilt became more than a craft project. It became a legacy. She made quilts for her children, her granddaughter, and most importantly, for herself.

In her hands, the rags became restoration.

And that’s the invitation she offers her readers.

She’s not promising perfection. She’s promising a process. She’s not saying your healing will be pretty. She’s saying it will be worth it. She’s not pushing toxic positivity. She’s preaching sacred wholeness.

Even as she confronts her own past—with its seasons of fear, self-sabotage, and spiritual fatigue—Patricia never wavers in her conviction: God doesn’t waste pain. He repurposes it. The scraps become stories. The wounds become wisdom. The rags become robes.

And self-love? It becomes your secret weapon.

If you’ve been performing for approval, I LOVE ME will lead you back to peace.
If you’ve buried your needs under the weight of obligation, this book will permit you to reclaim them.
If you’ve lost your voice while trying to be everything to everyone, Patricia will help you find it again.

This isn’t just a book. It’s a companion for anyone navigating healing. A friend who speaks the truth in love. A guide who’s been where you are and is unafraid to say: yes, you matter. Yes, you’re worth it. Yes, you can love yourself—and still love others deeply.

So if you’re tired of carrying rags, if you’re ready to trade burnout for the breakthrough, and if you’re finally willing to see yourself through God’s eyes, the journey begins here.

Because loving others well starts with three words:
I Love Me.