Inside the Hidden World of Christian Patriarchy: One Woman’s Journey to Freedom
What does it really mean to be “a well-trained wife” in the ironclad world of Christian patriarchy? Tia Levings’ memoir, A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy, pulls back the heavy curtain on a life lived under strict control, homeschooling, and headship doctrine—then boldly steps out of the frame to ask: what happens when the rules implode your sense of self? As I dove into Levings’ story, a striking contrast lingered in my mind—the digital, tightly curated legacy of Andrea Mills, a homeschooling mother who shared every intimate moment online, versus Levings’ quiet, deliberate slippage from visibility, reclaiming ambiguity as power. It’s a raw, challenging journey through fundamentalism not as a checklist of habits but as a brainwashed lens that’s tough to shake, even when you fight back. Fasten your seatbelt; this isn’t your usual exposé. It’s a slow-burning unraveling, a meditation on pain, agency, and what it means to live when the scripture insists you stay exactly where you can be seen—until you don’t. Curious how Levings turns the script on toxic visibility? Stick around. LEARN MORE
Reviewed by Amanda Marie Gipson
In August 2019, Andrea Mills—a homeschooling mother of nine and Christian YouTube creator—died of cancer at age 41. By the time she received her diagnosis, she died within days. Her husband, Tom Mills, vlogged every step: her time in the hospital, her transfer home, her final visit with their children.
