In July of 2011 Stephanie Bolinger’s life was in freefall. Desperate to escape the pain caused by years of trauma, abuse, and heartache, the 24-year-old put an antique Smith & Wesson gun to her head and pulled the trigger. Then she woke up, alive but irreversibly blind. I Was Always Enough; I Just Didn’t Believe is her inspiring story of survival and transformation. 

Bolinger’s early life was filled with unbearable suffering. Starting with the death of her father at a young age, she endured years of abuse no one—especially not a child—should ever experience. Years later, broken, traumatized, and hopeless, she saw no other way out than to take her own life. But God had other plans.

Readers will be inspired by Bolinger’s relentlessness in this powerful memoir. Determined not only to survive, but to truly heal her emotional wounds, she set out on a path of redemption. Learning to walk by faith and not by sight, Bolinger rebuilt her life into one of beauty, love, and wonder.

Full of insights on the power of faith, the enduring love of family, and the importance of mental healthcare access for all, I Was Always Enough; I Just Didn’t Believe will inspire readers to face their pain, overcome obstacles, and find the way forward no matter what.