Gaslit by God

One Black woman's journey to reclaim her faith, break free from church shame, and embrace spiritual empowerment.

Desirée Elder knows what it means to be a Black woman of faith in a church culture that often confuses control with care. A pastor and former "church girl" in recovery, Elder offers us this guide for navigating the spiritual dissonance between what we were taught and what we now know to be true. Through vivid storytelling, cultural critique, and scriptural reexamination, Elder confronts the spiritual gaslighting that has shaped generations of women.

She instructs women on how to release the bindings that disguise themselves as modesty but often become spiritual abuse, how to stop waiting that turns into spiritual procrastination and submission that becomes silence. She also names the little gods who weaponize scripture, shame, and tradition, revealing their impact on faith and formative identity. Ultimately, she offers a path toward healing, reclamation, and embodied faith.

This is not a how-to guide. It's a movement for the women who left church but still long for God, and for those who stayed but lost themselves. Gaslit by God invites us to trust our intuition, reimagine our relationship with the divine, and walk boldly into a faith that makes room for our full humanity. With unyielding grace, Desirée Elder provides a fresh look at the new vanguard of the Christian church experience.

Desirée Elder is a pastor, screenwriter, and executive director whose work centers Black women's experiences with faith, sexuality, and mental health. A former "church girl," she earned a master of divinity from Union Theological Seminary and serves as Associate Pastor of Arts and Innovation at First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem. Elder is also a writer, producer, and founder of ZedLife Productions, creating films, digital content, and platforms for progressive, boundary-breaking women. She lives in Harlem with her twin daughters.

• Publisher: Broadleaf Books
  
• Publish Date: January 05, 2027
  
• Pages: 220
  
• Language: English
  
• Type: Hardcover
  
• EAN/UPC: 9781506498126
  
• Dimensions: 0.0 X 0.0 X 0.0 inches | 0.7 pounds
• BISAC: Religion / Christian Living / Women's Interests
  Religion / Christian Living / Spiritual Growth
  Biography & Autobiography / Memoirs