Catholic actress, television host, former CEO, and model Joelle Maryn experienced tremendous grief before making her way to Hollywood.
She lost her sister in a house fire at a young age, and her parents never fully recovered from the grief. This loss broke her family, her spirit, and eventually led to her departure from the Catholic Church.
She spent 12 years away, but returned after realizing the emptiness the world offers.
Maryn shared her story in her new book, "Master of the Pieces," which she consecrated to the Blessed Mother.
"My life has been burned down to the ground and smashed to pieces more times than I can count," she told ChurchPOP editor Jacqueline Burkepile. "God always puts us back together when we surrender our lives to him."
Maryn says she had "a mountaintop moment" during a photo shoot near the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles while wearing a $4000 dress.
This moment changed her life forever.
"I'm holding this compact mirror, and I realize as I'm looking in the mirror, I had no recognition of the person that was there. I had no clue who I was.
"Everything the world said that was going to make me happy did not satisfy. I spent that night kind of like a tortured soul, knowing that I was so fake--just putting on this show for everyone."
"It was temptation after temptation. I miraculously got back to my hotel room at around 2 o'clock in the morning, and I spent that night crying on the shower floor.
"For the first time in years, I said a true prayer: 'Lord, I need you. Lord, please help me. I don't have this together. I don't know who I am. I don't know what I'm doing."
Maryn then explained that after her grandparents prayed rosaries for many years and begged for her return to the Church, she saw a vision of her soul, or experienced an illumination of conscience.
"I saw all my sins and my whole life flashed before my eyes. The worst part of it was I saw the effect of the sin," Maryn says. "I was just shocked..."
Maryn later reverted back to the Catholic Church. She is now deeply devoted to Our Lady and the rosary, the Eucharist, and spreads the Gospel and love for the Church through her incredible story.
Listen to her story in the interview below:
"Master of the Pieces" is available on Amazon.