Book excerpt: Naomi Lang is an anxious, but funny young college student who unknowingly suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Weighed down by her rapid and unwanted thoughts, she moves through life feeling certain God has left her. Naomi is unintentionally transparent, often over expressing herself then pushing those she needs away from her out of fear. As she is mentored by her newfound friend, Miss Corrie Dean, her heart begins to see her need for a savior and realizes she desires a solution for the chronic self-torture she endures. At the same time, her relationship with the young landscaper she meets begins to tear down her walls of emotional protection, exposing deeply rooted battles more than she can bear. She will almost lose all the people she feels can reassure her, only to find that God has already provided practical tools along with Himself to help her. “Loving Naomi was an engaging and relatable read for anyone who has struggled with feelings of anxiety or struggled to understand someone who experiences feelings of anxiety, obsessions or compulsions. Faith was beautifully woven in the story of fear, love and new experiences. As a Christian therapist, I see this book as a necessary piece of fiction in a market that lacks material integrating life with mental illness and dependency on Christ.” Whitney Johnson Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor “Engaging and fun, Loving Naomi is not only a great read but it is also a rare and insightful glimpse into the mind of someone struggling with OCD. I highly recommend this novel for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of themselves and others who struggle with unwanted and intrusive thoughts. Best of all, through Naomi’s story, Newkirk beautifully points us all to the Lord, whose grace is ever sufficient for us.” Vaneetha Risner Author of Walking Through Fire