Ann, a new member of our church, gave the outward appearance of having her life all together. Tall and good-looking, she dressed well, was extremely neat, and seemed secure in pursuing an advanced degree after some years of teaching. She immediately became active in the life of the church and was especially gifted in creating excitement in some of the programs. The staff was concerned about overloading her with responsibilities, but her graciousness in accepting them and the efficient manner in which she executed them made us eager to approach her with requests.

When she asked for an appointment with me, I thought it might be to talk about her concern that her heavy involvement in the church was a deterrent to her graduate studies. It turned out that Ann wanted to know how she could enhan…