Dear Reader—Welcome to The Secret Garden
I’m Alyssa. A 34-year-old divorcée, hopeful romantic, and former New Age seeker who left her hometown of Pittsburgh for the pastel houses and palm trees of Charleston, SC. I arrived on March 18, 2022, moved into my first-ever solo apartment, bought a pink couch, and began walking home to Jesus, much to my surprise.
After a decade in the self-centered world of oracle cards, energy work, and embodiment coaching, I found myself burned out, heartbroken, and spiritually bankrupt. What followed was a season of unraveling and a stunning encounter with the grace of God that changed everything.
This blog began in June 2022 as a weekly love letter called With Love From Charleston—a way to share my story beyond the filters of Instagram. I wanted more intimacy. More truth. More space to say the real things. And to my surprise, I had hundreds of people reading my blog weekly!
Eventually, those hot girl days gave way to my relationship with my ex (we call him N), the man who led me to Jesus. You’re more than welcome to go back and read those early posts—I’m not hiding my sanctification journey. This is all part of becoming more like Jesus.
Fast-forward through a hard season of depression and panic attacks in 2023 and a two-year writing sabbatical, and here I am again—tiptoeing back into the garden with a new name, a deeper faith, and a heart more rooted than ever in Christ.
Why The Secret Garden?
Because healing happens in hidden, unexpected places. Because this space is for the woman who loves Jesus but doesn’t always feel like a “normal” Christian. The ones who’ve wandered. The ones who feel deeply. The ones who crave intimacy with God but still wrestle with their humanity. The ones who know this walk with Jesus includes suffering—but still hunger for Joy.
You want passion and depth. Me too.
The name is a nod to both Eden—the first Garden where intimacy with God was pure and whole—and the classic novel The Secret Garden, a story of beauty, healing, and transformation. This space carries that same spirit: tend to the garden. And dare I say, the concept of a garden is so sensual, lush. It reminds me of one of my favorite books of the Bible, Song of Songs (the rated R love poem smack in the middle of the Old Testament). And like my perspective, it’s a little..disruptive.
I’m one of the “weird” Christians who used to do all the woo things. I’m celibate now, but still sensual. I’m rebuilding my embodiment coaching brand because I believe your body isn’t a barrier to God. It’s part of the way back to Him.
I spent over a decade coaching women, leading retreats, and teaching yoga (I no longer teach it) and intuitive dance. So while this blog is full of my musings on faith, longing, love, and real-life messiness—it’s also meant to make you reflect. Because our stories aren’t just for us. Stories connect us.
That’s why, at the end of each piece, you’ll find:
a few journaling or reflection prompts,
and often a song to worship and/or dance to—because embodiment matters.
I pray you find pieces of yourself in these stories.
I pray you feel Jesus here.
That you laugh, cry, breathe deeper, and feel less alone as you endeavor to live capital-A Alive in Christ.
I’ll meet you in the garden, beloved.
