Author shares unique faith journey in new book
Published 3:11 pm Saturday, April 29, 2023
- Paula LeJeune
Fear of the prospect of speaking for the first time to a large gathering prompted Paula LeJeune to share her one-of-a-kind faith journey in a style she hoped 500 young women would enjoy, and make it easier for her to share. She pulled from the language of fairy tales and included a Prince Charming.
After 10 years and subsequent talks and requests for a copy of her presentation, she finally put it down in book form. In 2020, “The Perfectly Imperfect Princess, an Un-Fairytale” was published. It is LeJeune’s story, and gives her the ideal springboard to talk about her experience of the love and grace of God.
As a little girl, doctors said she would never speak at all.
LeJeune miraculously survived the first surgery days after she was born to separate her at the neck and chin from her stillborn Siamese twin. Twenty-nine surgeries followed, leaving her scarred.
An emotionally, verbally and physically abusive father who openly expressed his disappointment with each daughter instead of the son he wanted influenced LeJeune’s perception of her Heavenly Father as someone she could never please.
“My safe space was the hospital,” she said.
Being made fun of at school and rejection by suitors also left its mark.
“With the help of God, I started to focus on what I could change,” she said. “I taught myself how to iron, put together outfits from the bags of hand-me-downs people dropped off at our house. (Paying the medical bills for LeJeune’s surgeries had a drastic impact on the family’s income.) Her senior year, she was recognized as “best dressed.”
She learned to never make a life-changing decision in the midst of emotional turmoil.
Most importantly, she began to focus not on how others saw her but on how God saw her. She spoke His word aloud. One of the verses was Psalm 139:14, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
The imperfections she saw were minimized when she replaced her earthly father’s views and criticisms with her Heavenly Father’s. Then she met her Prince Charming, Clifton LeJeune who also looked at her through the eyes of love.
“For the first time ever, I forgot about my flaws when I was him, “ she said.
Clifton and Paula LeJeune co-pastor Jesus Worship Center in Jennings.
Her book is available through Amazon.
